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Post by southafrica1 on Oct 8, 2023 3:08:03 GMT
How is the state of stamp collecting in other countries besides the USA?
I am finding less enthuasism...no interest for younger people, and many
older collectors have quit or even more have passed away. At my local
stamp club meeting once a month we have about 5 people show up,
and for the most part everybody just collects USA.
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dorincard
Member 
Posts: 1,622 
What I collect: My focus is on Wild Mammals on maximum cards. Occasionally, I get or create maximum cards with other animals, or any other topic.
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Post by dorincard on Oct 8, 2023 12:59:54 GMT
Philately is transforming.
Maximaphily could be appealing to some youngsters, since they can actively create maxicards, not just passively accumulate stamps.
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TimG
Member
Posts: 230
What I collect: Worldwide
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Post by TimG on Oct 8, 2023 14:03:45 GMT
Here in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, the stamp club revived and grew through COVID. We get about 80 people out to the bi-weekly meeting. Although it mostly older folks, I don't believe it necessarily represents all those who are collecting. Most younger and working people would not necessarily have the time to come out. I didn't connect with a club until I was retired.
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Cephus
Member
Posts: 169
What I collect: U.S. 1847-1993, Australia, China, New Zealand
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Post by Cephus on Oct 8, 2023 21:30:11 GMT
I haven't been to a "local" stamp club in years, since the one I used to visit every now and then isn't "local" anymore. Even then, back before COVID, only 4-5 people showed up and most of them were in their 80s or more. i do occasionally hit a local show, which is hit-and-miss. Luckily, we are no longer the youngest people in the room, there are regularly people in their 30s-40s in attendance, with at least 10-15 dealers, but since most of those dealers, at least in my experience, are also very old and they really aren't updating their inventory, I've cleared most of them out of anything I might want. Still, I have family in the area and if I'm there over the right weekend, I try to stop in. It was yesterday, but I didn't go.
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drmellow
Member
Posts: 77
What I collect: USA and figuring out WW.
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Post by drmellow on Oct 8, 2023 22:04:32 GMT
My local stamp club is 80 miles away, and not to be critical, the 6 or 7 members appear to be in their 80's or 90's. I would love to sit with them, gain some knowledge, do some interviews, trading, etc.., but I'm finding more comfort networking with like minded collectors on the inter webs. This Forum has opened up the doors for me, so Thank You for Letting Me Be Myself!. -Again.
Do I really want to drive 160 miles round trip on a week/work night to find maybe only 3 people showed up to their monthly meeting?
I've posted a few Facebook messages to see if anyone locally is into stamps. I had only 1 reply from a person I know that said he collected stamps as a child, but hasn't touched his collection since he was a kid. He is 30 miles away. I'm not sure how to approach him either. Let's get together and show each other our albums?? How do we do that? He's no longer an active collector and hasn't touched his albums in 50+ years.
I put together a box of duplicate common used USA stamps/albums I thought I would donate to the local Boy Scout Troop. But when I got ahold of the Scoutmaster, he said the Scout Troop disbanded due to lack of interest. I ended up sending the box to a collector in Chicago that does trades, but he never responded back.
I have a small stack of FDC's, maybe 40 or 50. I don't collect FDC's. I was thinking after I hit my 50 posts I can give away 10 at a time on the forum or send them to Stamps for Wounded.
Anyways. I really enjoy this forum. I hope to participate more. Thank you.
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renden
Member
Posts: 9,162
What I collect: Canada-USA-France-Lithuania-Austria--Germany-Mauritius-French Colonies in Africa
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Post by renden on Oct 8, 2023 22:17:27 GMT
My local stamp club is 80 miles away, and not to be critical, the 6 or 7 members appear to be in their 80's or 90's. I would love to sit with them, gain some knowledge, do some interviews, trading, etc.., but I'm finding more comfort networking with like minded collectors on the inter webs. This Forum has opened up the doors for me, so Thank You for Letting Me Be Myself!. -Again. Do I really want to drive 160 miles round trip on a week/work night to find maybe only 3 people showed up to their monthly meeting? I've posted a few Facebook messages to see if anyone locally is into stamps. I had only 1 reply from a person I know that said he collected stamps as a child, but hasn't touched his collection since he was a kid. He is 30 miles away. I'm not sure how to approach him either. Let's get together and show each other our albums?? How do we do that? He's no longer an active collector and hasn't touched his albums in 50+ years. I put together a box of duplicate common used USA stamps/albums I thought I would donate to the local Boy Scout Troop. But when I got ahold of the Scoutmaster, he said the Scout Troop disbanded due to lack of interest. I ended up sending the box to a collector in Chicago that does trades, but he never responded back. I have a small stack of FDC's, maybe 40 or 50. I don't collect FDC's. I was thinking after I hit my 50 posts I can give away 10 at a time on the forum or send them to Stamps for Wounded. Anyways. I really enjoy this forum. I hope to participate more. Thank you. Very nice post drmellow - are you a M.D., Ph.D. or the likes (in the US, one can get a Ph.D. online LOL !!) Eager to see your FDC's - I collect FDC's from all over the world - Thanks ! René |
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drmellow
Member
Posts: 77
What I collect: USA and figuring out WW.
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Post by drmellow on Oct 9, 2023 1:47:17 GMT
My local stamp club is 80 miles away, and not to be critical, the 6 or 7 members appear to be in their 80's or 90's. I would love to sit with them, gain some knowledge, do some interviews, trading, etc.., but I'm finding more comfort networking with like minded collectors on the inter webs. This Forum has opened up the doors for me, so Thank You for Letting Me Be Myself!. -Again. Do I really want to drive 160 miles round trip on a week/work night to find maybe only 3 people showed up to their monthly meeting? I've posted a few Facebook messages to see if anyone locally is into stamps. I had only 1 reply from a person I know that said he collected stamps as a child, but hasn't touched his collection since he was a kid. He is 30 miles away. I'm not sure how to approach him either. Let's get together and show each other our albums?? How do we do that? He's no longer an active collector and hasn't touched his albums in 50+ years. I put together a box of duplicate common used USA stamps/albums I thought I would donate to the local Boy Scout Troop. But when I got ahold of the Scoutmaster, he said the Scout Troop disbanded due to lack of interest. I ended up sending the box to a collector in Chicago that does trades, but he never responded back. I have a small stack of FDC's, maybe 40 or 50. I don't collect FDC's. I was thinking after I hit my 50 posts I can give away 10 at a time on the forum or send them to Stamps for Wounded. Anyways. I really enjoy this forum. I hope to participate more. Thank you. Very nice post drmellow - are you a M.D., Ph.D. or the likes (in the US, one can get a Ph.D. online LOL !!) Eager to see your FDC's - I collect FDC's from all over the world - Thanks ! René I'm not a Dr. People have called me 'mellow' for most of my life, so after a few decades it's become drmellow.  |
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kgvistamps
Member
Posts: 201
What I collect: British Colonies - King George VI from all countries and King Edward VII & King George V from the West Indies.
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Post by kgvistamps on Oct 9, 2023 13:48:53 GMT
If you only measure the state of philately by stamp clubs and shows, you are missing the real growth area - on-line.
A few years ago, I joined the on-line sites like this one and saw that this is where people can get together and talk about and display their stamps. The big problem is the amount of storage that is available on the sites. So I started a group on Facebook called the British Colonies Stamp Collectors Group. We now have over 5,000 members. Each day a number of posts are made showing various collections and educational information. We have members ranging from Gold Medal winners to new collectors and all displays are welcome.
The advantages of this approach is that there is no cost, but we do get advertising directed to us by Facebook. In my case, I created a stamp only Facebook membership. So I am not displaying my personal information to the site.
So getting back to your post - maybe you are measuring the state using the wrong criteria. Philately seems to be alive and doing well.
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dorincard
Member
Posts: 1,622
What I collect: My focus is on Wild Mammals on maximum cards. Occasionally, I get or create maximum cards with other animals, or any other topic.
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Post by dorincard on Oct 9, 2023 15:26:56 GMT
I just joined your group, and I shared one of the posts (birds) to the "Flora and fauna stamps" group, that I administer (plus 5 more groups). I don't freak out about "outside links" in the groups that I administer. Freedom of browsing. Do you mind if I post a link to a philatelic group in your group? If you only measure the state of philately by stamp clubs and shows, you are missing the real growth area - on-line. A few years ago, I joined the on-line sites like this one and saw that this is where people can get together and talk about and display their stamps. The big problem is the amount of storage that is available on the sites. So I started a group on Facebook called the British Colonies Stamp Collectors Group. We now have over 5,000 members. Each day a number of posts are made showing various collections and educational information. We have members ranging from Gold Medal winners to new collectors and all displays are welcome. The advantages of this approach is that there is no cost, but we do get advertising directed to us by Facebook. In my case, I created a stamp only Facebook membership. So I am not displaying my personal information to the site. So getting back to your post - maybe you are measuring the state using the wrong criteria. Philately seems to be alive and doing well. |
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