Mystic Stamp Co.

I sent away for the Mystic color catalog of US stamps recently.
It arrived along with some old used US stamps (which I returned unopnened.)
The catalog is really quite a work of art, with great photography.
However, Mystic's prices seem to be very high.
Far higher than I've been paying for stamps on eBay.
Anybody here ever do business with Mystic?
They keep sending me offers to buy a selection of stamps for $5 or $10.

On 4/21/2011 11:40, Blair (TC) wrote:
On Apr 21, 10:03 am, "Beanie" wrote:
I sent away for the Mystic color catalog of US stamps recently.
It arrived along with some old used US stamps (which I returned unopnened.)
The catalog is really quite a work of art, with great photography.
However, Mystic's prices seem to be very high.
Far higher than I've been paying for stamps on eBay.
Anybody here ever do business with Mystic?
They keep sending me offers to buy a selection of stamps for $5 or $10.


It's been going on for a decade. The FTC is also after them.

...


I don't think the original question was about spam (I'm pretty extremist
on the subject of spam, and I've not gotten anything from them at all),
but about the continued snail-mail offers and their prices.

When requesting the full catalog from their website
(http://www.mysticstamp.com/adlookup.asp?lookup=SC2B), you're also
agreeing to receive "other interesting stamps on approval". It's
aggressive (to the point of sleazy, according to some) but it's not
hidden in any fine print.

When I placed an order with them, they chose to add my name to the
approval "service" - and this is less ethical, in my opinion. I had the
order delivered to my 10-year-old son (it was for him), which meant that
he was being sent stamps (which he thought was cool) on approval and
Mystic was expecting to be paid for them.

I wrote to them and told them in no uncertain terms that these were
unsolicited and according to US Postal regulations I was entitled to
keep any unsolicited material delivered to my address - there was NO
check box or other request for consent, nor any indication that it was
automatically a part of the order. I returned the material anyway, but
told them that while I was happy to place orders that I was not to be
added to any approval program. They've respected this.

From what I've seen, the prices are certainly higher than those I've
seen elsewhere, though I'm strictly a neophyte. I do find them useful
for supplies, for certain low-cost stamps that I'll throw in with a
supply order, and for their on-line catalog. It not only gives me ready
access to information, but gives me a "shouldn't be higher than" price.

I would be interested in information about other on-line vendors of US
stamps, but understand if it falls outside of the purview for this group.

-Don Levey

"Blair (TC)" wrote in message
...
It's been going on for a decade. The FTC is also after them.


I knew when I sent away for the catalog that they would send approvals, so no
problem there.
I sent the initial selection back, noting that I had no desire for further
approvals.
So far, they've honored that request.
They do not spam my email.
What they do is send me offers via snail mail to buy mint US and foreign stamps
(100 US for $10, 100 non-US for $5) which doesn't seem like an outrageous
mark-up.
Unfortunately the small print states they will enclose additional stamps on
approval, which I clearly do not want - esp. at their prices.
I've been informed that Mystic is somehow connected with the Littleton Coin
dealer, which I already know sells coins at extremely high mark-ups and
fair-to-midlin quality, so if this is the case, I would assume that Mystic
operates the same way.
But it really is a nice catalog!

On 4/21/2011 7:03 AM, Beanie wrote:
I sent away for the Mystic color catalog of US stamps recently.
It arrived along with some old used US stamps (which I returned unopnened.)
The catalog is really quite a work of art, with great photography.
However, Mystic's prices seem to be very high.
Far higher than I've been paying for stamps on eBay.
Anybody here ever do business with Mystic?
They keep sending me offers to buy a selection of stamps for $5 or $10.


Yes, they're high-priced, but they do publish nice catalogs. I'd expect
practically any dealer's price to be higher than what you see on eBay.

Mystic has been in business since 1923 so they must be doing something
right.

Bill

Nice balanced comments,
thumbs up Beanie.


"Beanie" wrote in message ...

"Blair (TC)" wrote in message
...
It's been going on for a decade. The FTC is also after them.


I knew when I sent away for the catalog that they would send approvals, so
no problem there.
I sent the initial selection back, noting that I had no desire for further
approvals.
So far, they've honored that request.
They do not spam my email.
What they do is send me offers via snail mail to buy mint US and foreign
stamps (100 US for $10, 100 non-US for $5) which doesn't seem like an
outrageous mark-up.
Unfortunately the small print states they will enclose additional stamps
on approval, which I clearly do not want - esp. at their prices.
I've been informed that Mystic is somehow connected with the Littleton
Coin dealer, which I already know sells coins at extremely high mark-ups
and fair-to-midlin quality, so if this is the case, I would assume that
Mystic operates the same way.
But it really is a nice catalog!

On 4/21/2011 4:21 PM, Billns wrote:
On 4/21/2011 7:03 AM, Beanie wrote:
I sent away for the Mystic color catalog of US stamps recently.
It arrived along with some old used US stamps (which I returned
unopnened.)
The catalog is really quite a work of art, with great photography.
However, Mystic's prices seem to be very high.
Far higher than I've been paying for stamps on eBay.
Anybody here ever do business with Mystic?
They keep sending me offers to buy a selection of stamps for $5 or $10.


Yes, they're high-priced, but they do publish nice catalogs. I'd expect
practically any dealer's price to be higher than what you see on eBay.

Mystic has been in business since 1923 so they must be doing something
right.

Bill

For many of us that live in the middle of nowhere where the closest
stamp shop is 300 or 400 miles away, it is kind of nice to get a small
cache of stamps delivered to our front doors on a regular basis. My very
first approvals came from Kenmore back in the 60's when I was about 10,
I am 58 now and have done business with them in one form or fashion for
almost 50 years. I've probably paid too much for what I have purchased
from both Kenmore and Mystic, but I have enjoyed every minute of it.
Enjoyment is after all the whole point of having a hobby. When it comes
to higher priced material I tend to bid on Ebay for it, and yes I still
buy a package of 1000 all different now and then just for the fun of the
hunt.

Even though I lived in the middle of nowhere in northern Maine, now I
still live in the middle of nowhere in Southern Oklahoma, I have enjoyed
my stamp collecting hobby for almost 50 years due to the fact that
companies like Kenmore and Mystic provide service right to my front door.

Jim

"Beanie" wrote in message ...
I sent away for the Mystic color catalog of US stamps recently.
It arrived along with some old used US stamps (which I returned unopnened.)
The catalog is really quite a work of art, with great photography.
However, Mystic's prices seem to be very high.
Far higher than I've been paying for stamps on eBay.
Anybody here ever do business with Mystic?
They keep sending me offers to buy a selection of stamps for $5 or $10.

I just went to Kenmore's site and ordered their catalog (which, like Mystic,
will come with approvals.)
I'm curious to see by how much, if any, their prices differ from Mystic.

On 4/22/2011 10:42, Sir F. A. Rien wrote:
Don Levey found these unused words:



I would be interested in information about other on-line vendors of US
stamps, but understand if it falls outside of the purview for this group.


Certainly could fall into the 'marketplace' area !
rec.collecting.stamps.marketplace

Very good - thank you!

In any event, most 'catalogue' advertising 'mentions' that you will also be
receiving 'approvals'.

Kenmore Stamps, Littleton stamps, ... etc. there's 'tons' of them in Linns -
or used to be!

Thanks, I'll try to be aware.

-Don

"Victor Manta" wrote in message
...
"Sir F. A. Rien" wrote in message
...

Don Levey found these unused words:

I would be interested in information about other on-line vendors of US
stamps, but understand if it falls outside of the purview for this group.

-Don Levey


Certainly could fall into the 'marketplace' area !
rec.collecting.stamps.marketplace


In my (limited) understanding of English it is either "certainly" or it is
"could".

A good idea in such cases is to read the RCSD Charter, found at:

http://pwmo.org/rcsd-charter-and-faq.htm

It says:

"Messages posted to rec.collecting.stamps.discuss may include:
...
- Questions and comments about general commerce in stamps, providing no offer
(explicit or implicit) to buy or sell stamps is contained in the message. "

It seems to me that Don's request is perfectly legitimate and that Sir F.A. is
wrong.

I agree 100%
Sir F.A. seems to exhibit what appears to be, shall we say, trollish tendencies.

Welcome to my killfile Mr. Troll.
You are both unpleasant and argumentative.
Life is too short to deal with assholes like you.
PLONK!

"Sir F. A. Rien" wrote in message
...
"A. Nony Moose" found these unused words:


"Victor Manta" wrote in message
...
"Sir F. A. Rien" wrote in message
...

Don Levey found these unused words:

I would be interested in information about other on-line vendors of US
stamps, but understand if it falls outside of the purview for this group.

-Don Levey


Certainly could fall into the 'marketplace' area !
rec.collecting.stamps.marketplace


In my (limited) understanding of English it is either "certainly" or it is
"could".

Rather common usage, songs, writings, etc. Run a google on the two words in
quotes. Might learn something! [Might not ... G!]

A good idea in such cases is to read the RCSD Charter, found at:

http://pwmo.org/rcsd-charter-and-faq.htm

It says:

"Messages posted to rec.collecting.stamps.discuss may include:
...
- Questions and comments about general commerce in stamps, providing no
offer
(explicit or implicit) to buy or sell stamps is contained in the message. "

It seems to me that Don's request is perfectly legitimate and that Sir F.A.
is
wrong.

I agree 100%
Sir F.A. seems to exhibit what appears to be, shall we say, trollish
tendencies.

Excuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuse ME

My comment was based on Don's reluctance to continue this discussion of
'business companies' in this NG for fear of offending the 'net police'
exemplified by yourselves!

I OFFERED an alternative.

NOTHING said was a directive or criticsm, until you two children decide to
be 'guardians'.

As far as being 'wrong' there is NOTHING in the CHARTER prohibiting such
discussion IN 'marketplace'!

Do try, [it's hard for you I know ...] to read the whole charter and
understand the purpose of each section as we hammered it out many years back
when this NG was a spam dumping ground!