Hi everyone. My name is Steve. I've been meaning to join Stamporama ever since I stumbled across the group last summer. I resdiscovered my teenage stamp colleciton in the middle of the night last June while enduring a bout of insomnia. Took my old U.S. album, plus lots of loose stamps, stock books, homemade stamp drying press, etc out of the trunk they'd been stored in for decades and started to wonder...WHY did I ever give up this hobby? As you might imagine, I started to hit eBay before the week was out, and soon found myself combining bits and pieces from others' abandoned collections with my own humble stamps.
Though I initially promised myself I would stick to just U.S. stamps (and maybe Vatican City as well -- an area I'd started collecting during my teens), I ended up buying a Harris Senior Statesman album with lots of beautiful, though inexpensive, stamps in it. I started to rediscover the joy of coming upon a really cool stamp...and the relaxation and pleasure that can be found in just tinkering with stamps a few at a time: all that history, artwork, etc. on such a small piece of real estate. I'm noticing some of the same appeal the hobby had for me from 4th grade through high school (that inevitable sense of discovery), coupled now with the stress-reducing aspect that comes from sorting stamps. Not a bad way to spend spare hours in middle age!
Since I've resumed this hobby, I've had the opportunity to make repeat visits to two stamp stores in the greater St. Louis area and spend a few hours at the St. Louis Stamp Expo in April. And now I am glad to be online here with plenty of fellow collectors -- folks who likely appreciate stamps a good deal more than my spouse, who keeps saying something along the lines of, "We need to not have so many stamps showing up in the mail each week..." (Or am I the only one who hears such odd sentiments...?)
re: One year into stamp collecting after 30 years away
Steve,
Welcome, and yes, very similar story to mine and others. I regret the many years I was not buying stamps. Remember, if you are buying nice stamps, it comes close to being an investment, if you squint your eyes just right.
Remind your wife that you are not spending all your money at bars or playing golf or other foolishness, but rather investing for the future. And set a budget that you can ignore each month.
I am enjoying collecting Great Britain and Australia. But there are so many choices. Hong Kong stamps are quite nice.
re: One year into stamp collecting after 30 years away
Welcome Steve! I have a similar story. I recently came across a receipt dated last June and thought to myself that I hadn't realized I'd been at it that long!
I have been collecting my Ben Franklins (my avitar) since eBay started and got me seeking out the elusive varieties, but I had that narrow a focus. Then last spring my wife had an operation and I was home with her for six weeks. I thought about the boxes of stamps I had in the basement, and how complete a US collection I would have if I organized it all. So I started to do that!
I have improvised my own albums that reflect how I've chosen to collect for now, including what ever I have for each issue, mint or used single, blocks, plate blocks and covers, all in one page. It's coming along great!
- get along well.
