Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Then, late last night, I visited Doug Noernberg's Google+ community that he cleverly titled "Stamp Collecting." I joined very soon after its creation. I kept abreast of the posts and contributed in my own special way — with stamp art.
I haven't had much time to create or post new stamp art in the past two years, but posted another new example last night. Since it was the first time I had visited the site in quite a while, I did a little catching up. One thing I noticed was the fact that Doug's community has grown to over 16,000 members.
https://plus.google.com/b/101350885561904363309/communities/112504400995702352943/members
I was astounded and decided to take a look at the membership. The majority of members have profile photos and one thing that struck me was the lack of photos of us old-timers. Some of the photos are obviously children or grandchildren of members; others are using movie stars and other celebs, but the vast majority of photos that appear to be self-portraits are young people! A surprisingly large percentage are women! And the names clearly indicate members are scattered all over the world.
This is not the picture most of us have of the hobby's membership status. Doug probably has statistics for his community that would be enlightening. I didn't take the time to investigate myself, but I was amazed at what I saw. Unless I am somehow misreading what I'm seeing in the membership list at Doug's Google+ community, the hobby is alive and prospering online.
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I don't believe those editorials talking about the demise of philately. I think the hobby is changing some what from when I was a child collecting but don't think there is a end in site. I will be at the show in New York next week and let you know if it looks like there will be a demise anytime soon.
Vince
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It's somewhat the same with Facebook. There are thousands of stamp communities with lots of us 'younger' (aged 20 to 50) collectors having a bit of fun.
Stamp collecting is alive and well; not so sure about organized philately. 
-k-
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If philately is ending I sure can't tell from the auction results I follow or the attendance at local stamp shows.
I think the "hey day" of stamp collecting was a moment in time where many factors came together to create the most popular hobby in the world. Limited funds during the depression, cheap entertainment for adults and kids alike, etc. etc. Although we're unlikely to see 100,000,000 ardent philatelists, the hobby is far from finished.
There will always be people out there who want a nice quiet past time that affords them the opportunity to engage art and history all while building a nice collection of tangible assets.
Also, our aging population might actually HELP philately.
-Ernie
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"Stamp collecting is alive and well; not so sure about organized philately."
And our generation knew all about change at one point in time. But as a generation ages they tend to regress towards their parents actions and values. They (we) try to fight the tide of change, rather than embrace it.
No one said it better than Dylan- if you grew up in the 60's you will remember the impact this song had on you when you first heard it. Hopefully today's generation is no different than ours was - most of us took a hiatus from "serious collecting" (organized philately) at some point in our lives.
Come gather 'round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You'll be drenched to the bone.
If your time to you
Is worth savin'
Then you better start swimmin'
Or you'll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin'.
Come writers and critics
Who prophesize with your pen
And keep your eyes wide
The chance won't come again
And don't speak too soon
For the wheel's still in spin
And there's no tellin' who
That it's namin'.
For the loser now
Will be later to win
For the times they are a-changin'.
Come senators, congressmen
Please heed the call
Don't stand in the doorway
Don't block up the hall
For he that gets hurt
Will be he who has stalled
There's a battle outside
And it is ragin'.
It'll soon shake your windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin'.
Come mothers and fathers
Throughout the land
And don't criticize
What you can't understand
Your sons and your daughters
Are beyond your command
Your old road is
Rapidly agin'.
Please get out of the new one
If you can't lend your hand
For the times they are a-changin'.
The line it is drawn
The curse it is cast
The slow one now
Will later be fast
As the present now
Will later be past
The order is
Rapidly fadin'.
And the first one now
Will later be last
For the times they are a-changin'
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Definitely the best post I've read for a long time!
But then again, remember Tombstone Blues' Gypsy Davey
with a fantastic collection of stamps
to win friends and influence his uncle.
I wonder if young Zimmerman had a stamp collection?
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I don't think I've ever seen Dylan's lyrics for "a-changin' before and I certainly never understood all the lyrics in spite of all the times I've heard the song. Thanks for the enlightenment today!
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Many of us are concerned about the future of philately. Editorials and discussions lamenting the aging of stamp collectors are common. I've tended to agree that the future doesn't look very bright for the hobby.
Then, late last night, I visited Doug Noernberg's Google+ community that he cleverly titled "Stamp Collecting." I joined very soon after its creation. I kept abreast of the posts and contributed in my own special way — with stamp art.
I haven't had much time to create or post new stamp art in the past two years, but posted another new example last night. Since it was the first time I had visited the site in quite a while, I did a little catching up. One thing I noticed was the fact that Doug's community has grown to over 16,000 members.
https://plus.google.com/b/101350885561904363309/communities/112504400995702352943/members
I was astounded and decided to take a look at the membership. The majority of members have profile photos and one thing that struck me was the lack of photos of us old-timers. Some of the photos are obviously children or grandchildren of members; others are using movie stars and other celebs, but the vast majority of photos that appear to be self-portraits are young people! A surprisingly large percentage are women! And the names clearly indicate members are scattered all over the world.
This is not the picture most of us have of the hobby's membership status. Doug probably has statistics for his community that would be enlightening. I didn't take the time to investigate myself, but I was amazed at what I saw. Unless I am somehow misreading what I'm seeing in the membership list at Doug's Google+ community, the hobby is alive and prospering online.
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re: The end of philately?
I don't believe those editorials talking about the demise of philately. I think the hobby is changing some what from when I was a child collecting but don't think there is a end in site. I will be at the show in New York next week and let you know if it looks like there will be a demise anytime soon.
Vince
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this post
re: The end of philately?
It's somewhat the same with Facebook. There are thousands of stamp communities with lots of us 'younger' (aged 20 to 50) collectors having a bit of fun.
Stamp collecting is alive and well; not so sure about organized philately.
-k-
2 Members
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Login to Like.
07:11:22am
re: The end of philately?
If philately is ending I sure can't tell from the auction results I follow or the attendance at local stamp shows.
I think the "hey day" of stamp collecting was a moment in time where many factors came together to create the most popular hobby in the world. Limited funds during the depression, cheap entertainment for adults and kids alike, etc. etc. Although we're unlikely to see 100,000,000 ardent philatelists, the hobby is far from finished.
There will always be people out there who want a nice quiet past time that affords them the opportunity to engage art and history all while building a nice collection of tangible assets.
Also, our aging population might actually HELP philately.
-Ernie
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07:17:37am
Auctions - Approvals
re: The end of philately?
"Stamp collecting is alive and well; not so sure about organized philately."
And our generation knew all about change at one point in time. But as a generation ages they tend to regress towards their parents actions and values. They (we) try to fight the tide of change, rather than embrace it.
No one said it better than Dylan- if you grew up in the 60's you will remember the impact this song had on you when you first heard it. Hopefully today's generation is no different than ours was - most of us took a hiatus from "serious collecting" (organized philately) at some point in our lives.
Come gather 'round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You'll be drenched to the bone.
If your time to you
Is worth savin'
Then you better start swimmin'
Or you'll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin'.
Come writers and critics
Who prophesize with your pen
And keep your eyes wide
The chance won't come again
And don't speak too soon
For the wheel's still in spin
And there's no tellin' who
That it's namin'.
For the loser now
Will be later to win
For the times they are a-changin'.
Come senators, congressmen
Please heed the call
Don't stand in the doorway
Don't block up the hall
For he that gets hurt
Will be he who has stalled
There's a battle outside
And it is ragin'.
It'll soon shake your windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin'.
Come mothers and fathers
Throughout the land
And don't criticize
What you can't understand
Your sons and your daughters
Are beyond your command
Your old road is
Rapidly agin'.
Please get out of the new one
If you can't lend your hand
For the times they are a-changin'.
The line it is drawn
The curse it is cast
The slow one now
Will later be fast
As the present now
Will later be past
The order is
Rapidly fadin'.
And the first one now
Will later be last
For the times they are a-changin'
3 Members
like this post.
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re: The end of philately?
Definitely the best post I've read for a long time!
But then again, remember Tombstone Blues' Gypsy Davey
with a fantastic collection of stamps
to win friends and influence his uncle.
I wonder if young Zimmerman had a stamp collection?
Login to Like
this post
re: The end of philately?
I don't think I've ever seen Dylan's lyrics for "a-changin' before and I certainly never understood all the lyrics in spite of all the times I've heard the song. Thanks for the enlightenment today!
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.