Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
The ironic part is that once I find all the major types then I start hunting for "frosting" pieces to add some pizzazz like varieties, postcards, covers, multiples, & flyspecking. But no worries about completing anything with those, right? The goal here is enjoyment.
So far I've pretty much completed Ireland, Faroes, Greenland, Aland and I'm getting close on Finland and postwar Japan. How about you?
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I do not really have such a strong need to complete collections. So far, when I reach a certain level and things get difficult, meaning it would require some serious investments to get those missing items, I just let it be and start looking for something else to concentrate on. I know I will never complete my Canada collection, or my Netherlands and that's ok. Having 75 to 85% of what is out there is good enough for me.
At this point, there are only two countries, or areas actually, that I have a complete collection of: Netherlands New Guinea (although one could argue that I do not have all the different types of the UNTEA overprints, just a few of each) and General Gouvernement (German occupation of Poland), where i did not bother for the perforation varieties nor the various sheets that exist.
Bottom line, yes it is nice to complete a page, but it is not what keeps me going as far as collecting stamps goes.
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I am definitely not a completionista. My main stamp countries are U.S., Canada, Iceland, Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Switzerland. Way too many issues although I am currently focusing on Socked-on-the-nose cancels and semi-postals from the European countries. I have way too many philatelic collecting interests to complete any one.
I’ll never complete my Santa Claus postcard collection or my Fancy Cancel collection or any of my other collections. I may be able to complete my Souvenir Sheet collection for Wilkinburg, PA, Sojex (South Jersey philatelic exhibition or the SEPAD renamed PNSE (South Eastern Pennsylvania New Jersey And Delaware Exhibitions, Philadelphia National Stamp Exhibition.)
As you say “the goal is enjoyment”. Along with all the Philatelic material I have collected, I value the friendships I made along the way even more.
Vince
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06:19:21pm
Even though I do very much enjoy the hobby, I admit to being a completionista!! I have completed a few things, and I will eventually complete Ireland since I only need a few of the early overprints, and always feel great when I manage to complete an area! I look at it as a character fault that I can't seem to do anything about, of course I don'r really want to!!
Edit: I should mention that, since I don't really like most newer stamps, I do have cut off dates. For several countries it is 1955 since that's the cut off for Big Blue vol III. All this is mentioned in my member information. I have completed BC, UN, Dutch officials, Kaulbach Island, Nyassa (sort of), and a few more are possible. Cut offs do make it easier!!
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According to colnect, as of 12/14/2022 Japan has issued some 15,041stamps, my Japanese collection consist of 8,965, maybe more. It is safe to assume that I will never have a complete Japan collection.
Now if I was to have cutoff dates, particular places or regions or complete years and so on, then I would have many complete collections.
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My Netherlands and Guatemala collections to 1992 are pretty close to complete ...but like Vince i have way too many interests...most of my stamp money goes to covers,binders two pocket cover pages etc;.
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I would have to say "yes," to a degree. My focus is on a dead country (Danish West Indies) which issued a small number of stamps but had numerous printings of some of the values along with a great number of varieties within the printings, particularly the bi-colors. I collect both mint and used and am a bit of a "condition nut," so I'm always hunting for varieties and better examples of stamps I have (about 2,000 for DWI). It doesn't keep me up at night that I don't have "all of them" them in my possession (yet). That being said my album pages (Stender) have a space for a stamp I don't have, and only 350 of the variety can exist, and I cannot get my hands on a cancelled copy (have the mint copy)...that one does drive me a bit nuts...
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I guess I am a 50 to 75 pecentinista (incomplenionista!) except for Machins but is a special can of worms. I try to the get more common but since I collect worldwide there is a lot to complete. For next year, I am thinking of focusing more on specific countries such as French Indochina to get more complete. I may try to do more on Colnect to connect with sellers.
I have not been actively buying much as of late but rather working on my custom Machin pages off and on. I had made progress on some countries by buying collections of ebay but at this point I would be getting material I do not need.
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I think I am a completionista. My Bermuda collection is a prime example. With the exception of a few very pricey key plates the collection of mint stamps is shy of completion by fewer than ten issues.
I get a good deal of satisfaction from the hunt for oddball items for my collection. I am actively collecting postal history, parish cancels, specimens, and used picture post cards.
My other two collections, Falkland Islands and Singapore are not nearly as complete. I cut both of them off with 1995, but even so there are still a lot of collecting opportunities remaining.
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I'm more into finding things I've never seen before to add to my collection. Mostly covers with interesting usage, rather than just stamps. It's never finished, folks!
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I confess, I'm a completionista. I catch myself doing all sorts of workarounds to let me feel that I've finished something such as setting cutoff dates, only collecting certain formats and so on. All a bit silly, but the feeling of filling in that last empty space on a page is too darn satisfying.
The ironic part is that once I find all the major types then I start hunting for "frosting" pieces to add some pizzazz like varieties, postcards, covers, multiples, & flyspecking. But no worries about completing anything with those, right? The goal here is enjoyment.
So far I've pretty much completed Ireland, Faroes, Greenland, Aland and I'm getting close on Finland and postwar Japan. How about you?
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Approvals
re: Are you a "completionista"?
I do not really have such a strong need to complete collections. So far, when I reach a certain level and things get difficult, meaning it would require some serious investments to get those missing items, I just let it be and start looking for something else to concentrate on. I know I will never complete my Canada collection, or my Netherlands and that's ok. Having 75 to 85% of what is out there is good enough for me.
At this point, there are only two countries, or areas actually, that I have a complete collection of: Netherlands New Guinea (although one could argue that I do not have all the different types of the UNTEA overprints, just a few of each) and General Gouvernement (German occupation of Poland), where i did not bother for the perforation varieties nor the various sheets that exist.
Bottom line, yes it is nice to complete a page, but it is not what keeps me going as far as collecting stamps goes.
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re: Are you a "completionista"?
I am definitely not a completionista. My main stamp countries are U.S., Canada, Iceland, Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Switzerland. Way too many issues although I am currently focusing on Socked-on-the-nose cancels and semi-postals from the European countries. I have way too many philatelic collecting interests to complete any one.
I’ll never complete my Santa Claus postcard collection or my Fancy Cancel collection or any of my other collections. I may be able to complete my Souvenir Sheet collection for Wilkinburg, PA, Sojex (South Jersey philatelic exhibition or the SEPAD renamed PNSE (South Eastern Pennsylvania New Jersey And Delaware Exhibitions, Philadelphia National Stamp Exhibition.)
As you say “the goal is enjoyment”. Along with all the Philatelic material I have collected, I value the friendships I made along the way even more.
Vince
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This is my diabetic cat OBI! I think, therefore I am - I think! Descartes, sort of!
18 Dec 2022
06:19:21pm
re: Are you a "completionista"?
Even though I do very much enjoy the hobby, I admit to being a completionista!! I have completed a few things, and I will eventually complete Ireland since I only need a few of the early overprints, and always feel great when I manage to complete an area! I look at it as a character fault that I can't seem to do anything about, of course I don'r really want to!!
Edit: I should mention that, since I don't really like most newer stamps, I do have cut off dates. For several countries it is 1955 since that's the cut off for Big Blue vol III. All this is mentioned in my member information. I have completed BC, UN, Dutch officials, Kaulbach Island, Nyassa (sort of), and a few more are possible. Cut offs do make it easier!!
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re: Are you a "completionista"?
According to colnect, as of 12/14/2022 Japan has issued some 15,041stamps, my Japanese collection consist of 8,965, maybe more. It is safe to assume that I will never have a complete Japan collection.
Now if I was to have cutoff dates, particular places or regions or complete years and so on, then I would have many complete collections.
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Auctions
re: Are you a "completionista"?
My Netherlands and Guatemala collections to 1992 are pretty close to complete ...but like Vince i have way too many interests...most of my stamp money goes to covers,binders two pocket cover pages etc;.
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re: Are you a "completionista"?
I would have to say "yes," to a degree. My focus is on a dead country (Danish West Indies) which issued a small number of stamps but had numerous printings of some of the values along with a great number of varieties within the printings, particularly the bi-colors. I collect both mint and used and am a bit of a "condition nut," so I'm always hunting for varieties and better examples of stamps I have (about 2,000 for DWI). It doesn't keep me up at night that I don't have "all of them" them in my possession (yet). That being said my album pages (Stender) have a space for a stamp I don't have, and only 350 of the variety can exist, and I cannot get my hands on a cancelled copy (have the mint copy)...that one does drive me a bit nuts...
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re: Are you a "completionista"?
I guess I am a 50 to 75 pecentinista (incomplenionista!) except for Machins but is a special can of worms. I try to the get more common but since I collect worldwide there is a lot to complete. For next year, I am thinking of focusing more on specific countries such as French Indochina to get more complete. I may try to do more on Colnect to connect with sellers.
I have not been actively buying much as of late but rather working on my custom Machin pages off and on. I had made progress on some countries by buying collections of ebay but at this point I would be getting material I do not need.
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re: Are you a "completionista"?
I think I am a completionista. My Bermuda collection is a prime example. With the exception of a few very pricey key plates the collection of mint stamps is shy of completion by fewer than ten issues.
I get a good deal of satisfaction from the hunt for oddball items for my collection. I am actively collecting postal history, parish cancels, specimens, and used picture post cards.
My other two collections, Falkland Islands and Singapore are not nearly as complete. I cut both of them off with 1995, but even so there are still a lot of collecting opportunities remaining.
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re: Are you a "completionista"?
I'm more into finding things I've never seen before to add to my collection. Mostly covers with interesting usage, rather than just stamps. It's never finished, folks!
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