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Post by greaden on May 13, 2024 21:14:32 GMT
Lately I have been thinking less about when to stop a collection than in how far back to push it.
Normally, one starts with Scott #1 or equivalent. But one can go back a ways through pre-philately. A lot of early postmarks were already in use.
In between, there were the postmasters' provisionals in the US.
My own interest in colonies started with the pictorial sets from around the 1890s up to the interwar period. But gradually, I warmed up to earlier issues. For the French colonies, there were postmarks on issues of the general colonies. I could, but have not as of yet, push farther back to forerunners, or postmarks on standard French stamps.
Has anyone given any thought to the problems of where to begin a collection? Collectors generally start with what is in the albums, and in general catalogs. Only after we delve into specialized catalogs do we even become aware of the earlier periods.
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cursus
Member
Posts: 1,911
What I collect: Catalan Cinderellas. Used Switzerland, UK, Scandinavia, Germany & Austria. Postal History of Barcelona & Estonia. Catalonia pictorial postmarks.
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Post by cursus on May 14, 2024 4:58:43 GMT
For general stamp collections my starting date is clear: #1 of their national catalogs. The question becomes more complicated when dealing with cinderellas and Postal History. For Catalan cinderellas I look for the oldest recorded ones: around 1890. For Barcelona Postal History the pre-stamp postmark is the first official one from 1716. There are earlier ones, but they're in the museums, where they belong. So far, my oldest Barcelona pm is from 1765. For my Second Estonian Republic Postal History (dormant since many years ago!) I try to go beyon the first obvious date of January 1991, looking for predecessors, with Estonian Patriotic cinderellas on late 1980s. Being lucky to find a few, so far...
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philatelia
Member
Captain Jack - my best kiloware find ever!
Posts: 3,622
What I collect: Ireland, Japan, Scandy, USA, Venezuela, Vatican, Bermuda, Austria
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Post by philatelia on May 14, 2024 8:27:27 GMT
What an interesting question!
It is possible to continue before the first postage stamps with stampless covers and postal history and other options. For Ireland, I would have preferred to start my collection with the first issues that are 100% Irish design, but the overprints are technically the first issues so I include them but draw the line at GB issues used in Ireland.
Vatican is another area that has a precursor- the Roman states. I did decide to collect those eventually.
The options are almost as limitless as your creativity can think of ways to link areas. So - have fun with it and if your interest is piqued go for it and enjoy.
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Post by connoisseur on May 17, 2024 21:57:38 GMT
I always like to start a country collection with the mounting of stampless covers (non-adhesives) demonstrating a nice array of cancellations and markings from the first half of the 19th Century and earlier, if available and affordable. Generally speaking you can find nice condition 1800-1850 stampless covers originating from larger cities and towns in the $10 - $30 range, many with content, and some of which can be exploded if the content is legible in the mother tongue and if the penmanship is nice, as it often was back then. Smaller towns and and more interesting transit markings and more points of travel can increase the value, but make for beautiful items to start a collection.
The reason I like to start with pre-adhesives is that a country collection tells a story, and if the the focus is stamps, I think it's logical and interesting to show how things were done before the first stamps were issued. It's like the forward to any good book, or the appetizer to any good meal.
Cheers!
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Post by nick2302 on May 18, 2024 15:44:32 GMT
If I find a country that interests me and it falls within my boundaries, I will start with whatever stamp I first run into. Then I collect in both directions from where I started back and forward. Unfortunately, I have found way too many countries to be interesting. Or I worked with someone from a foreign country like Australia, or a European country and as they talked about their native country, I attempted to represent them in my collection. This way whenever I open an album that contains the country, they came from I can remember the individual that let me come to know them. When I find a stamp that falls within my likes and wants it goes in my homemade albums. That way I can add without being restricted by pre-printed pages. When you are in your own space you can do what you want and let your interests lead wherever it may go.
Happy collecting everyone!!!! Nick
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