I was busy the last half of July and several items from overseas arrives this week. The wait time was 1 to 2 weeks. Most had a day added because they were signed for posts and I was not home when the post office stopped at our house. Today I picked up a letter from France. I really liked the stamp. Of course the letter arrived via air mail! Mailed on my birthday. To make this an ancient coin post. Post an interesting package you received this year and the treasure in it.
I don't really photograph the packaging, nor save it. However, looking through my coin supply drawer, where I keep my scales, caliphers, 2x2 holders, etc., I did find this: I love the design with Zeus and other mythological figures, with the signs of the sodiac around. I believe this was the coin that came inside this envelope: L. Thorius Balbus denarius PS: My son's birthday is today, and mine is Wednesday. Go Leo! You know what they say about Leos...they are all funny, handsome and extremely humble. Did I particularly mention how humble I am?
a nice little dolphin! here are mine i.. sometimes i keep packages if they have cool stamps on them, my camera just broke (did i take a picture of myself???) or i'd show you some. here is an interesting packing material/arrangement used in the last lost of uncleaned LRB i got from overseas... for use as a christmas tree ornament? never figured this out.
I miss the old days when we used actual stamps. It was always a pleasure to get packages from all over the world and their neat stamps. I've also seen some really weird methods of packing, from a loose coin in a simple paper envelope with nothing else to a small 15mm coin inside a box measuring about 2 feet per side!
I don't keep my envelopes, they are rather plain anyway. I do have one from a long time ago where the seller used a lot of stamps, almost covering the entire envelope. Have no idea where I put it though.
The only U.S. dealer I know that still uses stamps is Kirk Davis. I chuckle whenever I get a package from him, covered in odd denomination stamps!
Frank Robinson. He still uses stamps. In the business a dealer can buy unused stamps at a discount, 10% or more depending on the deal. Not worth it unless you get 50% or more discount (its a LOT of weird denominations to make a modern shipping amount, though it looks cool). I hadnt realized Kirk was still out there. Most of the guys I knew are dead, though Kirk was a young guy (around my age).
The last package I got from Frank had kitten stamps. Got a funny look from the girlfriend on that one.
The last time I went to a stamp show, which was a long time ago. You could buy stamps issued in the 90's for face value, sometimes less. Don't have to be a dealer, its great for the topical collectors.
i keep mailings with stamps, here are few... stamps from the 50's all sorts of stamps US...looks like he was 1 cent short!
