For how many years have you been collecting stamps?

[dstorm 10]

Hello all in the Stamp World

 

My previous attempt to do some research on the BidorBuy stamp members met with some mixed results.

 

There were a total of 1665 views on this post! Unfortunately, this was not the object of the post. Only 10 people actually took part in the survey.

 

To quote from Monty Python: “…and now for something completely different…â€

 

For how many years have you been collecting stamps / trading in stamps?

 

Please post your answer here. I will once again offer a R100-00 gift voucher to one Lucky Draw winner.

 

I think that most collectors deal to some extent, even if it is just to get rid of duplicates and / or to buy needed items.

 

Thanks and regards

 

Jacques

[seahorsefanatic 10]

Hi Jacques

 

Its been a long time since the stamp bug took a bite !!!! I've been collecting since 1970 so thats 39 years and still going strong.

[KWALITY STAMPS 10]

What month in 1970 did you start collecting???

[seahorsefanatic 10]

Hi Savo

 

Seeing as you want a month, I can give you August as I got my first catalogue for my birthday together with a packet of stamps. If you want me to narrow it down to a day, then it was on the 19th. If you want me to narrow it down further, my aunt brought me my birthday present in the afternoon - but thats as far as I can go. Put that in your pipe and smoke it !!!! haha.

[KWALITY STAMPS 10]

I see. So that would mean i was 2 months, 2 weeks and if i had to narrow it down even more, possible 2 hours old when you first started collecting. That's kind of scary...

[gabriel 1 10]

Hi

 

I collected for a number of years when I was young and then girls, rugby and cricket was invented. In my 20's I dabbled abit again but was isolated due to the lack of knowledge and other collectors. I can say that I have been collecting now for the past 7 years, the past 3 being very serious, I specialise in two major areas being, Boer War and South African Railways. These are 2 very large collecting areas, if you want a history lesson check these areas out. I have built up collections in other areas, mainly for investment purposes, proofs, S + N/Rhodesian definitives, SA Union, Postage dues, some good Thematic collections including Mandela, Rugby and Cricket, Varieties etc.

 

Regards

Gabriel1

[kennyn 10]

Hi All

I am a bit like Gabriel 1,started collecting in 1971(like Seahorse a big packet of colourful stamps from such exotic places as Ajman,Mongolia etc as a present),then stopped around 1984 .I began seriously collecting again about 3 years ago as there seemed to be a lot more interesting things to do in the interim.

My collecting areas are quite varied but I intend to trim this down this year and spend more time on my specialised areas namely Edward V111,Germany Third Reich ,Germany Inflation period 1921-23 and GB George V1.

Kind Regards

Kenny

[gabriel 1 10]

Dave +Savo

 

Tell us what you collect.

 

Gabriel1

[gabriel 1 10]

Jacques

 

Please share your interests (Philatelic) with us.

 

Regards

Gabriel1

[dstorm 10]

Hello

 

I started in July 1969, when I was in Grade 2.

 

Unlike Gabriel1, I did not stop when girls got invented. I simply started dealing in stamps to make some extra spending money. Which was spent rather unwisely.

 

I stopped in 1979 - studies and the Army and then an alleged career at the SABC. Became a proto type dealer in August 1988 and from then on it was just one way.

 

I do not have a collection as such, but have accumulated a few prized items as far as Union of South Africa, Jan Smuts, Railways, Malmesbury (RSA) and SWA Proofs are concerned. These items are not of huge financial value, but they mean a lot to me – knowing that the catalogue value / retail value is of no consequence.

 

And I own something which Savo will never be able to own: a Penny Black with my initials on it.

 

Regards

 

Jacques

[seahorsefanatic 10]

Hi Guys

 

After getting my mind around trying to collect the world, I quickly graduated to collecting SWA, South Africa, GB, Rhodesia, New Zealand and Australia. Years later I added USA, Canada and Japan to the equation. In the last 15 years, I have added Eastern Europe, Motorcycles, Petrol Rationing, Italy etc.

 

Where I have focused differently to others is that I collect a country without going into all the tempting detours such as varieties and specialist periods ( like the Boer War, Postal history, etc ) I have found that the foreign countries to be a welcome diversion from Commonwealth.

 

I have also started a collection of sets of the world that appeal to me as far as the artwork is concerned. In this collection are definative sets, commemorative sets etc which I feel stand out from the others. The seahorse stamps of GB are definately included !!!!!!

 

On that note - what do you think is the most stunning stamp ever printed by any country ? This would make an interesting subject to hear others views.

[alloway65 10]

Good Day,

Nearly missed the post, found it by accident.

I started general stamp collecting about 60 years ago in the UK. Then in the 60's started buying bulk UK & Channel Island Philatelic items.

Being patriotic when I arrived in SA in 1969, started buying bulk new issues from the PB....a very good and profitable decision.

Started to sell to certain dealers from my home and on dealers premises from 1972 onwards....sold UK stuff at R1 + 1GBP.

When the Homelands were formed I jumped in with both feet....again profitable.

Was not really a collector more a speculator.

In the 90s got into FF Covers and Maxi Cards etc and continued to buy new issues up until 1994....than gave up and just hoarded the items collected to concentrate on my engineering career.

I must say the original Mandela PB issue purchase was the most profitable.

BoB rekindled my interest a 18 months ago....selling is a bit of fun for me.....gives me another interest in my semi retirement.

My wife & sons are worried if I don't get rid of my masive stocks that they will be lumbered with disposing of it....after my passing.

So been collecting for 60 years and dealing on and off for about 37 years.

Have a great day and a cautious 2009...its going to get more tough out there.

Regards

David

[Kit W 10]

Thanks for this forum.. been collecting for 45 years and have been specialising in signed FDC's as can be seen from my listings. Very much like the previous writer my good wife & two sons have no interest whatsoever so it is off-load time. What is going to happen to the vast collection ( GB, RSA, SWA, Namibia, TVBC, Silks, full sheets, commems,controls etc) nobody knows...maybe the scanner should start working overtime!! Good luck to you all

[dstorm 10]

To Alloway and Kit W

 

I believe you are worried about the future of your stamp collections.

 

Have you ever thought of adopting me?

 

Regards

 

Jacques

[alloway65 10]

Hi Jacques,

If you were 25, tall and slim....and female of course...no problem...we have plenty of room....always wanted a Harem!!!!!!!!

Rose might object....oh!!!!

Have a great day.

Best regards

David

[gabriel 1 10]

Hi All

 

You would think thatall the time and effort you put into your various collections would rub off onto at least one member of the family. In the majority of cases it does not work out this way and we sit wondering what is going to happen to it all. Time to off-load?, I don't think so, I am still building collections and can not see myself giving up anytime soon. Can you imagine selling an item it took you ages to find and that you prized as the ultimate, sounds crazy. The sad thing about collections that are sold is that they usually get broken up, lost forever.

 

Regards

Gabriel1

[gabriel 1 10]

Jacques

 

You need to become a little more hard-handed in your approach, according to this poll there are only 7 collectors out there.

 

Gabriel1

[korrie 10]

Hi to all

 

Looks like I missed some of the latest action

Maybe Jaques should add a additional incentive

? a hug and a kiss on the cheek maybe, subject to him shaving off his moustace and locking his lion camoflaged as a dog away?

 

There seems to be a great similarity between all stamp collectors

I am unfortunately unable to pinpoit my start date to the nearest year, month, day as some others

 

But I do remember my parents on a Plot outside of JHB, where they raised chicken & pigs, paying me 1d for every sparow, 3d for every pigeon and 1/- for every rat I killed with my pellet gun, which income was promplty spent on stamps bought from a Greek stamp dealer by the name of Gay's stamp shop, if I rememer right on the 6th floor of a building across from the old city hall, a fair share also went to Benji of Robemark then in Joubert st larter in Carlton city, may they both rest in peace, date pre 1959 when we moved to a diferent plot. interest Netherlands, St Helena & Commonwealt, no Africa

Then stopped due to similar interest as all previously mentioned (studies, girls & lack of finance) about 1969

 

Lately revived early 2008, mainly Southern Africa, SWA & Union as Gabrial 1 can comfirm, after managing to get a Union catalogue

 

I was confused regarding union stamps previously now I am realy confused, need lots of time to study this info, especaily some dealers quoting Hagger varieties. How many more ? (Help)

 

Greeting to all & good luck with the new venture

 

Korrie

[gabriel 1 10]

Hi

 

I know that Jacques has a passion for Union but even he does'nt know everything and does'nt claim to know everything. One thing is for sure he knows more than most, this has come from years of experience and research. Also he has met alot of Union experts and listened and taken in what they have had to say. Jacques once said to me that no matter how much money you have you will never complete a full set of Union. At the time I was quite happily collecting Union at my own pace ignorant to the fact that what he was saying was correct. On closer scrunity it dawned on me and plan B had to kick in, I started only selectively collecting Union items, varieties, scarce items etc. I think that the best way to collect Union is to concentrate on a segment that you know you can handle, time, research, money etc. My advice to any new collector is to have a plan, select an area that is available and that is within your pocket, mostly visualise what you want to achieve, you can build from there.

 

Regards

Gabriel1

[dstorm 10]

Hello Korrie

 

Maybe I will get kicked off the forum for the following:

 

I quote from your post: “a hug and a kiss on the cheek maybeâ€.

 

This coming from a guy who bought his stamps from a company called “Gay's stamp shopâ€.

 

Like Rusty before me, I am also going into exile.

 

Regards

 

Jacques