eBay Users' Stamp Club meeting Sep 11-13 “What are your biggest headaches in collecting?”

[sheryll*net]

*** eBay Users' Stamp Club ***

 Please join us on this thread for our monthly meeting on “What are your biggest headaches in collecting?” from any time Friday Sep 11 till midnight PDT on Sunday Sep 13.

What are your biggest headaches in collecting?

• Storage space?
• Cost of material?
• Difficulty finding info?
• No time?
• Always outbid?
• Too many collections?
• What else?

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• Anne will have a display in the balcony of herbal remedies for headaches.
• I will be showing pages from my first 100 collections.
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, beta blockers, antidepressants and triptans will be provided, with a spoonful of sugar to help them go down.
• There will be a “Have a Whinge” area in the balcony where members can vent about their pet peeves of collecting. Asbestos suits provided!

See you there!

Sheryll and Anne
eUSC 2014-5 Co-Presidents sheryll*net (Sheryll in OR) and abt1950 (Anne in NJ)

[abt1950]

Sheryll,. I like the mayoral cover.  I couldn't resist Wiki searching.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earl_Riley

Maybe the cover was used for a vice protection payment.

Dave,. the high cost of references is a pain.  Even used Scott's are outrageous these days.  I'm making do with very old catalogues for most things.  I have some truly vintage specialized catalogues that I got cheap or free which help a little, but nothing recent.  Except for some references on Egypt and Luxembourg, it's mostly out of date catsalogs  for me.  one of the reasons I'm moving toward space filling.

[the.philatarium]

Richard, thanks for this tip! I'll definitely check it out. That's about 15-20 min from me. When I first moved to where I am now, I was trying to figure out where the best libraries were, and that one was on my target list. Turns out it was on an abbreviated schedule, I was never there at the right time.

But I'll be sure to check it out for sure.

Thanks for this!

[rfaux]

Sheryll,

I like the block of four myself.  But, the mayoral cover is a nice twist for the single rate.

Since Prexy's have gotten more popular, I suspect this cover wouldn't go for the $11 I got it for a few years ago.  It isn't anything super special, I guess.  But, for me it is pretty cool since it is very different from a standard, everyday use.   My eventual goal for this page is to find a used block of the 18 cent Grant and put it on the page, shrinking or changing how I represent the backstamps.

[the.philatarium]

Anne, I don't know if it's the same in your area, but I've found the better libraries near me have the current year 6-volume Scott (plus US) available in the reference section, and then the prior year's volumes circulate, so that could perhaps help a little bit.

As for general space-filling, nothing wrong with that!

I know of an enthusiastic little group online elsewhere that mostly collects that way, and shares their completed sets and pages online with each other.  Very non-judgy, and I enjoy their enthusiasm a lot.  (I'll send you a note.)

[rfaux]

Dave,

I too am pleased to see you and others posting on this thread that I have not heard from in quite some time.  I realize I probably wasn't the most constistent member of the old board environment, but it did help me a great deal with feeling connected with people that have some similar interests.  I was pleased when Sheryll started sending out email reminders regarding the club meetings and I've tried to show up for each - even if I'm late or early.  So, good work Anne and Sheryll!

Regarding references - I found myself paying much more for a single reference than I ever wanted when a book I was sure was a key item finally became available.  This is one case where I did not regret spending the extra money - even if it meant that it made me pass on other things I might have wanted for my collection.

Good to "see" everyone here at the meeting.

Rob

[the.philatarium]

Rob & Sheryll:  great covers!   And Rob, that OAT is pretty special!    I think it's always great to set a small upper-limit in a certain collecting area and see what you can find.  Two thumbs up!

Randy:  Thanks for sharing that information about Yemen.  I had no idea at all.   ...  D you by any chance use the Michel Gulf States catalog?  (Either German or English?)  If so, I was wondering if you knew if, in their most recent edition, they got around to pricing some of the items they left unpriced in the prior edition?

- - - -

This was a very insightful question to ask, Sheryll and Anne -- I'm really glad you did!  It has teased out some good discussion.

[jaywild]

Prexies?

Here are a couple, with their rates spelled out:

To get the 2-cent local rate (rather than the 3-cent regular rate) a lady used a local return address which she later emended to a different town. Such sneakiness, all to save one cent!

[sheryll*net]

Dave, you can thank Anne for the topics. I am just going down her list.

It's great to have such participation throughout the weekend.

Thanks for the comments on the Earl Riley cover. I have a few, all with unusual handwriting/ penmanship.

[r342]

Dave,

I'm glad you enjoyed my tale of two Yemens!

I do have the 1989/1990 Michel Gulf States Catalogue which is all in German and the Michel 2006 Gulf States Catalogue which is all in English and is also in color.  In the 2006 catalogue there are still plenty of blank prices, but 95% of them are for used issues.  All the prices in the 2006 Catalog are in Euros.  I'm not sure whether or not Michel has issued any Gulf States Catalogs after 2006 but I'm thinking they must have done so.

As mentioned in my original post, I also use Carlton Chambliss's Catalog for Yemen and South Arabia.  This is a must for any serious Middle East Collector!  Chambliss has his own numbering system cross-referenced with Michel, as well as his own price values for each issue.

Incidentally, the 2013 Scotts Catalogue now lists most of the Yemen Arab Republic(YAR) Stamps that were issued by the YAR during the civil war period(1962-1970).  Whether or not Scotts will ever list the Royalist/Kingdom Issues is a hard question to answer.

Randy  r342

[sheryll*net]

Thanks to everyone who posted and added to the camaraderie of the board.

Many of us received good info or advice.

Sadly, we were not able to solve the problems of No Time or No Money...

We missed Roger, who was exhibiting at SEAPEX this weekend.

I will close the meeting now, but feel free to post if you have something to add to the meeting topic.

Next meeting will be held on the weekend 16-18 October and the topic will be

The stamp market (what's hot, what's cold, what's gone up, what's gone down).

[lindyscoins]

Sheryll,sorry I miss the meeting I was down for a day Hope not to late for my post.

sherryll,Thank You for inviting me as a newbies to join this board,
Everyone has also been a great help and quick to answer!

What a great subject may a Collectors Daughter Join this post.As a seller with headaches.
First let me say I belive the stories about the seller from the Collectors 100 % Spot On and cost (price for item) so right !!

There is a part of stamps I can't yet reply on ,which is World Stamps and Postal History.At this point I only can speak of United States listed below.Plus I have been selling collectable's for almost 15 years.That is one thing I know is what that the collector expects for his
Or her money.

I open the large containers of World ,just that fast I closed it.I decided to start with what I knew about .
I have been researching the easiest part for now. I call the Old "New" Stamps U.S. Pl.Bk's. Coils and Singles because they look and feel
Like that.

I found out there is many ways to come up with a price since .I'm not the collector ( Like he would of liked ).I'm the seller sorry !

There are many ways to sell,with prices for: I call #.1 are you kidding me (that is above C.V., F.V.,On Line Value.,)
Then Theres: Are You For Real eBay Value.That one is everywhere all over the board.
Also :Out of your mind Value,for years for:early 40's ,this one 50 Var. Lot of U.S. Plate Blocks start bid at $0.99 + Free S&H.
Which will be shipped in new glassine envelopes> I will also toss in a $10.00 Bill.

There are a few or so seller that show that the lot had 48 bids and sold for over C.V. $174.29 and it is always the same lots same numbers.Also some don't even show photos. So they must be return buyers right ?That shows me the the buyer is happy with the Lot and come back for more .That is my thinking some of the others don't belive it that way.What other way would there be ?

Then someone like myself I seen it I belive it so that must be the way to sell.! I sold the same Scott numbers and Pl.#. Let me say mine our Mint NH in Glassine envelopes ,I received $12.99 and $3 59 for S&H . (When I list M/NH that is what they are ),unless one slips by me because the Hinge.Mark didn't show under lights.

So I went to 5,6,7,8,centers lot did even worse.I also found that some sellers were buying my lots and selling to collectors for so much
More so I Stopped .Because I am not a wholesaler .Not these Stamps No.

What I'm listing is what he was selling in his little store ,to get it affordable so the Hobby lived on. He wanted the younger ones to
Start and become one of you.

We found out This Collector "My Dad the Assistant PostMaster " was also ,The Judge at all the Big Big County Fairs ,of Stamp and Coin Collections.He never told us until after. He wasn't allow to which makes great sense.

I would love to sell these and learn more everyday what the Collector wants and not have them end up with a local dealer who sells to the Collector and (there are many) ,that only the owner knows, that comes in his store wanting to fill a hole in his collection.There are many that don't shop online.

I wanted to post this to let you the Collectors know not all seller will give you a headache or leave you with empty pockets.Some of us are also ending up with headaches.

Just want to say as they know me on the other board where I posted for 14 years .The rest of the story !
That's
Lindy's Roar Thanks for new found friends .

[sheryll*net]

Hi Lindy, found your post now that I'm back in OR.
It's not nice for you to have your lots used as wholesale lots. I don't have an answer for you. It's a fine line between wanting to sell the material, the time it takes to lot and package the material and the time it takes to research and write descriptions.

I try to chop and change my lots occasionally, esp postage and fixed price prices. Also no lots cheaper than $5 (my packer told me this!). I'm glad your lots are getting interest!

Feel free to post on this and the other threads, any time!

Sheryll

[lindyscoins]

Hi Sheryll,

I forgot this was ever posted .Now that you replied, I will most likely get some more great respond from the others.If so bring it.

You have been more then Gracious,I thank you for that.That was most likely my 1st time I thank you for inviting me to the board.

Since then I am learning a lot as you know.I want to say this ,everything I have done on a computer ,I'm self taught !!! I don't think I will ever get over the fact that they chopped me so hard about my English.That was a personal attack.When they have walked a mile in my shoes then they can reply,until then I will be on the boards when ever I have a question or a reply.

I did post a new question on the board to you and added some photos.I had 1 reply .I haven't been back since .

I'm half Irish you know I will be back.

Again I thank You.

Your Friend in Stamps

Lindy