Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
If you go deep into a country, is it correct to assume that you do collect the souvenir sheets, or do you not?
I'm asking this question because South Korea has _a lot_ of souvenir sheets. In a collection I'm breaking down, I do have a lot of sets with both the stamps and accompanying souvenir sheets. In thinking about listing them, I have been assuming that I would list stamps and souvenir sheets separately, but is that a correct assumption?
Thanks in advance for your observations!
-- Dave
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As a worldwide collector, I do collect souvenir sheets. However, the ones that I collect are primarily those given major catalog numbers. There are just too many of these souvenir sheets out there. Your example of Korea is a good one. Of course I have some exceptions to that self-imposed rule, but not too many.
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I've met a few collectors who collect just souvenir sheets! I'd list them separately.
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Of course. Why not? (OK...I know few worldwide collectors who don't do them, but they're a minority).
-k-
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I agree, post them separately. I collect both for my omnibus editions and sometimes I just need the stamps or the souvenir sheet. A set up for sale would be a deal killer for me.
Peter
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Thanks very much to each of you for your comments on this.
I will stay with the original plan to offer them separately. (And will no longer have a little "completist" voice in my head asking if these items should be kept together. ... Now, if that were enough to eliminate all the voices in my head! 
)
Thanks to you all!
-- Dave
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"Now, if that were enough to eliminate all the voices in my head!"
We are here to help, Dave.
Antonio
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Thank you, Antonio! I'm putting this board on my speed-dial! 
-- Dave
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06:28:25pm
" .... voice in my head asking if these items should be kept together ...."
It might be a good idea to remind those voices that there is no real "should" be collected or kept together. What matters is what you enjoy. It is your collection after all.
I collect such souvenir sheet-lets if they are postally used and mount them wherever I feel they will fit nicely.
Sometimes when I want to bid on something that I think I'd like to have I'll ask the seller to used the lot, assuming I win it, on the envelope so I can get a used copy, even if the sheet-let costs more than the expected postage.
Usually the sender tries to get a decent cancellation, and once in a while, very rarely, the sheet-let will get scraped while in transit, but that is my risk.
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07:06:24pm
My collection is quite limited to certain countries, however, I decided when they started coming out with the self-adhesives that for my Canada collection, unless I particularly WANT a specific booklet, I will only collect the s/s. Too bloody expensive to collect everything in booklets and I can't enjoy them.
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I absolutely collect them. Also, if the stamp on the souvenir sheet was NOT regularly issued by itself, then I have to have a copy of the individual stamp as well.
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In a word definitely not. I am a postally used only collector.
Having said that I have a few GB ones which have passed through the post. They were on parcels of album leaves, so have a philatelic angle, but they are, in the loosest sense, commercially used.
I know that a certain Australian dealer often uses these on his mailings, and should one of these come into my possession I would keep it. Souvenir sheets mint or used on first day covers interest me not a jot !
Malcolm
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Speaking of parcel usage, here's one of the 'dying breed'..
Starting next year things like these cannot be found, as Finnish Mail in their infinite wisdom has decided to invalidate stamps as means of paying postage on all parcel mail (business has not been allowed to use stamps on parcels since 2017).
When I started out stamp collecting in 1980/90s, parcels (from mail order stamp companies) were the #1 source of used booklet panes and minisheets. Oh how I miss those days. Times they are changing (for better or worse). Sigh.
-k-
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12:29:56pm
This might be a dumb way to decide but here goes. The four actual countries I collect ( US, Canada, Poland and Russia ) I have albums for them and if the SS in shown in the album I collect it. If I find one that doesn't fit in the album as part of a lot I mount it on the other side of the page if I happen to like it. Very arbitrary, but then so is life! I cut off Canada in 1989, US in 1976, and Russia and Poland in 1985 because of the huge number of SS's, booklet panes or just plain crap that they started to issue for collectors! I know of someone who collects the entire World and I believe he has to now buy a new Scott's International album almost every year. GOK how he manages to keep up with new stuff as well as still looking for the older more interesting stuff!
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For most countries I only collect the classic period because of that the minisheets that exist are often priced out of my budget. I collect Panama to date though and I do collect the minisheets.
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I collect them because they really add something esthetically pleasing to my albums, but I agree that there were too many issued as of the 1980s, so I only collect them for countries where the post office did not go on a rampage issuing a new sheet with every new stamp issue!
I also think that the early sheets (say 1940s) are engraving works of art that stand out when displayed on a full album page.
Some of the early ones are exceptionally rare (runs of 200-500 sheets are not a-typical), and they will run you a pretty penny! Also, I am aware of more counterfeits out there, so beware!
Here is one of my favorites, from Lebanon, celebrating the UN founding in 1948 (issued during the Third congres of Unesco, held in Lebanon in 1948, in the appropriately named "Unesco Palace"). Stamps were also issued and below the S/S scan you can see a commemorative issue with pairs of stamps, one stamp cancelled and one MNH.
What is your favorite S/S?
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I think there were 4 of these in a box lot from Dutch Country Auctions in the 1990s. They did not catalog much back then but have really appreciated in catalog value.
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I only collect souvenir sheets for country collections, not for my general worldwide collection since they are not included in the International albums.
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I basically collect all of the souvenir sheets from countries up thru around 1960.
I think they help to add variety to the album layout and many of them are different.
Than actual stamps that were printed. Latter sheets have to be pretty special to get
on my needlists. They are usually got from mixed lots and not by going after them.
For older issues and for ones that have a reasonable value I would sell by themselves.
As for later ones I would sell them in groups of 5 or so or more.
Yesterday, I got the Belgium 1930 sheet, below. I already had the stamp but not the sheet. Since my collection was already complete thru 1960 except for this sheet it was something I thought I needed to have.
Sheesh! Forget the last few lines. I had just scanned it for the post and then went to put it in my album, guess what I found, another exactly like it. I can't remember when I got it but it couldn't have been long ago. This is something I hardly ever do because of my needlists. I was so sure I still needed it, that I did not even bother to check my list. Not sure there is a moral to this story but my is surely going down hill.
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This is probably my favorite Souvenir Sheet:
Hard-to-find, because the gum contained sulfuric acid, and thus destroyed the paper over time. This one had the gum soaked off, belatedly...It's still extremely fragile.
I kind of like that mine attests to this production quirk with some 'battle damage'...
Catalog value of this one is pretty high...My 1980 Scott shows it at $450. Ebay Completed Listings show a couple of these, in better condition than mine, that have sold for around $100.
-Paul
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I would like to say that I avoid them, and don't really consider souvenir sheets to be real stamps. However, for countries that I have basically completed but still want to collect, they start to look good and I expand my collecting parameters to include them.
Also, for my topical collections, I will occasionally buy souvenir sheets, but I do not pursue them with the same enthusiasm as regular stamps. I avoid blatant agency sheets marketed only to topical collectors.
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I have a number of them that I have acquired through various purchases over the years. As I work through my accumulation and begin mounting stamps on Steiner pages I’ll mount any that have a spot.
For those that don’t I’ll put them in glassine or a stockbook. At some later point I’ll decide how to handle those.
Dale
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For the souvenir sheets that I want to keep that don't have a place on a printed album page, I use blank pages, blank spaces on the album page, or create a page using the Steiner blank pages.
Sometimes we sure do overthink this, don't we? No wonder I sometimes get a headache when "playing" with my stamps! I have one now as I'm trying to figure out how to configure some pages...Oh well, I'm going to run my trains. That'll clear my head as long as I don't get any derailments!
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Hi Everyone;
I have only 4 in my Scott National. All other souvenir sheet pages I removed. I would not collect foreign souvenir sheets on purpose. As far as US souvenir sheets, if they are more than a few bucks or require more than two hinges to hold them to the page I remove that page.
Still just sortin'....
TuskenRaider
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Do you collect the souvenir sheets of a country if you're a general or a worldwide collector?
If you go deep into a country, is it correct to assume that you do collect the souvenir sheets, or do you not?
I'm asking this question because South Korea has _a lot_ of souvenir sheets. In a collection I'm breaking down, I do have a lot of sets with both the stamps and accompanying souvenir sheets. In thinking about listing them, I have been assuming that I would list stamps and souvenir sheets separately, but is that a correct assumption?
Thanks in advance for your observations!
-- Dave
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06:33:32pm
re: Do you collect souvenir sheets if you're a general or worldwide collector?
As a worldwide collector, I do collect souvenir sheets. However, the ones that I collect are primarily those given major catalog numbers. There are just too many of these souvenir sheets out there. Your example of Korea is a good one. Of course I have some exceptions to that self-imposed rule, but not too many.
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re: Do you collect souvenir sheets if you're a general or worldwide collector?
I've met a few collectors who collect just souvenir sheets! I'd list them separately.
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re: Do you collect souvenir sheets if you're a general or worldwide collector?
Of course. Why not? (OK...I know few worldwide collectors who don't do them, but they're a minority).
-k-
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07:12:49am
re: Do you collect souvenir sheets if you're a general or worldwide collector?
I agree, post them separately. I collect both for my omnibus editions and sometimes I just need the stamps or the souvenir sheet. A set up for sale would be a deal killer for me.
Peter
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re: Do you collect souvenir sheets if you're a general or worldwide collector?
Thanks very much to each of you for your comments on this.
I will stay with the original plan to offer them separately. (And will no longer have a little "completist" voice in my head asking if these items should be kept together. ... Now, if that were enough to eliminate all the voices in my head! )
Thanks to you all!
-- Dave
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this post
re: Do you collect souvenir sheets if you're a general or worldwide collector?
"Now, if that were enough to eliminate all the voices in my head!"
We are here to help, Dave.
Antonio
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re: Do you collect souvenir sheets if you're a general or worldwide collector?
Thank you, Antonio! I'm putting this board on my speed-dial!
-- Dave
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23 Aug 2014
06:28:25pm
re: Do you collect souvenir sheets if you're a general or worldwide collector?
" .... voice in my head asking if these items should be kept together ...."
It might be a good idea to remind those voices that there is no real "should" be collected or kept together. What matters is what you enjoy. It is your collection after all.
I collect such souvenir sheet-lets if they are postally used and mount them wherever I feel they will fit nicely.
Sometimes when I want to bid on something that I think I'd like to have I'll ask the seller to used the lot, assuming I win it, on the envelope so I can get a used copy, even if the sheet-let costs more than the expected postage.
Usually the sender tries to get a decent cancellation, and once in a while, very rarely, the sheet-let will get scraped while in transit, but that is my risk.
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23 Aug 2014
07:06:24pm
re: Do you collect souvenir sheets if you're a general or worldwide collector?
My collection is quite limited to certain countries, however, I decided when they started coming out with the self-adhesives that for my Canada collection, unless I particularly WANT a specific booklet, I will only collect the s/s. Too bloody expensive to collect everything in booklets and I can't enjoy them.
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re: Do you collect souvenir sheets if you're a general or worldwide collector?
I absolutely collect them. Also, if the stamp on the souvenir sheet was NOT regularly issued by itself, then I have to have a copy of the individual stamp as well.
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07:24:48am
re: Do you collect souvenir sheets if you're a general or worldwide collector?
In a word definitely not. I am a postally used only collector.
Having said that I have a few GB ones which have passed through the post. They were on parcels of album leaves, so have a philatelic angle, but they are, in the loosest sense, commercially used.
I know that a certain Australian dealer often uses these on his mailings, and should one of these come into my possession I would keep it. Souvenir sheets mint or used on first day covers interest me not a jot !
Malcolm
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this post
re: Do you collect souvenir sheets if you're a general or worldwide collector?
Speaking of parcel usage, here's one of the 'dying breed'..
Starting next year things like these cannot be found, as Finnish Mail in their infinite wisdom has decided to invalidate stamps as means of paying postage on all parcel mail (business has not been allowed to use stamps on parcels since 2017).
When I started out stamp collecting in 1980/90s, parcels (from mail order stamp companies) were the #1 source of used booklet panes and minisheets. Oh how I miss those days. Times they are changing (for better or worse). Sigh.
-k-
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30 Apr 2019
12:29:56pm
re: Do you collect souvenir sheets if you're a general or worldwide collector?
This might be a dumb way to decide but here goes. The four actual countries I collect ( US, Canada, Poland and Russia ) I have albums for them and if the SS in shown in the album I collect it. If I find one that doesn't fit in the album as part of a lot I mount it on the other side of the page if I happen to like it. Very arbitrary, but then so is life! I cut off Canada in 1989, US in 1976, and Russia and Poland in 1985 because of the huge number of SS's, booklet panes or just plain crap that they started to issue for collectors! I know of someone who collects the entire World and I believe he has to now buy a new Scott's International album almost every year. GOK how he manages to keep up with new stuff as well as still looking for the older more interesting stuff!
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re: Do you collect souvenir sheets if you're a general or worldwide collector?
For most countries I only collect the classic period because of that the minisheets that exist are often priced out of my budget. I collect Panama to date though and I do collect the minisheets.
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re: Do you collect souvenir sheets if you're a general or worldwide collector?
I collect them because they really add something esthetically pleasing to my albums, but I agree that there were too many issued as of the 1980s, so I only collect them for countries where the post office did not go on a rampage issuing a new sheet with every new stamp issue!
I also think that the early sheets (say 1940s) are engraving works of art that stand out when displayed on a full album page.
Some of the early ones are exceptionally rare (runs of 200-500 sheets are not a-typical), and they will run you a pretty penny! Also, I am aware of more counterfeits out there, so beware!
Here is one of my favorites, from Lebanon, celebrating the UN founding in 1948 (issued during the Third congres of Unesco, held in Lebanon in 1948, in the appropriately named "Unesco Palace"). Stamps were also issued and below the S/S scan you can see a commemorative issue with pairs of stamps, one stamp cancelled and one MNH.
What is your favorite S/S?
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re: Do you collect souvenir sheets if you're a general or worldwide collector?
I think there were 4 of these in a box lot from Dutch Country Auctions in the 1990s. They did not catalog much back then but have really appreciated in catalog value.
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re: Do you collect souvenir sheets if you're a general or worldwide collector?
I only collect souvenir sheets for country collections, not for my general worldwide collection since they are not included in the International albums.
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re: Do you collect souvenir sheets if you're a general or worldwide collector?
I basically collect all of the souvenir sheets from countries up thru around 1960.
I think they help to add variety to the album layout and many of them are different.
Than actual stamps that were printed. Latter sheets have to be pretty special to get
on my needlists. They are usually got from mixed lots and not by going after them.
For older issues and for ones that have a reasonable value I would sell by themselves.
As for later ones I would sell them in groups of 5 or so or more.
Yesterday, I got the Belgium 1930 sheet, below. I already had the stamp but not the sheet. Since my collection was already complete thru 1960 except for this sheet it was something I thought I needed to have.
Sheesh! Forget the last few lines. I had just scanned it for the post and then went to put it in my album, guess what I found, another exactly like it. I can't remember when I got it but it couldn't have been long ago. This is something I hardly ever do because of my needlists. I was so sure I still needed it, that I did not even bother to check my list. Not sure there is a moral to this story but my is surely going down hill.
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10:25:42am
re: Do you collect souvenir sheets if you're a general or worldwide collector?
This is probably my favorite Souvenir Sheet:
Hard-to-find, because the gum contained sulfuric acid, and thus destroyed the paper over time. This one had the gum soaked off, belatedly...It's still extremely fragile.
I kind of like that mine attests to this production quirk with some 'battle damage'...
Catalog value of this one is pretty high...My 1980 Scott shows it at $450. Ebay Completed Listings show a couple of these, in better condition than mine, that have sold for around $100.
-Paul
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03:42:54pm
re: Do you collect souvenir sheets if you're a general or worldwide collector?
I would like to say that I avoid them, and don't really consider souvenir sheets to be real stamps. However, for countries that I have basically completed but still want to collect, they start to look good and I expand my collecting parameters to include them.
Also, for my topical collections, I will occasionally buy souvenir sheets, but I do not pursue them with the same enthusiasm as regular stamps. I avoid blatant agency sheets marketed only to topical collectors.
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07:04:56am
re: Do you collect souvenir sheets if you're a general or worldwide collector?
I have a number of them that I have acquired through various purchases over the years. As I work through my accumulation and begin mounting stamps on Steiner pages I’ll mount any that have a spot.
For those that don’t I’ll put them in glassine or a stockbook. At some later point I’ll decide how to handle those.
Dale
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09:29:21am
re: Do you collect souvenir sheets if you're a general or worldwide collector?
For the souvenir sheets that I want to keep that don't have a place on a printed album page, I use blank pages, blank spaces on the album page, or create a page using the Steiner blank pages.
Sometimes we sure do overthink this, don't we? No wonder I sometimes get a headache when "playing" with my stamps! I have one now as I'm trying to figure out how to configure some pages...Oh well, I'm going to run my trains. That'll clear my head as long as I don't get any derailments!
Login to Like
this post
re: Do you collect souvenir sheets if you're a general or worldwide collector?
Hi Everyone;
I have only 4 in my Scott National. All other souvenir sheet pages I removed. I would not collect foreign souvenir sheets on purpose. As far as US souvenir sheets, if they are more than a few bucks or require more than two hinges to hold them to the page I remove that page.
Still just sortin'....
TuskenRaider
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