Debut of new "Stamps for Sale" page

As this blog and web site approaches its 10th Anniversary, I have been doing a bit of "house cleaning" around here, checking to make sure that everything posted (links and so on) is actually working.

I do this periodically, because (to me!) there are few things sadder than finding what seems like a really nice web site... only to discover that it feels like "nobody has been home" for several years.

I have never made a secret of the fact that I occasionally sell stamps. I don't do so "for profit," and I don't consider myself a "stamp dealer." Rather, I am a very active collector who trades duplicates online-- and I think that in the "Age of the Internet" I am not alone.

Anyway, as part of yesterday's site update, I decided to add a new feature here... which is a "Stamps for Sale" page. You can get to it either by clicking the link, or by clicking on the "Stamps for Sale!" tab immediately below the site name and description.

I don't actually sell stamps here on this blog site, but the new page has links to-- and descriptions of-- what you might find at each of the sites where I do offer my duplicate stamps to fellow collectors. As of this writing, the links connect you directly to almost 3000 items for sale-- almost all of them "extras" from my own Scandinavian collections.

I hope you'll go take a look!

As part of my "housecleaning" efforts, I also updated and added a number of links to forums and web sites for stamp collectors, trying to remain true to the idea that this is a site primarily about Scandinavian philately.

As always, I appreciate your visits here!

Do Stamp Collectors EVER "Get Organized?"

Sometimes I find myself wondering if I am ever going to get my stamps "organized."

I haven't been keeping up with this blog recently, in part a reflection of the fact that I have been making a serious attempt to actually organize my stamps, rather than just write about them.

Well... that's not entirely true.

On the whole, my stamp collections are actually fairly well organized. The main source of chaos in my stamp "holdings" is all the stuff that is "not in a collection." I expect that's an issue that faces many collectors-- at least those who build specialized collections the way I always have: By buying accumulations, remaindered collections and box lots and "cherry picking" the stuff I want to keep.

Of course, that leaves "leftovers." For me, the pile of leftovers has grown quite large. I am not the most ambitious person to ever set foot on this planet, so I have had a tendency to set aside the "overs" with the thought of dealing with them later, rather than right away.

These "leftovers" became the reason I ended up selling stamps online, as well as buying them.

The other day, I was considering the way the Internet has changed stamp collecting-- making stamps and other collectors far more "accessible" than they used to be. I suppose that is both good and bad. It's easier to build a collection, but it's also easier to become a "hoarder" or "accumulator."

I sometimes wonder if my pile of "leftovers" would be much smaller, if there were no Internet? Then again, because there is the Internet, I have been able to already pass along many of my leftovers to other collectors through online sales. It's the whole "One man's trash is another man's treasure" principle.

Part of my effort to "get organized" has revolved around making not-needed stamps available for sale to others. The thing is, these stamps are just sitting in boxes, in my closet-- nobody gets to enjoy them there. And that's a shame.

Anyway, it's a HUGE amount of work to sort, identify, scan and list stamps for sale on web marketplaces. I have come to deeply admire those who eek out an actual living by doing so... I can't even imagine the amount of time and effort needed to build an online "inventory" of 50,000 items. For me, even 500 or 1000 items feels like a mountain of work.

For the last couple of months, I have mostly been working with stamps from Denmark. As a 40-year collector, those are the easiest for me to deal with-- especially as far as identification goes.

Sometimes I am amazed by what sellers consider to be a "description." I have seen listings on eBay that read simply "Denmark, very old. Rare!"

OK. So it's up to ME to identify the stamp from a scan? One question, though-- if you don't know the catalogue number of the stamp, how do you know it's "rare?"

A lot of times, the word "rare" is just used as what Internet "gurus" refer to as "click bait." I find it rather annoying-- don't call something "rare" unless it actually has some measure of rarity. And "being 100 years old" does not-- by itself-- make any stamp "rare."

Then again, I tend to be a stickler for describing stamps "properly" and that slows me down considerably, compared to someone who just uploads scans and lets potential buyers pretty much "guess" as to the ID and condition of the stamp. Maybe that works for people-- as a buyer, it has never worked for me. I know a lot of sellers say things like "If you need a better scan, let me know." Personally, I'm too lazy to deal with that... besides, why not just upload the "better scan," in the first place?

Maybe I'm silly, but I tend to favor sellers who actually identify a stamp correctly, and mention things like "has a thin" or "hinge remnant" on their listings.

So anyway, the upshoot of the "organization project" is that I have been listing 100's of my old duplicates for sale since November. Part of the process was not only organizing the stamps, but choosing where to list... something that seems to be on many casual traders' minds.

Which sites "work?" Which sites do not? What is the relationship between fees and sales success?

Since I am not really in it "to make a profit," my criteria are probably a little different from a regular stamp dealer's. For one, since I sell much material at 20-50% of catalogue value (sometimes less), what's most important to me is that the stamps are seen... because I know that as long as there are people looking at the stamps, the prices will drive sales. But if nobody is looking, it doesn't matter if you are giving away free hot bread, so to speak. And that's an issue with many online marketplaces that bill themselves as "alternatives to eBay." It may be cheap-- or even free-- to sell things there, but if there are no buyers, "free" doesn't amount to a hill of beans.

I currently use SIX different venues... and have "rejected" about 15 others as "not worthwhile." Later in the spring, I hope to write about each one I DO use-- and these are only sites where I have actually sold stuff-- and what it's like, and how it works for me. "Site reviews," if you will. I figured it might be useful to other collectors.

In the meantime, I'd like to invite you to visit my eBay Stamp Shop! I have lots of better material from Denmark, as well as some useful Iceland and Sweden. Although I normally deal just with Scandinavian material, I am also offering some better stamps from Switzerland.

I think you'll like what you see there.

Thanks for reading, and "till the next!"

Danish Bicolour Stamps-- a Look at Cancels

Recently, I have been continuing to sort through a very large accumulation of the Danish "Bicolour" stamps, generally issued between 1870 and 1903.

I have long been a keen collector of postmarks and cancels, and these were really first way I started expanding my Denmark collection, back in the early 1980's. I would come across a particularly nice cancel, and add it in the margins of my album, even if I already "had" that stamp.

Most of the "early" versions-- skilling issues and the first printings of the øre issues-- of Bicoloured stamps were found with numeral cancels. Although some were "uncommon," it was not all that difficult to form a collection of many post offices (in general, there was one number assigned per place), if you have a large enough batch of stamps to look through.

Generally, all I could afford in the early collecting days were 4 øre and 8 øre stamps, so those were my initial "targets," to find numeral cancels.

Of course, there is a huge difference between finding merely a "readable" and a "lux" quality example. I soon learned that "luxury" quality cancels-- even on common stamps-- can sometimes sell at huge premiums. Reminds me of one of my father's sayings, from when I was a little kid: "Top quality is never out of style." He was certainly right about that.

In the process of looking for nice numeral cancels, I started noticing some of the other post marks on these issues. My concurrent interest in Swedish town cancels ("ortstämplar") soon enough spread to Denmark.

Early Danish town cancels "fit nicely" on a stamp, just like their Swedish counterparts-- and I soon enough started adding particularly nice examples to my collection.

It only made sense to me, as numeral cancels started to become discontinued, I wanted to add the postal markings from "later printings" to my collection, as part of the ongoing specialization.

A number of different styles were used, which made for almost infinite possibilties! Different diameters, different lettering styles... and now that cancels were no longer limited to "just a number," there were also individual post offices that could be distinguished within one city.

In addition, there were also railway (RPO) cancels.

For a while, "collecting cancels" became my "major obsession" with my Denmark collection-- in part due to the fact that I had reached a point where "filling the next empty space" was getting to be a rather expensive proposition. I think it's a point many collectors reach, as their collections approach "completeness," and it often acts as a catalyst to push someone into specialization of one form or another.

For me, the $200 (or equivalent) I would need to buy the next "main number" could instead allow me to buy thousands of inexpensive stamps in duplicate lots and accumulations, which I could then sift through in search of postmarks (and later plate flaws).

As the "evolution" of the Bicoloured issue moved along to the 1895 and beyond "coarse perforated" issues, the most commonly used cancels changed again to the "brotype" type cancel... which remained in use (in one variation or another) for a century.

These were the most difficult to find in "lux" condition (meaning a full upright, well-centered and clear strike of the cancel)-- seemed like postal employees had become less concerned with applying cancels "fully" to stamps... as long as the stamp received "some" cancel ink, it was evidently considered "good enough."

Hence, my nice cancels on coarse perforated Bicolours remain limited, even after some 30+ years of looking for them.

Last-- but certainly not least-- many variations of Denmark's possibly most "famous" cancel type were used on the Bicoloured issues: These are the "star" cancels, or "stjernestempler," as they are known in Denmark.

These were mostly used at rural "postal collection places," and were essentially a "temporary" postal marking applied before picked up mail was taken to the main post office. Star cancels are highly collectible, and a specialty, in their own right. Which presents one of the dilemmas often facing cancel collectors: Do you collect a particular type of cancel and try to find all stamps on which this type was used? Or do you collect a particular stamp issue, and only care about cancels on that issue?

Fortunately, there is no "right" or wrong way to collect stamps-- and I often find myself doing "some of each."

Found! Top Quality Mint Stamps from Denmark

One of my favorite parts of being a stamp collector comes from what I call "treasure hunting."

7 øre Christian X, XF post office fresh mint NH

Some collectors are very "neat and tidy" in their approach to collecting. They have a specific spot in the album they want to place a stamp in, and they go off and acquire that specific stamp without ever deviating from their "mission." That has never really been my approach... I like to "treasure hunt" through messy lots and accumulations to find "just the right thing."

We each have our own ways-- not implying that one is "better" than any other.

Whereas there is a lot of "fun" in the hunt, it has its downsides: Quite often you'll look through a box of "junky" stamps and come up with almost nothing, or nothing at all. That has happened to me, more than a few times. And then you're left to dispose of a box of junk, hopefully for a price that's somewhat close what you paid, in the first place.

One of the questions I often get asked goes along the lines of "but if it's already in a box as 'junk,' hasn't it already been gone through and the good bits removed?"

On the superficial level, the response would seem to be "yes." But on closer contemplation, if you are a specialist, odds are the collector who went through the box before you was looking for something different from you. True, you're probably not going to "accidentally" find a 4-margin Penny Black, but you might still find a rare variety, inverted watermark, cancel or something else that happens to be your area of expertise.

8 øre Christian X's 60th Birthday issue, mint NH

What keeps me going is that "treasure" does show up, and sometimes you can still find a veritable gold mine of goodies in an unlikely box of seemingly random junk.

Such was the case, with a recent "box lot" of European collections I bought-- basically unseen-- from a major auction in Norway. Although the box was mostly touted for its Germany and Malta (an unlikely combination?), there was also a sentence that caught my eye: "... also some older mint Denmark and Sweden on Hagner sheets, but most appear to be stuck down; a couple of pages of classic used Scandinavia in somewhat mixed condition."

"Box lots," of course, are rarely photographed for auction catalogues... you pretty much "get what you get," unless you're able to attend an auction preview, in person. Not so feasible when you live in the US, and the auction is in Norway!

For reasons unknown... but perhaps because the Germany seemed pretty nice and like I could parcel it out for the cost of the box and "take a chance" on the Scandinavia... I decided to "take a flyer" and placed a minimum opening bid on the lot. Somewhat to my surprise, the bid (about US$400) "stuck" and I became the owner of the lot. Of course, there were also auction fees to be paid, not to mention the cost of shipping a box from Norway to North America. Still, I was hopeful I'd have an enjoyable time sorting through the box and even be able to sell off the remainder and still break even.

5kr Postal Ferry stamp, XF mint never hinged

A few weeks later my box of stamps arrived. The German was much as expected. The Malta? Well, I don't know much about stamps from Malta, so I'll have to learn more about that... For my own purposes, though, it was the "used classic Scandinavia" that was of interest. And it was actually quite good, yielding several nice Danish skilling stamps with plate flaws along with some nice numeral cancels. That-- in and of itself-- made the purchase worthwhile, to me.

I was also reminded that the term "mixed condition" has different meanings in different parts of the world. In the US, it basically seems to mean "ALL stamps over 50 cents are faulty." In Europe-- Scandinavia and Germany, especially" it means "some are faulty and some are not." In this case, only about 1/4 had smaller to larger faults.

But that was not where the true "gold mine" was located.

The best part of the lot was the 75-odd Hagner sheets of mint stamps-- mostly from Denmark. They had been listed as "mostly stuck down" but I would attribute that description to a hurried (or lazy?) auction describer who determined there were "issues" on the first 3-4 pages and then characterized ALL the pages thusly. Of course, I'm not really "pointing fingers" here, because this WAS a messy box lot, and most auction houses don't have the time to thoroughly examine what basically amounts to a "job lot."

Rare early printing of 12 øre Bicolour, mint NH

As it turned out, only a few dozen stamps (out of many hundreds) were stuck down, or partially stuck down, or had minor gum damage from someone trying to "unstick" them.

But here's the amazing thing about the remainder: They were obviously collected by someone who was a stickler for quality: Almost everything was pristine mint, never hinged... and clearly had been stored "properly" as the gum was fresh, and the stamp colors bright. Not only that, most stamps were in choice VF or XF centering. On top of which, many were from that "difficult" period between 1875 and the 1950's where you can certainly find "mint stamps," but almost all stamps were hinged, to put in album... the condition of gum was not considered nearly as important as it is today.

It also soon became clear that the original collector had known quite a lot about Danish stamps, because there were many scarce types and varieties included in the lot. Even after pulling almost 200 stamps for my own collection, I had 100's of exceptionally nice mint NH Denmark left over. The photos on the page are just a few of them, but they are representative of just how nice this otherwise "ordinary sounding" box lot turned out to be.

I suppose the "moral" of this story is that "treasure" is still out there, for stamp collectors, waiting to be found. All the "good stuff" has NOT "already been found." In this example, it turned out that a box I paid about US $650 for (after shipping) contained several hundred VF and XF mint NH stamps with catalogue values between $15 and $100. Did I "get lucky?" Probably so-- but it does happen.

60 øre Christian X, the scarce brown and ULTRA

On a more personal level, this story is a good example of why I collect stamps the way I do. I suppose I would be a more "methodical" collector if I didn't also enjoy the "trading" part of stamp collecting-- helping the stamps I don't need "find new homes." Because-- as I mentioned above-- just because I have looked at these stamps doesn't mean that someone with different interests from me won't find them interesting, and of value.

In the course of the next few weeks, I will be putting some of the stamps I decide not to keep into my eBay and other online shops... there are some really good stamps, and it's always nice to be able to offer "top quality," since so much that's offered online is in pretty dodgy condition.

For those who regularly read these pages-- yes, I do still mostly collect postally used stamps. If-- and only IF-- I come across a super nice mint NH copy of any stamp from Denmark or Sweden, I will add it in-- these are specialized collections for me that I have been working on for over 30 years... and by now they are made up of pretty much "anything that appeals to me," including mint, used, postmarks, covers, varieties and whatever I can find.

Which is my own take on the saying "There is no 'right' or 'wrong' way to collect stamps."

Thanks for reading!

The Danish "Bicoloured" Stamps of 1870-1903

Being born and raised in Denmark, it was only natural that my primary stamp collecting interests included Danish stamps. After all, they came in the mail, and it was what most of my school friends collected. Back then (mid- to late 1960's) lots of kids collected stamps.

My first "really old" stamp

My first ever "very old" stamp was the 8 øre value from the "Bicolours" series, issued between 1870 and 1903. I clearly remember how exciting it was to discover (with the Danish AFA catalogue, at the local library) that I actually had a stamp from 1875! It didn't matter to me that it was actually very common-- an estimated 754 million of these stamps were printed in three different series-- to me it was "ancient treasure."

Many many years passed. Although I was an active collector of Danish stamps, my collection was mostly "general" in nature-- that is, I was collecting "one of each" by the main stamp catalogue numbers. However, in my late 20's, I had reached a point where "filling the next empty space" in my Denmark collection had become more costly than I could afford, on my limited income.

Although I was now a resident of the US, I would still return to Denmark at least once a year to visit family. One of my favorite things to do while "home" was to get in touch with my cousin Ib-- and we'd see if we could have a "date" to either go to a stamp show or to a public stamp auction. Ib-- who was actually some 20 years my senior-- was also a keen Denmark collector, and he'd taught me a lot about stamps. On this particular occasion, we discovered we'd be able to attend a large stamp auction in Copenhagen, over a two-day period.

In the course of our conversation, I explained to Ib that I really wasn't sure what I was going to bid on-- if anything-- because I couldn't really afford any of the stamps I was missing in my Denmark collection, but since I'd also taken up Sweden and France (and had much smaller collections of these) I might look for something there... although all "the really good stuff" was from Denmark, given where the auction was being held.

My first interest in the Bicoloured stamps
was actually related to numeral cancels

"Maybe you should consider some kind of specialty collection," Ib suggested.

I wasn't too sure about that. I'd seen "specialized" collections at stamp exhibitions, and it seemed to me that those collectors had invested thousands and thousands in rarities I couldn't even hope to own one of. I also had this "image" of specialized philatelists being mostly "grumpy old cigar-smoking men who isolated themselves in their offices."

However, I'd seen Ib's recently started collection of the Danish "Wavy Lines" issue, and his enthusiasm was considerable. "Suddenly every box of stamps is a treasure hunt," he explained, "you just never know what you might find, and usually the stamps only cost a few kroner each!"

And so, my first "adventure" with specialized stamp collecting became an interest in Danish numeral cancels. Since I was quite little, I'd always thought it was interesting how "old stamps" were often canceled with a number, instead of a place name. And finding nice upright and readable number cancels seemed like it could be a challenge, but without costing a fortune... after all, there were millions and millions of 4 øre and 8 øre bicoloured stamps with numeral cancels.

So one thing led to another, and I ended up bidding on-- and winning-- a "messy stock of mostly common classic period stamps" in a shoe box. I think I paid the princely sum of 1500,- Danish kroner (about $175.00 US, at the time), when all was said and done. And I suddenly had thousands of stamps to look at-- a very large number of which (as expected) were 4 and 8 øre Bicolours.

A 100 øre Bicolour from the 1st printing, with the
scarce "RM2B" frame type

Also in the box was a copy of the 1981-82 "AFA Specialkatalog" which included an extensive specialist section about the Bicoloured issues, showing lots of varieties and plate flaws. Which, of course, I found extremely interesting, given that I had just become owner of several thousand of these stamps. At the time, I had no idea that this was possibly the single most popular stamp issue with specialist collectors in Denmark.

The rest, as they say, "is history."

I've been collecting the Bicolours for about 25 years now. I wouldn't call myself a fanatic or "flyspecker" exactly, but I have built a pretty nice collection of notable plate varieties across the many printings. My primary interest is in the "fine perforated" (first øre set) issues, and I also have quite a few of the skilling stamps. And I still continue to look for really nice numeral cancels-- which was, of course, what I originally set out to do.

So what is the appeal of these stamps? And why are they so popular with specialist collectors?

As classic stamps go, the Bicoloured stamps are attractive and colorful. In the course of 33 years, four separate series were released: First came a set of stamps denominated in skilling; then came the first øre set in 1875, after monetary reform in Denmark. A second øre set started in 1895, this one perforated 12 3/4 instead of the original 14 by 13 1/2. Finally, a third øre set started in 1902, this time with watermark large crown III. Although other other stamps were in use concurrently with the Bicolours (the "Arms" types), the design remained effectively in use until the introduction of the "Wavy Lines" type and Christian IX type in 1904-05.

A 5 øre stamp with a so-called "pearl flaw," one
of the most sought after frame varieties 

The design elements are fairly detailed-- especially the outer frame. This created an opportunity for lots of varieties to be discovered-- both in the original plates, as well as in subsequent plate damage from use. In addition, because the stamps were printed from two passes through the printing press-- one for the frame, and one for the oval-- a number of stamps ended up having "inverted frames." The frames look "similar enough" right way up and inverted that they would routinely be printed oriented in either direction. Thus, inverted frames were not "major errors" (although some are quite rare), merely varieties that help collectors identify stamps by printing and position within each sheet.

Part of the appeal lies in the relatively low cost to start a specialized collection of truly "classic period" stamps. The 4 and 8 øre values both had more than 100 printings, each of which can be identified by a skilled specialist... with the implication that the majority of these stamps have low catalogue values, yet it is possible to form a specialized collection (definitely the work of a lifetime!) of thousands of distinct stamps... all without "breaking the bank."

Another nice aspect of these stamps-- today, in 2014-- is that they have been studied by thousands of collectors for well over 100 years, so there's lots of information available to the aspiring specialist, from small handbooks, to an impressive 6-volume reference work by expert Lasse Nielsen detailing virtually every known variety discovered. That said, there were so many of the stamps printed-- and they were in use for so many years-- that you can still find varieties in collections and duplicates stocks that have not been through the hands of a specialist.

The above all figure into my own interest in the Bicolours. However, as much as anything, they evoke a memory of stamp collecting in my childhood and youth-- and of that first "really, really old" stamp in my collection.

Memories: Childhood Stamp Collecting

The end of the year has always been the time of the year when I end up "taking inventory" of life, and where I am, and what I hope to do in the year ahead. I don't really do formal "New Year's resolutions" as I have a nasty habit of never making these goals.

One of the common Danish stamps from my childhood. It is even
(faintly) postmarked RUNGSTED KYST where we lived.

Putting away the Christmas decorations brought up some childhood memories, reminding me of my beginnings as a stamps collector. My parents had traveled extensively before they returned to Denmark to start a family, and they had made friends all over the world. And part of "keeping in touch" with this global group of friends involved the annual ritual sending of Christmas cards.

As a result, December was the time of the year when lots of mail would arrive from all over the world, in envelopes carrying stamps from many exotic places. And I got to keep all the stamps from the Christmas cards, which was very exciting.

Meanwhile, my dad would also bring home large numbers of stamps from the office. His company traded extensively with other companies and clients all over the globe, and there was usually an extra load of mail during December. That mail was particularly interesting because some companies and people would send gifts of various kinds, and those gifts would arrive in boxes actually franked with postage stamps from their countries of origin. This was the mid- to late 1960s, so stamps were still widely used on parcels. I didn't have a real concept of "high values" as a 7-year old-- I was just aware that the stamps were significantly "different" from the ones my dad brought home during the rest of the year

The 8 øre stamp from the 1875 "Bicolour" set was one of
the first "really old" stamps in my childhood collection.

Although I don't remember the exact way I "got started," I do remember my first stamp "album," which was a 16-page stock book with "picture cover" that was a collage of stamps from around the world. In fact, I still have it somewhere. I also remember getting old newspapers and "pressing" stamps in our phone books after soaking them off paper. I was impatient, so sometimes a stamp had to be soaked 2-3 times before it finally let go of all the glue and no longer stuck itself back to the newspaper.

Stamp collecting was pretty simple back then. My friends and I simply collected "stamps." That said, it was not long before we discovered that most of our stamps were from Denmark-- since that's where we lived-- so "collecting Denmark" seemed to make more sense than "collecting the whole world."

I remember buying my second stock book with my own lawn mowing money, because I wanted my Danish stamps to be in a book by themselves. I'd heard that that was what "serious" collectors did, and I wanted people to see that I was "serious" about stamps.

Stamp collecting-- back then-- was also a pretty common hobby for kids (and adults), although it seems that in my native Denmark there were far more stamp collectors than anywhere else I have lived, subsequently. At least 7-8 people in my grade school class of some 25 had stamp collections, and to the best of my knowledge, at least half of them went on to be collectors, as adults. There were also several stamp collectors in my extended family, and nobody thought that "collecting stamps" was even the slightest bit "odd," as something to do. It wasn't until I moved to Texas as a 20-year old to go to college that I first ran into people who'd look at me "strangely" and say things like "How weird. I thought that was just something cranky old retired guys do."

The fact that being a stamp collector has sometimes gotten me perceived as a bit of a "strange nerd" has never put me off the hobby... and now that I have been collecting for over 45 years, I still actively promote philately as something interesting to do, in your spare time.

At Auction: Cancels and Varieties from Denmark

I expect it happens to most "general" stamp collectors after a while, that they start to experience what I have come to think of as "creeping elegance."

What follows is a bit of a "back story" about the stamps I have for auction on eBay this week. If you want to skip the story and just look at the stamps, follow this link to my auctions.

What do I mean by "creeping elegance?"

Denmark 15/24 øre Provisional from 1904

 For me, it meant starting to add 2nd and 3rd copies of stamps in the margins of my album pages. Maybe there was a beautiful or unique cancel. Maybe I discovered that I had a major variety or plate flaw among my duplicates. Maybe it turned out that a particular stamp was printed in a number of different shades.

I believe this is how specialized collections get started.

After a while, I noticed that my pages were getting increasingly "messy" looking, and I was starting to mount stamps on the backs of pages as well. Not the greatest of ideas, even if the stamps are protected by stamp mounts... the stamps start rubbing against each other, and falling out when you move the pages in the album.

I suppose I have just never been "one of those people" to just collect "one of each," and then feel like I am done. In fact, this can be said about some of my other collections, as well... collections not at all related to stamps. The basic "rule" I follow goes something like "If I think it's interesting or pretty, it goes in my collection."

The stamp from above-- plate flaw "chop in top frame."

Even if I already have 42 others.

My Denmark collection remained fairly "general" for a number of years, until my limited budget was no longer able to support my adding new stamps. In other words, "the next blank space" was a little out of my price range.

But since I'd already built a large hoard of duplicates, I followed my older cousin's suggestion of starting to collect plate flaws and varieties. After all, finding varieties among stamps I already owned was basically a free way to add to my collection.

Cousin Ib even gave me my first copy of the Danish "AFA Specialkatalog" which opened up a whole new world for me... hundreds of listed varieties! And the treasure hunt was made even more interesting by the fact that some of these stamps were quite valuable.

Of course, varieties don't really fit in a standard album, so I gradually ended up migrating my Denmark collection to my own blank pages. That worked for a number of years... but then I decided it might be easier to use high quality stock books, because the stamps would be easier to move around. The project of moving my specialized collection-- with varieties, printings, plate flaws and cancels-- from albums to stack books is an ongoing project around here... that will probably take several more years to complete.

LUX quality cancel from the village of TAPS

As I mentioned at the beginning, "somewhere in there" I'd also saved some stamps with attractive and/or interesting cancels.

Cancel collecting is "A Really Big Deal" among collectors in neighboring Sweden, but it never struck me that Denmark collectors were all that interested. Sure, some people collected numeral cancels, some collected the "star" and "udslebne" cancels, while yet another group collected Danish stamps postmarked on the Faroe Islands. But it was still a highly specialized affair.

However, I liked the way really nice cancels looked on stamps... and I had never been particularly interested in mint stamps... so I decided (early on) to keep the nicest cancels I would find as part of my specialized collection.

Of course the nice thing about a cancel collection is that you can add almost endless variety to your collection without "breaking the bank." At least most of the time. Almost perfectly centered cancels like the one from TAPS (a tiny village in southern Jylland) pictured here often command rather "stout" prices.

I suppose people approach stamp collecting from different perspectives. My collections-- and my personal enjoyment as a stamp collector-- revolves around "building the collection." The idea of having something one could call "a complete collection" doesn't really enter into my thoughts. "Completion" is not a very interesting concept for me, "building" is.

Combining BOTH: A plate flaw ("pointed eyebrow") and a
really nice cancel on the same stamp!

On more than one occasion I have been asked "But how will you know when you're DONE?"

My answer to that is that I don't really plan to BE "done." This baffles some collectors... while others nod knowingly. Which just goes to show you that there is no "right" or "wrong" way to collect stamps.

As a variety and cancel collector, I am not particular about how I add to my collection. I have never really been attached to the idea that I have to "wait" till the exact stamps I need shows up for sale, before adding it to my collection.

In fact, my favorite way to go is to buy large box lots and duplicate stocks and slowly sift through them, looking for "treasure." Often there are some really good "finds" to be made, especially with lots from here in the USA, where the stamps have generally not seen the eyes of a Danish specialist for decades... if ever. At the end of the sorting process, I sell off the material I decided not to keep... and sometimes that means I have bought thousands of stamps just to add a few dozen to my collection.

This week, I am auctioning off some of my older Danish duplicate stamps, with a focus on plate flaws and really nice cancels, including the items pictured here All in all, there are 40 lots of both individual stamps as well as a few sets... with values running to about US $100.00. As always, all items have an opening bid of ONE CENT and there are no reserves-- so the possibility of picking up a few bargains definitely exists.

Bidding is open until Sunday, August 11th, till about 2:00pm US Pacific Time/5:00pm US Eastern Time or 23:00 Central European Time. I hope you'll find something of interest to add to your collection!

Click here to see the current auctions with Danish stamps.

The Pursuit of Quality Stamps

When I was a little kid, my dad started me on stamp collecting. His advice to me was simple, and largely based on his own life-long experience as an art and antiques collector:

1. Collect what you like, and what appeals to you; don't chase "popular trends." YOU have to like what you're doing, not other people.
2. Always buy the very best you can afford; market tastes change, but quality never goes out of style.

When I was six, these perhaps didn't seem very important. The excitement of collecting stamps revolved around "collecting one each of the whole world."

However, my dad "stuck to his guns," in a gentle sort of way... teaching me about the inherent beauty of "high quality," and made "finding the very best" part of the fun of stamp collecting, even as early as when I was a teenager. By the time I was 12-13, I no longer had any interest in adding stamps with faults to my collection... unless they were high value classics I couldn't afford in any other condition. Even so, I was always on the lookout for "something better" to fill a space occupied by a ratty looking stamp.

40 years later, I am going about stamp collecting pretty much the same way, always focusing on finding "quality stamps" not just "stamps" for my various collections.

My dad knew what he was talking about. There's a lot of talk these days about the "decline" of the stamp market and our "dying" hobby, and how there are no new generations entering philately, and how many 16-year olds have never actually used a stamp on a letter... and so on. As I look around-- at large auction houses, or individual seller sites like eBay or BidStart or even the APS Sales Division, there's a huge volume of material for sale... suggesting there are many more sellers than buyers in the market.

And yet?

Superior quality stamps-- old and newer alike-- are extremely difficult to find, and often command "stupid" prices, when they do show up for sale.

My dad's underlying philosophy behind "buying quality" was simple: scarcity. No matter what, there will never be more "top quality" copies of any given stamp no longer for sale at the post office. A top quality stamp has only two "paths" to follow. It is either handled well, and remains "a top quality stamp," OR some collector carelessly handles it to cause a tiny hinge thin, or a torn perf, or drops it on the floor and creases it while picking it up. And so, it no longer is part of the "top quality" pool of available copies. A "junky" stamp will always be a junky stamp. It has no way to become a "top quality" stamp. And because top quality stamps can become junky stamps due to mishandling and accidents... the available pool of "junky" stamps is not static... it can actually grow, over time.

Of course, I don't actually collect "quality" stamps for their worth-- that's just a "coincidental incentive bonus." I collect quality stamps because the aesthetic beauty of something perfect or almost perfect appeals to me... and because I enjoy the "treasure hunt" challenge that goes with finding "the best stamp" rather than just "a stamp." This especially holds true for newer issues that are common and can be found by the thousands... yet finding a superb copy can be quite challenging.

Beauty, of course, is in the eye of the beholder. My dad originally wanted me to (or at least "hoped that I would") collect mint NH stamps because they were "pristine." It didn't really appeal to me, though. The number of ways we can mess up gum seemed "risky" to me-- all that worry about toning, foxing, wrinkling, fingerprints, moisture? No thanks! I also didn't like the fact that gum was one of the most forged/faked things on stamps... and it bugged me to have to pay so much attention to what was going on on the back side of the stamp FACING the album page, not the side you were looking at. But-- above all-- I liked the idea of having stamps that "told a story."

Mint stamps don't really have much of a "story." The story of a mint stamp (at least to me) goes something like "I was printed in Belgium in 1903. Here I am. The end." Not enough "meat" on those bones, for my liking.

A used stamp with a legible postmark tells a better story, like "I was printed in Denmark in 1880. Somebody bought me, but didn't put me on a letter to be mailed from the town of Hillerød until 1898. Most likely I was on a letter next to another stamp, because the postage rate had changed from 8 øre to 10 øre between the time I was printed and the time I was used." To me, that's just more interesting. Romantic foolishness? Whatever...

Getting back to "beauty being in the eye of the beholder," beautiful postmarks are a major reason why I collect used stamps. Not only do I like the "story" aspect, and the challenge of finding that "perfect strike," but I like the additional fact that it keeps the hobby affordable for me... because I can collect a whole group of different socked-on-the-nose postmarks on the same inexpensive stamp, and still have them be "different," for the purposes of my collections. Postmarks can add almost infinite variety and possibilities to a stamp collection.

Sometimes I get the impression that quite a few collectors "lose interest" when they reach the point where filling "the next blank space" becomes incrementally more costly. Suddenly you find yourself with just 17 empty spaces in the album, facing the fact that the next space will cost you at least $100.00 to fill. It was a point I reached with my Denmark collection when I was about 16-17... and there was no way for me to continue the collection, on a schoolboy's budget... so I branched out.

But we all have different motivations for collecting stamps. It seems to me that the driving motivation of those who simply "collect one of each" is to have a "complete" collection. For me, the driving motivation behind stamp collecting is.... the actual collecting; the finding; the treasure hunt. In a sense, it parallels the popular saying that "life is not about the destination, it's about the journey." Having a "complete" collection just... just sounds too much like a "destination" or "goal," rather than an ongoing pursuit or hobby. I'm not looking for a point where I am "done" with my collection... I have no plans to reach "done."

That said, there is-- of course-- no "right" or "wrong" way to collect stamps.

Classic Stamps from Denmark: Ending September 16th

The weather seems to have "broken," here in the US Pacific Northwest. About 10 days ago, we could feel the "warm stillness" of summer give way to the "cool breeziness" of autumn. We are also at the point where the days are getting notably shorter.

XF 7ø provisional with plate flaw in base stamp

For me, these changes also indicate that "stamp season" is about to begin!

As an outdoor enthusiast, I have always been a somewhat "seasonal" collector. This is probably a habit I formed in childhood, where we considered stamp collecting to be a "wintertime thing." Anyway, as the weather gets less pleasant and the days shorten, I usually move towards indoor activities... like working on my stamp collections.

Last week, I finally finished sorting a nice collection of Denmark, bought at auction in Sweden, this past winter (interesting reminder of how truly international our hobby is!). Whereas I found some interesting stamps for my own collection, there were also many really nice items left over-- and so, I decided it was a good time to put them into my first set of eBay stamp auctions of the new "season!"

Here's the direct link ▼:

Classic Denmark at auction: September 9th-16th, 2012

The current auctions include 64 lots very nice older Denmark, with catalogue values to US $300.00+.

A small selection of the current Danish stamps at auction

The large photo at left (click on the image for a larger version!) shows just a few of the items included in this sale. A few more are shown throughout this post.

Individual items include 24 different skilling period stamps, highlighted by an 1864 16sk Arms Type with a major variety and beautiful cancel; also including four different version of the 4 RBS brown, Denmark's first stamp. Then there are some nice "Bicolours," and better stamps like the 5kr Post Office and 1kr brown "Old" Airmail. There are also some nice plate flaws and varieties sprinkled in, along with some lower value stamps chosen simply because they are in super nice quality.

My "philosophy" for running eBay auctions is quite simple, and has been the same since I started on eBay in 1998:

All my auctions begin at US $0.99 and no reserve, regardless of value. If I was looking to"auction" stamps at "retail" prices, I'd just have a retail store. In the current auction series, many stamps have values at-- or above-- US $100.00.

20 øre Arms type with small corner numerals

All lots have large clear scans, allowing collectors-- and especially specialists-- to see exactly what they are bidding on.

All lots have full descriptions. In my world, "see scan" has never constituted a "description." So I actually examine every stamp and write what I see. And I am not afraid to write about faults. I want bidders to actually GET what they think they are bidding on.

Auctions all end at a "sensible" time, both for bidders in Europe, as well as in the US. In addition, I list items to end one minute apart, so those who still enjoy "live last-minute bidding" can participate in many individual auctions. I actively reject eBay's efforts to turn their site into a "shop" venue, rather than an "auction" venue... auction bidding is FUN, if you ask me!

Combined shipping at a reduced rate is always available. Because I prefer to list a substantial number of stamps from the same area, at the same time, combined shipping actually makes sense. I find it so ironic when sellers offer "combined shipping" and then list 100 stamps from 63 different countries... of which I only collect two. Honestly... what's the point?

If it turns out you don't like the stamp or I missed a fault in the description, you can always send it back for a refund. I'm basically in the "happy collectors" business.

So, please take a few moments to go have a look! You never know, I may have something that exactly fits an empty spot in your album... and you may be able to pick up something at a bargain price, as well. I have a number of dealers who always check out my auctions because the possibility exists that you could get a $100 stamp for $3. It doesn't happen often, but it does happen!

Keep in mind: Auctions end Sunday, September 16th at 22:00 Central European (Denmark) time; at 4:00pm US Eastern; 1:00pm US Pacific time.

Thank you for your interest, and good luck with your bids!

As always, I appreciate you helping spread the word about these, using the twitter, Facebook and Google+ buttons, below!

Where to Buy Stamps: APS Stamp Circuit Books

Since I just wrote about the American Philatelic Society's StampStore, I thought I'd take a moment to cover one of the other stamp "buying venues" available to APS Members: One of the many ways I add to my collection is through "circuit books" from the APS. I find this can be a handy-- although sometimes expensive-- way to find new material.

What are APS circuit books? Well, once every few weeks I get a box of up to 10 books mounted with stamps for sale, from different APS Collector members. Because the APS is a large organization, I get to specify the particular areas I'd like to receive circuit books from. The name "circuit" derives from the fact that a batch of 10 books complete a "circuit" among 5-10 society members, before being returned to the central office.

The stamp selection I most recently received was a "General Scandinavia" circuit, and I thought I'd share what I found as it offers readers a sense of what might be expected. I'll also add a few notes about why I decided to keep the stamps I chose.

Book 1 contained 13 pages of Icelandic stamps and 3 pages with Denmark. I didn't find anything special in the Iceland area, but the three pages of Denmark had some surprisingly interesting items.

A very nice copy of one of the very early printings of the 12 øre Bicolour issue from Denmark. On closer inspection, the stamp looks like it might be from the very difficult 1st or 2nd printings, which can be very difficult to find in nice condition. Since these are valued in the Danish AFA Specialized catalogue at at least 400,- Danish kr. (US $68.00/54.00 Euro), the asking price of US $1.25 was quite a bargain.

A nice example of the 20 øre Wavy Lines type from 1912. The vast majority of the 13.7 million stamps issued are the normal "dark blue" colour. However, this was not the "regular" stamp, but the scarce "blackish blue" shade, only listed in Scandinavian catalogues.

It is difficult to make a scan that accurately shows just how dark the blue color is, on this, but to the trained eye of a long-time Denmark collector, the blackish-blue version stands out.

This particular stamp was also interesting to me because of the almost complete Copenhagen cancel.

The normal 20 øre blue has Scott value of US $0.80, but the blackish-blue is valued at 140,- Danish Kr. (US $23.50/18.50 Euro) in the AFA catalogue, so this was hard to pass up at just US $0.25.

Next in the book I found a presentable example of the 60 øre brown & blue bicolour Christian X stamp from 1919. Although listed as the "regular" stamp, I recognized this as the scarcer brown & ultramarine shade, and based on the color, I wondered if it might even be the rarer "dark" ultramarine.

The color of this particular stamp seems to cause trouble for many collectors. I see as many stamps with a "blue" center listed as "ultramarine," as I see "ultramarine" stamps listed as "blue." A stamp like this-- where there is a considerable value difference between the two shades-- is a good reminder to invest in a "color guide" which is available from a number of stamp supplies sellers. The Scott catalogue values the "brown & blue" version of this stamp at US $4.00, but even the least expensive "brown & ultra" version lists for 150,- Danish Kr. (US $25.50/20.00 Euro) in the AFA catalogue, so at US $1.50, a good buy.

Book 2 contained used Norway. Sadly, most of the better stamps were faulty, so I was just not interested. Among the newer cheaper stamps, there were no S.O.N. postmarks, so book ended up being a zero.

Book 3 contained MNH Faroe Islands-- but since I don't collect mint, it was of no interest to me.

Book 4 contained mixed Scandinavia. This is actually my favorite kind of book, as they are typically mounted by general worldwide collectors, so there is less chance the stamps have been gone over by a specialist.

What I found in this book was some rather uninspiring Iceland, some not very interesting Denmark... except for a nice copy of Denmark's first stamp, the 4RBS brown. This was a 4-margin copy of the Ferslew (1st) printing with a light cancel. As I am doing a plating study of this stamp, I'm always on the lookout for 4-margin copies without heavy cancels blocking the design. Although the US $19.00 price tag was at the upper end of what I'd normally pay, this was a very nice and clean copy.

Some stamps in this book made me wonder, though-- and got me to thinking a bit about what constitutes a "collectible quality" stamp. The book contained a number of stamps that would have found their way into my waste bin, but I guess some people find this quality to be an acceptable space filler. Still, asking 20% of catalogue value for an extensively damaged stamp hardly seems realistic.

Book 5 contained Finland, including some better classics. Sadly, the one stamp that caught my eye-- one of the large perf classic issues with a nice ULEÅBORG straight line cancel-- wasn't as nice quality as I'd liked to see, so I passed on it.

Book 6 was a very nice book of Denmark, the kind I really like to get because I can find enough stamps to offset the $8.00+ shipping/insurance fees that go with getting a box of circuit books.

First up, another 4RBS brown from the Ferslew printing-- this one was a very exciting find!

The stamp has a very visible plate flaw at right, as well as a double frame line at left, and lots of "double strikes" in the wreath at bottom right. This identifies it as plate I, position 19, also known as the "Pemberton double strike" stamp, named after the first philatelist to identify it.

This is a well-known classic Danish variety, known by most collectors in Denmark. However, not a "Scott listed" item. I do not have this variety in my classic Denmark collection, so I was very pleased to find it.

Although not wide-margined example, it was in acceptable quality with a reasonable cancel and the areas with the plate varieties clearly visible. The current catalogue value in the Danish AFA Specialized catalogue is 3000,- Danish kr. (about US $510.00/405.00 Euro) so the price tag of $10.00 was hardly important. Definitely the "find of the month," for me.

Next up, a presentable and lightly canceled 2sk blue imperf in a particularly dark shade-- probably the one known to Danish collectors as "dark steel blue."

Although there was only one official printing of the 2 skilling blue, a wide range of shades exist, and some are scarcer than others. The darker shades are the least common.

What also caught my eye about this stamp was a distinct "dent" in the left frame, near the top corner. At US $20.00, a fair buy, for a 4-margin copy.

Finally, an unused copy of the 8sk green imperf from 1857 with HUGE margins. Even considering the faint rust spots, a very good buy at $30.00, in this condition; you can actually see part of the next stamp at both the top and bottom. I will probably be sending this one to Denmark to get a certificate (along with the "Pemberton" 4RBS brown)-- just to make sure there's not a cleaned cancel hiding somewhere, since the seller was offering it as "used." The stamp had no gum, but it looked good to my eye.

Since I am not really into unused stamps, odds are I will either trade this stamp for something I would rather have... or auction it on eBay, at some later date.

Book 7 contained Greenland, with a heavy emphasis on mint, which I do not collect. Another zero.

Book 8 was another book of Iceland, this one with quite a few high value items. At first I felt hopeful but sadly, the quality was a bit dodgy, and I passed on several appealing looking stamps that turned out to have minor flaws.

Book 9 was more "mixed Scandinavia," but the book was mostly of common newer low value stamps, and I didn't spot any interesting plate flaws or cancels.

Book 10 contained the only Swedish stamps in the group, but almost everything was either mint or modern booklets, neither of which hold much interest for me. No sale.

Overall, this was one of the better groups of circuit books I have had in recent years, and I am very pleased with the seven Danish stamps I picked out.

I have been buying stamps from APS circuit books for over 20 years (and have sometimes been a seller, as well) and have found many worthwhile stamps, over the years. As a stamp buying "venue," I do recommend it although you may experience times of frustration when you find absolutely nothing in a package of books and realize that you just spent $7.90 for trackable shipping and $1.50 for insurance. But then next time you may find as many goodies as I just did, and it suddenly becomes very worthwhile.

Where to Buy Stamps: APS StampStore

The American Philatelic Society (APS, for short) is the primary organization for stamp collectors in the USA, but has a large worldwide membership.

Denmark 4RBS brown, Thiele printing

One of the services for APS members is the online "Stamp Store" where collectors can browse and add to their collections from among thousands and thousands of stamps listed for sale by other stamp collectors. As of the last time I checked in, there were over a quarter million philatelic items for sale!

Although the underlying idea is "stamp collectors selling to other stamp collectors," the APS StampStore is different from sites like eBay, Delcampe or Stamps2Go. Aside from the fact that you have to be an APS member to buy stamps (anyone can browse), the APS acts as an active intermediary between buyers and sellers.

What this effectively means is that listings are standardized, all have photos, and "the handling of money" is all done by the APS, rather than the buying and selling individuals. This makes the StampStore a very attractive option for those collectors who are concerned about the trustworthiness of individual online sellers. In addition, it allows for a uniform "return policy" to exist, so you can get your money back, if a stamp you buy turns out to be faulty or "not as described."

What kind of material can you expect to find? Well, the range is pretty broad, with almost every stamp issuing entity in the world represented. The value of the items tend to start at around a couple of US dollars-- mostly because of the minimum fees per item the APS charges to sellers. On the upside, I have seen items priced in excess of $1000.

Denmark 4RBS blackish-brown, Thiele II printing

Are there any downsides to using the APS StampStore as a place to add to your collection? Some might argue that the required Society membership (currently US $48.00 per year) is a "downside," but I really don't share that point of view as I believe membership in an organization that promotes awareness of stamp collecting as a hobby is a positive investment, no matter what.

For me, the primary downsides (pretty minor) are that the scans/photos are not always of the best quality, stamps in sets are scanned "as received" so not all stamps are necessarily visible in the photo, and sellers are not always very meticulous in accurately pointing out "problems" in their descriptions. The system may also be more challenging to use for non-US based collectors, due to the reliance on the US Scott catalogue numbering system. For example, if you live in Germany and depend on Michel, it might take a little detective work to figure out the stamps you're looking at.

As is often true with multi-seller marketplaces, pricing is inconsistent, but that's not the fault of the sales venue. You can find some excellent bargains, and you can also find a number of items listed by "dreamers" who seem to think 75% of catalogue value is "realistic" for a seriously defective stamp.

Denmark 4RBS yellow-brown, Thiele III printing

Overall, I have had positive experiences using the APS StampStore to add to my collections. On the few occasions where I've had to return stamps, the refunds have been prompt. I've been a buyer (but not a seller) for almost 10 years, and have added many nice stamps to my albums. The selections from the Scandinavian countries are usually fairly good, and new material seems to trickle in every month, although not in great volumes. Since I only collect used stamps, I don't actually see every new listing on the site, so your results might be quite different from mine.

The photos in this article are some classic Danish stamps that arrived in the APS StampStore this month, and promptly found their way to my office! The site is well worth checking out, and I hope you also decide to become an APS member.

Spring Stamp Auctions: Better Denmark on eBay, ONE CENT starts!

On occasion, I round up some of the better "odds and ends" from my duplicate stamp books, and then put them up for auction on eBay.

Denmark no. 6, catalogue $190.00

This week, it is stamps from Denmark that are up for grabs. As with all auctions I list, every lot is listed with good photos, and all items have a starting price of just ONE CENT, regardless of the stamp's value. For example, in the current group (48 auctions, in all) you can-- at least at the moment-- bid one cent on a presentable classic Danish stamp with a US $190.00 catalogue value, or a lot of older stamps with a combined value of over US $250.00.

Auctions end Sunday, May 20th, at around 22:00 Central European Time, 4:00pm US Eastern/1:00pm US Pacific time. 

Some folks think I'm a bit crazy for offering "perfectly good stamps" in such a way... after all "What if you end up having to sell a $100.00 stamp for 1 cent?" I suppose I just believe the stamp market to be intelligent enough to set a fair price for worthwhile philatelic material. I also don't believe that listing items on eBay at something that looks like a retail price has anything to do with running "auctions."  But that's just me. And yes, I have ended up selling a few stamps for one cent, in the course of my 14 years on eBay.

And yes, technically speaking, you could go place a minimum bid on every item and potentially end up with hundreds of dollars worth of stamps for less than a dollar.

AFA Postfærge 28x

Anyway, to return to what's up for grabs-- the focus is Denmark, there are 48 lots at auction, and the material runs from classic to newer. There are a few items from the Bicoloured issue, and then a nice group of constant varieties (plate flaws)-- some of which are quite scarce, and finally a nice group of Postfærge stamps.

Detail of AFA 28x, showing the plate flaw

The Postfærge stamps are in particularly nice condition and include a used copy of a scarcer variety. The 5 øre wine red "Wavy Lines" stamp is among Denmark's most common stamps, and even with the Postfærge overprint, it is still quite common. One of the better known "modern" stamp varieties in Danish stamp collecting is the "right lion with lump foot" plate flaw. Although tricky to find, it's not that rare, on the "plain" version of the 5 øre stamp. However, this variety is very difficult to find on stamps with the overprint, and there's a very nice copy available in this sale. This is the variety that also has colour in the bottom of the "K" of DANMARK. With a current AFA Specialized catalogue value of 400,- DKK (about 54.00 Euro/$69.50) this major variety is missing from most collections.

As with all my eBay offerings, there's reduced postage when you win multiple lots.

Bidding for these items is currently OPEN, but don't wait too long to go have a look at what's available. The auctions close on Sunday, May 20th at about 22:00hrs, European time; 4:00pm US Eastern/1:00pm US Pacific time. Here's a link to all the auctions, listed together. I hope you'll find a few moments to look at my listings and add an item or two to your Denmark collection!

Finally, I'd like to take a moment to wish everyone in the US a very Happy Mother's Day!

Facebook Page for Danish Stamps

In this computer age-- where stamp stores are being replaced with web sites, and local stamp clubs replaced with online groups and clubs-- it seems only natural that we (as stamp collectors) should keep up with the times. After all, one of the best ways to get enjoyment from the hobby is to share ideas, pictures and finds with others.

Recently I discovered that Per Møller-- a fellow Denmark collector-- has started a group for Denmark collectors on Facebook. Although the group is pretty small still, it's nice to see a specialized group like this come together. Here's a link to the group:

"Danske Frimæker" on Facebook

Now, the group IS primarily conducted in Danish... but even if you are NOT Danish, you can still visit the group on use the Facebook "translate page" feature to get a pretty good idea of what is being said. There are a lot of nice photos of Danish stamps there, so a visit (and a Facebook "like") is highly recommended.

Stamps from Denmark: Paper and Stamp Quality

As a specialist collector, I spend a fair amount of time sifting through "large lots" of stamps, often looking at 100's of examples of the same stamp... searching for plate flaws, cancellations and so forth.

It is important to me that the stamps in my collection are in nice quality and without faults, so one of the "steps" in my sorting process is to check the stamps for defects-- tears, thins, missing or "pulled" perfs, heavy cancels. Unless I am examining very valuable stamps, any with defects go directly to my "junk pile."

One of the earlier Danish stamps printed on hard white paper

Recently, I have been working on a large batch of Danish stamps-- part of a fairly extensive former dealer's stock, containing 1000's of stamps, and sometimes 100's of copies of each stamp. As I worked with these, I noticed how much influence the type of paper used has on the number of faults you find with any given issue.

For the most part, Denmark has used a fairly "soft" paper for issuing stamps. This meant that the stamps generally separated fairly well along the perforations, as a result of which the number of faulty stamps reaching collectors was fairly low. Certainly, some stamps would get damaged by people who handled them roughly, but the "defect rate" was manageable.

Around 1968-70, however, the Danish postal administration started to experiment with "invisible" gum (Danish water-activated gum to that point was typically "shiny" and slightly yellowish) and the type of paper used for printing stamps was changed, as well. The new paper was a very "hard" white paper. Why this particular paper was chosen, I don't know-- possibly because the new adhesive could better be applied.

In any case, this new paper was very "unforgiving," when it came to separating stamps so they could be used on letters. Unless you "pre-folded" several times along the perf line, most stamps would not separate neatly at the center point of the perforations, leading to lots of short and "pulled" perfs. For many collectors, a row of pulled perfs renders a stamp faulty, and "not collectible."

As an example of just how "bad" the situation got, this morning I found myself going through a few hundred copies of Denmark Scott no. 491/AFA no. 525, issued in 1972 to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the Danish State Railways (DSB)-- pictured in the photo above.

Faulty stamps on the left, good quality stamps on the right

Keeping in mind that this was a dealer's stock I was sorting-- so the stamps must have been deemed to be in at least some form of "collectible" grade-- take a look at the two piles of stamps in the photo, at left. They are of about the same size. The pile on the right are all in good condition, without any minor faults. The pile on the left? All have one or more short/pulled perfs, or small tears! The detail photo, below, shows the "typical damage" I found while sorting, although many were in much worse shape. As a stamp collecting youngster in Denmark, I even remember how you had to be "very careful" when tearing apart stamps to use on the mail, so as not to damage the stamps.

This particular "problem" is actually present with many Danish stamps issued from about 1970 onwards. Then, starting in about 1976-77, the paper formula was changed again as a result of which the number of faulty stamps declined. By the mid 1980's, the problem was not nearly as significant.

Common perf "condition" on Danish stamps from the 1970's

As an interesting aside to all this, most Danish stamps issued between 1968 and 1978 have very low catalogue values, with most being priced at the "minimum value" various catalogue publishers use. I sometimes wonder if these catalogue publishers are aware that whereas "lots of examples" of the stamps issued during this period exist, finding one in "nice used condition without faults" is not nearly as easy.

So what happens to my piles of defective stamps? I used to throw them away, but these days I actually give them to my ex-- who's an artist-- who uses them to create art projects... from laminated bookmarks with stamps, to custom made journal covers with a "postal" or "letter writing" theme, or even collages that feature stamps. I like this particular solution because it means that the stamps still get enjoyed for their designs and will live on as a "reminder of stamps," but they will not live on as faulty junk in actual stamp collections.

Of course, that's a personal philosophy not everyone shares. I happen to be a strong believer in something my father once told me about "faulty stamps," namely that "Common faulty stamps don't become valuable treasures, just because they age. In 100 years, they will merely be old common faulty stamps."

Happy collecting to all!