(RCSD) Advice on sourcing or creating missions

Hello,

My idea for a new project probably involves exerting far too much
effort for little return.

I want to acquire mission mixes, cherry-pick items for individual
resale, up-convert the remainder to packets, and sell through trade
papers. I was wondering if anyone had information, general or
specific, on how to locate or create missions.

Replies are welcome on- or off-list. If off-list, let me know whether
you want the info kept confidential or not, and if not, I will
summarize off-list responses for the list after about a week.

Specific questions:

1. How much (range) do dealers normally pay when buying in
"bulk" (say, 50 kg or more at a time)?
2. Anyone have tips on how to start a mission (as a viable fund-
raiser) at local schools or community centers? Tips on what *not* to
do?
3. Anyone have specific advice for U.S., or even California, missions?

One dealer in the U.S. advertises 5 lbs (2.25 kg) of on-paper U.S.
stamps for $55, *postpaid* within the United States, if I remember
correctly. For him to have a margin, I cannot believe he is paying
more than $5/lb at source. How he maintains the supply and stores
this amount of stamps (tons?) boggles my mind.

I felt this was more appropriate here than in RCSM. Any advice is
welcome.

--
Joshua McGee
APS, ATA, ISWSC, AFDCS, MBPC, MCC, BPS
Pasadena, California, USA
http://www.mcgees.org/stamp-offers/

"Joshua McGee"

You'd be a better man than I, Gunga Din.

You need exemplary management, good transport
and staff on $1.25 an hour.
http://cjoint.com/data/driFHxpsXW.htm


My idea for a new project probably involves exerting far too much
effort for little return.

On Mar 17, 3:35*am, "rodney" wrote:
"Joshua McGee"

You'd be a better man than I, Gunga Din. *

You need exemplary management, good transport
and staff on $1.25 an hour.http://cjoint.com/data/driFHxpsXW.htm

My idea for a new project probably involves exerting far too much
effort for little return.

Hi,
At one time a church group in the mid-west was a great source of
mixtures. Then the postal services cracked down on them as a possible
source of stamps with skips(missed cancels) and possible source of
stamps to have the cancels washed off. Also the USPS has said they
would issue most new stamps without the layer that permits soaking
the stamps off paper.

Before you get too deep into your project, time how long it
takes you to soak and sort a pound of current US stamps. Things have
change greatly since I got into stamps about 75 years ago. In those
days you could "bath tub" bags of stamps, let them dry, and the paper
would come off nice and clean.

Have fun, Art

On Tue, 18 Mar 2008 10:34:40 -0700 (PDT), Art
wrote:

On Mar 17, 3:35*am, "rodney" wrote:
"Joshua McGee"

You'd be a better man than I, Gunga Din. *

You need exemplary management, good transport
and staff on $1.25 an hour.http://cjoint.com/data/driFHxpsXW.htm

My idea for a new project probably involves exerting far too much
effort for little return.

Hi,
At one time a church group in the mid-west was a great source of
mixtures. Then the postal services cracked down on them as a possible
source of stamps with skips(missed cancels) and possible source of
stamps to have the cancels washed off. Also the USPS has said they
would issue most new stamps without the layer that permits soaking
the stamps off paper.

Now that would surely "stink". I'd say "to hell with them" at that
point and make sure my collecting ended abruptly around that time
period and wouldn't collect *those* stamps. A silent boycott, but
then again - many others may think the same way.

Some of us have used skips, some say they haven't and some truly
haven't. Can't prove it by the Internet, nor can USPS unless there is
something in the ink / paper that they can slide it under to see if
the stamp had been cancelled.

I see visions of stuck down sheets dancing in my head... been there,
done that, won't waste the $... USPS couldn't prove it otherwise,
unless getting caught in the act of selling said skips.

Before you get too deep into your project, time how long it
takes you to soak and sort a pound of current US stamps. Things have
change greatly since I got into stamps about 75 years ago. In those
days you could "bath tub" bags of stamps, let them dry, and the paper
would come off nice and clean.

I suppose if you were a kiloware dealer, this would be a problem. How
many of us truly do the bathtub amounts? I have done 2 *loads* like
that - kitty litter boxes of U.S. and they were a real chore. My
problem is drying the suckers, not washing them. Even the wash /
rinse / rinse cycles can be nasty! Most of what I soaked was pre-S/A
and would slide nicely off paper, except, of course, our first S/A
which is like super glue.

I have been tempted to do another batch because I need to soak a box
of them, but it is a LOT of WORK!

Have fun

This IS one of the purposes of collecting. When the fun of it has
been taken out, what is the purpose of collecting? :^)

On Tue, 18 Mar 2008 10:56:09 -0800, Sir F. A. Rien
wrote:

Art found these unused words:

On Mar 17, 3:35*am, "rodney" wrote:
"Joshua McGee"

You'd be a better man than I, Gunga Din. *

You need exemplary management, good transport
and staff on $1.25 an hour.http://cjoint.com/data/driFHxpsXW.htm

My idea for a new project probably involves exerting far too much
effort for little return.

Hi,
At one time a church group in the mid-west was a great source of
mixtures. Then the postal services cracked down on them as a possible
source of stamps with skips(missed cancels) and possible source of
stamps to have the cancels washed off. Also the USPS has said they
would issue most new stamps without the layer that permits soaking
the stamps off paper.

Before you get too deep into your project, time how long it
takes you to soak and sort a pound of current US stamps. Things have
change greatly since I got into stamps about 75 years ago. In those
days you could "bath tub" bags of stamps, let them dry, and the paper
would come off nice and clean.

Have fun, Art

Just proving that the USPS isn't concerned about collecting as such, merely
the merchandising of 'new' "stamps". seems to be following in the same mode
as the discouragement of mailing by private individuals.

Hmmm... I haven't been threatened by USPS to cease and desist yet.
:^P

A CD or a floppy disk in a light cardboard disk mailer now goes for nearly
$2.50. Not even 'accepted' as a "First Class" item!

Yeah, those fragile beasts always take a hammering. Same thing would
go for record albums, although they're getting into the dodo category.

I almost cringe having to think about mailing stuff like that.

My problem is drying the suckers, not washing them.

I recently saw an advert for a commercial dryer, Tracy
I wish I had scanned or cut out the advert, I cannot recall from where.

It was an electric press and took a few minutes to complete
the process of one batch.

On Wed, 19 Mar 2008 10:33:57 +0900, "rodney"
wrote:



My problem is drying the suckers, not washing them.

I recently saw an advert for a commercial dryer, Tracy
I wish I had scanned or cut out the advert, I cannot recall from where.

It was an electric press and took a few minutes to complete
the process of one batch.

Interesting... Not afraid of creases, lost perfs, tears, shrinkage or
anything else?

Works with counterfeit money and gambling chips. :^)

If you remember where you saw it, please post me about it. Thanks!