Progress and satisfaction
In past couple of weeks I haven’t been adding new stamps to my collection. Instead I’ve been placing any additions waiting aside, and focused on re-organizing my collection. And what a fun ride it has been…
One of my goals for this year has been coming up with matching stock book colors for different parts of my stamp collection. I started this process earlier this year, and have progressed stockbook by stockbook in current ‘almost finished’ state. Though visual aesthetics is a matter of personal taste, for me the new more consistent look of my collection feels much more pleasing than the old ‘mixed rainbow colors’.
Part of my collection. In the new order, the top row contains (from left to right): Africa & Middle East (in blue), Caribean Islands & South America (in green), and North America (in blue); the bottom row is all European stamps
Though it’s been a lot of work to shift stamps from one stock book to another, the process has also been much very rewarding as I’ve been ‘forced’ to revisit stamps and stock books in more detail than I might not have done otherwise. On several occasions my plan was to perform a simple hit & run style ‘take out and remount’-operation; instead I’ve ended up spending hours simply by admiring the designs and topics of the stamps in my collection.
For example yesterday (which was a national holiday in Finland) I started remounting my collection of Canadian stamps. It’s grown with nearly 300 stamps this year, and needed splitting to additional stockbook. Sounds simple, but… I simply got ’stuck’ on studying and admiring all sorts of pieces. And it seems I’ll be spending few more nights while shifting things. And when I have the time, I hope to digg in much deeper with varieties (like the Admiral stamps of Canada)… All in all, I feel very satisfied to note that though the general completion level of my Canada collection is roughly 45%, some parts are already approaching completion on simplified level:
Canadian postage stamps from the late 1950's and early 1960s. To complete this era, I need to find only 9 stamps I don't have.
After having some very busy time at work, having an extra day off with stamps felt precisely what I needed 
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As a collector that is returning to the hobby I am finding that one can spend as much time organizing and re-organizing a collection. I had originally thought that I could organize the way I remember that I had done from years before when I was learning from my grandmother. I’m finding that what may have worked back in the day doesn’t work with all the changes in the stamp world that there has been since I did it many years ago. Grandmom would be frustrated to no end, but it’s still fun to know that what ever organizing structure that I end up with, whoever inherits my collection will probably be doing the same thing that I am doing now…lol
I know just what you mean about the aesthetic satisfaction of colour matching, Keijo. I did the same some years ago. It looks so much better on the shelf – and quick & easy to put things back in the right place and then find them again later.
I use blue for Europe, red for the rest of the world, and green for my topicals (which are the biggest part of my collection). And brown for swaps / trades (but that’s still in its infancy).
But I have one refinement different from you – I keep my real collection on black vario leaves in files, and then use stockbooks for what I call “holding” albums, one for each topic or geographical area – in these I put new stamps as I acquire them.
Then when I’m in the mood (or when the holding album is bulging too much) I sort out a part of the collection, re-organising the stock sheet leaves and adding new ones when necessary. And that’s a part I really enjoy, as I see again the older stamps and also the new ones, and have the satisfaction of getting the new pages to look good.
It’s an amazing hobby!
Hi Keijo,
I collect world also and really enjoy your site and comments. You are doing a great job!
I collect 1840-2000 (prefer used but keep mint also) and hold my stamps in stockbooks. I’m gradually sorting them, though I have many on old album pages and hagners to integrate. I don’t collect mini sheets.
I keep my stamps in stockbooks of 5 main colours.
Africa is black, Pacific is blue, Europe is brown, Asia is green and The Americas is red or burgundy. As far as I know there are no more colours to choose from in Lighhouse as most of my stockbooks are. As I retire in 6 months I will have more time for sorting and storing.
I have so far sorted and stored most of the Pacific and Scandinavia and am working through more of Europe. I also spend time marking off stamps held in a 2004 Stanley Gibbons SOTW and am preparing a spreadsheet of numbers and percentages held, which also takes time. I guess I will work on some Africa and Asia or the Americas to add to the variety at times! This is the joy of world collecting, if an area gets a little boring then you can switch to another country across the globe.
I agree that seeing stockbooks of the same colour together is far more impressive then seeing them ‘mixed’. If a colour is linked to an area of the globe it will make sense to you also and assist quick identification. I also prepare stickers to put on the spines of the albums which slists the countries within the albums.
Peter
Canberra, Australia
Hi Keijo,
I’m curious to know how much time – i.e. hours per day or per week – you spend with your collection. I haven’t had much time for stamps for the past six months, but do make a point of visiting your blog.
Cheers,
Bob
Thanks to all for comments – it’s nice to see that I’m not the only stamp nut doing this sort of stuff
Hear,hear…
I’ve been trying this method too with varying success. For some reason the smaller the sticker, the better it seems to stick.
I haven’t counted, but I do know it varies lot. This week I’ve spent approx. 10-15 hours, week before maybe 2-3 hours.
Keijo!…I’m doing an exhaustive work, transfering data to the excel on the computer. What a hard task it is!!! but rewarding and looks more organized… and yes! you stare at them thoroughly because you need to check dates, condition,values, etc. I am using your idea but with a few changes,according to my necessity.
I put them on black Vario cards and sheets…for me is the ideal way to keep stamps…well protected and don’t move (unlikely on stockbooks)and they are appalling!… LOL!!