The game is changing and in some cases the results are causing a bit of consternation in the ranks of stamp collectors. While technology can be a good thing, there are a few negatives which put some bumps in our philatelic road. In the brave new world of better collecting through tech all is not always as well as we’d like it.
Stamp inventory software
Allow me to paraphrase a philatelic pundit talking about computer oriented inventory programs to keep track of the stamps you have and the stamps you need: Stamp collectors don't want to make endless lists or become slaves to data entry. They want to do one thing -- collect stamps.
Stamps' non-dissolving glue
The self adhesive which saves the saliva of the mailing public is not the collector’s friend. It does not dissolve easily in water. Some suggest putting a cut square including the envelope backing in your album. Seems like a good idea? Not after putting 2,000 of them in and you wind up with a 25 pound lumpy book of stamps.
The amazing disappearing dealers
Stamp collectors have to be very careful about buying stamps online, and making sure their dealers are reputable before giving them their money. Most dealers are trustworthy of course. But in the old days they called businesses that sold you something in the afternoon and were gone the next morning "fly by nighters." Without an actual storefront, imagine how easy it is to "fly" from the Internet -- leaving collector customers holding the bag.
Misinformation around stamps
There's always been a lot around, but never so much as is available on the Internet. Philatelists love to research their items, and they should go the extra mile with any information on the Internet, unless it is from a trusted source. If someone wants to sell you a "rare" stamp, make sure his claim is backed up with the facts. Make a philatelic reference library of sites that you trust so that you can go back to them easily, to get worthwhile knowledge.
Misuse of stamps descriptions
What is rare? What is scarce? What is seldom seen? These terms are thrown around the Internet like rice at a wedding. Their meanings are being diluted by misuse and plain old hype to get you to buy something that is often ordinary, or at best somewhat uncommon. One of the benefits of the Internet is that one can get an idea of how many of a particular item exists. Dealers who try to convince you of false rarity are living in the 20th century.
Look at stamps, but don’t touch
It’s one thing to be able to see a stamp on your computer screen, another to actually examine it in person. A lot of stamps in less than great condition have been sold over the Internet, simply because small faults often do not show up. Those collectors who in the past ordered stamps via mail and then put them aside for a later time when they would be transferred to an album must examine their purchases as soon as they get them. You have rights, but don’t negate them because you waited too long.
A leisure hobby begins to move fast
Stamp collecting used to be a leisurely hobby. It still can be, but it takes an effort to keep it that way. Once you could see an item in a shop or on a price list and have a feeling for how many others might see it and how long it might remain available. Now, with the number of viewers on stamp sites with online price lists and other offers, if you don’t buy immediately you may never see the item again. This isn’t such a big deal if you collect basic cataloged stamps for your album that can be gotten from many dealers. But if it is an item that you’ve wanted for years and have not been able to track down, your choice is simple: Buy it!
Lack of stampish camaraderie
If you have no stamp club within easy geographical travel make sure you find at least one online stamp club to join. Like those who work at home, you can become isolated from your peers quite easily -- and that’s no fun! The basic template of stamp collecting may have a an element of solitude, but the life of the collector needn’t be solitary. And the Internet makes it easy to connect with other collectors.
Dangerous philatelic fakes
Call them reference copies or reprints or facsimiles, they’re still fakes. The collector likes to have examples of everything in his field, so if he can’t have a copy of a rarity, he might settle for a knock-off. Of course, the rules say you have to list the items as fakes and some venues, like eBay say that the stamp must be indelibly marked as to its unreal status. That’s good security but not perfect. There are still a vast number of fakes out there, being sold as genuine. Remember, when you’re spending anything over $50 -- or whatever tipping point you want to establish -- on your stamps, get a certificate from a reputable expertiser. It’s money well spent, and the certificate will make your stamp easier to sell when you dispose of your collection.
