Harvey,
That is interesting.. if not concerning. As a rough estimate, how many new items were issued by Canada last year? I like to collect Japan and in some recent years they have issued well over 700 stamps (per year) and there would be all the associated booklets and sheets. It is overwhelming.
Larry
It is overwhelming and to me I find purchasing all the various formats each year very expensive. I do not have deep pockets.
Over the course of my lifetime (70 yrs, so far) I have observed the correlation of government stamp output to currency inflation and economic hardship. I surmise that governments hope for increased revenue through increasing the sales of "collectible" stamps.
One need only look at the stamps of the soviet countries through the 60s to 90s. Also, Caribbean and African nations which suffered economically accelerated their "collectible" stamp production. Canada seems to be on the same path. My dollars certainly seem to be shrinking faster than my government tells me they are. Perhaps I should invest in coal-fired power plant production in China, to try to maintain some financial stability.
Another indicator, to my thinking, is postage stamp cost. Despite all the technological and productivity advances so proudly announced, the prices keep rising, and even accelerating at an increasing rate.
I get the quarterly packs from Canada Post.
I have always maintained that the annual growing proliferation of stamps issued by our Respective Countries Post Offices has had a detrimental effect on the hobby of stamp collecting particularly on young people looking to start out. They look at the sheer volumes of new issues and the respective costs, to say nothing of albums and catalogs and go on to something else.
Personally I curtailed purchases for my Canada collection in the late 1980's and my British Commonwealth when the countries became independent.
Like Joe (Harvey) I much prefer the classic engraved stamps to newer photos, politically correct propaganda and somebody's idea of artistic expression.
Your humble curmudgeon.
Dennis
For very modern Canada and some other countries, I just buy the stamps I like and store them in Vario pages. I do not worry about catalogs, filling album spaces, or completeness like I do for the older "classic" material.
Josh
"I do not worry about catalogs, filling album spaces, or completeness like I do for the older "classic" material."
I collect United States, used.
My pre-printed CWS Seal album pages goes from 1847-2002. After 2002 I have a nice bordered blank page, with the year across the top, in the same typeface as the rest of the pre-printed album pages. It just says 2013, or whatever year. On that, and however many pages I meed for each year, I mount the used USA stamps for said year, that i like. If I've no interest in, say the flower series, or the racing cars, I don't put them in.
Easier and less expensive.
David
Ottawa, Canada
I feel the same way with my newer Canada stuff in stock books. Some of it is very pretty but I'll never try to complete it!!
I agree with Dennis to narrow ones collecting down to a specific are such as the small and large Queens and the very interesting KGV Admiral issues superb issues with so many colour variations and formats. Rich
I got a copy of the 2023 Unitrade today. Lots of gorgeous material but there is so much of it I can't figure out how anyone could keep up with it, especially if you try to keep up to date on booklet panes and mini sheets. It would be totally overwhelming. I buy the year book every year so I see some of the material. Is there anyone out there who actually manages to get it all? I have a 1988 cut off so I don't have to be out there looking for all the new material. It looks almost impossible!! I admit that the Canada material is incredible, I showed the material from the year books that I have put in stock books to a friend and she oohed and aahed over all of it. Myself, I prefer the classics!
re: How does anyone keep up with the new Canada material?
Harvey,
That is interesting.. if not concerning. As a rough estimate, how many new items were issued by Canada last year? I like to collect Japan and in some recent years they have issued well over 700 stamps (per year) and there would be all the associated booklets and sheets. It is overwhelming.
Larry
re: How does anyone keep up with the new Canada material?
It is overwhelming and to me I find purchasing all the various formats each year very expensive. I do not have deep pockets.
re: How does anyone keep up with the new Canada material?
Over the course of my lifetime (70 yrs, so far) I have observed the correlation of government stamp output to currency inflation and economic hardship. I surmise that governments hope for increased revenue through increasing the sales of "collectible" stamps.
One need only look at the stamps of the soviet countries through the 60s to 90s. Also, Caribbean and African nations which suffered economically accelerated their "collectible" stamp production. Canada seems to be on the same path. My dollars certainly seem to be shrinking faster than my government tells me they are. Perhaps I should invest in coal-fired power plant production in China, to try to maintain some financial stability.
Another indicator, to my thinking, is postage stamp cost. Despite all the technological and productivity advances so proudly announced, the prices keep rising, and even accelerating at an increasing rate.
re: How does anyone keep up with the new Canada material?
I get the quarterly packs from Canada Post.
re: How does anyone keep up with the new Canada material?
I have always maintained that the annual growing proliferation of stamps issued by our Respective Countries Post Offices has had a detrimental effect on the hobby of stamp collecting particularly on young people looking to start out. They look at the sheer volumes of new issues and the respective costs, to say nothing of albums and catalogs and go on to something else.
Personally I curtailed purchases for my Canada collection in the late 1980's and my British Commonwealth when the countries became independent.
Like Joe (Harvey) I much prefer the classic engraved stamps to newer photos, politically correct propaganda and somebody's idea of artistic expression.
Your humble curmudgeon.
Dennis
re: How does anyone keep up with the new Canada material?
For very modern Canada and some other countries, I just buy the stamps I like and store them in Vario pages. I do not worry about catalogs, filling album spaces, or completeness like I do for the older "classic" material.
Josh
re: How does anyone keep up with the new Canada material?
"I do not worry about catalogs, filling album spaces, or completeness like I do for the older "classic" material."
re: How does anyone keep up with the new Canada material?
I collect United States, used.
My pre-printed CWS Seal album pages goes from 1847-2002. After 2002 I have a nice bordered blank page, with the year across the top, in the same typeface as the rest of the pre-printed album pages. It just says 2013, or whatever year. On that, and however many pages I meed for each year, I mount the used USA stamps for said year, that i like. If I've no interest in, say the flower series, or the racing cars, I don't put them in.
Easier and less expensive.
David
Ottawa, Canada
re: How does anyone keep up with the new Canada material?
I feel the same way with my newer Canada stuff in stock books. Some of it is very pretty but I'll never try to complete it!!
re: How does anyone keep up with the new Canada material?
I agree with Dennis to narrow ones collecting down to a specific are such as the small and large Queens and the very interesting KGV Admiral issues superb issues with so many colour variations and formats. Rich