Stamp Collecting Blog - the premier resource for exclusive stamp information and news
Generally speaking - Deep thoughts about stamps, philately and life in general
This is index page for articles about Generally speaking - Deep thoughts about stamps, philately and life in general . Below you find excerpts on available stories. To read the full stories, please subscribe or sign in.
Reboot ramblings
What's it like to reboot stamp collecting after a three year break? One thing for sure is that there is lots of catching up to do. Thus I decided to title this entry of various observations as "reboot ramblings".
...(626 words, 2 images, 17 comments)
Rebooting collecting
One of the positive sides of taking a long break from the stamps and collecting and blogging is that it not just gives access to some new perspectives, but also forces to ponder things you might have previously considered self-evident. As I've been trying to settle in with my new life in new city, I have painfully acknowledged the reality of there's so much to do but alas so little time. Or in plain english, I'm feeling that I have been too busy to have time for stamps the same way I had in the past. Before you grab 'this is the end' signs, then I can say it's not. When there's a will there's also a way. Rebooting collecting will just require just some new approaches and perspectives into how I manage my stamp time and stamp related resources. ...(788 words, 0 images, 9 comments)
Goodbye 2020, hello 2021
If looking back at 2020, it is very hard to find words other than 'bizarre' to describe all that has happened. COVID19, divorce, moving across the country, picking up a new job.... No surprise I did not have much time for stamps nor blogging in 2020. As always there's the good, the bad, and the ugly - depending on how you look at it.
...(700 words, 2 images, 4 comments)
Stamp collecting and cognitive biases
I'm sure most of us stamp collectors know a lot about stamps. But I have a gut feeling that very few of us know very little if nothing about cognitive biases. Before my ongoing crash course with human psychology, I had no clue what the term meant in practice, even though as hindsight I can say it has influenced and shaped my life, stamps included to very large extend. In nutshell cognitive biases are mental shortcuts (aka. heuristics) that our brains use to handle vast amounts of data around us as quickly as possible. It sounds like a perfect match for every worldwide stamp collector.
...(1843 words, 4 images, 5 comments)
Getting back to stamps and collecting (and blogging)
Life can be a bit of mysterious creature, and never did I imagine taking a one year break from stamps and blogging. But so did happen. As I've been rebuilding myself, reconnecting with myself, I've realized I've been given quite a unique change to re-approach pretty much everything in my life. All in all I'm still very much in middle of lengthy process (aka life), so I really don't know what the final outcome of all this will be some day. But I do know stamps, collecting and writing about all of it will remain part of my of future regardless of events.
...(558 words, 1 images, 6 comments)
Stamps and collecting as therapy (pt.2): shame and vulnerability
This article is not strictly stamp / collecting related, but more about life, and especially life of particular stamp collector in times of personal hardships. This is somewhat up, close and personal stuff, but that should not come as surprise to anyone who has followed SCB for years. What I am about to say is more or less continuity to my previous post.
...(1135 words, 2 images, 13 comments)
Stamps and collecting as therapy
As long term readers might recall the story of SCB started out when I was experiencing what felt like the biggest crisis of my then life. Well, decade later I am again undergoing yet another 'biggest crisis of my life'. Talk about déjà vu. Back on the early days a lot of my writings were not so much about technical side of stamp collecting, but more about the "philosophical" side of collecting and collectors, and this weeks blog roots on those same deep existential waters on what makes us collectors tick.
...(621 words, 1 images, 14 comments)
Modern(ish) African postage stamps - what's their true value/price/cost?
As I have been working my way through piles of modern(ish) African stamps, I have not been able to by-pass the thought that many of the stamps I'm now seeing and getting into my possession are likely way more harder to obtain than anything of European origin. Or when was the last time you saw more than single random postally used stamps from likes of Central African Republic (CAR), Chad, Mali or Mauretenia? For me recent months have been "once in a decade" kind of times treat, and I've been more than thrilled when putting all these stamps into my collection.
...(788 words, 3 images, 0 comments)
10th anniversary of SCB - a retrospective
When I launched SCB on cold January winters night in 2009, my opening words were somewhat plain and simple "I know first posts always suck, so I’m not going to give any BIG promises or pages of text here. This blog is about life of a casual stamp collector living in middle of nowhere. It’s about a hobby I love and feel passionate. Welcome, feel free to participate and enjoy." Ever since I have written roughly 600 blog entries (with over 300,000 words and thousands of images) on stamps and life of a stamp collector. How can a single casual collector have got so much to say is one of those mysteries I have pondered at times.
...(775 words, 1 images, 8 comments)
If you love maps and history lessons - What every stamp collector should know of evolution of nations
Possibly the hardest and most fun part of of collecting worldwide stamps is perceiving the moving boundaries and definitions of the world in proper historical context. Fortunately modern technology has gifted us collectors with some very cool solutions, that provide tons of information in very easy-to-digest manner. Below are five YouTube-videos that every (worldwide) stamp collector (not to mention map-fanatics and history buffs) should watch.
...(5 words, 0 images, 2 comments)
Follow the money - or what's wrong with philatelic publishing of today
Possibly one of the best (and worst) sides of being a stamp blogger is that you get to meet a lot of people. Thus it should not come as surprise that I've learned to know a lot of folks in philatelic publishing: journalists, authors, editors and even few small publishers. All in all I would consider these folks as one of the brightest minds when it comes to stamps and collecting. Unlike most of us collectors, these folks follow and study stamps and the industry around it for living, and can devote days and nights to their passion. ...(1173 words, 0 images, 2 comments)
The unwritten laws of stamp collecting
I often times like to say that stamp collecting is not rocket science. And true, all it takes is some persistence and devotion to learn the basics. That said, there is a more complex (and maybe a bit darker) side to it all when you get a bit further. I like to call these things as the unwritten laws of stamp collecting, as a lot of collectors moan and groan over these topics, but you will have hard time discovering any printed advice or knowledge regarding these topics.
...(1017 words, 3 images, 10 comments)
Have you ever seriously considered selling or pawning your stamp collection?
Sometimes life does not go as planned, and one might end up in situations that require pretty extreme actions in order to survive. A nasty reminder of such event is receipt of somewhat insane legal fee sitting on my desk. Long story short, I got involved in legal dispute (in non-stamp related matter) and I lost; that is pretty bad news in a country where the loosing party is expected to pay all expenses for everyone involved. A longer and hopefully more interesting story to share is that in order to survive those fees on timely manner I had to review and rethink my personal finances in somewhat brutal and serious manner, including also the options of selling or pawning my beloved stamp (and comic book) collections.
...(1034 words, 2 images, 10 comments)
A general rant on stamp catalog editorial quality
If you haven't already figured out from my 500+ blog entries, one of my pet peeves is when stamp catalogues provide false or missing information. Such is the case with below Trinidad & Tobago 60c 'Anthurium lilies' stamp from the 1960/66 definitive stamp series. What makes this particular stamp interesting from collector perspective is the fact that it comes with two easily recognizable prints: one common and low value, one (likely) scarce and (supposedly) of notable value.
...(694 words, 1 images, 3 comments)
Beauty and the Beast: Inventorying not just quantity, but also quality of stamps
What are the odds of discovering a nicely cancelled British stamp? Or Sri Lankan stamp with non-obtrusive postmark? Or Canadian stamps with something other than machine slogan? I am sure most worldwide stamp collectors do agree with me that all above examples are possible, but somewhat scarce creatures. On the other end of the line are stamps from countries such as Switzerland, Germany or Denmark, which are almost always nicely cancelled.
...(1074 words, 4 images, 8 comments)
Every postage stamp tells a story or more
They say, somewhat correctly, that every stamp tells a story or more. As such it is pretty amazing that many stamp bloggers (yours truly included) experience writers block from time to time. I think Stephen King, godfather of modern horror literature, nailed the cause perfectly when he once said "Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work". As a blogger and stamp collector I admit that it is hard, maybe impossible to make any progress unless I feel inspired by the topic. If there is something I've learned over the years, it is that looking at alternative angles can make a world of difference in how fun (or unfun) something feels like.
...(727 words, 4 images, 4 comments)
What do you do with hundreds of duplicates of uncommon postage stamps?
If you've been following SCB's Facebook page, then you may know that for the past few weeks I've been working my way through 1+kg lot of worldwide ATM stamps. This was part of specialized small-time dealer estate I acquired, and as such came with very heavy duplication on some parts. Though I am somewhat accustomed to re-distributing 10-50 copies of the same stamp to other worldwide collectors through my stamp exchanges, what to do when you've got 100-800 copies (and possibly even more) of the same stamp? I am quite sure this is one of those situations that most stamp collectors will have to deal on some point.
...(926 words, 3 images, 5 comments)
To hell with stamp catalog values
I know many collectors turn to stamp catalogs to figure out what stamps are worth, but I have more or less given up looking at catalog values in recent years. It has not been an instant change, but more of a gradual progress. My reasoning for this has been very simple: the further I have endeavored with my collection and collectors life, the less meaningful I find the catalog values to be in real life. And yes, I know my opinion does not weight much as vast majority of dealers and collectors will consider catalog values 'holier than holy' despite of my naysaying.
...(1658 words, 3 images, 10 comments)
Crash Boom Bang! (Or how stamp collecting has moved to 21st century digital world)
As I was about to start typing this week’s blog post, I heard Crash Boom Bang (or more precisely it was a series of sounds that reminded of R2-D2 bleeping in distress) from my computer. My trusted workhorse of 7 years, a custom built Dell Latitude E6510 laptop, had just experienced a heat stroke due to which all the eight cores of it were forced to emergency shutdown. As I counted the minutes for the machine to cool down a bit before an attempt to reboot, a cold sweat poured all over my front head. Replacing the main system is every geeks worst nightmare. Though I do have multiple backups of my precious data and a number of systems that I can use for random online access and light work, there is only one system that has got ALL the pieces in place. It could take several weeks for a proper replacement machine to arrive, and even more time tinkering and tweaking the system to my liking. So I felt very worried.
...(1505 words, 0 images, 5 comments)
Sincerely yours - the lost art of letter writing and it's effect on stamp collecting
Few nights back my missus and I went to nearest big city for some shopping. It was about one hour drive and while at it we listened to some talk radio. At first I didn't put much weight to contents of the radio show, but when I found out it was all about letter writing in the early 19th century I started listening more carefully to story being told.
...(765 words, 3 images, 4 comments)
Poll: Stamps or knowledge. Which should come first?
I know there are two schools about this question, but how do you feel about it? Should you obtain stamps first, and then go in hunt of knowledge. Or do you first prefer to learn everything there is to know, and then head out in search of specimens? I confess I've been a 'stamps first' kind of collector pretty much throughout my life, but maybe not out of my own free will. ...(300 words, 0 images, 38 comments)
The insanity of collecting for completion (or why most stamp collectors simply draw a line on the sand)
I don't usually write about upcoming new issues, but this caught my radar and 'touched' something. In few days time Finnish Post will be releasing something even more controversial than Tom of Finland stamps. In commemoration of the upcoming FINLANDIA2017 stamp exhibition 6,000 unsold specimens from the 1988 exhibition stamps have been overprinted with new 'forever domestic' face value. So that the life of common collector would not get too easy in trying to chase a copy from their mail, the stamps will be sold at price of 30€ each (postal value 1,30€ + surcharge of 28,70€ to aid the exhibition). And to make copies even more difficult to find, only 2,000 stamps will be offered to public through website sales only, the rest will be sold at the exhibition area only. I wish I could now say 'april fools', but sadly the dark side of the force (or lets be honest, greed) seems to have taken over common sense here in Finland.
...(852 words, 3 images, 21 comments)
Poll: How big is your stamp collection, and what is your cut-off date?
Few days back Robert, a fellow world wide collector emailed me to acknowledge he had reached the milestone of 50,000 stamps. One talk led to another, and soon the question of how many collectors are in the range (and whether or not they have cut-off dates) popped up. For what I know and have talked with people (both in and outside SCBs circles) there are at least: ...(409 words, 0 images, 65 comments)
Down the rabbit hole no more. Or how I learned about some highly illogical twists in the way I collect stamps
About seven years back I pondered how deep to go when building a stamp collection. Lot of stamps and varieties have passed my desk ever since and I have enjoyed every bit of it, but to my dismay I can also report that for the first time ever I feel I have reached some kind of limits with my semi-specialized approach of collecting the world.
...(1313 words, 3 images, 6 comments)
Stamp collecting / philately is..?
Stamp collecting / philately is...What? Inspiring? Recreational? Educational? Relaxing? Entertaining? All those fancy attributes are often times used to describe and promote this hobby of ours. And all stand very true IMHO. But if thinking the public face of the hobby - magazines, websites, shows - very little if any of these admirable features are displayed in action. All there is bunch of (more or less golden) guys and gals selling stamps, buying stamps, swapping some stamps, talking about their own specialty or some variety, or complaining how things used to be so much better before. To non-collectors (and often times even for us collecting) it easily seems boring and maybe even as a 'serious business'. So where's all the true action that this hobby of ours should be all about?
...(877 words, 2 images, 13 comments)
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2017
This is my last blog entry for the year, and as customary I want to wish a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2017 to readers of SCB around the globe. At the same I also like to share this years Finnish Christmas stamp as well as some general thoughts about Christmas time in certain stamp collectors life.
...(816 words, 4 images, 14 comments)
The Power of Few (in philatelic publishing)
Few weeks back I finished reading ‘The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History’ by Elizabeth Kolbert. It is Pulitzer awarded book about the ongoing sixth mass extinction of world’s flora and fauna, and the role of human actions upon the change. True, it is not light stamp related reading, some might even consider it more scary than the books of Clive Barker, but the book got me thinking about the so said extinction of stamp collectors/collecting and the similarities between the events.
...(1261 words, 1 images, 7 comments)
Definitely Definitive
I acknowledge I might be splitting hairs with this one, but one of those things I've started questioning more and more is the stamp catalog (in this particular case Michel) defined division into definitive and commemorative stamps, and stamp exchanger contributed division into large vs. small stamps. Both might have been a working systems in the old days, but in these days of various special and annual stamps they seem like a non-working approach.
...(985 words, 7 images, 11 comments)
A business 101 lesson on stamp collecting: Why making an extra buck with stamps is so easy, but why it rarely scales up as proper business
It's been a lot of years since I have sold any stamps big time, but back in the early 2000s I was what many would consider a powerseller. Me and my misses had just gotten married, and selling all those duplicates that the merger of our earthly possessions and stamp collections yielded seemed like a fabulous idea to bring in some money. After all, we had just received our first baby, we were building a house, and I had just launched my business (after being laid off). So there was a lot of money going out but hardly any money coming in.
...(1400 words, 0 images, 9 comments)
Heaven and Hell - a postage stamp soaking experience
As I placed three-hundred-and-something stamps to my soak tub and poured some hot tap water on top of the stamps, I knew I was undertaking a challenge too big for a late night project. When I finally reached the end of the soak and rinse operation, about two-and-half hours later (and way beyond my usual bed time), my brains felt lobotomized, my shoulders and neck were stiff, and I was hugely exhausted from repeating same movements non-stop for the past few hours. However, at the same time I felt extremely happy and peaceful. Does this experience of heaven and hell at the same time feel familiar to you? And how did I end up to this state first place?
...(985 words, 5 images, 9 comments)
Special speck of dust - what makes us (stamp) collectors tick
Lately I’ve been entertaining myself by reading stories and interviews of other (mostly non-stamp) collectors; how they view and live the life of a collector. What I’ve come to realize is that all the collectors, despite what they collect (be it Barbie dolls, motorbikes, Nightwish memorabilia, video games or our precious stamps/postal history) share similar lifestyle and challenges.
...(759 words, 4 images, 4 comments)
Does anyone collect stamps anymore (or what any aspiring philatelic blogger/writer should know about human search behaviour)
First, a warning: This article is not your average stamp/philatelic story. I still recommend you read it because it will (hopefully) teach you a thing or two not on just how to write about stamps but also about us stamp collectors and human behavior. Ever heard of Google Search Console? It is an utility that Google provides for website owners like me. One of the many nice features it provides are various statistics on what kind of (website related) information people search from the Internet, and how (in which words) they search for it. The title of this post, "does anyone collect stamps anymore" is a direct quote that (at least) nineteen people have typed last month to Google's search box according to Google Search console. Most website owners guard this data as their precious (because it is worth gold in marketing sense), but since traffic from Google has very little meaning/importance to SCB these days, I'll share what the average philatelic information seeker on Google (from perspective of SCB) is alike, and how anyone aspiring on becoming a philatelic blogger/writer (or even maintaining a society website) can take advantage of this information.
...(2465 words, 6 images, 10 comments)
Nordia 2016 stamp show - and why I won't be going
It is very unusual that stamp shows of any kind come right to my neighborhood, not to say an three day international stamp exhibition, so I am a bit ashamed to confess that I won't be going to Nordia2016 held in Jyväskylä this weekend. The best I can say is I don't find it worth the time and costs involved.
...(757 words, 4 images, 5 comments)
Three practical tips every stamp collector can use to supercharge the way they collect
It seems my last week’s post hit a nerve of some sorts as it generated far more responses than usual. I think the post also pointed out one of the reason why blogs and online communities have become somewhat popular among collectors: they are not just ‘dry’ technical knowledge but also bring up real world problems, solutions and best practices that others can possibly learn, adopt and adapt for their collections. Below I'll share three practical and low-cost stamp tips every collector can (and IMHO should) use to supercharge the way they collect.
...(783 words, 3 images, 19 comments)
How do you deal with collector's block?
I think most of us stamp collectors suffer from internal conflicts from time to time; at least that is the gut feeling I've established when corresponding with many of you (either privately or through blog) over the years. Especially as one advances into new territories, or plans on making changes to familiar routines, or encounters conflicting knowledge or views, then all sorts of doubts arise easily, and on worst scenario lead into complete block paralyzing all collecting activities. Often times in moments like that we collectors reach out and seek advice from others (making different stamp boards, forums and blogs as popular as they are).
...(1116 words, 5 images, 20 comments)
Lucky seven
They say old dogs are hard to learn new tricks. Bah, humbug. I’ve been a stamp blogger now for precisely seven years (yes, happy birthday SCB) and yesterday I became a vlogger (aka. video blogger). Yes, Stamp Collecting Blog has got a YouTube Channel now, and I will try to adhere new content to it every now and then the same way as I update SCB’s Twitter and SCB's FaceBook accounts (but I will spare you from the agony of seeing my mug. Instead I’ve got a plan to showcase some nice stamps and do some tutorials).
...(1004 words, 2 images, 4 comments)
Updating the philatelic theory of relativity
For about 100 years, the general theory of relativity has been shaping out how the world the around is understood. Though we collectors lack our Einstein, we still have got our own ‘relativity model’ that defines how various bits and pieces of stampworld are defined and connected. And to large extend this model was created by the first advanced collectors and stamp catalogue builders of the late 19th and early 20th century as they had to make decisions on how to bring order into chaos and how to separate varieties from each other. One important part of this model is measuring perfs and separating different gauges.
...(802 words, 2 images, 4 comments)
Why most stamp collectors could benefit from becoming polyglots
Few weeks back I wrote about philatelic vocabulary, and with this entry I'm about dig in a bit deeper from another angle. As regular readers of the blog should know, I'm a Finn and Finnish is my native language. That said, I do most of my work (and thinking) in English, so it's also very natural for me. Besides these two major languages in my life, I can do also German and Swedish relatively well, and even Spanish and French words seem to holding up on me slowly but surely. So it's relatively fair to say I'm a polyglot.
...(599 words, 1 images, 7 comments)
Philatelic vocabulary
At times I wish all stamp collectors shared a global vocabulary and terms as it would make things easier. This article is about to display some (possibly not so often seen) stamp related items from different perspectives, and how easily a poor choice of words can alter their meaning.
...(974 words, 4 images, 4 comments)
Musings of a stamp collecting tv-loving history buff
Not so long ago I was remembering my childhood days (back in the 1980s), and guess what was the first thing to surface my consciousness? TV-shows themes! I'm sure most of my generation still remember what the themes of Knight Rider, Street Hawk, Lovejoy or Robin of Sherwood sounded alike. If you're thinking what's all this nostalgia got to do with stamp collecting, maybe a lot, maybe not so much.
...(1077 words, 4 images, 7 comments)
What do you consider a common postage stamp?
During the summer months I had several talks with people who were considering on taking part to SCBs stamp exchange, but were holding back because they felt as if their offerings would be too common and they would not add to my collection. I tried to convince them that despite my collection of ~100K items sounds huge, it has by all means got more holes than Swiss cheese.
...(734 words, 4 images, 29 comments)
Is the cost of becoming a stamp collector too high for the kids of today?
A while back SCF discussions had a statement that stopped me. "The thing is, it took weeks of researching how to collect to even discover Steiner's pages. And I still had to invest $100 into a Scott catalogue, $100 into mounts (I refuse to use hinges), and then the cost of the stamps. The barrier of entry to the hobby was just so high that I can't imagine kids these days being willing to go down the route of building albums.". I acknowledge the author had written the statement from 'adult american perspective', but is it genuinely so?
...(855 words, 2 images, 26 comments)
Five things you should know about stamp blogging
As I've been blogging about stamps and stamp collecting for six and half years, I thought I'd share some pearls of wisdom for readers aspiring of becoming stamp bloggers (just like me). I wish somebody would have told me these when I started years back.
...(1057 words, 0 images, 16 comments)
The real value of Elvis and other celebs on stamps - what pop culture on postage stamps has left us with?
Today's the 175th anniversary of Penny Black and the postage stamp, but instead of talking about 'the Queen', I thought I'd write about the 'the King' and his companions. For us stamp collectors any reference to 'the King' often times means King George V, one of the greatest stamp collectors of all times, but for rest of the world the King usually equals Elvis. So what do You think King George V (or for that matter Queen Victoria) would have said if he was displayed the stamps of today featuring Elvis and other pop culture characters? Would he had become the great collector he was, or is he turning over in one's grave? Here's my few cents worth about about it.
...(852 words, 6 images, 8 comments)
Yet Another Epic Failure From Stanley Gibbons
The latest blog entry by Commonwealth Stamps Opinions is a truly read-worthy and thought provoking piece for anyone collecting modern worldwide stamps. In short, the news is that Stanley Gibbons has significantly increased the number of new issues going to catalog appendix instead of the usual listings, and it seems that a new editorial policy is taking place. I know some more conservative stamp collectors will rejoice this step against the ever increasing flow of new issues. But I must say I'm deeply worried by the long term affects of this change, and wonder if the editors have not really learned anything from the past. ...(649 words, 0 images, 21 comments)
Automated stamp recognition / identification software - why it is such a BAD idea to allow a machine do all the fun (work) for you
I was recently reading a research paper about automated stamp image recognition, when it hit me that this is one of those situations where smart IT-guys (like yours truly, LOL) are often building philatelic tools that might not necessarily serve the hobby. If software automatically identifies a stamp in second or two (and even faster), what is there for the collector to do? Take a picture of a stamp, let the program identify it, and then place the stamp into an album? Ask me, but that's not how you become or enjoy being a stamp collector.
...(504 words, 4 images, 9 comments)
Is it OK to give negative feedback when you receive subpar grade postage stamps (from stamp exchange, stamp dealer etc)?
Over the summer I've been feeling random stings on my heart when filing public reports about the quality of stamps sent for SCBs stamp exchange. I don't know if it's part of the Finnish behavior or something more widespread, but I find it very hard to to give (verbal) negative feedback even when I know it's justified and should be done.
...(731 words, 1 images, 17 comments)
Photographing places and locations behind postage stamp designs
I'm a bit of a camera nut and over the years I've build a habit of taking snapshots of locations, scenes and topics I find familiar from stamps. This entry is about sharing few random photos (and related stamps) from my collection.
...(520 words, 7 images, 10 comments)
The driving force behind specialization, and why so many of stamp collectors become flyspeckers
Few days back I was popping at the 'city' for a dentist and while waiting for bus connections back home I decided to hit the local public library. There I found the latest and greatest edition of Finnish specialized stamp catalogue Norma (see a review of earlier edition). While browsing it, I realized that the level of specialization within is becoming simply too much even for semi-advanced collector like myself.
...(429 words, 3 images, 13 comments)
Life, Postage Stamps and Everything
It's been well over a month since I last added anything new to my stamp albums (or wrote anything major for the blog). It's not that I would not want to, but with the baby et all days just seem to pass by so quickly. About a week back I did prepare some kiloware (from my correspondence with other collectors) for soaking session, but they're still in the tub. Waiting.
...(255 words, 3 images, 7 comments)
Happy stamp dad (updated)
Just thought I'd share a small stamp related story... I was soaking some stamps last afternoon, when two of my youngest girls (6 and 8 yrs) noted what I was doing, and quickly run to pick their own (junior sized) stock book so they could join the stamp fun too.
...(228 words, 2 images, 45 comments)
Stamp collector, do you have an exit strategy? Or what happens with your stamps and collection when you kick the bucket!
One of the discussions I've taken part in StampBoards involves the topic of exit strategies. What happens to Your collection after You die (or are in condition that you can no longer collect)? It's something I think each and every collector should give a good thought on some point. Anyway, last night I was having a late night snack with my kids (all four, from 5 to 12 years). And due to an article in local newspaper the discussion ended on philosophical side of collecting (collecting just because the fun of it vs. collecting to make money/profit). And we had a good talk about the subject, including also what happens to collections after we die.
...(277 words, 2 images, 12 comments)
Sharing your passion to stamps, stamps collecting and philately
Few days back I watched an award winning Italian documentary called Vinylmania - When life runs at 33 revolutions per minute. Though it was about collecting vinyl records and love for music, I could not help wondering how much common behavior there are between different types of collectors. Hoarding and compulsive need to organize. Friendships and ruthless battles over new items. The feeling of enjoy when making new finds. And above all, having fun when organizing and viewing the collection. We collectors are all alike no matter what we collect.
...(396 words, 0 images, 7 comments)
The many faces of stamp collecting
What's does a modern stamp collector look like? And what's he or she interested in? I confess being interested by these questions as the answers define (to certain degree) the topics I share and write on my blog. So sit back, take a LARGE cup of your favorite (hot) drink, and join me for yet another round of some deep thoughts about the inners of philately and stamp collecting.
...(710 words, 3 images, 33 comments)
A new, more detailed look into number of different worldwide postage stamps issued
Way back in June 2009 I wrote a piece called Is a complete all-era worldwide stamp collection possible?. AFAIK it was (and still is) one of the few pieces that try to go into detail what's listed inside (Michel) worldwide stamp catalogues and the challenges worldwide collector faces if trying to build a complete collection.
...(908 words, 3 images, 62 comments)
The art of coloring postage stamps
Danny Kaye has said 'Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint on it you can'. Despite stamp design and engraving / engravers are much discussed topic in philately, I don't recall hearing or reading much talk about the art of coloring. Below are few examples that hopefully display the large influence proper use of colors can make on the subject of stamp design.
...(235 words, 2 images, 0 comments)
What do You do with stamps that have foxing / rust?
Foxing, rust, staining... The arch nemesis of stamp collectors has about as many names as forms. Though I try to be very picky with what I include into my stamp albums, every once and awhile I notice that some stamp in my collection has developed the dreaded red brown spots. Usually I just go sigh, and bin the stamp... But sometimes it's not so easy, especially if the stamp in question is not so common. My question is, what do You do with stamps that show any signs of foxing / rust?
...(579 words, 2 images, 55 comments)
Confessions of an aging stamp collector.
I'm turning 36 later this year, which means I'm literally somewhere between a young adult and middle aged family guy. As much I hate to admit it, in recent years I've noted several (inevitable) age related changes in me that affect my every day collecting behavior as well.
...(500 words, 3 images, 58 comments)
Revolution and evolution - the role and challenges of technology in stamp collecting
Last night I watched the first episode of highly acclaimed BBC documentary about Web & how it has reshaped our lives. It was definitely thought provoking, and it got me thinking how even stamp collecting is shaping itself with the online revolution.
...(559 words, 0 images, 17 comments)
What makes a happy stamp collector?
Recently I’ve been reading an alternative lifestyle book telling a story of a nurse who jumped off the 24/7/365 modern lifestyle and rebuild her life a much happier one. It has got me thinking how happy I am of my life, and what things I could do differently on various aspects of life such as stamp collecting. I confess that I'm somewhat happy of my life; and stamp collecting is definitely one of the key areas where I'm extremely happy of my life. But of course there's (always) room to improve...
...(509 words, 1 images, 33 comments)
Progress and satisfaction you get from organizing your stamp collection
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...
...(315 words, 2 images, 6 comments)
Stamp collecting, the Hobby of Kings - is it truly for the rich?
I'm sure most stamp collectors know that stamp collecting / philately is often dupped as the "hobby of kings, king of the hobbies". Besides attracting tens of millions casual people, stamps have been collected by kings, statesmen and otherwise famous (and rich) people. And no, I'm not going to write down another list of famous collectors (there are enough of those online); instead I'll wonder the "money and collecting"-question. Which is more limiting - the fact that you can pretty much buy/get anything You like? Or the fact that You simply can't afford all those nice items you know are out there?
...(307 words, 3 images, 14 comments)
Of common good and volunteer work in stamp clubs and philatelic societies
I'm not the easiest person to lose my temper, but it happens occasionally. Recently I flipped out because I was given some harsh and totally unexpected critique for not providing my professional know-how (and tools of the trade) free-of-charge "for common good". This got me thinking on larger scale the concept of common good and volunteering (on association level).
...(335 words, 2 images, 5 comments)
The more I learn of stamp collecting, the less I realize that I actually know
I'm a great believer in education and knowledge, and definitely belief that knowledge is power. But the more I learn of this hobby, the less I realize that I actually know. I guess it's part of "with much wisdom comes much sorrow" stuff.
...(363 words, 3 images, 7 comments)
Time and devotion
I think nearly all passioned collectors give plenty of time and devotion to their beloved hobby. I confess that I spend about 2-3 hours daily for stamps. A large part of it goes doing stamp exchanges or browsing online stamp discussion/articles; the weekends I usually spend mostly offline (and sort my stamps) ...I know, 2-3 hours a day sounds lot, but as I don't do much TV (besides random movies) or reading (besides random active periods) in late nights, I can afford the luxury.
...(367 words, 1 images, 7 comments)
Confessions of a philatelic hoarder
Just browsed the latest edition of Linn's Stamp Magazine, and it gave me a whole lot of thinking. Lawrence block wrote (once again) an excellent column, and this time he focused on hoarding and collecting. Though I'm still not even middle aged (I'll turn 35 next month), I've been accumulating "all-sorts" for over 20 years now. And it definitely shows. I confess being a hoarder of some sort on several frontiers.
...(24 comments).
Building philatelic knowledge
One of the most frequently asked questions I get is how do I get ideas and knowledge to make up new blog entries? Well, one of my trusted sources are reader responses and comments. For example Dell wrote recently about his interest towards deco stamps in My favourite stamps. Few days later I accidentally stumbled upon with an interesting display of original stamp designs by Fransisco Eppens Helguara, a master of Art Deco stamps. And as the output of these events, I got a bit excited as well, and now I'm writing up this entry about "Eppens stamps".
...(368 words, 3 images, 12 comments)
My favorite postage stamps
Lawrence Block, an American writer best known for his crime and mystery stories, wrote recently in his column (at Linn's Stamp News ) about his favorite countries to collect. It got me thinking about my collection, and my personal favorites. Unlike Mr. Block, I don't have a list of countries I prefer over another. Instead I have a list of different kind of arguments that I prefer to see on my stamps (despite their country of origin).
...(366 words, 4 images, 25 comments)
About difference between a stamp collector and philatelist
Yesterday (and as well as today) I got involved into a somewhat "interesting" discussion on MyPhilately that gathered tens of comments in matter of hours. Unfortunately, it turned also into a catfight between stamp collectors and philatelists in few responses. I can hear you saying "again...sigh". My thoughts precisely. Why on earth can't stamp collectors and philatelists co-exist in peace (especially on Valentine's time)?
...(417 words, 1 images, 42 comments)
Besides stamp collecting what other hobbies do you have?
As January is promoted as the National Hobby Month in some parts of the world, I think this is a great time to tell and share something about my other hobbies. As You can guess, many of these are (or relate heavily) to collecting.
...(370 words, 3 images, 9 comments)
How to create perfect cross-references between Scott, Michel, Stanley Gibbons etc. stamp catalogue - legally
For some time I've been thinking stamp catalogue index numbers (yes, those running numbers that stamp catalogues use to identify each stamps) and their purpose. I know it sounds a silly topic to bother the mind, but it's actually very interesting one. ...(453 words, 1 images, 66 comments)
The anatomy of (stamp) fun
For the last 4 weeks me and my wife have been somewhat occupied with sorting a 1kg box of worldwide off-paper stamps. It's been a lot of fun, so I thought to share some details about it.
...(412 words, 3 images, 30 comments)
How to get youth and young adults into stamp collecting
One of the complaints that pop ups every now and then is the lack of youth and young people involved with stamp collecting (and even more to collecting societies/clubs). I’m not saying I have the recipe to fix everything, but I do have some opinions that might be helpful.
...(655 words, 0 images, 30 comments)
Competitive stamp exhibiting stinks
First, I want to raise hat to those who build up collections and display them publicly. But that said, I have to also confess that IMHO so called competitive exhibiting stinks. ...(360 words, 0 images, 12 comments)
Which of these postage stamps went up in value?
Scott Stamp Catalogue has hit the nail with their current ad campaign running (at least) in Linns. IMO the simple question "Which of these stamps went up in value?" summarises a whole lot of the driving forces in stamp catalogue business.
...(394 words, 1 images, 2 comments)
Numbers game - or how the number of postage stamps issued has grown massively after the 1910s
One of the favorite rants among stamp collectors is the number of new issues. The current flow of new postage stamps is simply too much for many; especially if compared to actual postal needs... Below is a chart describing the number of annual postage stamp sets issued between 1840 and 2008 worldwide.
...(113 words, 1 images, 6 comments)
In search of perfect stamp exchange recipe
As some know, I’ve been more or less active in stamp trading / exchanging for nearly two decades. Below are some of my personal experiences and opinions about the fine art of stamp trading.
...(464 words, 2 images, 10 comments)
Keeping track of stamp collection
In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes. The idea of stamp inventory program (and other stamp collecting software) is to be of assistance when either one hits the collector. On simplified level, a stamp inventory solution keeps track of what's inside the collectors collection, and what it might be worth. In my previous post about stamp collecting software I pretty much axed dedicated software solutions and hailed Microsoft Excel. With this blog entry I'll show you in more detail how I keep track of my collection.
...(1129 words, 2 images, 299 comments)
Is a complete all-era worldwide stamp collection possible?
A friend of mine recently asked why I collect worldwide stamps from all eras as I have non-existing possibilities of building even somewhat complete collection. I told him that I collect for personal fun with no serious goals (like exhibition philately or profit seeking) attached; for me it's just a hobby like reading a good novel.... But I dared to challenge him by saying that a complete, all-era worldwide collection is by no means as impossible as generally considered. And I've got the proofs...
...(533 words, 4 images, 57 comments)
Article categories
- Generally speaking about stamps, philately and collecting
- Learn the basics of stamp collecting - advice on how to get started
- How to preserve and build a stamp collection
- Philatelic knowledge base
- Stamp forgeries, philatelic fakes and other counterfeits
- Stamp collecting software (inventory programs and databases, online stamp catalogs etc)
- Straight talk about stamp values (both catalog and real world)
- Back of book stamps and other unusual stamp-like items
- EFO-stamps: errors, freaks and oddities on postage stamps
- Q & A - Ask anything about stamps and collecting
- Article index by country and topic
- SCB's Digital Perforation Gauge