I have recent begun collecting again and am focusing on Canada and VF Mint NH stamps only - can anyone offer any advice/opinion. I have purchased the Lighthouse vol 1 Canada to get started.
Anyone in Stamporama can tell you that I'm always willing to offer an opinion and lots of advice. But, just what type of opinions and advice are you looking for?
I will say that while proprietary stamp albums are useful for starting a collection (and Lighthouse albums are among the best), they inevitably fall short. Among the "problems":
• No album can list all of the known varieties of stamps, and of course can't address varieties yet to be discovered.
• You may well find that you want to collect both used and mint copies of stamps. That happened to me, with Ireland, and I ended up buying duplicate pages.
• If you want to collect multiples, interesting cancellations, various unlisted shades, FDC's and other covers, and collateral items, you'll need to add blank pages, which are expensive.
• One trap which beginning collectors fall into is the assumption that because an album pictures specific stamps, they have to collect those stamps, and because the album company offers pages for new issues, they have to collect new issues. Collectors, not albums, should determine what collectors collect. Personally, I don't like spending money on stamps that I don't like. That's actually the main reason I quit collecting Canada — I thought that the last issues of postage due stamps were about the most boring thing I'd ever seen!
In the end, I found proprietary albums not to my liking, especially since I like to do write ups about items in my collection. For a while I tried creating my own album pages with my computer, but that's a slow process for me because I am too much of a perfectionist. And, besides, what the heck do you do with an album page once it's done? Now virtually all of my collection is stored, rather haphazardly, in stock books and on stock pages or in sheet protectors in three-ring binders. I enjoy exhibiting, so my "album pages" are actually exhibit sheets (which do make rather nice albums in the end). Also, I enjoy creating web pages based on my collection. Take a look at my web site, Ephemeral Treasures, to see how I approach collecting.
Good luck with your (re-born) hobby. Stamporama is a great place to be.
Hi Kevin, I'd encourage you to watch the Stamporama Auction over the next week or so. I would be surprised if you don't see some stamps offered in there that you might be interested in. It has been my experience that the stamps offered in our auction are of very high quality and usually go for a very fair price (for the buyer). Also, keep on posting your questions on this discussion board. We have a lot of VERY knowledgeable members. I'm a fairly new collector myself, and I have been helped immensely by many of the people on this board.
Thanks for the input and I welcome more. I have a bunch of Vaio pages to supplement the album in the event i come across what i consider a "deal" or for additional varieties. What proportion of stamps that claim to be VF on ebay truly are? Would I be incorrect in assuming that stamps posted on these auction pages are accurately VF. So far the best I can tell is by centering. Nice exhibit Bob!
Scott catalogue definition of Very Fine - - - Extremely Fine
VERY FINE stamps will be just slightly off center on one or two sides, but the design will be well clear of the edge. The stamp will present a nice, balanced appearance. Imperforate stamps will be well centered within normal-size margins.
However, early issues of many countries may be printed in such a way that the perforations may touch the design on one or more sides.
EXTREMELY FINE stamps are close to being perfectly centered.
Hi Kevin, I have an extensive selection of Canadian mnh stamps for sale or trade if you are interested. I prefer to use a want list rather than packets. I also have a few corner blocks.
Regarding your question on grade: in stamp collecting grade traditionally only refers to centering, and condition is reported separately. It is therefore possible to have a stamp that grades Very Fine or Extremely Fine but yet is devalued because of flaws such as a hinge remnant stuck to the back, a stain, or even a tear or thin spot.
There is a general expectation that people offering stamps for sale or trade will disclose all faults. At Stamporama that is a rock solid rule. Out in the big world...buyer beware!
I'm curious as to what you had collected before,and why you decided on collecting only VF MNH.
I started out collecting U.S. this way, gave up in the early 90's when the USPS started "mass producing", and only in the last two years have begun collecting again, but only used varieties. Personally, I am finding the acquisition of used varieties far more interesting than anything I ever did with the MNH.
all the advice above is solid. they've distinguished between grade (centering) and condition, discussed the value of proprietary and self-created albums, which you seem to have in hand, and noted that SOR's auctions are a good place in terms of well-described stamps offered at, usually, very good prices (I normally see most stamps offered at between 15% and 50% to start, occasionally higher and lower).
if you collect NH, make sure you pay attention to the gum description, noting gum disturbance (or its absence).
you should also determine the mounts you'll use (unless Lighthouse is a pre-mounted album, and here i'm showing my utter ignorance of albums).
you've also noted already that you have one sale and one trade offer already on the board. Pay attention to what Canadian MNH stamps generally sell for before jumping in, so you know if you're paying fair market or not. Remember, CV (whether Scott, Unitrade, Michel, or whatever) is a starting point, and the further away from a pristine EF/VF the stamp is, the further from catalogue price you should be. For classic stamps, look at our auction, eBay, and others, and see what the Platonic stamp actually commands.
and look at our member database to see who might be a trading or buying partner.
Enjoy
David
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"Save the USPS, buy stamps; save the hobby, use commemoratives"
Bob - I agree that Canada Post too is just mass producing souvenir sheets and issues now and it is relitively uninteresting to "buy" them. As for my decision about VF MNH - I love the satisfaction of seeing a pristine stamp in my collection. I have developed a relationship with my local retail dealer and he is really nice about having a look at what I have accumulated and educate me about quality, gum, etc. I thought I got ripped off with regummed stamps off ebay today - it turns out that a couple were glazed (which I replaced with him) and I got a steal on the set. I am learning quickly about the grading thing. Thanks for all the help.
LOL Most of us spend their whole lives "organizing the collection". For me it has been an ongoing process I focus on MNH stamps, hit me up only_mnh@yahoo.com if you want to trade, or if you need some help with Russian stuff.
Hi Only_mnh, could you please go over to the Utilities menu on the left of the screen, and register in the members area using the "Connect to Members Database" function, so that we know who you are.
Hi, Just a word about albums. I am doing my own albums using Computer facilities. It looks very nice (especially to me!!) What are the advantages: - you can place the stamps in the order that best suits you (which is a problem with emissions that span over several years) - you can write on the pages your comments, or the differences between different issues for the same stamp (very useful if you also collect stamps from booklets) - you can leave space for shades that are no cataloguized and you esteem interesting - you can add pages for booklet panes - you don't need to let any space for the stamps that you are sure you never will be able to get (the most expensive ones). If it happens that you can get hold of any of them, you can always redraw that page!
I have just finished my album for US 1900-2005 (about 400 pages), and am now working on my Italy collection.
Kmoorhead, If you had written that you were going to concentrate on U.S. stamps I'd have advised you to get a copy of the Scott Specialized Catalog, because it gives much better descriptions of stamps that look the same on the face of them but are in fact different issues. Similarly, if you are going to specialize in Canada only the Unitrade Catalogue will do. It does everything that the Scott Specialized does for US stamps, and so much more, including giving values for Average, Fine and Very Fine centering, as well as those on cover. And it does so while keeping pretty much to the Scott system of numbering.
With the Unitrade Catalogue in hamd one can organize one's stamps according to issue date, and keep the various stamps of the same sets together. There's one caviat though. No album lists all the stamps listed in Unitrade, and you will want to, at one juncture start to print out your own pages. There are programs that allow you to do this, and nothing I have found, gives greater satisfaction to a well designed page repleat with neatly ordered fine stamps in mmounts.
Lastly, I have to write that these ideas were passed on to me by my husband, who is a competitive exhibitor and stamp dealer. Happy Stampin' Glorian
Thanks for all of the input. I like the Lighthouse books because they give me a sense of completion. I have collected all Canadas from 1930 to present and would like to hear input on which other countries you find interesting/attractive to collect. I need a cheap alternative while I save up for the expensive ones.
Thanks
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