This year my interest in stamp collecting was re-started. But not from my own volition. You see, from my father's passing last year, I seem to have inherited a rather large collection or rather I think it could easily be called an "accumulation". Most are U.S. in sheets, FDC's and plate blocks of four, but there's also some Canada and Great Britain. And most all of it dates from the 1940's, I think.
But, year's before, my own interest in collecting started and I actually put together a nice album of U.S. MNH singles that I was quite proud of. However, times being what they were for me, I was forced to sell it.
I must say thou, my father's collecting interests were kindled at an early age. For him, it was a most austere time of life back in the 1920's. With perfect hindsight, can now see that he found the little colored pictures on envelopes were perhaps his only real source of amusement and fasination, so he saved nearly all he could. Later, when economic times were better his collection really took off. But, time for sorting and putting them in an album never happenned, he was just too busy with working.
Retirement for him and myself came when moving to Florida and his stamps in all the boxes went with us. Mom had passed years ago, so it was just the two of us now.
Then, after a 16 month downhill battle with cancer, my dear father passed away and I must decide what to do with all those boxes of stamps. My first instinct was to just find a good dealer and get them appraised and then sold off. But wait, my own original collecting interest of the past was starting to come back! Even thou the task of sorting and evaluating this collection did seem overwhelming, I thought it might put some much need fun back into my life. This is about when I came across the Stamporama website.
However, for now, I think I must first be patient with myself and perhaps just ask a few questions about how to proceed with the amount of stamps I must deal with. My father cherished these stamps for a very long time. Now it's my turn to be as good a steward of them,... as he was.
Lastly, but not least, I was hoping to just find a good forum to ask one or two questions, but this Stamporama site is in a word, amazing, and "Auction's" too!
I am honored with the privilage of becoming a member.
Take care and bye for now.
Al Whitney
PS - The "Test" page has music by "2CELLOS". Please don't delete this! I love it!
Welcome to Stamporama from a fellow Floridian (Orlando). Lots of great people to ask questions of. There are a number of active members from all over the state here (as well as many other places around the world. :-) ) BOB
They who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. -Benjamin Franklin 18 Feb 2015 10:21:14pm
re: Greetings from Palm Coast Florida
Welcome to Stamporama, Al. It is an amazing site, so enjoy yourself. Unfortunately, the test area is for temporary messages only, so that members can try out things before they post. However, never say we do not aim to please. Here is a link to the YouTube video you like: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=aNXby5s6lAU
Bobby Barnhart
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"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. -Edmund Burke"
Welcome, neighbor from another warm State! Sorry to learn about your father; I just inherited a large accumulation (yes, not really collection) from my godfather who passed in August. The most difficult part will be deciding what to do with those hundreds of stamped envelopes that have no real value (regular mail with common US stamps) and addressed first day covers, all of which have his name with old addresses on them. Some can be kept as a nice bit of family history, but how does one dispose of the extras?
Hi Al and welcome aboard from another Sunshine State resident, in Cape Coral. May you enjoy every minute of time you spend here on SOR and gain much knowledge from the experience.
Mike
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"It's been three years now, since I joined a support group for procrastinators. We haven't met yet..."
I love your story, Al. It will be interesting to see how you approach this. We'll be glad to try to help you in any way we can.
I might start with the adage that it's better to keep things intact UNTIL you've decided what to do. I don't mean keep ALL the things, but NOT break sheets and blocks UNTIL you've decided for sure you don't want them. In SOME cases, sheets are more valuable than the same number of individual stamps. But find out what you want to do BEFORE breaking things up.
Since your dad left it to you unsorted, you're lucky in that any decisions you make on organization, what to keep, what to expand, what to discard (sale, trade, auction, donation) honors what he was going to do.
Enjoy, and welcome
David
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"Save the USPS, buy stamps; save the hobby, use commemoratives"
Returning your greetings Al, from another chilly part of Canada, snow on the way for us tonight. Wish we had your sunny weather.Stamporama is full of great people always willing to share their knowledge with us lesser mortals.
So get comfy and enjoy enjoy yourself.
Welcome to SOR from another SE Floridian! Boynton Beach, here.
Lots of wonderful people here to help you through the next few months.
I'm so sorry to hear about your Dad. He will always be with through your stamps.
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"Appreciate the beauty of nature. You never know when life will deal you an unplanned twist of fate. Enjoy things while you can, because you just never know."
The "part" of me that just wants to sell off the stamps is slowly fading. My desire to keep them and do my own appraisal does seem to be the right path to take now.
My father's stamps are just as much a part of me as they were him, it seems. I forgot to mention that I was a beginning stamp dealer who advertized in Linn's back in the good old 1980's and was an APS member too. I sold world-wide mixed packets of used stamps. Think I actually made $100 before having to return to my regular electronics repair job.
Well, I do have one or two covers from the Kingdom of Württemberg that I might be able to upload a photo of soon. It was my dads favorite piece of mail. Württemberg must have been a good place and time, Albert Einstein was born there!
And Bobby, Thank You for the link to 2CELLOS !
That one song is, so nice that I went out today and got the album, Celloverse.
The song is so hauntingly sad that it reminds me of the good days with the family.
Thank You for welcoming me to the forum and the kind invitation to meet at your club!
This Stamporama website is very unique, to say the least! And, I've got a steep learning curve to learn it I guess. But it will be fun.
I know I will get back to collecting once again, but I've got to sell this house and buy another before I can really start enjoying "stamps" again. And then all the boxes of stamps must be inventoried. I'm still not sure what's there yet.
Here in Palm Coast, there is the Flagler Stamp and Coin Club that meets on the last Monday of the month. My father was very active in this club for many years. I would have joined myself except for a long standing breathing condition that keeps me from being "indoors" for any length of time. That's why this forum is a blessing for me, seeing I can not participate locally, in a building.
I am delighted to now be a member!
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