I did this for about a year or two back in elementary or middle school in Romania. I had a few hundred stamps, mostly from Romania current at the time, and a few from Bulgaria, Russia, US, etc. I don't know if my parents still have them.

A former boss contacted me yesterday to tell me he cleaned up his parent's house and came across the Stamp collection, and there are some stamps from Romania.

he asked me if my kids (or I) are interested. I have mixed feelings. On one hand I think it would be nice to start a small collection again, on the other hand I don't know if my kids would be interested. Sadly this topic never came up for discussion in our household. The kids are all electronics these day, the only mail they send and get these days is Christmas cards. Even invitations and thank you notes are electronics these days.

Thanks for tour thoughts.
P.S. How are those Stamp collection books called in English, you know the ones with little celluloid pockets to hold the stamps. And do you handle the stamps with tweezers like I used to?

....there are some guys that collect......'Tramp stamps'.......

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I reject your reality and substitute my own!

That's going to be a tough sell, IMHO. Hands-on hobbies are for old farts these days. Are any of your kids natural collectors of something already?

They collect Legos and pokemons

....everything is digital these days....so you really would just have to take a picture of a stamp and then digitally collect the pics.....probably not as much fun as collecting physical stamps.....

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I reject your reality and substitute my own!

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space-time
They collect Legos and pokemons

Legos don't count, if your kids are like my kids, getting sets by the bushel as gifts. Back in my day, I might get one at Christmas, then I'd save my allowance for months to buy another set.

Stamps lack the animated and gaming tie-ins that generate Pokemon interest.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/16/2020 01:43PM by Acer.

I collect stamps. But it's a dying hobby. I go to stamp shows, and am by far the youngest person there (I'm 55). Average age tends to be about 70-75.

Most serious collectors are very specialized. I only collect US and Canada. Well, I also tend to buy stamps when I'm in another country, mostly as a souvenir.

I've seen a lot of people come to stamp shows with a collection that belonged to their father, or grandfather. Most dealers are not interested. Unless you have very rare stamps worth a lot of money, almost nobody will buy them. Most dealers are overstocked with stamps they can't get rid of. To give you an idea, I can buy unused, mint condition postage at 50 cents on the dollar. It's still usable as postage. If you ever get a letter from me, it'll have four or five stamps on it to make up the 55 cents. My wife sent a package recently and we put several dozen stamps on it to make up the postage. All because I am able to buy it at half price.

I grew up collecting (my brother started me). I learned a lot about history by collecting stamps. My son is sorta interested, but he doesn't really care. When I take him to a show, they treat him like a VIP. He's gotten so many freebies. I'm convinced they purposely picked his name for a raffle once. He bought some cool holographic stamps with the gift certificate.

The stamp albums you're talking about (celluloid pockets to hold stamps) are usually called stock books.

I still have a stamp collection I put together during my pre-teen years - I haven't done anything with it since then. As others have already pointed out, stamp collecting is a dying hobby.

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It is what it is.

I got into collecting coins when I was a kid JUST as the Hunt brothers tried to corner the market on silver. Everything I bought increased in value at an amazing rate. I thought I was a genius.

I was a fairly serious collector 25 years ago. Since I collected some rather niche areas, they still have some value, but most common stamps have no value whatsoever. Still have the majority but haven't actively collected in the last 10 years. Last time I was at a stamp show, the vast majority of the attendees were either using oxegen tanks, walkers, scooters or a combination.

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Athens, OH

I haven't collected stamps since I was a kid in the early '60s.

But I inherited my grandfather's US collection which includes 15-20 stamps minted 1860-1900.

Not sure if they still have any value.

My wife has been collecting stamps all her life. I've pointed out that when she goes to a home the kid is going to dump it. She doesn't care and continues. A real issue is that her 89-year-old dad sends her bags of stamps that he gets at Hobby Lobby (I think...). It's hard to imagine it has any value.

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Michael
My wife has been collecting stamps all her life. I've pointed out that when she goes to a home the kid is going to dump it. She doesn't care and continues. A real issue is that her 89-year-old dad sends her bags of stamps that he gets at Hobby Lobby (I think...). It's hard to imagine it has any value.

Hey, you never know where the next Inverted Jenny is going to pop up!

I think your wife collects for the very best of reasons: Because it gives her pleasure to do so. Good for her.

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It is what it is.

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N-OS X-tasy!

Hey, you never know where the next Inverted Jenny is going to pop up!

One popped up right in my hands:



(Yes, it's real.)

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tronnei

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N-OS X-tasy!

Hey, you never know where the next Inverted Jenny is going to pop up!

One popped up right in my hands:



(Yes, it's real.)

Nice! I've never seen one in person.

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It is what it is.