Philatelic clutter

Kris Weinschenker

The ultimate field problem....how to organize these two totes.
Most, but not all, of my collection

George DeKornfeld

"That s fine...you're free to waste your own time and money on something frivolous. It's the American Way."

Time: Maybe 2-minutes to get onto the APS site and click to order however many cards one wants.
Money: They're FREE to members.
Frivolous: Helping to sign up collectors for the society is frivolous??

Time and money being wasted is for those that print their own, but by all means, have at it.

Greg Doll

I guess one could print them yourself and send them to folks. Ok. No problem there. But then the person is then going to have to provide their own postage to mail it to APS. The ones provided by APS, pre-printed or blank, are business reply cards with prepaid postage. Fill them out and pop them in the mail. Easier than waking up in the morning and effective. Do whatever you want on this. It is not that big of a deal.

George DeKornfeld

LOL.....thanks for the trip back to grammar school.

Ted Tyszka

Overpriced and underqualitied.

Henry Brooks

Kris

You just commented "there are some people on here I'd like to block" on another thread.

The APS publishes the names of applicants to allow time for existing members in good standing to state their objections to the application in a timely manner and give the APS time to investigate the objection.

That way when dealing with an APS member you have a right to expect that you are doing business with someone who is legitimate and ethical. They do expel /suspend members when a complaint of serious misconduct is found to have merit.

Your statement regarding the ability to "block" indicates your wish to avoid the "snake oil salesmen" selling stamps - that is the goal of the APS. (Member since 1985)

Rene Bravo

... a comfortable chair, a big table, a large trashcan, a pair of scissors and a pen and paper.... AWAY from a open window

Louis Campanara

If this is clutter, I'm in the middle of a CATastrophe!

berrien moore

Collectors
Now this is a real mess! A few weeks ago, I asked about cleaning envelopes (and stamps generally). But the thread of Philatelic Clutter brought out my cell phone camera.
My grandfather was Postmaster (some of this I wrote earlier) in Atlanta, Georgia from about 1924 to 1933, and he started me collecting stamps, from which I took a 50+ year pause. He was an intense collector, and he was all about mint, NH, VF++, and USA. I also have several signed (pilot and himself) first flight letters as he was a leader in advancing airmail between Atlanta and many east coast cities.
But my late wife’s Great Aunt was a stamp “accumulator” and I now have about 5 kilos of stamps in shoeboxes from roughly 1915 to 1945, and I am attaching some photos, about 5% of the accumulation. They are from everywhere, and they are not “all about mint, NH, VF++, and USA”.
I plan to soak most of these, and when I mentioned this to my new wife and that we could use soapy water followed by clean water, or we could use lighter fluid. She suggested the latter and went to get some matches!!!
I truly do not know how to begin; Scott gave me some thoughtful encouragement and I offered a plan ticket for Japan to Oklahoma.
On the other hand, I know that this challenge is very close to my early days of stamp collecting, when I would buy stamp packages from Rich’s Department store or from the one stamp dealer in Atlanta that I would haunt. Interestingly, apparently our great aunt also bought several packages from I know not where (see one of the photos).
Actually, my wife is being very supportive of this enterprise and is rethinking the soapy water.
Suggestions and advice and mentorship will be deeply appreciated. I just hope to be able to use Scott’s W/F matrix to get me to a retirement plan!!!
Again, thoughts welcome
Best
Berrien

PS. The Hindenburg cover has some curious medical/revenue (I think) small stamps on the reverse side and note that it was going to a medical facility in Atlanta. Knowledge??

Phil Atarium

Henry is correct, and framed it accurately.

Greg Doll

An APS member will receive a $5 spiff to their account for referring a new member. I put an APS membership business reply card in each of my sold orders. Five dollars here and there is nice and will often pay for my APS dues after a year. An APS member can get them from APS for free upon request. They also act as an additional stiffener in the order.

Bill O'Malley

Greg,

I do that also except the guy from Mystic keeps on getting the most.

Greg Doll

Bill, when you have the APS print hundreds of thousands of them (and he may pay for them...I hope he does but I do not know) every year to be put in every Mystic order sold and every philatelic journal or magazine that will take them, sure, he will always top the list.

Bob Woodbury

Mystic and Overpriced are pretty much the same.

Greg Doll

No sir, no cost to have my name and APS# printed on them.

George DeKornfeld

I think there's a minimum order before they'll print your name on the cards (200?). Regardless, there's no cost.

Luree Hughes

But I don't want to waste the card stock or ink when I can get them for free! I'm cheap and I admit it.

Thanks, Greg. I'll wait, which I don't do very well.

Greg Doll

Not with bulk prepaid business reply postage to the APS membership folks you can't.

George DeKornfeld

I used to order smaller amounts that came without my name printed upon them and just applied the ink stamp that I used on my circuit book purchases as an ID. I found that I went thru them so quickly, I ended up ordering the larger number with printing.
Fun fact: they also serve as handy stiffeners for small stamp orders.
Whatever funds I end up with will eventually be taken out of my account and donated back to the APS.

Michael Generali

Hazard of the hobby.

Ted Tyszka

. . . and cats.

Greg Doll

Yes...cats...

Kris Weinschenker

Anyone know how to add my APS number to my profile?
I just got my APS number the Day After my club meeting...

APS#236424

Bill O'Malley

You still have to be approved by the APS and the members that joined in January are in the latest issue and if there is no reason set forth they will be approved for membership after the first of April.
You still have a ways to go until you are official, probably a couple of months. At that point you should be able to have a badge on your listings.

Bill O'Malley
APS # 169743

Kris Weinschenker

A couple MONTHS!!!!???

Do they have to do a background check with the CIA or something????
My credit card has already been charged....and my club is supposed to get a small donation for me joining

Kris Weinschenker

Boy Henry....you're quite the online stalker aren't you

Kris Weinschenker

Any way, I'm gonna give that number to my club Secretary at the next meeting in two weeks...or maybe just forward her the email

Bill O'Malley

It is still going to take a couple of months for you to be approved.

Kris Weinschenker

Well, I forwarded the number I got to the club brain trust. They had told me the club gets something like $5 for every new member that joins.

Or is that wrong??? Enquiring minds want to know

Kris Weinschenker

Mystic is too aggressive in their marketing; as well as being overpriced.

Bill O'Malley

Greg,

I know it used to cost to have your imprint put on the card and I assume it is still the same.