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Mint or used?
I'm curious, as to whether you collect mint or used stamps for your
primary country(s)? I collect used mainly but do snag a few mint ones here and there if the price is right. |
On Fri, 30 Jan 2004 18:00:30 -0700, Grandpa jsdebooATcomcast.net
wrote: I'm curious, as to whether you collect mint or used stamps for your primary country(s)? I collect used mainly but do snag a few mint ones here and there if the price is right. I try to focus on decent used copies, because mint seems heavily overrated. Many mint stamps will stay in my collection, mostly because they look nice -OR- they cannot be found in used condition, such as WWII Vichy France & colonies. BUT! They cause much more trouble than they're worth, such as: [Take with as many grains of salt as you must, it ain't pretty below.] 1) Fingerprints - the infamous "oil" that purists talk about. Ruins a many MNH stamp. With my used stamps, I truly don't care. (Well, not all that much anyway.) Because? I can always soak the sucker again. [For the most part, except for fugitive, aniline or chalky inks / coatings anyway.] 2) Mounts instead of hinges cost WAY MUCH MORE money. As in cha-ching! This is money that can be used to buy more stamps or have a good weekend, instead of mounting some obscure country that will never increase in value. (Aside form aesthetic value...) (One reason I haven't mounted much yet.) [When hinges become more expensive than mounts, I'll switch over.] 3) Hinged mint stamps stink. They ______ dead bears. (Don't ask, mountain boy language.) You always have to decide whether to soak the suckers or keep the nasty wasty ugly wugly (stupidly ingnorantly multiple massively hinge and almost damaged type) crap on the back of the stamp, for fear of ruining OG. [Read- U-G-L-Y] 4) Some of these suckers will curl. And I mean C-U-R-L. Sometimes this curl will try the patience of a saint. [Boing!] 5) Stuck downs - even with mounts. If you're not truly blessed with mounts and mounting abilities, you'll achieve the beautiful mint stamp with stuck down corners. I think you all know what I mean. [I'll get you suckers off that album page, you watch and see!!!] 6) Used stamps are not mounted gum up. :^P [Nuff Said.] 7) Some gum on mint stamps has an acidic base. This will eventually destroy the stamp. [As per our recent discussion.] 8) Toning / foxing / mold will love to inhabit a mint stamp collection. Yum, yum. Once you soak the gum, the poor beasties will still have remnants of said "stamp / paper disease", albeit will be a bit more lenient in having an effect on the other stamps nearby. [Especially tropical gums.] 9) Folds / creases / breakage. Akin to curling above. Some gum is so nasty wasty that when you touch them, they may crease and create a situation where you stamp may truly break apart. [Always happens to the best stamp of the set.] 10) Mint stamps have not done postal duty. [Nuff Said.] Well, I think I've beaten up mint stamps for today, Grandpa. 10-4, for sure, good buddy. Come back? Tracy Barber |
Neener - bottom posted responseVVVVVBG!!!
Tracy Barber wrote: On Fri, 30 Jan 2004 18:00:30 -0700, Grandpa jsdebooATcomcast.net wrote: I'm curious, as to whether you collect mint or used stamps for your primary country(s)? I collect used mainly but do snag a few mint ones here and there if the price is right. I try to focus on decent used copies, because mint seems heavily overrated. Many mint stamps will stay in my collection, mostly because they look nice -OR- they cannot be found in used condition, such as WWII Vichy France & colonies. BUT! They cause much more trouble than they're worth, such as: [Take with as many grains of salt as you must, it ain't pretty below.] 1) Fingerprints - the infamous "oil" that purists talk about. Ruins a many MNH stamp. With my used stamps, I truly don't care. (Well, not all that much anyway.) Because? I can always soak the sucker again. [For the most part, except for fugitive, aniline or chalky inks / coatings anyway.] 2) Mounts instead of hinges cost WAY MUCH MORE money. As in cha-ching! This is money that can be used to buy more stamps or have a good weekend, instead of mounting some obscure country that will never increase in value. (Aside form aesthetic value...) (One reason I haven't mounted much yet.) [When hinges become more expensive than mounts, I'll switch over.] 3) Hinged mint stamps stink. They ______ dead bears. (Don't ask, mountain boy language.) You always have to decide whether to soak the suckers or keep the nasty wasty ugly wugly (stupidly ingnorantly multiple massively hinge and almost damaged type) crap on the back of the stamp, for fear of ruining OG. [Read- U-G-L-Y] 4) Some of these suckers will curl. And I mean C-U-R-L. Sometimes this curl will try the patience of a saint. [Boing!] 5) Stuck downs - even with mounts. If you're not truly blessed with mounts and mounting abilities, you'll achieve the beautiful mint stamp with stuck down corners. I think you all know what I mean. [I'll get you suckers off that album page, you watch and see!!!] 6) Used stamps are not mounted gum up. :^P [Nuff Said.] 7) Some gum on mint stamps has an acidic base. This will eventually destroy the stamp. [As per our recent discussion.] 8) Toning / foxing / mold will love to inhabit a mint stamp collection. Yum, yum. Once you soak the gum, the poor beasties will still have remnants of said "stamp / paper disease", albeit will be a bit more lenient in having an effect on the other stamps nearby. [Especially tropical gums.] 9) Folds / creases / breakage. Akin to curling above. Some gum is so nasty wasty that when you touch them, they may crease and create a situation where you stamp may truly break apart. [Always happens to the best stamp of the set.] 10) Mint stamps have not done postal duty. [Nuff Said.] Well, I think I've beaten up mint stamps for today, Grandpa. 10-4, for sure, good buddy. Come back? Tracy Barber Methinks you and hinges have a carnal dislike for each otherG. |
"Grandpa" jsdebooATcomcast.net wrote in message ... I'm curious, as to whether you collect mint or used stamps for your primary country(s)? I collect used mainly but do snag a few mint ones here and there if the price is right. I definitely prefer used stamps, postally used if possible. There are some issues that are harder to come by used and I gladly mount a mint stamp. But I have been known to swap out a mint stamp for a less expensive used stamp with a really nice cancellation. Sometimes I even mount/hinge both on the page (especially if the mint is worth significantly more). The one exception is that I do buy Canadian year sets which, unfortunately, are mint. Frank |
On Fri, 30 Jan 2004 21:18:32 -0700, Grandpa jsdebooATcomcast.net
wrote: Neener - bottom posted responseVVVVVBG!!! Neener, neener! Bottom posting reply. Tracy Barber wrote: On Fri, 30 Jan 2004 18:00:30 -0700, Grandpa jsdebooATcomcast.net wrote: I'm curious, as to whether you collect mint or used stamps for your primary country(s)? I collect used mainly but do snag a few mint ones here and there if the price is right. I try to focus on decent used copies, because mint seems heavily overrated. Many mint stamps will stay in my collection, mostly because they look nice -OR- they cannot be found in used condition, such as WWII Vichy France & colonies. BUT! They cause much more trouble than they're worth, such as: [Take with as many grains of salt as you must, it ain't pretty below.] 1) Fingerprints - the infamous "oil" that purists talk about. Ruins a many MNH stamp. With my used stamps, I truly don't care. (Well, not all that much anyway.) Because? I can always soak the sucker again. [For the most part, except for fugitive, aniline or chalky inks / coatings anyway.] 2) Mounts instead of hinges cost WAY MUCH MORE money. As in cha-ching! This is money that can be used to buy more stamps or have a good weekend, instead of mounting some obscure country that will never increase in value. (Aside form aesthetic value...) (One reason I haven't mounted much yet.) [When hinges become more expensive than mounts, I'll switch over.] 3) Hinged mint stamps stink. They ______ dead bears. (Don't ask, mountain boy language.) You always have to decide whether to soak the suckers or keep the nasty wasty ugly wugly (stupidly ingnorantly multiple massively hinge and almost damaged type) crap on the back of the stamp, for fear of ruining OG. [Read- U-G-L-Y] 4) Some of these suckers will curl. And I mean C-U-R-L. Sometimes this curl will try the patience of a saint. [Boing!] 5) Stuck downs - even with mounts. If you're not truly blessed with mounts and mounting abilities, you'll achieve the beautiful mint stamp with stuck down corners. I think you all know what I mean. [I'll get you suckers off that album page, you watch and see!!!] 6) Used stamps are not mounted gum up. :^P [Nuff Said.] 7) Some gum on mint stamps has an acidic base. This will eventually destroy the stamp. [As per our recent discussion.] 8) Toning / foxing / mold will love to inhabit a mint stamp collection. Yum, yum. Once you soak the gum, the poor beasties will still have remnants of said "stamp / paper disease", albeit will be a bit more lenient in having an effect on the other stamps nearby. [Especially tropical gums.] 9) Folds / creases / breakage. Akin to curling above. Some gum is so nasty wasty that when you touch them, they may crease and create a situation where you stamp may truly break apart. [Always happens to the best stamp of the set.] 10) Mint stamps have not done postal duty. [Nuff Said.] Well, I think I've beaten up mint stamps for today, Grandpa. 10-4, for sure, good buddy. Come back? Tracy Barber Methinks you and hinges have a carnal dislike for each otherG. Methinks I like hinges and have trouble with mints and mounts! Tracy Barber |
Tracy writes; " .... 10) Mint stamps have not done postal duty. ....
[Nuff said] .... " .. True enough about the lack of postal duty, but " ...Nuff said ...." ??? I beg to differ. .. The glut of stamp issues, pretty pictures with little relationship to a nations culture, history or postal need bleed the collector dry and in many cases cause the disconcerting realization that a collection carefully gathered and organized is worth less than the cost of the mounts used to "protect" them when it comes time to sell. .. The reasons given will be found in the other posts in this thread and are readily advanced to devalue the sellers collection when s/he or an heir decides to sell. .. The sheer number of stamps issued each year by most nations is staggering to the collector. .. Feeding this "dragon" by purchasing mint stamps that will only reside between the pages of an album encourages the issuing agancies to become bolder and more inventive. .. To mix a metaphor this "dragon" lays golden eggs that enrich postal agencies, in my opinion defrauds collectors and frustrates new entries to the hobby. .. Those who buy and collect mint stamps from these agencies are feeding the dragon. All that is accomplished is that the dragon gets fatter, bolder and insatiable. .. I collect postally used stamps of the world and reject the idea that mint stamps are worth more, at least to me. .. Gummed stamps that come my way and cannot be used for their intended purpose are soaked and dried, then hinged and placed in an album. .. Rather than being polite and letting this issue lie dorment with the thought "Nuff said" I feel it should be shouted from the tops of your pile of albums and debated in any serious philatelic discussion group. .. Charlie Jensen Live right, Eat right, Exercise ... ... ... Die anyway ! |
"Tracy Barber" wrote in message ... On Fri, 30 Jan 2004 21:18:32 -0700, Grandpa jsdebooATcomcast.net wrote: Neener - bottom posted responseVVVVVBG!!! Neener, neener! Bottom posting reply. Tracy Barber wrote: On Fri, 30 Jan 2004 18:00:30 -0700, Grandpa jsdebooATcomcast.net wrote: I'm curious, as to whether you collect mint or used stamps for your primary country(s)? I collect used mainly but do snag a few mint ones here and there if the price is right. I try to focus on decent used copies, because mint seems heavily overrated. Many mint stamps will stay in my collection, mostly because they look nice -OR- they cannot be found in used condition, such as WWII Vichy France & colonies. BUT! They cause much more trouble than they're worth, such as: [Take with as many grains of salt as you must, it ain't pretty below.] Particularly for my Austria, i'll take Mint thanks, and I really don't care if they've they've been hinged. Except WIPA exhibition cancels :) I'm the only unhinged one here :p Alan |
"Grandpa" jsdebooATcomcast.net wrote in message
... I'm curious, as to whether you collect mint or used stamps for your primary country(s)? I collect used mainly but do snag a few mint ones here and there if the price is right. Being mainly a topical stamp collector, I have good reasons to prefer mint stamps. As an example, a stamp showing Mona Lisa without a cancel over her smile looks better to me than otherwise. A solution to this are stamps nicely cancelled over their corners. But... what brings such a cancel, and especially on a CTO? You know the answer :-) Finally, like quite everything in stamp collecting, it is a question of personal preference. Fortunately, in this domain, we have the full freedom to chose, and nobody can interfere. A philosopher stamp collector, Ayn Rand, wrote it down as follows: "In stamp collecting, one experiences the rare pleasure of independent action without irrelevant burdens or impositions. Nobody can interfere with one's collection, nobody need to be considered or questioned or worried about. The choices, the work, the responsibility - and the enjoyment - are one's own. So is the great sense of freedom and privacy. For this very reason, when one deals with people as a stamp collector, it is on a cheerful, benevolent basis." http://www.values.ch/champs/ayn-rand.htm Victor Manta --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Philatelic Webmasters Organization: http://pwmo.org Art on Stamps: http://values.ch Romania Shown by Its Stamps: http://marci-postale.com Communism on Stamps: http://www.values.ch/Communism/ Spanish Africa: http://www.values.ch/sna-site/ Remove "um" from the e-mail address to reply --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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