Postage Stamp Chat Board & Stamp Bulletin Board Forum
 

$5.95 per little pack for what is basically mod Oz kiloware is making someone a nice profit.

Is wideworld one word? never seen it before



Anyway, these great little packs of stamps sold in popular and busy tourist gift shops really does encourage young collectors. And often overseas collectors too.

1) Yes it has a future
2) A valuable future as new examples postally used and on cover become increasingly rare
3) Not least as the area has a solid academic and catalogue background so items can be priced
4) And humans have a collecting instinct
5) And its mass supporters are the upper middle class (so museums and the very wealthy are also interested)
6) Yes, mainly able to be done by middle aged upper middle class (or rich) people who can afford the time and money...

I do agree that the places that sell stamps are declining. You used to see those packets of stamps everywhere from hobby shops to airports, but much less these days.

I love it when they title them "Unpicked". yea, right

Unpicked would be correct, no one has the time or patience to check 100s of kilograms of mixture. A decent profit on outlay is all that is asked. In many cases packets are made up in sheltered workshops as occupational therapy for disabled people, with payment received used to better their lifestyle.

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FREE sample copy of Stamp News Australasia available on request to all Stampboards members!
Also don't forget to checkout our websites at http://www.kevinmorgan.com.au

Everyone of us has a bit of anxiety at some time in his/her collecting life that the stamp collecting world will crumble around our ears. How often have I bought something extremely expensive and thought "well, that will be toilet paper in 30 years." I once sat down to lunch with David Feldman who told me he was quite frightened in the 70s that stamps were going the way of the Dodo. Arguably the most powerful philatelic auctioneer has the same internal struggle we all fall upon. I'm 30, and I often ponder this question myself, but I hope as a community, we can all retain the long-lasting love of philately, and bring it forth to the next generation. As I see it, postal history and stamps represent the internet of the 19th and early 20th century. Philately is more than stamps and covers, it is an understanding and interest in the networks that bind us all.

Found on the interweb.....

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Always on the lookout for Australian pre decimal First Day Covers.

Recently when we had a table at a market, and I put out some mixed albums of stamps for sale cheaply on the table I was extremely surprised by the number of people who stopped, had a look through them, and chatted to me about collecting. Some people even bought a few albums...

I had a small stack of Stampboards.com business cards on the table that Glen mailed me months ago in a box of stamps which I gave out.

Before going to the market I honestly expected that none of my material offered would sell, as only 1 or 2 collectors would probably pass by all day. How wrong I was!


Norm's idea on the previous page is brilliant IMHO, selling small packets of bright, attractive FU modern stamps at a reasonable price WILL attract International and young people to this hobby.

When you see 50 & 100 kg lots of recent kiloware being offered at auction for a relatively cheap price, I'm sure someone with time and money will see an opportunity to make up some more packets.

These packs would each cost cents to make up, and are retailed for $5.95 a pack.

Displayed prominently in a Gift shop with 1000's of tourists passing by, these DO sell.

(Quite) a few years ago now, many Melbourne Gift Shops had a display of stamps which came doubled up with a minature Boomerang at the top of the packet, and a few Aussie stamps (usually featuring a 2d Geo V Red) at the bottom.

Collectors would not have given this stuff a second thought, but I am guessing that tourists did. Not that anybody should tour Melbourne when Geelong is just down the Road!

Even Sovereign Hill in Ballarat used to have its own Post Office , and sold packets of Australian States stamps as well as covers and real stamps which could be posted from there woth Sovereign Hill cancellations. I accept Kevon Morgan's suggestion that this material can no longer be packeted all that cheaply, but surely 20 el cheapo Australian States stamps could be packeted and sold for $5.00 a pop and make a profit?

Or at a minimum, bring stamps back into the mind of the general public?

Norm

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Geelong, VFA Premiers 1878, 1879, 1800, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1886, AFL Premiers 1925, 1931, 1937, 1951, 1952, 1963, 2007, 2009, 2011, .

Full time stamp dealers who can make $100's of dollars profit per hour in mark ups, fees, comissions etc will never sit down and make up packets to retail at $5 each, BUT a collector with spare time and nothing better to do with their time probably would.

If you're retired and have nothing to do, why not buy modern kiloware and make up packs as above, if they can be retailed for $6 a pack in tourist/gift shops I'm sure you could make yourself a small profit.

Dealers realise "Time is money" - Many collectors don't care how many hours they spend working on stamps. It's a hobby after all.

The only way to make even a little bit of money is too eliminate as far as possible the steps between you and the buyer.

Sure, have a stand, but man it yourself. Or use eBay.

But making up your packets and selling them through a souvenir shop adds the souvenir shop owner into the mix. So your $6 retail packet may need to be sold to him for $2. Can you pack and deliver for $2?

Fair enough if you are happy to take 2 days to sort, pack and deliver 100 packs to make $100 a day pocket money.

You do know that milk only costs about 5c a litre? That's what the farmer gets for it. And who put all the effort into making it!? Every stage can double the retail price to the consumer.

5c to the dairy, 10c shipping, 30c processing and packing, 60c brand name marketer, 70c more delivery, $1.40 retail shop etc.

The last time I saw a stamp stall at the local markets, he had a whole table of packets for sale. Well overpriced at about $2 for 5 stamps. But the killer was that he musn't sell very often as nearly the entire table was covered in faded stamps!

A nearby stamp shop has a box at the front for those cheapy buy one at a time stamp fossickers. The problem is that each stamp is 10c! It's not even a "loss leader" to get people inside for a sticky beak.

I too have my own ideas about packets to produce and sell. I want to sell packets that will be worth it even to a keen collector. But I keep coming back to how much time it will take me to sort first then pack.

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Greg - Looking for Goulburn Australia Cancels and Grangemouth Scotland Cancels and Covers
Member of the S.T.A.M.P Club for Slightly Twisted And Mad Philatelists - Motto: "Bring back the lick!"

I can sell all the Australian States stamps I can lay my hands on at $99 for mixed packs of 200, so why bother making up packs of 20 different for $5 retail and selling at $2.50 wholesale. Simply does not make economic sense, If you have spare States Stamps in good condition and a fair variety I will gladly pay 25c each for these!

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FREE sample copy of Stamp News Australasia available on request to all Stampboards members!
Also don't forget to checkout our websites at http://www.kevinmorgan.com.au

Considering how much easier and risk free getting a PS3 + games over stamps, I see it being relegated to those who are into retro era stuff.

Sure sorting Kiloware is fun, but I also get bored of doing it. A Kid won't enjoy something if it gets boring fast. Thats why a PS3 is a much better investment for them than stamps. It can be safer too. No EBay scams, no fake scams no nothing. Pop into your local electronics store and get a game that will occupy them for 2 months or more and will be enjoyable.

Take a 10 year old Boy and see how much he can sit down and sort a kiloware before he gets bored.

Thats why I don't recommend this hobby to anyone with kids. Only will recommend them to working adults.

I like to give out this example as a highlight of the countless debates I've had with stamp collectors over the years:

Take you average boy, Jimmy. 10 years old. On Christmas he got a PS3 with a game from one uncle and from another uncle he got a stockbook and the $5 stamp packet.

For the first scenario, Jimmy gets into stamp collecting. With the stamp packet, lets say he gets enticed by Australian stamps. So he bugs his parents to get him more Australian stamps. Jimmy's parents stumble across Kevin Morgan's $99 for 200 Australian stamp offer. Its pricey but they love Jimmy and want to support his hobby so they buy it. Only that its not just $99, with shipping (a conservative $10), it comes out to $100.

Jimmy gets his 200 stamps, only within a couple of weeks he gets bored of looking at Kangaroos and wants a new country to collect. Jimmy's parents this time find a stamp store and not wanting to spend another $100 tell Jimmy that he has to stick to one and to sell his australian stamps if he doesn't want them anymore. So he sells his stamps for a new batch of stamps because he doesn't want to look at Australian stamps anymore. So the dealer gives Jimmy $0.05 a stamp because they are fairly common. His investment of $100 just became $10. Jimmy doesn't have enough money for buying more stamps and goes home disappointed.

The second scenario. Jimmy gets into his PS3 and his game. Jimmy's parents don't like it as much, but they set limits on his playing and tell him to go outside. Jimmy does that and he gets to play as well. 2 months into playing he gets bored and asks for a new game. His parents take him to an electronic store and tell him to choose an appropriate game. Jimmy chooses and his parents pay $40 + tax (games retail anywhere from $60 to $40 new, lower if used).

Jimmy plays this new game and then get bored within a month. He asks his parents for a new game. His parents tell him to give up one game to pay for the old game. At the store Jimmy's parents notice a sign which says trade in 2 games get 25% off a new one. Jimmy trades in his two games and he gets a new one.

The moral is that Jimmy's parents spent $100 on stamps only to get a return of $10 while compared to the PS3 Jimmy's parents spent $40 to get a new game and then only have to pay 75% of the value of a new game.

It's abundantly clear that for parents and kids, the cheaper and easier route, especially in this economy, is to get electronics rather than be stuck with something which you can pour money in only to get a very minimal return or a huge loss.

I do know that the Youth Days at Philas House in Sydney are getting busier each year. By the look of it most kids that attend are from the high rise apartments in the city. The cost is nil to their parents and the kids can spend a few hours learning how to soak stamps off, playing stamp related guessing games etc.

Whether that would work in the suburbs is doubtful, still the kids that do attend will one day remember the fun they had every school holiday and may well return to the hobby later in life.

You have to plant that memory first

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Tony

We have been giving stamps away via Stamp News in recent months, not one child replied!

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FREE sample copy of Stamp News Australasia available on request to all Stampboards members!
Also don't forget to checkout our websites at http://www.kevinmorgan.com.au

Stan secretly hopes that everybody else will lose interest in stamps so that the prices drop to zero and he can afford to complete his worldwide collection, BWAHAHAHA!

But seriously, if there was a dearth of collectors buying stamps, one would expect prices to decline considerably, reflecting the reduced demand. But prices are stable or rising, which tells me that somebody is spending plenty of money on the little scraps of paper...

I think we all need to stop worrying about the future of stamp collecting, relax and enjoy the hobby. It's still huge judging by the amount of stuff on the internet including the massive on-line marketplace and what looks to be a very large amount of money being invested in it.

However, if we really want to make a difference, we need to expose as many kids as possible to the hobby (as many have done) and hope that it catches on with a few. They may not become collectors immediately but, if their early experience is rewarding, maybe they'll take it up later on.

Speaking with my local dealer today, he related an experience in a neighbouring city where a school principal, obviously a collector, gathered a group of fifty kids in his school and started an after-school program in stamp collecting. Apparently the kids loved it - but who knows how many will make it a life-time hobby. Maybe only two or three but maybe still worth the investment of time.

It's like many other things these days, there may not be a ready-made audience for this hobby (given all the competing interests available) and maybe those of us who really care about the hobby have to market it a lot more effectively.

Kids don't read stamp news.

And the schools don't have 'stamp week' anymore to introduce them to collecting.

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Collecting - Stamps, poster stamps and covers that feature Kangaroos.
Wanted: Illustrated Tourist cover of "Waratah Park", Sydney, NSW. Australia

The cow

Here are the thoughts of a 13 year old.

I think stamp collecting is bigger than it has ever been even although I have always had the internet in my life.

When speaking to dad of the olden days when there was no internet it must have a very small market but now days there are lots of places on the net for items.

I must admit I still have never walked into a stamp shop and I would like to some time.

Flee markets and garage sales are another place I buy from so I suppose that is as close to a stamp shop I have been in.

I think you may be surprised at how many young people do collect stamps using the internet .

The hobby shall always carry on as long as the is stamps to collect.


Jacob.

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You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.

Kids do read Stamp News .

It is just that we don't get enough pocket money to buy it.

Dad buys one about every fourth one and I am always hounding him to buy it each month.

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You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.

Well said Jacob

The hobby continues to grow. Maybe just not in the directions that many traditional philatelists would like to see it.

Thematics are huge, even with people who would be horrified if you called them 'stamp collectors'. There is a fellow in Canada who collects domestic cat images (he has 1,000s of them), and he is constantly sourcing stamps for his collection...but he's not a stamp collector

And there are very many "closet" collectors, who don't believe their collections are up to joining a stamp club.

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FORESTS OLD, PASTURES NEW
(An expert is one who knows more and more, about less and less, until they know absolutely everything about nothing at all)

Going to local stamp fairs - even large ones - most collectors are middle aged or over men. I do not know any young people who take up the hobby. There are perhaps some. However the internet is a thriving market. High value classic will always have a following.

Perhaps one of the problems is the Post Offices themselves. Too many issues including self adhesive. And even moving away from Traditional stamps. The GB Post Offices now can print labels on demand. I was talking to a dealer recently and he said there were over 70 different typs at present- These all look basically the same. How will they attract young collectors.

The modern GB definitive stamps are designed not to be removable (scared of re-use) so good used are impossible to find off paper and many kids start that was. And obviously too many special issues with too high a face value. You only have to see how catalogues are expanding.

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Never regret growing old - it is a privilege denied to many.

About a year ago, while perusing a modest stamp counter inside a pawn shop, my 9-year-old daughter spotted a dusty but unopened Traveler stamp collecting kit (album, 500 stamps, magnifying glass, hinges) being offered for US$5.

I purchased it for her and we spent about an hour that night mounting her new acquisitions. She joined me a few other nights when I worked on my own collection. Finally, one night she looked up from her book and said, "Dad, this is boring," and went downstairs to play video games. I shrugged my shoulders...yes, pictures on paper will have limited appeal to a child.

While the album has sat dormant for about a year now, every now and then she will join me in soaking stamps off paper. She comments about the stamps she likes and dislikes, and every now and then I will throw out a nugget of information about the stamps, the countries or the topics being commemorated.

I'm careful not to bombard her with the educational aspect. She's probably logged about 10 hours of soaking time, and each time she sits down with me to help, she draws a little bit closer to becoming a collector someday.

When I was her age, I had the advantage of an elderly philatelist who lived across the street from me. The man and his wife treated me like their own grandchild, and he bought me a Harris Worldwide book and provided mounds of stamps. He was old school, down to the album pages stained by pipe tobacco.

He'd sit with me for hours, relating volumes of information about watermarks, perforations, variations -- sadly, I was too young to appreciate the vast wealth of information he was feeding me. He died a few years later and I packed away the stamps when baseball cards caught my fancy. But I never forgot him, and I held on to the stamps.

When I first joined the boards not long ago, I read many of the introductions by other posters and found the common tale of returning to the hobby. I came back at age 40. And when I pass on, I'd like to think that my daughter will remember the times we spent together playing with our stamps and will want to keep them.

Maybe she'll build on my Hungary collection, or maybe she'll take my worldwide quest to the next level. As long as there are collections to pass on and loved ones to receive them, I think the hobby will survive the daunting challenges it faces now and in the future.

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"Me fail English? That's unpossible."
—Sir Ralph Wiggum

Well said.

Frank,

Help him join up on STAMPBOARDS and many of us would gladly assist a young collector grow his budding interest. In fact, I think it would be GREAT if there were a welcome packet provided to young collectors that join the board...and other incentives along the way as they achieve different levels of involvement in our forum. I, for one, would be happy to contribute to such an endeavor.

Timbres

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"Making money is a hobby that will complement any other hobbies you have, beautifully." - Scott Alexander
I collect Souvenir Sheets postally used on cover, WW used stamps up to 1957 except everything of Brasil and Argentina.

On the other hand postal services of many countries now have nice online shops.

And referring to the problem that people don't use stamps anymore: Did you hear about the postcrossing project? It's about exchanging postcards with members all over the world. Starting in 2005 they now have more than 350 000 members and more than 11 million postcards with nice stamps on them have been exchanged so far.

I think there still is hope for the world of stamps & this hobby.

Unfortunately, most countries now seek to rip off collectors by producing many, many more issues than are necessary. Kids simply don't have that much disposable income. Even if they decided that, starting today, they were going to order one new stamp of every issue that comes out of a single country, they're still looking at hundreds of stamps and hundreds of dollars per year. That's kind of absurd if you ask me. That's the reason that, for most countries, I set a cut-off of 1993 and simply don't collect anything newer. I refuse to be ripped off by a post office trying to make money off of my collecting habits.

And how many of us old guys buy for thier grandchildren, children, nieces and nephews? Just because younger ones are not the ones signed up or buying does not mean that they are not involved.

Drew

Does stamp collecting have a long term future? Probably, I think. The continuance of the hobby will be driven by EBay however, not by dealers.

I was at an exhibition yesterday, and had a look at the German offerings of one dealer. He was pricing at about 80% of catalogue, and his pages were remarkably similar to the last time I looked at them six months ago, i.e. he hadn't sold much, if anything.

Certainly, if you are looking for the rare and expensive items, a dealer maybe safer than EBay, but this guy was selling (or not as the case may be), bread and butter stuff.

I looked through his stuff with increasing incredulity. The guy's pricing is of course his business, but if I was in his place, which I will be next year, I would be offering at half his price, and be prepared to happily accept a third.

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With kind regards, Jim

Seriously?! The Den of Thieves is the future of stamp collecting?!

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Jay Carrigan
http://www.jaypex.com

A tad harsh? The vast majority of stuff on EBay is genuine. Who fakes Germanias at $5.00 a hundred? You can get up and running very quickly at a reasonable cost with EBay. By the time you get to filling the expensive holes, you are considerably more canny. That said, the huge Germany lots that I used to buy at the beginning are not seen as often now.

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With kind regards, Jim

If it weren't for eBay and the other on-line markets, I might have the opportunity to see and acquire stamps about half a dozen times a year at best - hard to sustain interest in a hobby like this when you aren't adding to your collection regularly. This Board is a good example of how the internet is helping create interest. I've said before that I buy most of my new material on eBay. I think you just need to own lots of catalogues (I learned that here), be careful about what you buy, who you buy it from and how much you pay. I will try not to repeat what I've posted earlier but I think the future of the hobby is online and it will grow notwithstanding the apparent drying up of the storefront stamp market.

Is Philately a dying hobby?

I have been collecting stamps now for 7 years and still I don't see anyone of my age at exhibitions or at online stamp clubs?

I don't think this hobby will survive for long. What do you think?

P.S I am 16

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Always on the look for British India stamps!

Mani,

I think particularly in India, it will be a thriving hobby for many years.

The Indian economy is growing and creating a "Middle Class" of millions of people with enough income to afford a hobby such as stamp collecting. The prices of Indian stamps are very healthy at the moment - look at the 1948 Gandhi issue, for example (there are a few threads on Stampboards about this).

We do have a few younger members here - but nowhere near enough! Maybe you can do your bit by promoting the hobby (and Stampboards) to your friends at school / college.

And, also, we don't always know the age of members here - for instance, I didn't realise you were 16 until you mentioned it in the previous post.

Yeah I also believe so the prices are healthy of Indian stamps.And someone can make a nice collection of Indian Stamps without spending a huge amount of money.

But I don't think in a country like India teens would be interested in such a hobby. They are more likely to spend their money on various other things. In a city like Delhi more and more teens are being influenced by clubbing having flashy phones or a car or a motorbike, believe me that's what I do but I am also passionate about my hobby of stamp collecting.

I am always thinking of making a Junior Philatelist Club but I never did find any other Junior philatelist to put in that club.

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Always on the look for British India stamps!

And with high rising prices of almost everything here in India I don't think Parents would want their kids to spend money on pieces of paper. At least that's what my father say these are just bits of paper nothing else.

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Always on the look for British India stamps!

Mani, maybe you could suggest that your father has a look around Stampboards.

I began collecting as a boy of about 5 years old, and I can honestly say stamps are VERY educational - you can learn history, geography, economics and much else for stamps.

Are school books just "bits of paper"? Stamps can be every bit as valuable in giving a young man (or woman!) a rounded education!

What father wouldn't want an educational hobby (with the possibility of it making a little money as an added bonus) for his favourite son

Mani,

What attracted you to stamp collecting in the first place? For many people they were introduced to it by relatives (often, though not always, fathers - obviously not in your case!).

Whatever attracted you can also attract others, and may lead to a small stamp club in your area. It may be difficult of course, but attracting young collectors means that the hobby will continue into the future.

All that being said, most collectors come back to collecting seriously in their 30's or 40's, having put stamps aside for some years. Ensuring that such people continue to return to stamp collecting is probably just as important as encouraging younger people to start.

Anyway, I'm delighted to hear that you are an enthusiastic young collector, and having found StampBoards you will learn a huge amount about stamps if you can find the time to read some of these pages...

Good luck, and enjoy the journey...
Cheers,
Paul F.

In China in particular new adherents to stamps number in the 100,000s new collectors each month. Not each year, but each MONTH.

Often interested in topicals and new issues to start with but a % go onto more serious stamps.

MOST are younger folks as stamps are "cool" in China.

I was in Shanghai a few months back. More Ferraris are sold in that city each year than the rest of the word COMBINED.

There is a fast growing consumer class.

Asia will save the hobby, big time.

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Click HERE to see superb, RARE and unusual stamps, at FIXED low nett prices, high rez photos, and NO buyer fees etc!

My dad knows it is an educational hobby but its the money my dad won't want me to spend on stamps yes they are expensive than books.

I have tried many times to influence othe children into this hobby but as I told you earlier they are more influenced here by those flashy things.

The thing that attracted to me to this hobby was those beautiful Russian stamp album I found at the store room in my house.

But today's teens are attracted by those beautiful girls and they attracted by flashy things

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Always on the look for British India stamps!

Don't feel bad, I finally decided to start attending stamp club meetings when I was around 35-40 too, after collecting stamps since I was 19. I was shocked to find myself one of maybe two of three in my age bracket. Most of the major members were white haired retirees...Not that most didn't welcome me warmly. I think they were relieved to have someone not on Social Security at the meetings. I have been a member of three different stamp clubs in various areas of the country, it was the same each place. There is usually one or two guys or gals in their 40s who kind of helps run the club,the rest are seniors. And they usually drag their pre-teen kids along once in awhile. Seems that most of the young crowd in not interested in a hobby that doesn't involve electronic gadgety.. I think there are MANY more closet casual (adult)stamp collectors out there, they just don't have time to attend meetings. Not with kids school and sports activities and working long hours.

For what its worth I think stamp collecting has a great future with new collectors coming on board from all over the World. Re on line auctions yes there are rogues out there but there are more genuine nice people, I say that having a con merchant who I sold to recently trying to rip me off for a good few pounds many weeks after receiving stamps which he now says are fakes and that is today..
The cheats and rogues make the headlines everyday the decent ,honest collectors & dealers don`t. I hope the youngsters coming to this hobby get as much enjoyment from it as I have

Well, I'll do this again since I obliterated my last post by hitting a button....Yes, I think stamp collecting will continue as a hobby, just not a much in countries like the US. (Maybe among some adults, especially retired people. )

The kids don't know what to do with a hobby that doesn't make noise , involve a smartphone or splattering someone's guts all over a TV screen. I see stamps being popular in other parts of the world like Asia.

Those of us who do enjoy stamps will continue to instead of getting on Facebook 50 times a day or hanging out with the TV waiting for the next episode of American Idol.. .

Sorry, but I almost HATE TV these days, except for the news or the History Channel, most shows are at the idiot level..

Anyway, I love stamps now and probably always will, don't really care what happens to the popularity of it.

Talking about television and stamps, when do you ever see stamps / coins /postal history on the Antiques Roadshow and all the other stupid progs we have in the UK?

You will see all the big bucks surprises but never see an `expert`pouring over an old album.

I hope those experts pore over old albums, and not pour over them?

I saw "Flog It" tonight and one of the contestant guys said he was a stamp collector.

Glen

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Click HERE to see superb, RARE and unusual stamps, at FIXED low nett prices, high rez photos, and NO buyer fees etc!

Hi Everyone,

I have what I think is a good idea to start getting more kids & hopefully adults to notice stamps again.

In my beautiful state of Western Australia, one of the cities main television stations, holds a TELETHON each year to raise much needed funding for the Princess Margaret Childrens Hospital.
They reach Millions over a 24 hour period, just amazing.

It is a 24 hour live telecast and all donations are send in by the public (private or businesses).
Many people do send in items that are auctioned off on tv, through telephone auctions and the bids get pretty high because it is for sick children.

If every member of Stampboards send a few unwanted stamps to eg Admin, then the lot is bundled up and sent to Telethon for auction, and all proceeds would go to the Telethon cause.

Stampboards and it's members would be further recognized, plus for their generousity to a really worthy cause.

More than likely, a parent would buy them for their kids, hopefully starting them off collecting, and maybe sparking the parents interest as well!

I was going to try and put something like this together myself to send in, but thought its worth asking the question to Admin and members.

Its only once a year.

What do members and Admin think?

I'm sure other states and countries may have something similar, but this would be a good start to get "Stamps" out there again.
Free TV plug as well for Stampboards.

Regards
Debbie

Maybe to some extent, but to what degree are they collecting "overseas" material - is seems most collect their home country? Many countries are not hugely popular at the moment & it's hard to see why collectors in China or India might want to focus on a lot of these countries.

I can see increasing polarisation between the popular & unpopular areas of the world being the order of the day, with some never really recovering.

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Always on the lookout for Australian pre decimal First Day Covers.

Hi Pom,

That was one of the reasons I suggested Stampboard members across the globe donate unwanted stamps. (most of us have them stashed away unseen)
It would introduce stamps from other countries to the new Oz collector, who in turn will go on hopefully and persue stamps from whatever country takes their fancy.

I'm a true blue aussie, but I collect mainly QV Great Britain!

Regards
Debbie