Stockbooks are a great way to start a collection. You can always use something else later when you zero in on your"true" interests. I use stockbooks to hold new issues (pending the release of album pages), and for holding odd-ball items that don't go in the printed albums.
If you want to try to sell your duplicates, check out the approval books here. No site fees to pay for selling here. Lower valued stamps usually sell well here. As always, your results may vary. They don't sell well on Ebay, and you'll be paying high fees that will negate any financial gain you get from selling cheap stuff there.
Hello Will,
I am a "retired" collector of 83 years. I began collecting in my early teens. I ended up collecting 45 countries. About half dozen of my collections were in albums. The remainder were housed on manila stock sheets in 2 inch 3 hole binders. While I could not see all of the stamps, the manila pages were great to keep them organized. I wrote the catalog number below each stamp. I left room for all stamps by writing every catalog number of all stamps on the pages. That way it was very easy to see what stamps that I had and what stamps that were missing. If you prefer to see all of the stamp you can use clear stock sheets and write the catalog number on a small tab of paper and insert it beside the stamp.
Happy collecting,
Jim
Welcome Will,
For your country collection (say Canada) I would recommend what are often referred to as Stainer pages, Stainer being the last name of the gentleman who makes them. What is unique about these pages is that you purchase all his digital worldwide pages for $25 (last I checked) and you can print out only those pages you want for your collection. For me it was the least expensive and easiest option. For those the website is: Stamp ALbums Web
There is also Album Easy which is a free program you can use to design your own pages if you would like. You can choose to design and print only those pages you wish to have. The website is: Album Easy
I use stockbooks and stock pages (such as Vario) to hold stamps that need to be sorted or duplicates. I currently only use one stamp album which came as part of a box lot I bought once.
(raising hand) My collection...of stamps...is primarily housed in stockbooks - one for each country, book size (16-page or 32-page) determined by the number of issues by that country.
Here's part of a sample page, the area for Geburtstag des Fuhrers in my Nazi semi-postals collection:
I like the flexibility. I can re-arrange and re-group as desired, or as new material comes into the collection. There are also a few covers and sheets scattered throughout, but I try to limit the large items in the stockbooks for economy.
I also have groupings of countries in a single stockbook, such as Danish Colonies. Each colony takes only 1-4 pages. I have colonial Iceland, DWI, and a few Greenland along with La Guaira (not really a Danish colony, although the packet called on St Thomas) in a single book.
It's good to leave plenty of extra space for future expansion, as it can be a royal pain to insert a page, particularly at the beginning.
In operation, getting the first stamp into a page-width row can be tedious. It helps to work with two hands - tongs in one, and a thin spatula in the other to lift the edge of the clear strip. Once the first stamp in a row is in, then it's easy to slide the next stamp behind the first, and then slide it laterally into position. I find this a good way to avoid perf damage during handling.
I don't often put labels in a stockbook, but that could easily be done, also.
Someone else mentioned preference for Leuchtturm (Lighthouse) stockbooks. These are very high quality. Last time I was at a show, I picked up a pair of them, still in their new packaging, for $15. That'll last me a few years.
-Paul
Jim that's exactly what I'm thinking, putting them in a stockbook and labelling each one. I do however much prefer the clear stockbooks so I can see somewhat without removing the stamp.
At this stage I do agree with you Paul with needing flexibility especially at this stage where I have no idea with what I'm doing. I did already pick up some lighthouse stockbooks, a 64 for the Canadian stamps and a 32 for Australia and some of the other countries I'm dabbling in. I should be heading to my first show in a few months, unfortunately not many happening around where I am. Very nice collection you have!
Michael and Smauggie I'll definitely check out the Approvals and Albumeasy. Looks like a very interesting and easy program.
Keep those photos coming if you have any in stockbooks!!
Cheers,
Will
"you purchase all his digital worldwide pages for $25 (last I checked)"
Hi Everyone! I've been lurking and reading through the forums as much as a could for the last week or so before finally joining. Not sure how I came across StampoRama but the close-knit small community appealed to me instantly.
I'm a young fella compared to most people here, hopefully just means I have a long philatelic future ahead of me.
An Australian living remotely in Canada. I'm currently Collecting Canada up to 1980, Australian States and dabbling here and there until I've fallen into my niche. As I am quite new to stamp collecting apart from my short lived spree as a younger child, I do have some questions.
Do many people have their collections solely in stockbooks? Eventually I would love to create and design my own pages but until then I'll be sticking to stockbooks and organising most of it there. If any one has their collection like this I'd love to see some images for inspiration.
With Duplicates, I have more than I can count now that are worth pennies. Is the easiest way of "disposing" these stamps by selling them, for instance in sets 100 assorted on something like ebay?
Cheers,
Will
re: Young Guy - New Collector, Stockbook Collection? Duplicates?
Stockbooks are a great way to start a collection. You can always use something else later when you zero in on your"true" interests. I use stockbooks to hold new issues (pending the release of album pages), and for holding odd-ball items that don't go in the printed albums.
If you want to try to sell your duplicates, check out the approval books here. No site fees to pay for selling here. Lower valued stamps usually sell well here. As always, your results may vary. They don't sell well on Ebay, and you'll be paying high fees that will negate any financial gain you get from selling cheap stuff there.
re: Young Guy - New Collector, Stockbook Collection? Duplicates?
Hello Will,
I am a "retired" collector of 83 years. I began collecting in my early teens. I ended up collecting 45 countries. About half dozen of my collections were in albums. The remainder were housed on manila stock sheets in 2 inch 3 hole binders. While I could not see all of the stamps, the manila pages were great to keep them organized. I wrote the catalog number below each stamp. I left room for all stamps by writing every catalog number of all stamps on the pages. That way it was very easy to see what stamps that I had and what stamps that were missing. If you prefer to see all of the stamp you can use clear stock sheets and write the catalog number on a small tab of paper and insert it beside the stamp.
Happy collecting,
Jim
re: Young Guy - New Collector, Stockbook Collection? Duplicates?
Welcome Will,
For your country collection (say Canada) I would recommend what are often referred to as Stainer pages, Stainer being the last name of the gentleman who makes them. What is unique about these pages is that you purchase all his digital worldwide pages for $25 (last I checked) and you can print out only those pages you want for your collection. For me it was the least expensive and easiest option. For those the website is: Stamp ALbums Web
There is also Album Easy which is a free program you can use to design your own pages if you would like. You can choose to design and print only those pages you wish to have. The website is: Album Easy
I use stockbooks and stock pages (such as Vario) to hold stamps that need to be sorted or duplicates. I currently only use one stamp album which came as part of a box lot I bought once.
re: Young Guy - New Collector, Stockbook Collection? Duplicates?
(raising hand) My collection...of stamps...is primarily housed in stockbooks - one for each country, book size (16-page or 32-page) determined by the number of issues by that country.
Here's part of a sample page, the area for Geburtstag des Fuhrers in my Nazi semi-postals collection:
I like the flexibility. I can re-arrange and re-group as desired, or as new material comes into the collection. There are also a few covers and sheets scattered throughout, but I try to limit the large items in the stockbooks for economy.
I also have groupings of countries in a single stockbook, such as Danish Colonies. Each colony takes only 1-4 pages. I have colonial Iceland, DWI, and a few Greenland along with La Guaira (not really a Danish colony, although the packet called on St Thomas) in a single book.
It's good to leave plenty of extra space for future expansion, as it can be a royal pain to insert a page, particularly at the beginning.
In operation, getting the first stamp into a page-width row can be tedious. It helps to work with two hands - tongs in one, and a thin spatula in the other to lift the edge of the clear strip. Once the first stamp in a row is in, then it's easy to slide the next stamp behind the first, and then slide it laterally into position. I find this a good way to avoid perf damage during handling.
I don't often put labels in a stockbook, but that could easily be done, also.
Someone else mentioned preference for Leuchtturm (Lighthouse) stockbooks. These are very high quality. Last time I was at a show, I picked up a pair of them, still in their new packaging, for $15. That'll last me a few years.
-Paul
re: Young Guy - New Collector, Stockbook Collection? Duplicates?
Jim that's exactly what I'm thinking, putting them in a stockbook and labelling each one. I do however much prefer the clear stockbooks so I can see somewhat without removing the stamp.
At this stage I do agree with you Paul with needing flexibility especially at this stage where I have no idea with what I'm doing. I did already pick up some lighthouse stockbooks, a 64 for the Canadian stamps and a 32 for Australia and some of the other countries I'm dabbling in. I should be heading to my first show in a few months, unfortunately not many happening around where I am. Very nice collection you have!
Michael and Smauggie I'll definitely check out the Approvals and Albumeasy. Looks like a very interesting and easy program.
Keep those photos coming if you have any in stockbooks!!
Cheers,
Will
re: Young Guy - New Collector, Stockbook Collection? Duplicates?
"you purchase all his digital worldwide pages for $25 (last I checked)"