General question for the forum

Unfortunately most stamps are worth less than their face value. Discount postage is still a thing. People and businesses buy old stamps at less than face value and use them to mail letters and packages. Unfortunately the postage rates have gone up so much, it now takes huge numbers of old stamps to mail anything. I've seen the front of a package completely covered with them.

 

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Most of the stamps I have are cancelled and still attached to pieces of the envelope. Maybe I'll list them on eBay as super rare unique special collectors lot, unsearched for like $5000. That's what the shady coin guys do right?

 

Same here but I have no problem using my stamps as postage because I get the price on the stamp. You can use some stamps and pay the post office the difference.

 

I started my collecting at age 9, when I negotiated a labor trade with a BM coin shop owner across from my Catholic school, for his less desirable coins. He finally realized that my diverse origin paper-route customers found my coins attractive when sold by a handsome young blond boy.

I couldn't consider purchasing a product produced from flammable stock.

When I first graduated from college at 17 YOA, accepting a/the equipment designer job for an established manufacturer, elders told me that U.S. government "bearer bonds" were most convertible, which I purchased!

Time and Govt. practices established that U.S. $100 bills were more practical for "trading" conversions.

I now find your observations profound.

I'm now trading $100 bills for desirable "Top Tier TPG"/CAC certified Gold coins.

I'm wondering if a duplication of the 1930s O.U.S. coin movement is the next exchange? LOL

 

That's a good idea.
Too bad you can't trade unused stamps for the remainder of the postage

 

It’s better to use them than pay money out of pocket.

 

I tried to get into collecting stamps 17 years ago but I couldn't stick with it. This is all I have now:

 

I hope "forever" is longer than it was for silver and gold certificates! Those offered a measure of protection against inflation, too. Until they didn't.

 

That's why I find it insulting when the government issues silver eagle coins with a legal tender face value of $1 and gold coins with a face value of $50. These coins are not meant to be used as legal tender like it was in the good-old-days when we had real money instead of paper "certificates".

 

If they was no legal tender value associated with the coins - they wouldn't be coins.

 

On the other hand, the 5oz pucks have a marked legal tender value of QUARTER DOLLAR -- and they'll never be "coins" to me.

 

Exactly. Their really just overpriced bullion.

 

I just sold my late father’s stamp collection, and from that experience trying to sell it I can assure you stamp collecting is closer to extinction every year.

 

I once helped close down a coin and stamp shop. The stamps were being sold at half of face value. It was a great deal for those that sent out a lot of postage.

 

https://uselessetymology.com/2017/11/15/the-etymology-of-coin/

 

They actually did great selling those stamps at half face. The dealer likelymade some profit on it.

 

Stamp collecting has seen a resurgence in recent years. Not just us geezers but young people as well. I'm glad to see it.

 

Yes and yes.

The average public, including a majority of individuals that previously enjoyed Philately, are unaware of the resurgence, worldwide inclusive...Asia China, Korea, Hong Kong, India....and Europe.

I attribute this to a general public attitude of previous U.S. collectors, that is more interested in the investment/profit aspect of the hobby, and do not perceive there is any monetary opportunity in stamp collecting, and the disappearance of Nassau Street type available B&M locations. As you know, there was the wonderful period when the (you name it) Department store and/or Drug Store had a Stamp Dept..

The Dealers that buy collections (and there are quite a few) are benefitting the most from the resurgence, generally fueled by the perception of the Seller of the collections that the hobby has taken the Pet Rock Road and therefore sell it for what they can.

Oh well, times change and the usual pattern is a circle.

I'm comfortable being an active collector. I don't think I have "lost" a thing in the last 60+ years of stamp collecting. In fact, I have gained.

 

I'm glad to hear there is somewhat of a resurgence for stamp collecting. I actually collected both coins and stamps as a kid. I let my coin collection go in my teens but kept up my stamp collection until the USPS started printing the 'wallpaper'. I haven't done anything with my stamps in over 20 years but I still have everything. I revived my coin collection in the meantime and am really enjoying it. At some point I hope to revive my stamp collection but I haven't decided how I'm going to do it. A lot of time has passed and it'll be expensive getting everything up to date!