jimd52
**Member** 
Inactive
Posts: 9 
What I collect: Belgium, US, Great Britain
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Post by jimd52 on May 16, 2020 23:04:32 GMT
Hello all,
I started collecting almost 60 years ago when we moved to Belgium when I was a youngster... I collected for about 6 years until school and then work and family got in the way... I picked it up again while doing a lot of traveling in the late eighties and early nineties across the US and Canada... the last 20 years I have been more of an accumulator than a collector.
I collect primarily Belgium, Great Britain, US ... and to a lesser extent Netherlands, Germany, France, Canada, and Channel Islands..
For the last few months I've been working on trying to organize the accumulation that was taken over 2 entire 7 ft bookcases and 6 dresser drawers full of material .. trying to narrow down stamps to go into an album and duplicates to trade... right now I've been using a mixture of Dealer approval books, boxes of 102 and 104 cards, a dozen stock books and Vario and Optima sheets...
I'm using Davo albums for Belgium and Netherlands...Scott National for US, plateblocks, and PNC Strips...along with Scott Specialty for GB, Channel Isles, France, and Germany.
At the moment I'm trying to decide long-term if I'm going to try to buy Hingeless albums for the mint stamps and a second set of standard albums for the used stamps. ..I prefer black mounts to clear mounts and have decided I really like the Hawid style of top opening Mount rather than the Showgard or Scott mounts that open from the back I've also looked into buying second-rate showgard mounts or Scott or Prinz mounts and cutting them in half and using them as top opening mounts . I have looked at buying the Steiner pages as an economical alternative to buying all the albums, but the Steiner Pages, while complete... don't seem to have much zip and pizazz to them ...but then again I'm not a creative person and will drive myself crazy trying to create my own pages ...I've seen some pages from members of this forum and other forums... in particular a guy named postmaster GS who has created German Page's that are absolutely beautiful.. another issue is that.... especially for Belgium, Great Britain and US, I like to collect the different shade varieties and perf varieties of a stamp and I'm not sure that Steiner provides spaces for all of those issues... maybe the only alternative is creating custom pages myself...
I am also in a bit of a quandary because I bought Mario's EZ Stamp program for the entire world along with a couple of add-on modules... to try and keep track of not only my inventory but also my cost basis ... but as I really don't intend to sell anything I'm probably wasting my time tracking cost basis.
Anyway thanks for allowing me to become a member and I look forward to learning from others experiences and knowledge...
Jim Dendy
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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 May 16, 2020 23:25:14 GMT
jimd52  to TSF and thanks for the intro - South Carolina....a fine place to visit as I have done many times while doing my allowed 6 months per year in Florida How do you keep Inventory of all that accumulation you have ? Enjoy the nice people here René Eastern Canada...on the border of MAINE !!
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stainlessb
Member
qaStaHvIS yIn 'ej chep
Posts: 4,906
What I collect: currently focused on most of western Europe, much of which is spent on France, Belgium, Germany and Great Britain Queen Victoria
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Post by stainlessb on May 16, 2020 23:25:34 GMT
Welcome jimd52 to TSF. A lot of mighty nice people here and you'll find no shorter of folks with similar interests! I', always interested in Belgium, especially the earlier years an GB Queen Vickie!! Cheers for Norther California Stan |
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zipper
Member
Posts: 2,649
What I collect: Classic GB, QV, France Ceres/Napoleon, Classic U.S., Cinderella & Poster Stamps
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Post by zipper on May 16, 2020 23:58:06 GMT
Hi.
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darkormex
Member
Swinging through Switzerland and getting tied up in Thailand
Posts: 2,197
What I collect: The World...just printing and mounting as I go...call me crazy!
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Post by darkormex on May 17, 2020 0:54:00 GMT
Welcome.
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anglobob
Member
Posts: 2,602
What I collect: France and French Colonies,French cinderellas British Commonwealth QE2
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Post by anglobob on May 17, 2020 2:01:02 GMT
Welcome
Anglobob from Ecuador
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brightonpete
Departed
Rest in Peace
On a hike at Goodrich-Loomis
Posts: 5,110
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Post by brightonpete on May 17, 2020 2:18:32 GMT
Welcome to the forum, jimd52! I agree with you on Steiner - they are dull & lifeless with no info & stamps out of chronological order - a bugaboo with me! So I add info, graphic images & photo's on the page at times. I also like the top opening mounts. I ordered a bunch of those seconds but didn't realize they were back split. So I ended up tossing the short ones & cutting the larger ones in half. I pretty much stick with Lighthouse or Unisafe mounts - clear ones for me, TYVM. I use coloured cardstock to make the perfs pop! Enjoy your time here! |
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tomiseksj
Moderator 
Woodbridge, Virginia, USA
Posts: 6,385
What I collect: Worldwide stamps/covers, Cinderellas, Ohio Prepaid Sales Tax Receipts, U.S. WWII Ration ephemera
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Post by tomiseksj on May 17, 2020 2:44:23 GMT
Welcome, Jim!
You are now able to post in most other Forum areas so please don't hesitate to jump in.
If you have questions or encounter problems, please send me a message and I'll try to help.
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cursus
Member
Posts: 2,011
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 17, 2020 3:55:44 GMT
Welcome Jim from Barcelona, Catalonia. I agree with you, that Steiner pages, while useful, are often too basics. I find this problem with Scandinavian stamps: no place for perforation varieties. Still an economic alternative if you love stamps and don't have neither informatic skills, nor deep pockets. I hope you'll enjoy your time here.
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jimd52
**Member**
Inactive
Posts: 9
What I collect: Belgium, US, Great Britain
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Post by jimd52 on May 17, 2020 4:50:31 GMT
jimd52 to TSF and thanks for the intro - South Carolina....a fine place to visit as I have done many times while doing my allowed 6 months per year in Florida How do you keep Inventory of all that accumulation you have ? Enjoy the nice people here René Eastern Canada...on the border of MAINE !! Rene, Keeping track of inventory has become a problem lately ... for my three main countries of Belgium Great Britain and US ..I used to be able to keep it in my head ...what I had and what I still needed ...but older age is playing havoc with that strategy.... sometimes I get carried away on some of the European auction sites or european eBay sites and buy things that I already have copies of sometimes just to get a desired cancel on a used stamp I'll buy an entire page or I like the centering on one or two stamps of a particular set which is better than what I currently have and so I'll end up with two or three different sets and combine them to get the best centering ... but common sense is starting to prevail lately and telling me I really need to get much better organized and get an up-to-date inventory so I'm not wasting money on stamp purchases which are duplicates. I have what I feel is an excellent inventory program in the worldwide EZ Stamp discs .... and on one hand I'm spoiled by my computer set up at work with two hi res 27-inch monitor side by side and on the other hand after spending 45 of my 50 hour work week on computers that's the last thing I want to do when I get home on the weekends... |
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Jerry B
Departed
Rest in Peace
Marietta, Georgia USA
Posts: 1,485
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Post by Jerry B on May 17, 2020 8:16:24 GMT
Hi Jim to the Forum from a neighbor, Atlanta. What an interesting name, Jim Dendy. It is almost the American expression "Jim Dandy"  Jerry B |
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angore
Member
Posts: 5,699
What I collect: WW, focus on British Empire
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Post by angore on May 17, 2020 10:33:32 GMT
Welcome!
I use Steiner pages but customize (modify or create new ones) to add issues not included. I like creating pages but it eats up time if you collect large areas like British Commonwealth like me. I decided it had 80% what I wanted especially for modern and just deal with the exceptions.
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rex
Member
Posts: 1,216
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Post by rex on May 17, 2020 11:57:10 GMT
...Jim  .. Ludovico Italy
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philatelia
Member
Captain Jack - my best kiloware find ever!
Posts: 3,655
What I collect: Ireland, Japan, Scandy, USA, Venezuela, Vatican, Bermuda, Austria
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Post by philatelia on May 17, 2020 12:33:14 GMT
Greetings, Jim from East Florida
Have you ever considered using Hagnar and Vario pages? You can arrange mint and used together and you don’t need to mess with mounts. I have my entire collection housed that way and I love the flexibility. But, they are not very artistic.
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hrdoktorx
Member
Posts: 7,215
What I collect: France (and French territories), Africa, Canada, USA, Germany, Guatemala, stamps about science, flags, maps, stamps on stamps...
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Post by hrdoktorx on May 17, 2020 12:43:53 GMT
to TSF! Thanks for this detailed introduction. I'm sure you'll find lots to interest you here!
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Londonbus1
Moderator
Cinderella Stamp Club Member 3059
Posts: 5,064
What I collect: Wonderland; 1912 Jubilee International Stamp Exhibition, London ('Ideal' Stamp, ephemera); French Cinderellas with an emphasis on Poster Stamps; Israel and Palestine Cinderellas ; Jewish National Fund Stamps, Labels and Tags; London 2010, A Festival of Stamps (anything); South Africa 1937 Coronation issue of KGVI, singles or bi-lingual pairs.
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Post by Londonbus1 on May 17, 2020 15:00:40 GMT
Greetings to jimd52 !! Hope you will enjoy your time with us. Look forward to seeing your stamps. Happy Collecting, Londonbus1 |
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cjoprey
Member
Scanning stamps for my website...
Posts: 1,504
What I collect: Belgium (predominantly), British Commonwealth (older ones), WW (whatever comes my way...)
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Post by cjoprey on May 17, 2020 15:50:10 GMT
Welcome from another Belgium and GB collector Jim ( jimd52)! I was born and raised in Belgium in Lier, near Antwerp - where were you based? |
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Beryllium Guy
Moderator
Posts: 5,912
What I collect: Worldwide Stamps 1840-1930
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Post by Beryllium Guy on May 17, 2020 16:32:58 GMT
Welcome to TSF, Jim ( jimd52)! Thanks for an excellent, descriptive intro post--very well done. I am a US expat living in the UK at the moment. It seems that you will find many here with similar interests to yours. I will tag PostmasterGS for you, so that he will know that you cited him in your intro. Again, welcome... -Chris ( Beryllium Guy)  |
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bobstew617
Member
Posts: 376
What I collect: Switzerland, Ireland, Scandinavia, Channel Islands, Hong Kong (British Admin), PNG, others...
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Post by bobstew617 on May 17, 2020 17:23:07 GMT
Welcome, Jim, from Orlando! Another collector of Channel Islands Yay! ( I'm working on my Jersey collection as we speak) I use www.albumpages.net for my Scott-like pages. Much cheaper than Scott. And I use black Scott/Prinz. The dealer I use on eBay has free shipping if you buy $35 or more at a time. I am now buying the larger strips and then I have a cutter. |
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jimd52
**Member**
Inactive
Posts: 9
What I collect: Belgium, US, Great Britain
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Post by jimd52 on May 18, 2020 0:11:54 GMT
Welcome from another Belgium and GB collector Jim ( jimd52 )! I was born and raised in Belgium in Lier, near Antwerp - where were you based? Hello, I moved from the US first to Verviers - near Liege for 2 years ...then to Brussels (Ixelles) for 5 years...then to Paris for 1 year...then back to US |
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jimd52
**Member**
Inactive
Posts: 9
What I collect: Belgium, US, Great Britain
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Post by jimd52 on May 18, 2020 0:31:12 GMT
Welcome, Jim, from Orlando! Another collector of Channel Islands Yay! ( I'm working on my Jersey collection as we speak) I use www.albumpages.net for my Scott-like pages. Much cheaper than Scott. And I use black Scott/Prinz. The dealer I use on eBay has free shipping if you buy $35 or more at a time. I am now buying the larger strips and then I have a cutter. Hello, , I appreciate the information about www.albumpages.net and I will definitely look into that. I have Jersey, Guernsey, and Isle of Man... starting with the occupation issues through the 58 regionals and then 1969 through 2005 complete all in black mounts. I never started collecting Alderney though I have a few issues and I have some used but never actively collected used since when I started in the late 80s the MNH was inexpensive and a joy to collect . Let me know about the eBay dealer because I'm always happy to find free shipping if it's not built into the stock prices. Thanks, Jim |
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Post by dgdecker on May 18, 2020 3:04:14 GMT
Greetings from Ottawa, Canada.
Welcome to the forum.
like many others have said Steiner is a bit flat and limited. As I am not very adventurous about making my own pages, I make do with Steiner. For other smaller collections I use Vario pages. One day will take that step and make my own pages. I have many’s post about this on the Forum. So I know where I will be looking when it is time to kick off the project.
David
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to TSF and thanks for the intro - South Carolina....a fine place to visit as I have done many times while doing my allowed 6 months per year in Florida
.. Ludovico
