stak wrote:

I went to the Post Office today to send a parcel to a collector as I wanted to buy nice stamps.

I think there are three main reasons why collecting NZ new issues is becoming less and less popular:
(1) There are far too many new issues, and many of them are rubbish designs.
(2) The fascination in little bits of paper with detailed pictures on them from faraway places isn't so relevant in the computer/internet age ... Google street view is much more interesting.
(3) Stamps are used less and less these days ... I can't remember the last time I sent an ordinary letter.

On the other hand, if you look at sales of NZ FFQ's on Trademe, they are doing quite well ... the market is flush with sellers keen to sell while they think prices will hold up, and there are still buyers who think $10 is a bargain for an average 2d blue.

Could be the death-throes of NZ philately ... after the FFQ's are all sold, what is there left in the cupboard to tempt collectors??

musikal - 2012-05-16 01:24:00

musikal wrote:

I think there are three main reasons why collecting NZ new issues is becoming less and less popular:
(1) There are far too many new issues, and many of them are rubbish designs.
(2) The fascination in little bits of paper with detailed pictures on them from faraway places isn't so relevant in the computer/internet age ... Google street view is much more interesting.
(3) Stamps are used less and less these days ... I can't remember the last time I sent an ordinary letter.

On the other hand, if you look at sales of NZ FFQ's on Trademe, they are doing quite well ... the market is flush with sellers keen to sell while they think prices will hold up, and there are still buyers who think $10 is a bargain for an average 2d blue.

Could be the death-throes of NZ philately ... after the FFQ's are all sold, what is there left in the cupboard to tempt collectors??

I disagree if anything the internet has opened up Philately and made the market place more accessible to all. And the Full Face Queen analogy wont work as it is a very big cupboard as most of the them are still overseas ,the owners die,collections are broken up,investors cash out etc.The only death throes you will hear of will be Dealers that don't embrace the Internet as a selling and buying tool.

rebel58 - 2012-05-16 07:37:00

This question may have been asked before, but how do you know if you have a stamp thats worth something?

miniey - 2012-05-16 10:32:00

rebel58 wrote:

The only death throes you will hear of will be Dealers that don't embrace the Internet as a selling and buying tool.

Yes, you're right about the internet being good for buying and selling stamps.
When I was young there were quite a few stamp dealer shops in Wellington (Bruno Kohler, John Cameron, John Eccles, Aotea Stamps, Restlarig Coins, Cable Car Lane, Jim McNaught, and others) ... now there's only one (John Eccles) ... and I don't know that stamps would be his main business.
However most of these shops disappeared before the internet age ... their closure was more a sign of the general decline in the number of philatelists.

musikal - 2012-05-16 11:46:00

miniey wrote:

This question may have been asked before, but how do you know if you have a stamp thats worth something?

Start by using Google. There online catalogues of many countries available. You could also post a photo in this forum there are many knowledgeable people who are happy to help.

stak - 2012-05-16 12:03:00

musikal wrote:

Yes, you're right about the internet being good for buying and selling stamps.
When I was young there were quite a few stamp dealer shops in Wellington (Bruno Kohler, John Cameron, John Eccles, Aotea Stamps, Restlarig Coins, Cable Car Lane, Jim McNaught, and others) ... now there's only one (John Eccles) ... and I don't know that stamps would be his main business.
However most of these shops disappeared before the internet age ... their closure was more a sign of the general decline in the number of philatelists.

You quote a long list of stamp shops in Wellington but at any one time there has only ever been a maximum of three and usually they sold both stamps and coins and often other things as well. They also didn't have the internet in those days.
Since the 1950's the whole stamp trade in New Zealand has usually given employment to about 40 people. it is no different now to then but exactly how they are employed has changed. it used to be single traders selling in tobacconists/hairdressers/ magazine shops. then it gradually changed to mail order/exchange packet makers and then to postal auction houses and more recently to stamp fairs/website sellers and currently on line auction sellers. there would still be some 40 people in New Zealand whose main income is stamp dealing.
At one time in the 1970's Laurie Franks Ltd employed 27 full time staff members which was over 50% of all those employed in the trade in New Zealand. Funnily enough at this time their counter trade then would have only occupied one of those 27 people. Currently even following last years earthquakes I reckon that 11 people are employed full time in Christchurch in the stamp trade and around a further 6 people in the rest of the South Island. no doubt somebody can do the maths for Wellington district and Auckland etc. There are also a lot of part timers but these would be a lot harder to count. Those I counted previously are those whose primary income is philately.

kiwisteven - 2012-05-16 20:36:00

musikal wrote:

Yes, you're right about the internet being good for buying and selling stamps.
When I was young there were quite a few stamp dealer shops in Wellington (Bruno Kohler, John Cameron, John Eccles, Aotea Stamps, Restlarig Coins, Cable Car Lane, Jim McNaught, and others) ... now there's only one (John Eccles) ... and I don't know that stamps would be his main business.
However most of these shops disappeared before the internet age ... their closure was more a sign of the general decline in the number of philatelists.

Restlarig coins sold very few stamps and I don't think you would call her a stamp dealer.
Jim McNaught, was I presume Colin McNaught who was really only a keen amateur who operated an office. I would turn up to his place at opening time of 11am and we would go out for lunch at midday in time to return to his office to put in an hour or two at most before he called it a day.
Cable card lane was really Wellington stamp center at first operated by Ray Rowell and he was a real old time dealer doing a good counter trade.

There was also often a dealer in Lower or Upper Hutt to call on although some of them had dubious reputations.

kiwisteven - 2012-05-16 20:44:00

kiwisteven wrote:

Restlarig coins sold very few stamps and I don't think you would call her a stamp dealer.
Jim McNaught, was I presume Colin McNaught [...]
Cable card lane was really Wellington stamp center

I remember Restlarig coins changed premises several times ... she was at the bottom of Aro St, then the bottom of Bowen St, and then halfway up the then-new Williams Building.
I only visited Colin McNaught once ... I think he was upstairs on Willis St, at the end of a long dusty corridor.
Ray Rowell (Cable Car Lane) took on a young assistant, I think this was John Cameron who went on to open his own shop on Waring Taylor St in the early 80s.
What other dealers have there been in Wellington?
I remember going to a foreign chap in the World Trade Centre (Yes, Wellington has a World Trade Centre) ... he was very investment oriented.
In Paraparaumu there was John Lusted upstairs in Coastlands, with a ceiling-height picture of his face outside the shop. There was usually a crowd of schoolboy collectors in there on Saturday mornings (in the early 1970s, Saturday morning shopping was still new and a novelty). I remember drooling (not literally!) over the Hagner sheet he would keep stocked with FFQs in his glass display cabinet. Even though they were probably only a few dollars each, on a schoolboy's pocket money I could only ever dream of buying one.

You say there has been no change in the number of people in the stamp business in NZ?
Perhaps you're right ... but in Wellington I think there are now only two: John Eccles and his assistant.

Edited by musikal at 1:13 am, Thu 17 May

musikal - 2012-05-17 01:11:00

kiwisteven wrote:

Restlarig coins sold very few stamps and I don't think you would call her a stamp dealer.
Jim McNaught, was I presume Colin McNaught who was really only a keen amateur who operated an office. I would turn up to his place at opening time of 11am and we would go out for lunch at midday in time to return to his office to put in an hour or two at most before he called it a day.
Cable card lane was really Wellington stamp center at first operated by Ray Rowell and he was a real old time dealer doing a good counter trade.

There was also often a dealer in Lower or Upper Hutt to call on although some of them had dubious reputations.

There was also a Stan Baldwin who operated a shop in Manners St. in the early '70's. I think this was taken over by Len Jury, with Stan as the manager, as Len's Wellington branch.

At the time, Laurie Franks proposed a syndicate/partnership of several dealers covering the country. There would be Eric Brodie in Auckland, Len in New Plymouth and Wellington, Laurie in Christchurch, and me in Dunedin. We were supposed to pool our stocks (with Laurie) then draw on stock as needed (eg. we'd carry two sets of Red and Blue Boys, a mint and used set of Christchurch Exhib., etc). All purchases were to go to him in Chch.

Pretty impressive idea, but didn't get off the ground. It would have been unworkable.

If you want to read all about the history of NZ Dealers, Laurie did a fantastic listing, which ended up as a chapter in the Royal Philatelic Society of NZ's "A Century of Philately", edited by W N Strachan, and published in 1988. He would have spent hundreds of hours of research on this. It was amazing.

dunedinstamps - 2012-05-17 10:52:00

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donaldo - 2012-05-17 14:21:00

Just a question for you stamp people. Did the 1967 decimals (arms type)
come printed on two types of paper . Iam talking the blue ten dollar and the green six dollar.

hndn - 2012-05-17 17:19:00

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donaldo - 2012-05-17 18:03:00

Thanks for that. And the boldness of the colour any difference there and also the writing of the ten dollars.Meaning one being blue and white and the other i would say was white and blue and with alot thinner writing. (If that makes any sense.)

hndn - 2012-05-17 18:55:00

musikal wrote:

You say there has been no change in the number of people in the stamp business in NZ?
Perhaps you're right ... but in Wellington I think there are now only two: John Eccles and his assistant.

What about Bill Leggett in Upper Hutt? He must be full time and of course Mowbrays in Otaki along with their house of stamps outlet must employ quite a few. The Real Aotearoa Wellington outlet is also full time stamp dealing selling not just NZ stamps but stamps from many other countries too.

kiwisteven - 2012-05-17 19:02:00

donaldo wrote:

the formation of the NZSDA was in 1969 with 21 members of which about 4 of us are still active dealers

that's 43 years ago Don. If 4 out of 21 are still dealing 43 years later then it just goes to show that people stay in the profession a long time. I guess most of the other 17 died of old age.

kiwisteven - 2012-05-17 19:09:00

Can someone tell me where and when in Christchurch they have their stamp fairs please.

tammy211 - 2012-05-20 19:58:00

tammy211 wrote:

Can someone tell me where and when in Christchurch they have their stamp fairs please.

They are held on the 1st and third Saturdays each month at the Philatelic Centre, 67 Mandeville St, Riccarton from 9am to noon. The fair this last Saturday was very well attended.

Edited by kiwisteven at 1:27 am, Mon 21 May

kiwisteven - 2012-05-21 01:26:00

I have a set of LOTR fellowship of the ring stamps. The set has all the stamps and then it has them stuck to an envelope and stamped at Mordors post office I guess as it has an eye stamp. It also has the stamp stuck in a bigger sheet for each of the stamps.

I'm guessing these sets are so commonplace that they are probably only worth using the stamps for postage. Would that be correct?

chrisr5 - 2012-05-21 13:22:00

Kiwisteven thanks for that.

tammy211 - 2012-05-21 16:37:00

I am using Lighthouse Vario to store my stamps and covers. What is the alternative to the Lighthouse Vario binder that you have used and would recommend?

ang_ck - 2012-05-22 11:03:00

chrisr5 wrote:

I have a set of LOTR fellowship of the ring stamps. The set has all the stamps and then it has them stuck to an envelope and stamped at Mordors post office I guess as it has an eye stamp. It also has the stamp stuck in a bigger sheet for each of the stamps.

I'm guessing these sets are so commonplace that they are probably only worth using the stamps for postage. Would that be correct?

Sounds like you have a Collectors folder issued by NZ Post. The postmark would be Wanganui. Value is around $20 - $25 in nice condition.

kiwisteven - 2012-05-23 01:25:00

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donaldo - 2012-05-23 12:44:00

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donaldo - 2012-05-23 14:27:00

donaldo wrote:

what year as issued in 2001 and also 2002 and 2003
and my valuation which i would gladly sell at is ONLY $8 each

I thought the Fellowship of the Ring was only issued in 2001. But this one was issued 4th Dec 2001 according to pack.
As I thought however the face value of the stamps is worth more than the set! I'll get some free postage and decrease the number of sets out there!

Thanks for the advice Donaldo and Kiwisteven.

chrisr5 - 2012-05-23 15:00:00

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donaldo - 2012-05-23 15:08:00

donaldo wrote:

has anybody received the latest offer from nz post of YEAR OF THE DRAGON gold foil mini sheet framad [size 39 x 27 cms] for only $560

limit of 2 per person and only available to selected people [VALUED CUSTOMERS !!!]--only 128 produced

also available is the mini sheet in a perspex block for $188

my 2 are possible available a a discounted price!!!

I pointed out to NZ Post that their gold foil items weren't "gold plated" as they claimed and I actually got an apology from them for their mistake. A bit of advertising hyperbole gone too far!

kiwisteven - 2012-05-26 00:48:00

Hi i have a dozen or so full wwf albums of first day covers, from early eightys through to 2000's, As im not a collector myself i have little to no idea of value or where to start with listing or selling these, any advice or help would be much appreciated.

emvuli - 2012-05-27 14:23:00

Hi, We have had a family member pass away and have been left with 50 years of collecting,Its boxes and boxes, from what I can tell you they are properly kept, heaps are not used, they are from all over the world, where is the best place to take these, we are in Ak, there is way too much to list and I couldnt answer any Questions on them, I would appreciate any comments, thankyou

mumzyof8 - 2012-05-28 20:13:00

mumzyof8 wrote:

Hi, We have had a family member pass away and have been left with 50 years of collecting,Its boxes and boxes, from what I can tell you they are properly kept, heaps are not used, they are from all over the world, where is the best place to take these, we are in Ak, there is way too much to list and I couldnt answer any Questions on them, I would appreciate any comments, thankyou

You have several high profile Dealers in Auckland ,Google and the Yellow pages are your friends as it is against Trademe rules to give out contact details.Give them a ring or Email and they may even come to you.Get at least Two quotes from different Dealers.This is the quick money option if they are interested.If not try the local Stamp Society / Club.

Edited by rebel58 at 10:51 pm, Mon 28 May

rebel58 - 2012-05-28 22:48:00

This message was deleted.

donaldo - 2012-05-29 17:34:00

emvuli wrote:

Hi i have a dozen or so full wwf albums of first day covers, from early eightys through to 2000's, As im not a collector myself i have little to no idea of value or where to start with listing or selling these, any advice or help would be much appreciated.

I'm sure the WWF donation you made by buying these collections was what inspired you to purchase them and I'm sure your funds went to a very worthwhile wildlife cause. the collection contains many fascinating items and I'm sure you enjoyed the educational aspects of purchasing them. Currently these collections sell for around $10 per set or $50 odd per album but its often hard to find a buyer as few people are aware how attractive they are,

kiwisteven - 2012-05-29 18:49:00

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donaldo - 2012-05-30 12:06:00

donaldo wrote:

and so the SHOW GOES ON
trademe said i was advertising and i am not going or participating in any form
and now why should i give free information when continually stabbed in the back

watch out steven

Thanks for the warning. I'll be sure to wear heavy armour when venturing out!

kiwisteven - 2012-05-30 18:41:00

Anybody seen a secret message on the back of an old stamp ????
http://images.trademe.co.nz/photoserver/52/218870552_full.jp
g
http://images.trademe.co.nz/photoserver/43/218870643_full.jp
g
http://images.trademe.co.nz/photoserver/97/218870697_full.jp
g
http://images.trademe.co.nz/photoserver/36/218870736_full.jp
g
here's one for you then and a delightful find it was.i was going through an old USA collection and this was stored in a seperate envelope.
from what i can read it is dated 1862 ??? changes to my wedding trip from ??? & co druggists NY? city .... any info gratefully accepted.

pottynz - 2012-05-31 21:28:00

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donaldo - 2012-06-01 13:00:00

donaldo wrote:

common stamp--curiosity value only

Damn , and I had such high hopes ... Oh well I'll keep digging , some gold will turn up sooner or later.Thanks for that donaldo

pottynz - 2012-06-01 13:46:00

Hi folks,
Is there a ChCh stamp fair tomorrow at Mandeville St ??
Cheers

smyrnia - 2012-06-01 14:05:00

smyrnia wrote:

Hi folks,
Is there a ChCh stamp fair tomorrow at Mandeville St ??
Cheers

Sure is will see you there.

rebel58 - 2012-06-01 16:27:00

donaldo wrote:

and so the SHOW GOES ON
trademe said i was advertising and i am not going or participating in any form
and now why should i give free information when continually stabbed in the back

watch out steven

It puzzles me why they slap legitimate traders who are helpful in here but they do nothing to dissuade people who sell large quantities of counterfeits (coins from my POV).

The former will encourage customers in the long term and the latter will push people away ultimately affecting TM's credibility and possibly negatively affecting their income from transactions.

chrisr5 - 2012-06-01 17:13:00

smyrnia wrote:

Hi folks,
Is there a ChCh stamp fair tomorrow at Mandeville St ??
Cheers[/quote

I think there is also an auction on afterwards but the fair is certainly on and should be popular. No sleeping in on Saturday morning!

kiwisteven - 2012-06-01 23:34:00

pottynz wrote:

Anybody seen a secret message on the back of an old stamp ????
http://images.trademe.co.nz/photoserver/52/218870552_full.jp
g
http://images.trademe.co.nz/photoserver/43/218870643_full.jp
g
http://images.trademe.co.nz/photoserver/97/218870697_full.jp
g
http://images.trademe.co.nz/photoserver/36/218870736_full.jp
g
here's one for you then and a delightful find it was.i was going through an old USA collection and this was stored in a seperate envelope.
from what i can read it is dated 1862 ??? changes to my wedding trip from ??? & co druggists NY? city .... any info gratefully accepted.

Maybe no dollar value, but interesting for two reasons:
(1) the handwriting must be tiny!
(2) the message is intriging:
10.30.62 Tablets? for "change" on my wedding trip. From Higson? & Co Druggist N.Y. City. Edward? Sylvia?

musikal - 2012-06-02 00:41:00

is there a stamp fair on saturday at tauranga or does anyone know when?

connors - 2012-06-02 01:33:00

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skilling-stamps - 2012-06-02 06:13:00

Thanks Steven

smyrnia - 2012-06-02 09:13:00

Does anyone know when the stamp fair is on in Tauranga

connors - 2012-06-02 10:32:00

This message was deleted.

donaldo - 2012-06-02 12:56:00

chrisr5 wrote:

It puzzles me why they slap legitimate traders who are helpful in here but they do nothing to dissuade people who sell large quantities of counterfeits (coins from my POV).

The former will encourage customers in the long term and the latter will push people away ultimately affecting TM's credibility and possibly negatively affecting their income from transactions.

So true

warm3 - 2012-06-05 10:30:00

Is there a price difference on the 1935 official set for the 1d kiwi?
I was going through a collection and have a brown red version and a red version.Under a loupe the colour of the brown red variety is almost "raised".Let me know if its worth some pics.... cheers

pottynz - 2012-06-05 16:47:00

pottynz wrote:

Is there a price difference on the 1935 official set for the 1d kiwi?
I was going through a collection and have a brown red version and a red version.Under a loupe the colour of the brown red variety is almost "raised".Let me know if its worth some pics.... cheers

two Dies ,three different printings ,Two different shades ,Two Different Perfs,Nine Plate numbers ,two meshes ,and seven Watermark varieties.It can be worth cents or Hundreds of Dollars.And on top of that I think that oxidizing may turn the stamps Brown.I stand to be corrected on the last assumption.

Edited by rebel58 at 5:06 pm, Tue 5 Jun

rebel58 - 2012-06-05 17:03:00

rebel58 wrote:

two Dies ,three different printings ,Two different shades ,Two Different Perfs,Nine Plate numbers ,two meshes ,and seven Watermark varieties.It can be worth cents or Hundreds of Dollars.And on top of that I think that oxidizing may turn the stamps Brown.I stand to be corrected on the last assumption.

I knew there was a reason why i didn't collect stamps ... here's some pics anyway and see what you make of them ... cheers ...

http://images.trademe.co.nz/photoserver/45/219339045_full.jp
g
http://images.trademe.co.nz/photoserver/29/219339129_full.jp
g

pottynz - 2012-06-05 17:26:00