Stamp collecting is a way to spend my free time or, if I'm lucky, to earn a living. In either case, I will spend lots of time doing things other than collecting stamps.
I will support my local coin collectors, sports card collectors, bibliophiles, antique collectors, and local artists. If I'm lucky, I will join them in their pursuits.
The person who only collects new issue mint plate blocks or Disney stamps is just as much a philatelist or stamp collector as the one who collects Penny Black plate numbers or 19th century United States. We all must collect what we love to collect, and we all deserve each other's respect.
Like my family and my day job.
Collectors and non-collectors alike are the most important part of my life and, if I'm lucky, a continuous source of stamps for my collection.
When my collection gets so specialized that I can never find any stamps I need, I must face up to the fact that no matter what the size of my collection, I have given up the hobby.
Re-Gumming, Re-Perfing, and Repairing faulty stamps only makes them less valuable. While I may clean a cover to bring out its shine, or erase pencil marks from the back of a stamp, I will never go so far as to fool another collector, or myself,
I will follow the law and allow the post office to earn its keep. I will treasure any used stamp that comes into my possession, even if it has no cancellation.
I will never take advantage of a non-collector or another collector's ignorance if asked for my help. Instead, I will be thrilled that I have found them a treasure. However, if a person chooses to price up a valuable stamp as a lesser one without taking advantage of the benefit of my knowledge, I am allowed to get such a treasure at a bargain price.
There are stamps I will not part with for any amount of money. I understand that other collectors are the same and no matter the intrinsic value of the stamp, I will allow them to treat it as their own priceless treasure.
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