"Stamped Out" in the New York Times
Today (Saturday, Sept 30) we see a prominent article in the NYT Op-Ed page telling of the decline and fall of our stamp collecting hobby. I know this is so, and took time to note it on the HIP discussion forum after a sad visit to an August stamp show here in Nashville. It is a must read for collectors here. It is not comforting; I believe it speaks the truth as the Times story reflects much of my own experience. We see the value of our stamps purchased over the year flat or often less the prices paid 30 years ago.
The APS has suffered a 50% decline in membership. Here we have no stamp stores or store stamp departments.
I still love collecting and our HIP auctions, but I I an old-timer at 85 seeing changes I can't like! And have no younger collector friends....
not one. I am familiar with the many reasons, they are really quite obvious and probably will not change.
The APS has suffered a 50% decline in membership. Here we have no stamp stores or store stamp departments.
I still love collecting and our HIP auctions, but I I an old-timer at 85 seeing changes I can't like! And have no younger collector friends....
not one. I am familiar with the many reasons, they are really quite obvious and probably will not change.
Comments
Many of the collectors he spoke of in the column (those 65 to 70) will live for more than 20 years and I know of many collectors a lot younger than that. We can still stimulate new collectors and there are plenty of old collectors who can have their interest renewed.
Royal Mail - in recent years - have "increased" new issues of Postage Stamps, First Day Covers and other related products each year, so they appear confident that the hobby is here-to-stay. UK schools are starting to introduce Stamp Clubs again (where there is an interested teacher) and stamp fairs here are fewer but larger events. I also attend "car boot sales" every Sunday (I think you call them Swap Meet's or Garage Sales?) mainly to sell antique & vintage costume jewellery and I always take some packets of Starter Stamps which I still get youngsters buying from me.
All it will take is for some giant multinational company like Mcdonalds to say "stamp collecting is fun" and the kids will come flooding back.
Yes things are not what they used to be but I am sure that your Hobby is still safe for now and for many many more years into the future.
Tania & Nigel https://www.hipstamp.com/store/stampsfirst-day-covers-and-curios
Agreed, "Yes things are not what they used to be but I am sure that your Hobby is still safe for now and for many many more years into the future." The world has changed as computers have taken over our lives in every aspect.
I found the article insulting with statements like nobody cares about stamps anymore or knows the inverted Jenny.
"There was a time when my collection might have fetched a good amount, because there was a time when people cared about stamps."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/investing/8582410/Investors-warned-off-stamp-collectors-promise-of-rich-returns.html
It may be our hobby may settle down and appeal to relatively well heeled collectors who can pay $30 or $300 for the stamp they want, but we will see fewer collectors who soak and buy $10 assortments. I soaked some stamps back in the day; what kid now would even think of it? I learned my geography which has remained a life long interest. Remember those nations' flag stickers one put on his album with each new country?
I've only been selling for about 40 years, but I have seen a dramatic changes.
The days of going to the stamp store are generally past, and interest in clubs, shows etc seems to be waning as well.
I think much of the reason is the ease of access the online world brings to collecting.
One doesn't have to get out and warm up the car and drive to a stamp club on a cold winter night when one can talk to fellow collectors with similar interests around the world anytime one wants through vehicles like facebook.
I am amazed how many stamps sell between 11pm and 5 am (local to the buyer) time. Stamp stores, clubs and shows never fit those hours anyway! People can search and purchase stamps whenever they want from anywhere in the world. Our hobby was well versed in mail order long before there was an internet.
I know we've worried about how our kids sense of community is lost because the only way they know how to talk to each other is through their phones.
The sense of community seems to be changing in the stamp world as well, but to my mind it is growing.
On a separate but related note, I've noticed in my own family that my nephews obtained some of the hockey stamps because they're big hockey fans. So does that make them a stamp collector? 30 years from now will they find them again and expand their collection?
Personally I think the post office's move toward more popular topics like hockey, football, star trek etc is one thing that has a decent chance of invoking interest at a young age that may reawaken later on again.
I don't think I'll probably be here in 30 years to know, but I think it's an optimistic way of looking at the current state...
There are NO youngsters collecting. Well, we may have a nerd grandchild etc. Yes, I know, there are no nerd g-children.
good. The crowds were way down so the nice venues were unaffordable by the clubs. Nashville's only club the sponsor BTW.
What I wanted to ask was did he have a lot of his net worth tied in his stamps, but of course I did not. Maybe high end items are doing well. Any comments? And one does see auction prices for the great, great classics doing well. Records are seen, but then the stock mkts are at all time highs. What of the 20 dollar stamps I bought in the '80s? I think they have appreciated but very slowly. I never considered my collection an investment.
https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/10/11/opinion/stamp-collecting-isnt-dead.html?referer=https://t.co/lxUJFyxZdH?amp=1
Here is a link to Chinese collecting which is thriving!
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/explainer/2009/03/philatelists_republic_of_china.html