Episode 29 - The Loneliness of a Stamp Collector
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 ก.พ. 2024
- In Episode 29 I am talking about what has been on my mind for some time. I'd like to stress that this episode is in no way intended to make someone feel uncomfortable or hurt anyone's feelings.
I do want to add that there have been people sending me stamps. That I received stamps without having to buy them. That I received through a genuine human connection. I am priviledged and feel honored because of that. This video and the things I said are in no way meant to feel anyone not appreciated also. Thank you for watching!
And for the record: I am okay! :-)
Feel free to leave a comment, like and subscribe. It is greatly appreciated.
#philately #stampcollecting #stamps #davo #netherlands
Mail me: chrislovesstamps@gmail.com
Check out these STAMP CHANNELS:
Jerry's Stamps:
/ @jerrystamps
StampCollectingMom
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Ken's Stamp Collection
/ @kensstampcollection
Great Stamp Adventure
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Postal Pleasures
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Michael West
/ @michaelwest1
Ted Talks Stamps
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Exploring Stamps
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Snail Mail with Smokey
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Modern Stamp Collecting
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Silk On The Web
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Kyle's Stamps
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Postzegel Collectief (in Dutch)
/ @postzegelcollectief
Today's Snail Mail
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Stamp Sleuth & More
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Bob Collects Stamps
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John Collects Stamps
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Kyle's Stamps
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Mallard Stamps
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OurDadsStamps
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Stamp Man
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StampCat Stamps
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Jeff's Stamps
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OK Records
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The Stamp Cave
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Let's Talk Stamps
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Eclectic Philatelist
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Philatelovely
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The Place Stamp Here Show
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Radek Novak
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Richard Philatelist
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SM Collectibles
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Cal Collects Stamps
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RonAlex (in German)
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Thomas Schmidtkonz (in German)
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ThatDadGuy
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Wolfies Stamps
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Feature Philately
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Jet Philatelics
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Falkland Islands Philatelic Study Group
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Royal Philatelic Society of Canada
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Stuart Collects Stamps
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The Stamp Box
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Modern Stamp Collecting
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What a gorgeous landscape video and kudos to you for sharing your thoughts. I too have had a negative experience or two from collectors and clubs: “You HAVE to specialize in something”, and in response to having one penny red, “ONE?? You can’t have just ONE!” Yeah, well, I collect what I like. And I am perfectly happy doing so. Keep up the good work Chris.
Hi Jeff. I find it sometimes a struggle already to know what I want and like to collect, without having to consider what others might think or what the long-term value is of a collection. I think it becomes very dull and one-sided when everyone approaches from a monatairy stand point. Thank you for the kind comment on the video. I enjoyed making this as it was a little different.
Completely agree Jeff. I really enjoy collecting world and have a couple of sub-collections on topics, definitive varieties, etc. I am in it for the enjoyment and have very little of "value". Older collectors have commented that I would somehow change as I matured; but after a few years I am still enjoying collecting world stamps :)
Hi Chris.
I couldn't agree more, there does seem to be a bit of snobbery with some stamp collectors, oh, you have to do it this way or that.
I believe you collect what you want, present it how you want.
I used to be a lonely collector but through my youtube channel i have met like minded people and made some friends along the way, youtube is a great way to connect.
Loneliness in general affects a lot of people but through an hobby you can connect with like minded people and share the hobby we love.
It doesn't matter if you have 1 stamp or 1,000s or what countries you collect, there will be someone who will be interested.
Hi Jerry. Thank you for your kind reply. It doesn't bother me as much anymore, but thought maybe people had similar experiences. And I know there are positive experiences too, we have seen them on the internet, TH-cam, here, but also in stamp clubs. It is just that as a beginning collector, other philatelists have an obligation to be (more) open-minded. If everybody does the same, then there is not reason to connect, to watch others, to share, because what the other does, you are doing as well. I don't see the narrowmindedness some people have. And you are spot-on: collect what and how you want it.
Very thoughtful and considerate presentation. Thank you for sharing.
Hi. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Such a beautiful landscape. I think of Corot or Miller. I think that TH-cam has helped stamp collecting. Anyway keep going. O enjoyed this video tremendously. There is also something beautiful in loneliness. I got that from the background.
Hi Robert. Yes, I was lucky with the landscape. Winterish and the sun came out nicely. I can find beauty in loneliness too. It is just that it shouldn't be the 'norm'. Thanks for the compliment and commenting!
Nice landscape and music. We are probably last stamp collectors in the world. This hobby will never be so popular like it was in past.
Hi Jadranko. I like the landscape too, although it had to do with that it was cold and the sun came out nicely. You could be right about the hobby's popularity. But I also think it is harder to measure since a lot of people are collecting without going to a stampclub.
Maybe but I have hope in the younger collectors coming to collecting from social media and postcrossing. They are different and that is good. Knitting skipped a generation but is very popular again; maybe we'll see a similar thing with stamps.
@@voneschenbachmusic Hi. Good point about the knitting. Postcrossing is huge, and definitly helps with keeping the hobby alive.
Hi, you are living in a nice area. I like it.
I started stamp collecting 40 years ago and with breaks I´m the last 10 years active again. I can remember when I was 14 and went the first time in a stamp club in the 1980s, it had more than 200 members and guess what: After 10 mins there they told me that I have to specialize. I never came back.
I collect stamps and envelopes up to the 1950s. Here and there, if I like it, I also have some newer items. I also work sometimes on my website. I have a big collection and there is always, when I have time and desire something to do. My old friend from school started 5 years ago again as well. We are talking sometimes about stamps besides many other things. I like the online possibilities today and with this I got some connections. I´m a member in a portal, sometimes I go to an event. Very seldom, there are not that many and I do often not have the time. But when, I have always fun with such events. But the majority I do on my own and I´m confident with it.
I´m not interested in the financial aspect. This is not important for me. I have some "expensive" stamps, but the only reason is, that I liked them. But I do not have the very expensive ones, there is no need for me. There are so many I still would like to have and which are not that expensive, that I do not buy such rare things.
You must find in your hobby, what you like. You are the boss, no other collector who is thinking to tell you, what you have to do. No, my hobby, my rules.
Hi Oliver. Very nice comment. Good story and life lesson. Felt a bit like my stamp club experience. And I know some people find really nice stamp clubs, or people at stamp clubs. But like your experience, it can make or break things. To me it was at least. I do find it is important to be able to share it with someone. But often that is all you need. We just like to share and learn from eachother, not be part of an elitist bunch that think they know what the 'rules to stamp collecting are'.
Like you, I am not interested in the financial aspect. I have catalogues, but to be able to look up other information about the stamp.
I have also quite some stamps that I like to have and are somewhat harder to get, but not according to the catalogue.
Thanks for your comment and story!
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experience with a background of beautiful surroundings and music. I try hard to think what I feel and experienced as a stamp collector and how honest I should answer and whether I should comment "too much". I love loneliness, and the connecting with others that love the hobby through social media, and also to have the ability to learn and have the knowledge of the internet at hand, is enough connectedness for me. 🙂 I cannot think and would not have preferred to have real human connections without this vast internet knowledge being available. This is just my experience. But contact with philatelists, like a stamp club, does bring another dimension, I must admit. It makes me a bit tired, though. So, collecting stamps is a perfect hobby for me in being able to be on my own. About stamp collecting "snobs" - I just don't care. Really thank you for this open conversation, Chris. Take care!
Hi Charnie. I can see what you mean with 'the loneliness'. Haven't we gained a lot of stamp enthousiasts because they are able to collect more anonimously now we have the internet? I like retreating at times with my stamps, forgetting time, phone and responsibilities. I also think I prefer modern age stamp collecting over 'without the internet'. Not saying that one is 100% better than the other. I started collecting stamps also, because I can 'pick it up' whenever I have time. And that can be quite flexible. Thanks for your kind words!
🙂@@chrislovesstamps
Thanks for sharing your heart. Don't let the people that think they are entitled get you down. Collect what you like, like what you collect. The only person I have to satisfy with my collecting is me. If you like my collection that's an add bonus. We all collect for different reasons, and all have different budgets to spend on our hobbies. Love your video work and the beautiful countryside you shared with us. Look forward to your next video.
Hi. Very well said. I can hardly add anything to that (not that I need to or should :-) )
Thanks for your reply and compliment!
Chris, what an awesome video. I am in the same situation as you in a way. I too feel some sense of loneliness in that there is no stamp club, dealer or stamp fair in my area. Living in a small community in south central British Columbia and on a fixed income, I can not travel to any major city to go to stamp fairs. Fortunately it is thanks to the connection with you and others here on the internet that that loneliness is reduced. I have seen a number of videos where people have tried to join clubs but have been turned off by certain members who are perhaps unintentionally snobbish. We should not feel or be belittled for the type of collection we have. We should collect what we want whether it be topical/thematic, a single country, a group of countries or world wide.
By the way that seems to be a beautiful Dutch countryside and the music was on point. Thank you for sharing this and your thoughts. Keep up the great work.
Hi Daniel. Thank you for your comment and compliment. The internet, TH-cam, has helped me a lot too. I am happy this helped you also. And I like that there is new stamp channels coming regularly also, adding more to the community and strengthen it. I like that stamp collecting is less expensive as it used to be, so that makes it available for more people and possibly less of an elitist hobby anf easier to get into. And you are completely right in we should not feel limited by what and how we collect. Thanks again!
I really appreciated this video and hope newer collectors will watch it; the challenges are very real. I have had similar experiences as a relatively younger collector and stamp clubs - older stamp collectors can be quite hostile to newer collectors, especially younger collectors that are coming to the hobby from a completely different perspective where enjoyment rather than monetary value is important. I am lucky to have a local shop but I don't have many opportunities to socialize with collectors my age or younger in-person; I really appreciate all of the recent stamp collecting TH-cam channels that have been coming out lately as it is giving me great ideas about how to better organize my own stamps :)
Hello. At this point, I find it really easy to get into stamp collecting. I am not an experienced collector at all, but I know what to look for and where and how to get started. But for newer people I think it is harder to get into. Sure there is the internet, but there are also rude people lurking in the shadows in the form of some forums that pounce on you when you say something 'stupid'. Elitism is all around, but good people with a lot of knowledge welcoming others are too! I just hope the current TH-cam channels can keep their momentum and welcome new people into the hobby, re-inspire (if that is a word) 'older' collectors and maybe help others build a channel. Socializing is definitely the harder part. It is on my mind often: should I create an online stamp club? Wouldn't it be too centered around this channel only? Should I ask subscribers/viewers if they are into stamp swapping and connect people with eachother? There is already a discord channel and a forum (with nice people): TedTalksStamps forum. So what would creating something new add to what is currently there? Thanks for commenting and watching!
Hi Chris, wat goed dat je dat deelt man. En om te beginnen met de shooting, wat een prachtige stemmige beelden heb je laten zien. ik neem aan dat dit in je woonomgeving is. Schitterend landelijk, met als nadeeltje dat je niet op iedere hoek allerlei postzegelsclubs of winkels tegen komt. Zelf woon ik ook heel landelijk, maar ben wel binnen een 20 minuten rijden in wat grotere steden zoals Hoorn en Alkmaar.
Je vertelde dat je geen aansluiting vond bij de wat penante postzegelsverzamelaars die je tegenkwam. ik heb het je al een keer geschreven, zelf heb ik die ervaring niet. Tuurlijk heb je er eikels bij, maar die heb je overal. ik probeer me te focussen op de mensen die wel in zijn voor een praatje en gezelligheid. Dit weekend was ik in Abbekerk bij een ruilbeurs. ik heb echt tig mensen gesproken en de meeste echt leuk. Vanzelfsprekend is er ook type 2 aanwezig: de sjacherijn, de 'ik weet het beter' , de 'ik heb alles al en waar jij mee bezig bent stelt niets voor' type. En natuurlijk de ' snap je dat dan niet type' .
Gelukkig ben ik blond en trek me daar niet zoveel van aan. Want het postzegel verzamelen is in essentie een sociale bezigheid. Echter in de huidige samenleving waar alles via internet, makkelijker en sneller is, is dat de standaard geworden. Maar ik merk dat ik na een 15 minuten zoeken op Marktplaats naar een leuk kaveltje, helemaal scheel wordt. ik wil lekker met de zegels bezig zijn. En zoals dit weekend, lekker wat postzegels scoren. Er was een man die zijn zegels voor 10 a 15 xent per zegel aanbood. Daar zaten zegels bij met een catalogus waarde van 25 euro en meer per stuk. Maar hij kwam naar me toe en zei: "geneer je niet man' en legde zijn hand op mijn schouder. ' Neem eruit wat je wilt hebben, ik vind het mooi als jij je collectie weer completer kunt maken". Dat zou online nooit kunnen.
Uiteindelijk heb ik de dure zegels eruit gehaald en gezegd dat ik daar meer voor wilde betalen. Zo kwamen we op iets uit waar we allebei blij van werden.
23 en 24 februari is er in Veenendaal, Winterstamps. Dat zul je type 1 en 2 gaan tegenkomen. Geen idee of dat voor jou een beetje te doen is qua afstand. /voor mij is dat een uurtje rijden, maar wel de moeite waard denk ik. Zelf ben ik echter op vakantie, anders had ik je er zeker graag willen treffen. Met natuurlijk groot op het t-shirt: TH-camr filmping'😂.
Hoi Camiel. Wat een prachtig verhaal van 'geneer je niet man'. En dat jullie dan een prijs overeenkomen die voor beide bevredigend is. En het klopt dat er zo ook nadelen zijn aan het internet, of marktplaats zoals je zegt. Keuze stress zou je het kunnen noemen, je zoekt soms erg lang op marktplaats en word soms ook naar andere advertenties getrokken op basis van wat je zoekt. Ik kan me voorstellen dat dat leuker is op een beurs. Dat verhaal van je zou in een video kunnen, niet dat dat moet, maar vind dat zo leuk.
Ik zou naar Veenendaal kunnen rijden, weet niet hoe lang het is, maar zo vaak is er geen beurs en het is voor de variatie zeker leuk. Misschien kunnen we erlkaar op een andere beurs eens treffen :-)
Great video! I agree a lot with what you said. Meeting people in stamp collecting can be the luck of the draw. Back in the early 1990's I started collecting but gave up because the man in the only store in my area was cold and not helpful. He didn't want to help me look for stamps or connect me with others. I think it was because I didn't spend much money and thus he felt I was a waste of his time. I picked it up a few years ago and I like that the internet gives you some anonymity with sellers who might look down on you for what you choose to buy and collect. Maybe things will change as those with older viewpoints and standards of collecting leave the stamp collecting community.
Hi. I have some contact with some sellers that I have bought from. But it is all through the internet. These sellers sell not only expensive stamps, but also for as low as 0,03 eurocents per stamp. Like you said, I like the anonimity also. The internet maybe provided in giving something for everyone. I think a switch is happening or has happened already. Some say stamp collecting is dead, but I think it is harder to tell nowadays with the internet. If we go by how many physical stamp shops there are in your area, then we can say it is dead perhaps. But I have no problem getting stamps online and adding to my collection, so if people still offer it and people like me still buy it, how can it be dead?
Sorry for the lengthy reply, I appreciate your comment and I will watch your content. In fact I already watched your first video about the Civil Rights and I liked that a lot. I will promote your channel in the future as I believe we need to help eachother. Anyway, thanks again!
I have had similar experiences - dealers can be quite toxic and turn off collectors which is so self-defeating.
All my hobby's (many) i do it solo.
😂😂
I do not want an others opinion.😅
Nice footage and thoughts
Hi. Thanks for the compliment and comment!
Collect what makes you happy ... I do that exactly. Join your local club or make one of your own.
I found if you speak to the quietest stamp collector in the room you may find a friend for life :)
That is really nice advice. No one is actually that quiet...inside. Everyone has a story, and those that are the loudest are sometimes (or maybe often?) not that interesting. Thanks for commenting!
Like other hobbies, stamp collecting is a personal activity for me. Because my younger brother collects stamps, we share our latest acquisitions. And we gift each other with stamps of our particular interests. No need for me to join a local club or an online one. Just don't care about that stuff. There are a few TH-cam channels I view for basic knowledge and entertainment. But I'm not going to allow a hobby to consume me to the point where I have to reflect on it. That's not healthy.
Hi Steve. I love what you said 'I'm not going to allow a hobby to consume me to the point where I have to reflect on it. That's not healthy.' That is spot on. I love the interaction you have with your brother. That must be really valuable to you. And a fine example how collecting stamps can work too!
Hello Chris, sometimes a break is good even from things we enjoy. My veiw would be for you to construct your collection as you wish, a TH-camr from America did an artical on this very subject. The problem seems, how to conect with like minded collectors in a local area, you are not alone with this problem. In the past i eas persuing a fairly technical one country collection, due to divorce etc etc i can only aford to purchase bargain mixed lots, the point is im having more fun with that and a bigger learning experience. Take care, collect how you want, try to get to some stamp fares, keep on youtubing, best wishes from Australia.
Hi Dazza. I am sorry to hear about your divorce, even though it might have been a while ago. But I also love that you adjusted the way you collected stamps, due to necessity, but that it gave you a different way to collect. This proves to me that there is a way to collect for everyone, with different interests and various budgets. Thanks for the comment!