Post by Ron on Oct 5, 2016 20:19:17 GMT -5
Why collect the United States? For the most American reason of all - money.
The United States of America. It's a big country; in fact it's the fourth largest nation in the world in land area and the world's third largest nation based on population. Despite the changes in the way people communicate and the almost complete elimination of letter writing on a global scale thanks to the world wide web the United States still accounts for almost half of the world's mail on any given day.
The United States issued its first postage stamp in 1847 and was the world's third postage issuing entity behind Great Britain and Brazil. To date the United States has issued over 5,100 different stamps based on the Scott numbering system and that doesn't include varieties. So as you can see there is no shortage of U.S. material. A quick glance at Ebay as I am writing this shows almost 600 thousand listings for the United States in the "Stamps" category - well over 30 thousand of which are listed at or under one dollar.
The vast majority of U.S. stamps are catalogued at minimum catalog value and the great majority of U.S. stamps with a CV of US$10 or more are from the "Classic Era" of 1847-1899. A collector could build a very nice United States collection of the 20th century and over time reasonably expect to attain 80% complete or better at a fraction of the cost of doing likewise with any other issuing entity.
A tried and true method for starting a stamp collection from scratch is to obtain an "all different" packet of stamps and to purchase the largest package your budget will allow for. If looking at a packet of 1000 all different stamps there's simply not a less expensive nation than the United States. American stamps in large packets of 1000 sell for less than any other nation - especially for Americans buying from U.S. dealers/sellers and thereby holding down the cost of postage and shipping.
Another advantage of collecting the United States is the sheer volume of U.S. mail makes U.S. stamps some of the least difficult to come across and obtain.
U.S. postage stamps run the gamut when it comes to varieties and fly-specking with a dizzying array of different papers, perforations, inks, color varieties and the occasional error, freak or oddity (EFO in stamp collecting jargon).
That the United States was one of the world's first stamp issuing entities with the first U.S. postage stamp being released in 1847 collecting the United States gives the collector opportunity to build not only a collection of US stamps but a collection of postal history so far as papers, inks, perforations and the like are concerned.
For better or for worse the United States has been a major player on the world stage for much of the time the US has been issueing postage stamps having in that time been engaged in a civil war, two world wars and numerous other wars. A quick glance at any nation's postal history and it becomes evident just how many of the world's stamps commemorate war, military heroes and wartime leaders. The United States is no exception to commemorating hostilities and it's not uncommon for one or more issues in any given year commemorate or honor war and its combatants.
As alluded to earlier the United States is a very large nation rich in resources and natural wonders and a stunning diversity of plant and animal life as well. America's national parks are a not uncommon theme of US stamps as are the variety of plants, animals, fish and flowers.
From cars and trucks to jets and spacecraft; from John Wayne to Janis Joplin and from Sitting Bull to Lucille Ball if there's one thing the United States has absolutely mastered it's exporting America to the world - even across the solar system. Americana is perhaps the single most common subject of U.S. stamps and covers subjects as varied as lacework and Navajo blankets, the Super Bowl and Star Wars to submarines and moon landings.
To collect the United States is, in a way, to collect the world in miniature. Whether you are interested in a general or specialized collection, study collection, cover collection or any of a myriad of topical themes the United States of America's rich postal history can provide a wealth of possibilities and do so on even the most modest of budgets.
If you don't collect the United States talk to some of us who do as we're often duplicate rich and more than willing to trade and often simply give away some of our duplicates and you may find yourself up and running with a wonderful start to a collection of US stamps of the 20th century.
The United States of America. It's a big country; in fact it's the fourth largest nation in the world in land area and the world's third largest nation based on population. Despite the changes in the way people communicate and the almost complete elimination of letter writing on a global scale thanks to the world wide web the United States still accounts for almost half of the world's mail on any given day.
The United States issued its first postage stamp in 1847 and was the world's third postage issuing entity behind Great Britain and Brazil. To date the United States has issued over 5,100 different stamps based on the Scott numbering system and that doesn't include varieties. So as you can see there is no shortage of U.S. material. A quick glance at Ebay as I am writing this shows almost 600 thousand listings for the United States in the "Stamps" category - well over 30 thousand of which are listed at or under one dollar.
The vast majority of U.S. stamps are catalogued at minimum catalog value and the great majority of U.S. stamps with a CV of US$10 or more are from the "Classic Era" of 1847-1899. A collector could build a very nice United States collection of the 20th century and over time reasonably expect to attain 80% complete or better at a fraction of the cost of doing likewise with any other issuing entity.
A tried and true method for starting a stamp collection from scratch is to obtain an "all different" packet of stamps and to purchase the largest package your budget will allow for. If looking at a packet of 1000 all different stamps there's simply not a less expensive nation than the United States. American stamps in large packets of 1000 sell for less than any other nation - especially for Americans buying from U.S. dealers/sellers and thereby holding down the cost of postage and shipping.
Another advantage of collecting the United States is the sheer volume of U.S. mail makes U.S. stamps some of the least difficult to come across and obtain.
U.S. postage stamps run the gamut when it comes to varieties and fly-specking with a dizzying array of different papers, perforations, inks, color varieties and the occasional error, freak or oddity (EFO in stamp collecting jargon).
That the United States was one of the world's first stamp issuing entities with the first U.S. postage stamp being released in 1847 collecting the United States gives the collector opportunity to build not only a collection of US stamps but a collection of postal history so far as papers, inks, perforations and the like are concerned.
For better or for worse the United States has been a major player on the world stage for much of the time the US has been issueing postage stamps having in that time been engaged in a civil war, two world wars and numerous other wars. A quick glance at any nation's postal history and it becomes evident just how many of the world's stamps commemorate war, military heroes and wartime leaders. The United States is no exception to commemorating hostilities and it's not uncommon for one or more issues in any given year commemorate or honor war and its combatants.
As alluded to earlier the United States is a very large nation rich in resources and natural wonders and a stunning diversity of plant and animal life as well. America's national parks are a not uncommon theme of US stamps as are the variety of plants, animals, fish and flowers.
From cars and trucks to jets and spacecraft; from John Wayne to Janis Joplin and from Sitting Bull to Lucille Ball if there's one thing the United States has absolutely mastered it's exporting America to the world - even across the solar system. Americana is perhaps the single most common subject of U.S. stamps and covers subjects as varied as lacework and Navajo blankets, the Super Bowl and Star Wars to submarines and moon landings.
To collect the United States is, in a way, to collect the world in miniature. Whether you are interested in a general or specialized collection, study collection, cover collection or any of a myriad of topical themes the United States of America's rich postal history can provide a wealth of possibilities and do so on even the most modest of budgets.
If you don't collect the United States talk to some of us who do as we're often duplicate rich and more than willing to trade and often simply give away some of our duplicates and you may find yourself up and running with a wonderful start to a collection of US stamps of the 20th century.
