Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
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Welcome to Stamporama (SOR). This is a great place to learn as well as trade or purchase stamps. As you will soon see when you ask a question on SOR you will get many answers, mine surely will not be the last.
There is no right or wrong choice in collecting. I started with a Liberty album then purchased a couple sets of the American Heirloom Album sets from Mystic about a year ago and am pleased with them so far. I like this set because the pages are inexpensive I can use a standard 3 ring binder instead of purchasing a specific brand of binder. Since I collect multiple examples (MNH, Used) and configurations (blocks, on covers, pairs) of a stamp it is nice to have room for Vario pages and extra album pages in the binders.
Since topicals are a specific topic it would be difficult for an album company to produce topical albums covering all topics. However there are several older posts in this forum from members who have created their own pages using various software applications. Most of these handmade pages are more beautiful then anything I have ever seen commercially available.
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Byron,
the best place for topical collecting is the American Topical Association (http://www.americantopicalassn.org/; they are an APS affiliate, just like SOR is). Take a look at their web site. There are lots of topicalists here, too, but most of us collect specific areas: Brian does birds, Kathy does lighthouses; Doe does Native Americans; I do bats and militaria, etc.).
i hope you enjoy your time here. And feel free to look at the topical section of the auction here; there are often neat things there. if you are considering bidding on things in our auction, let us know what you collect and we can try to add them to the auction.
David
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I use Vario pages for Topicals. That way, I can always switch the stamps when a prettier one comes along.
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Mystic albums are nice but the stamps are expensive. You will find more economical sources as you go.
Topicals are tough to put together without creating your own pages, but that is the fun part !
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02:17:44am
Collecting Topicals can be lonely depending on your chosen topic.
However the advice to check with the ATA is an excellent idea.
If your topic is not one for which there is already an album, I suggest first using Vario pages to arrange things and then creating your own pages on 90# acid free paper. I have several favorite topic and just mount new acquisitions as I acquire them on blank pages with light penciled in notations where necessary.
As a beginner keep it simple and flexible until you have the tie to make a good decision on a printed album.
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I like the Vario pages, but aren´t they pretty expensive? Just wondering if there´s a cheaper option to start with 
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I have some of the Manila stock pages with a clear strip across the front of each line, that have "Made in Germany" on the back. To me they are about worthless, since the don't hold the stamps tightly in place, like the Vario's do. Every time I move the page the stamps move drastically, so basically I just use them by cutting them up into six smaller sizes which seems to make them hold the stamps more securely.
Mike
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Here are a couple of Vario pages of Fruit. They're not THAT expensive, for what you receive. I'm constantly upgrading these sheets as new, prettier stamps arrive. They'll probably last the rest of my lifetime. To me, Topicals are always a work in progress, so I need a 'canvas' that will endure my obsession.
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Sorry if I'm boring you with these scans, but I find that they help to get my point across. Here are a group of relatively unattractive stamps, that I wasn't going to use. However, as they piled up in a glassine, I noticed that there was a good deal of green, so I experimented with a green page. The black background gives life to ordinarily dull stamps.
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11:16:58pm
Nicely done. I actually like the third page (all greens) better than those in the first post. It is more artistically pleasing. The eye is soothed by the complementary colors, and then wants to explore the individual items. (At least that's the impact it has on me.) whereas the first pages, in comparison, overwhelm the eye and encourages moving on to the next page.
Roy
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Roy, you obviously prefer cool colors, and I prefer warm. But we both think your dog is gorgeous! Kiss him/her on the lips for me! You are so lucky!
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Your pages look great. I too use the Vario pages. In fact in my Vario Binders I use up to five "different" ones, from the seven strip to the full page. (all Black) They work Great and I don't think they're expensive. But at the same time,"expensive" I think is very relative to different people. And yes I am OLD school, I believe you get what you pay for.
I like your "green" page also.
I get my vario Binders and pages fro Designer Stamp & Coin (Amazon) If anyone knows of a better source for the same vario items at lesser prices, please feel free to let me know.
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Very nice pages
lee
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11:33:54pm
Yes, very nice attractive topical pages.
I use similar Vario pages to sort and set up pages so I can see how things will look and while I am seeking that last, often elusive, item to complete the effort, but then they get put onto the stiff 90# paper with hinges and the Vario pages, now empty, are ready to use again on the next group of pages I am working on.
That is, except for the Machin Specialized collection, which now extends to two three inch loose-leaf binders of Machin stamps in/on Vario pages. I keep them in the Vario pages because as I sort through Machin Kiloware I continually discover minor varieties or interesting curiosities that need to be inserted here or there in logical color/value order. But that has created a problem of weight. I am sure it is not due to the stamps contained, but the number of Vario pages crammed into those two binders. It is complicated by my inability to use both arms when extended to remove the binders from the shelf.
I mention that so that if you plan on continuing to use the heavy plastic pages permanently be sure to limit the width of the binders so that they are easier to handle.
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Thanks for the warning.
My Worldwide album is a Harris Citation so I already have a heavy load to lift.
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03:12:42am
Haha,
I started with a Harris Citation in 1964 when I resumed my childhood hobby. That soon grew to a second Citation binder. Both binders accompanied me on my voyages and as soon as I got my berthing assignment I'd acquire a second life jacket for them. I carried two vinyl garbage bags, a mostly used roll of duct tape and a lanyard with which I could stay connected in an emergency in the water.
The closest I ever came to actually needing to seal my albums up was one night outbound in the Chesapeake Bay, near Smith Island when the SS Beaver State, enroute to the war zone, was struck by a Liberian freighter loaded with feldspar. (That's rocks of aluminum ore.) They sank quickly, imagine that! After a day snuggled over a mud bank tugs towed us back to Baltimore where I and my albums soon transferred to another vessel.
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"I use similar Vario pages to sort and set up pages so I can see how things will look and while I am seeking that last, often elusive, item to complete the effort, but then they get put onto the stiff 90# paper with hinges and the Vario pages, now empty, are ready to use again on the next group of pages I am working on."
The funny thing cdj. I've gotten to this point. The Vario sheets are my "temporary" storage pages now, until I get them mounted onto DIY pages. Will my albums be thicker/heavier because of this? Yep.
(add in the fact that if I use Vario pages, I want the entire stamp covered by a strip), which means if i get a HUGE series of 22mm high stamps, and then have a 44mm high stamp stuck somewhere in the middle of the sequence, either I waste a lot of space for those 22's or I'm going to have a 44mm sticking out of the sleeve, which looks TACKY to me)
I'll probably have some exceptions, like the opening set of the Czechoslovakian stamps - Hradcany at Prague, simply because of all the plate flaws in the set, which would require me making and remaking the same page.
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02:09:35pm
Hello I am new here and very new to stamp collecting.I have a couple of questions , I am collecting stamps from Mistic stamp co. and a place in Canada called API, I am collecting topicals and US stamps. My question is , what kind of album is there for topicals? I checked the internet and still have not found anything.Also is the heratage 3 vol albums a good deal?
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re: What kind of album is there for topicals?
Welcome to Stamporama (SOR). This is a great place to learn as well as trade or purchase stamps. As you will soon see when you ask a question on SOR you will get many answers, mine surely will not be the last.
There is no right or wrong choice in collecting. I started with a Liberty album then purchased a couple sets of the American Heirloom Album sets from Mystic about a year ago and am pleased with them so far. I like this set because the pages are inexpensive I can use a standard 3 ring binder instead of purchasing a specific brand of binder. Since I collect multiple examples (MNH, Used) and configurations (blocks, on covers, pairs) of a stamp it is nice to have room for Vario pages and extra album pages in the binders.
Since topicals are a specific topic it would be difficult for an album company to produce topical albums covering all topics. However there are several older posts in this forum from members who have created their own pages using various software applications. Most of these handmade pages are more beautiful then anything I have ever seen commercially available.
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this post
re: What kind of album is there for topicals?
Byron,
the best place for topical collecting is the American Topical Association (http://www.americantopicalassn.org/; they are an APS affiliate, just like SOR is). Take a look at their web site. There are lots of topicalists here, too, but most of us collect specific areas: Brian does birds, Kathy does lighthouses; Doe does Native Americans; I do bats and militaria, etc.).
i hope you enjoy your time here. And feel free to look at the topical section of the auction here; there are often neat things there. if you are considering bidding on things in our auction, let us know what you collect and we can try to add them to the auction.
David
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Dogs are my favorite people. I hang with this one as often as I can.
21 Nov 2012
04:43:49pm
re: What kind of album is there for topicals?
I use Vario pages for Topicals. That way, I can always switch the stamps when a prettier one comes along.
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10:15:31pm
re: What kind of album is there for topicals?
Mystic albums are nice but the stamps are expensive. You will find more economical sources as you go.
Topicals are tough to put together without creating your own pages, but that is the fun part !
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Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..
22 Nov 2012
02:17:44am
re: What kind of album is there for topicals?
Collecting Topicals can be lonely depending on your chosen topic.
However the advice to check with the ATA is an excellent idea.
If your topic is not one for which there is already an album, I suggest first using Vario pages to arrange things and then creating your own pages on 90# acid free paper. I have several favorite topic and just mount new acquisitions as I acquire them on blank pages with light penciled in notations where necessary.
As a beginner keep it simple and flexible until you have the tie to make a good decision on a printed album.
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re: What kind of album is there for topicals?
I like the Vario pages, but aren´t they pretty expensive? Just wondering if there´s a cheaper option to start with
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re: What kind of album is there for topicals?
I have some of the Manila stock pages with a clear strip across the front of each line, that have "Made in Germany" on the back. To me they are about worthless, since the don't hold the stamps tightly in place, like the Vario's do. Every time I move the page the stamps move drastically, so basically I just use them by cutting them up into six smaller sizes which seems to make them hold the stamps more securely.
Mike
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Dogs are my favorite people. I hang with this one as often as I can.
22 Nov 2012
09:33:46pm
re: What kind of album is there for topicals?
Here are a couple of Vario pages of Fruit. They're not THAT expensive, for what you receive. I'm constantly upgrading these sheets as new, prettier stamps arrive. They'll probably last the rest of my lifetime. To me, Topicals are always a work in progress, so I need a 'canvas' that will endure my obsession.
Login to Like
this post
Dogs are my favorite people. I hang with this one as often as I can.
22 Nov 2012
09:56:38pm
re: What kind of album is there for topicals?
Sorry if I'm boring you with these scans, but I find that they help to get my point across. Here are a group of relatively unattractive stamps, that I wasn't going to use. However, as they piled up in a glassine, I noticed that there was a good deal of green, so I experimented with a green page. The black background gives life to ordinarily dull stamps.
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BuckaCover.com - 80,000 covers priced 60c to $1.50 - Easy browsing 500 categories
22 Nov 2012
11:16:58pm
re: What kind of album is there for topicals?
Nicely done. I actually like the third page (all greens) better than those in the first post. It is more artistically pleasing. The eye is soothed by the complementary colors, and then wants to explore the individual items. (At least that's the impact it has on me.) whereas the first pages, in comparison, overwhelm the eye and encourages moving on to the next page.
Roy
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Dogs are my favorite people. I hang with this one as often as I can.
23 Nov 2012
02:06:17am
re: What kind of album is there for topicals?
Roy, you obviously prefer cool colors, and I prefer warm. But we both think your dog is gorgeous! Kiss him/her on the lips for me! You are so lucky!
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re: What kind of album is there for topicals?
Your pages look great. I too use the Vario pages. In fact in my Vario Binders I use up to five "different" ones, from the seven strip to the full page. (all Black) They work Great and I don't think they're expensive. But at the same time,"expensive" I think is very relative to different people. And yes I am OLD school, I believe you get what you pay for.
I like your "green" page also.
I get my vario Binders and pages fro Designer Stamp & Coin (Amazon) If anyone knows of a better source for the same vario items at lesser prices, please feel free to let me know.
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re: What kind of album is there for topicals?
Very nice pages
lee
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Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..
23 Nov 2012
11:33:54pm
re: What kind of album is there for topicals?
Yes, very nice attractive topical pages.
I use similar Vario pages to sort and set up pages so I can see how things will look and while I am seeking that last, often elusive, item to complete the effort, but then they get put onto the stiff 90# paper with hinges and the Vario pages, now empty, are ready to use again on the next group of pages I am working on.
That is, except for the Machin Specialized collection, which now extends to two three inch loose-leaf binders of Machin stamps in/on Vario pages. I keep them in the Vario pages because as I sort through Machin Kiloware I continually discover minor varieties or interesting curiosities that need to be inserted here or there in logical color/value order. But that has created a problem of weight. I am sure it is not due to the stamps contained, but the number of Vario pages crammed into those two binders. It is complicated by my inability to use both arms when extended to remove the binders from the shelf.
I mention that so that if you plan on continuing to use the heavy plastic pages permanently be sure to limit the width of the binders so that they are easier to handle.
Login to Like
this post
Dogs are my favorite people. I hang with this one as often as I can.
23 Nov 2012
11:50:36pm
re: What kind of album is there for topicals?
Thanks for the warning.
My Worldwide album is a Harris Citation so I already have a heavy load to lift.
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Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..
24 Nov 2012
03:12:42am
re: What kind of album is there for topicals?
Haha,
I started with a Harris Citation in 1964 when I resumed my childhood hobby. That soon grew to a second Citation binder. Both binders accompanied me on my voyages and as soon as I got my berthing assignment I'd acquire a second life jacket for them. I carried two vinyl garbage bags, a mostly used roll of duct tape and a lanyard with which I could stay connected in an emergency in the water.
The closest I ever came to actually needing to seal my albums up was one night outbound in the Chesapeake Bay, near Smith Island when the SS Beaver State, enroute to the war zone, was struck by a Liberian freighter loaded with feldspar. (That's rocks of aluminum ore.) They sank quickly, imagine that! After a day snuggled over a mud bank tugs towed us back to Baltimore where I and my albums soon transferred to another vessel.
Login to Like
this post
re: What kind of album is there for topicals?
"I use similar Vario pages to sort and set up pages so I can see how things will look and while I am seeking that last, often elusive, item to complete the effort, but then they get put onto the stiff 90# paper with hinges and the Vario pages, now empty, are ready to use again on the next group of pages I am working on."
The funny thing cdj. I've gotten to this point. The Vario sheets are my "temporary" storage pages now, until I get them mounted onto DIY pages. Will my albums be thicker/heavier because of this? Yep.
(add in the fact that if I use Vario pages, I want the entire stamp covered by a strip), which means if i get a HUGE series of 22mm high stamps, and then have a 44mm high stamp stuck somewhere in the middle of the sequence, either I waste a lot of space for those 22's or I'm going to have a 44mm sticking out of the sleeve, which looks TACKY to me)
I'll probably have some exceptions, like the opening set of the Czechoslovakian stamps - Hradcany at Prague, simply because of all the plate flaws in the set, which would require me making and remaking the same page.
Login to Like
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