Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
I'd like to hear your ideas on cutoff dates. How did you decide on the point to end your collection?
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My general British Empire collection stops at the end of QV reign.
My Hong Kong collections stop at the end of the British Colony era (1997).
My specialized cancel collection has no end date, but generally I'm most interested in pre-QE2 era stamps.
Other smaller areas of collection don't have an end date as they are quite scattered, more of whimsy and intrigue for me. Saying that, I rarely collect anything post-1950s worldwide.
Talk about stuck in the past!!
Peter
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My collection cut-off date is the day that I die.
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I collect modern, to about 2005, Canada, GB, Sweden. The rest of my limited collections usually end around 1965, so similar to Peter, I am also stuck in the past. There is just too much wallpaper out there for me and I prefer to complete the countries I collect and not take on the entire world or every stamp ever issued. But then again, isn't that the beauty of collecting, collect what you want and how you want.
Mike
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My somewhat loose cut-off date is 1950. I'm generally not very interested in stamps issued since then. Exceptions:
— U.S. 1847 - 1947
— Various WWII collections: Roughly 1933 when the Nazis came to power to the early 1950s, when economic recovery was in full swing.
— Aviation collections, depending on the specific collection: 1930s-1950s, from the beginning of larger passenger plans through the development of the early jetliners.
— Philippine War, Pershing Punitive Expedition against Pancho Villa, Korean War, Algerian War and the Vietnam War: roughly the beginning and ending dates of each conflict.
— New Mexico collection: Roughly 1940s - 1950s, with excursions into earlier years.
— Astronomy collection: Any stamps that pictures an astronomy subject, provided that I like them.
If stamps issued in the last 50-plus years commemorate or otherwise illustrate the topics I collect, I'll buy those too, provided that I like them. I rarely include self-adhesives, though. I also collect postcards and covers that illustrate my collecting topics.
Bob
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My cutoff date for US is 12-31-14 with the exception of continuing definitive series that were ongoing as of that date (e.g. Prominent Americans). I will also continue to collect Airmail and BOB. That's International Forever, Priority, Express, Semi-Postals, and if they issue another Official stamp.
I don't intend to update my "Stamp from Every Country" collection, but I do plan to keep up with the topical Mermaid collection. I want to turn my attention to filling in spots in what I have.
Lars
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Great Britain, 2005 with no particular wish to fill earlier gaps. One for the descendants.
World War Two commemorative: ongoing, with the exception of the sort of stamps discussed elsewhere (i.e. produced for incorrect purposes!)
USSR - only just started! Cut off is 1970 when Dubasov retired, but selectivity as yet undecided. At present I'm looking at recess stamps of the period.
Germany Third Reich: self-evident
World War Two in Europe: not quite so self-evident as cut-off dates varied according to country, but May 9 1945 plus some odds and ends in the succeeding few weeks.
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I'll take Johnny Mathis's advice. "The twelfth of never."
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US used singles, 2000 sounded like a good ending, way too many issues and self adhesives, plus there are plenty of pre 1900 holes to fill, as well as WF's.
US used blocks of four, 1985 the National album I have ends at that point.
WW used about 1960 this is where my Minkus Global Supreme ends.
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Michael wrote:
"My collection cut-off date is the day that I die."
Based on the opposite end-point of life, my WW collection cut-off date is the day I was born. Scott Internationals Parts I-IV cover that almost exactly.
-Steve
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I am with the member above in that my cut off is the day I die. Having said that, I do not actively go after the newer stuff. If I get it, I keep it but now am actively working on Portuguese colonies.
I consider myself a true world wide collector as I collect everything. I am trying to limit that to used but even that is hard. Right now I have so much stuff to sort that I can not die. Given my general health, however, I need to start sorting faster and buying slower
Jack
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" Right now I have so much stuff to sort that I can not die. "
Would that stamp collecting be the elixir of life!
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I cut my USA collection off at 2000, and collect just the ones I like after that.
My Indonesia and Costa Rica collections? I just keep ploughing ahead. I keep buying the supplement for my Costa Rica album, each year. I only manage to get three or four used stamps... but I enjoy it.
David
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03:45:55pm
When my ticker stops a-tickin'.
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For my mint worldwide collection (which is still very small), I collect all issues from 1920 to 1960, a period that I regard as a golden age of stamp design. For my US collection (which starts at 1847), I actively collect right up to current issues, I am unabashed to say.
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I collect worldwide so I limit myself to the first 100 years (1840-1940)...but sometimes going a bit beyond to 1945 or so.
One big benefit of this is only needing one catalogue volume 
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Unofficially, somewhere in the mid-2000's. Just too many new issues that are both difficult to get a hold of and to soak (if still on paper). Given the reduction in usage of lettermail, most new issues are clearly aimed at the collector market and I have no desire to keep financial pace with mint new issues. 
With that said, I have been away from the hobby for a while and likely need to figure out how far my pages go and see from there.
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Yes and Yes
My U.S. is at 2012 or Scott #4716
Canadian is at 2012 0r Scott " 2600
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12:18:38pm
I cut my US off at 1978, although I do pick up interesting sheetlets and special issues at time. I confine general worldwide to pre-1940, except for British Commonwealth which I take through GVI issues.
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For US commemoratives my cutoff is around 1990, with a few exceptions. I would like to continue with the definitives past that date. I think that looking at the US collection in terms of how stamp production has changed is an interesting and fresh perspective - from the first perforated stamps to watermarking, to experimentation with booklets, to tagging and on and on. Instead of my frustration at self adhesives, just look at this as a progression in the process (for better or worse).
I really want to cutoff my world collections at 1940, but really focus on that 1840-1920 period. Then I realize that some of the most masterful engraving was done in the 1950s through 1980s, so I have to consider collecting engraved stamps as a topical by Engraver. I already have a start on my Czeslaw Slania collection (with a looong way to go)
Cut off, really? haha
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"I collect worldwide so I limit myself to the first 100 years (1840-1940)...but sometimes going a bit beyond to 1945 or so.
One big benefit of this is only needing one catalogue volume "
When I restarted in 1994 with airmails, I decided to cut it off at 1940. Was the Scott Classic being published then? I don't recall. Perhaps that was one reason I stopped in 1940. Like ChrisW, I don't need all those catalogs!
I remember that I wanted to build a more-or-less complete collection. I don't know why. What do you do when you complete a collection? I hope I don't do that.
According to my database, I have 5,022 stamps. I had no idea so many airmails had been issued in the early days. I still need lots of stamps, mostly varieties and Sanabria-listed stamps. Completion is probably impossible. I'm fine with that.
Ed Foster
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Ed Foster said,
"What do you do when you complete a collection?"
Good question! I have just one collection — used U.S. 1847-1947 — that I pay little attention to, adding stamps if and when I happen to see one I "need" or just want. It's housed in a Lighthouse album, a very lonely Lighthouse album. It's far from complete, but I rarely even look at it, much less study it with a plan to identify needs and then search for those stamps.
I do think that the goal of completeness has its own reward, which is not owning a complete collection, but in trying to complete it. It's much like sports fishing: the important goal is not having a big fish in your net, but in catching it.
Now that we've settled this question, I'd be happy to accept your boring, completed collections, or your unwanted, incomplete collections!
Bob
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"What do you do when you complete a collection?"
Are you serious?!? Any coin collector knows the answer to that question: Start another collection, of course!
Lars
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03:41:45am
A cutoff date, absolutely.
I am not sure what it is since if I did I would know the date I passed on and closed my albums.
That reminds me of the fellow in the commercial who is doing a crossword puzzle or some other mundane task when he sees a note that clearly states that he will have a heart attack the next day. The commercial then goes on to advise us that "Bob" or "Bill" won't get a warning about his cardiac infarction when anyone who was awake and watching has just seen the poor guy getting exactly that warning.
Some mini-skits like that appear to be a bit illogical, possibly insulting the visual acuity of the viewer.
Any way, just to be safe, I always leave at least one album open on my desk when I leave the room so I never have all my albums closed at once.
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Yes my Hong Kong collection is upto the end of British rule 1997, after that I keep stamps i am sent from HK post-1997 but will not buy them. So I have all issued HK stamps to 1997, plus treaty port, maritime and arrival abroad, mostly now collecting upto end of KGVI.
Its one of the great things about HK stamp collecting there is a finish date easily kept to and it is possible to be a completist.
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If it is not too big a secret where did you get the used Litho machins from as apart from one stamp they seem to be as elusive as hens teeth.
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For my US collecion, no upper cut off but do not collect anything prior to 200 or so yet.
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Cut off date is 1996. At that time I got tired of new album pages and the advent of self-adhesive stamps shortly thereafter made my decision easy. Plenty to collect WW up to that point!
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I've tried, but every time I cut it off...it grows back bigger then before! I finally gave up.
The problem is, I'll set a cut-off date, then I'll acquire a single, set or sheet that post dates that cut-off, but really appeals to me. So I add it to my collection and always feel compelled to try and back fill all those empty spaces before it. It's a vicious cycle, stamp collecting. Always fluid, always changing.
WB
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09:19:38am
WW - ends at 1949 (unless it's a set that overlaps into 1950)
Canada - individual stamps finished with the advent of self-adhesives but continue with S/S
Russia - ends with the fall of the USSR
Germany - ends at 2000 to include the completion of reunification
Topical Collections are limited to British Royalty events - weddings, coronations, etc.
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My US and Canada albums go to 1994 but like WB when I see something new for those countries I will add it to the collection on Vario pages, not worried about completeness after those dates. I collect several Scandinavian countries and those collections are on Vario pages so adding new stamps and not sticking with a set date works for me. My Iceland collection is current with 2016 on Steiner pages.
My collection of postal history has no start or end dates.
Vince
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I do not have a cut off date for any country.
What I collect in general is the period from about 1930 till 2000 from most countries, provided the stamps are easier to find and do not cost much.
The older stamps I do not try to collect as they are not so readily found and may cost a fortune, plus I have no relation to those olden days. The newer stamps I also do not try to collect and have a complete collection of, as it would be largely a waste of money.
Instead of printing 20 stamps a year, countries now print 200+ stamps/year in much smaller print volumes taking us on a fools errand. Self adhesive or not, it is impossible to keep up.
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I cut off in 2015 when the second doctor told me to get my affairs in order; didn’t want to burden my wife with dispositioning even more material. After a number of surgical attempts to save me I started thinking again about buying some stamps but then the third doctor told me I had 6 months, so I continue to hold at 2015. Then about 8 months ago the fourth doctor told me there was nothing more they could do. Well, I am still here and now going through withdrawal from not buying any stamps! CAT scan tomorrow and if results were as good as last time, then enough of this action, I’m buying! LOL
Don
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Go, Don, Go!
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When I die or February 30th, whichever comes first.
Tony
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"When I die or February 30th, whichever comes first."
I'm very much in this school of collecting
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Cut off date?????
Last week for EVERYTHING...............
Then this week a whole lot of Approvals appeared - gap fillers newbies etc. - socut off date is now NEXT week!
Goodness knows what my kids will do with all my stuff when I am gone - But I won't care - I had a GREAT hobby for my lifetime. 
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I figured I'd resurrect this thread because this is a topic that continues to interest me. I'm trying to manage my collecting interests so they don't get out of hand. What do you all recommend as some good cutoff dates for countries like France and colonies? What about Germany (or any other country you're interested in)? I've seen some good comments cutoff dates for the U.S. I'm not inclined to collect any present-day stamps as like many people have mentioned, so many countries produce way too many stamps every year. So for anyone who hasn't commented in this thread already, or someone who would like to add to what they wrote, I'm interested in reading whatever you have to say. I get inspired by discussion boards like this one.
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Ask yourself this question, “If I set a cutoff date will I be able to disposition any stamps I get after that date without hesitation?”
If you have no qualms about getting rid of stamps that fall outside your self-imposed cutoff date, then go for it. But some folks (like me) set a cutoff date but then struggle when they get stamp(s) which fall outside the date.
Don
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Don, I agree with you completely.
When I look at new issues coming out, they just really don't appeal to me for the most part. I just love looking at my old classics. Collecting the newer issues almost seems like a chore that I can't get out of....
I was considering just this morning setting a cutoff date, but I agree with what you said - I wouldn't go out of my way to pursue them, but if they come across my desk outside of my cutoff date, I think I would feel compelled to add them to my collection.
So - this is a dilemma -
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I've been thinking about stopping a few collections at a certain date rather than drop the collection completely. So many new issues are self-adhesive and unsoakable and it is almost impossible to find newer issues postally used. I'm leaning towards stopping some of them at around 2005 or so or whenever the self-adhesive issues become prevalent and snail mail tanked due to email. If I only collected mint I probably wouldn't be considering a cutoff.
I'd like to hear your ideas on cutoff dates. How did you decide on the point to end your collection?
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09:39:19am
re: Does your collection have a cutoff date?
My general British Empire collection stops at the end of QV reign.
My Hong Kong collections stop at the end of the British Colony era (1997).
My specialized cancel collection has no end date, but generally I'm most interested in pre-QE2 era stamps.
Other smaller areas of collection don't have an end date as they are quite scattered, more of whimsy and intrigue for me. Saying that, I rarely collect anything post-1950s worldwide.
Talk about stuck in the past!!
Peter
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re: Does your collection have a cutoff date?
My collection cut-off date is the day that I die.
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re: Does your collection have a cutoff date?
I collect modern, to about 2005, Canada, GB, Sweden. The rest of my limited collections usually end around 1965, so similar to Peter, I am also stuck in the past. There is just too much wallpaper out there for me and I prefer to complete the countries I collect and not take on the entire world or every stamp ever issued. But then again, isn't that the beauty of collecting, collect what you want and how you want.
Mike
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re: Does your collection have a cutoff date?
My somewhat loose cut-off date is 1950. I'm generally not very interested in stamps issued since then. Exceptions:
— U.S. 1847 - 1947
— Various WWII collections: Roughly 1933 when the Nazis came to power to the early 1950s, when economic recovery was in full swing.
— Aviation collections, depending on the specific collection: 1930s-1950s, from the beginning of larger passenger plans through the development of the early jetliners.
— Philippine War, Pershing Punitive Expedition against Pancho Villa, Korean War, Algerian War and the Vietnam War: roughly the beginning and ending dates of each conflict.
— New Mexico collection: Roughly 1940s - 1950s, with excursions into earlier years.
— Astronomy collection: Any stamps that pictures an astronomy subject, provided that I like them.
If stamps issued in the last 50-plus years commemorate or otherwise illustrate the topics I collect, I'll buy those too, provided that I like them. I rarely include self-adhesives, though. I also collect postcards and covers that illustrate my collecting topics.
Bob
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re: Does your collection have a cutoff date?
My cutoff date for US is 12-31-14 with the exception of continuing definitive series that were ongoing as of that date (e.g. Prominent Americans). I will also continue to collect Airmail and BOB. That's International Forever, Priority, Express, Semi-Postals, and if they issue another Official stamp.
I don't intend to update my "Stamp from Every Country" collection, but I do plan to keep up with the topical Mermaid collection. I want to turn my attention to filling in spots in what I have.
Lars
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re: Does your collection have a cutoff date?
Great Britain, 2005 with no particular wish to fill earlier gaps. One for the descendants.
World War Two commemorative: ongoing, with the exception of the sort of stamps discussed elsewhere (i.e. produced for incorrect purposes!)
USSR - only just started! Cut off is 1970 when Dubasov retired, but selectivity as yet undecided. At present I'm looking at recess stamps of the period.
Germany Third Reich: self-evident
World War Two in Europe: not quite so self-evident as cut-off dates varied according to country, but May 9 1945 plus some odds and ends in the succeeding few weeks.
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re: Does your collection have a cutoff date?
I'll take Johnny Mathis's advice. "The twelfth of never."
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re: Does your collection have a cutoff date?
US used singles, 2000 sounded like a good ending, way too many issues and self adhesives, plus there are plenty of pre 1900 holes to fill, as well as WF's.
US used blocks of four, 1985 the National album I have ends at that point.
WW used about 1960 this is where my Minkus Global Supreme ends.
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re: Does your collection have a cutoff date?
Michael wrote:
"My collection cut-off date is the day that I die."
Based on the opposite end-point of life, my WW collection cut-off date is the day I was born. Scott Internationals Parts I-IV cover that almost exactly.
-Steve
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01:29:39am
re: Does your collection have a cutoff date?
I am with the member above in that my cut off is the day I die. Having said that, I do not actively go after the newer stuff. If I get it, I keep it but now am actively working on Portuguese colonies.
I consider myself a true world wide collector as I collect everything. I am trying to limit that to used but even that is hard. Right now I have so much stuff to sort that I can not die. Given my general health, however, I need to start sorting faster and buying slower
Jack
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re: Does your collection have a cutoff date?
" Right now I have so much stuff to sort that I can not die. "
Would that stamp collecting be the elixir of life!
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re: Does your collection have a cutoff date?
I cut my USA collection off at 2000, and collect just the ones I like after that.
My Indonesia and Costa Rica collections? I just keep ploughing ahead. I keep buying the supplement for my Costa Rica album, each year. I only manage to get three or four used stamps... but I enjoy it.
David
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Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..
05 Apr 2015
03:45:55pm
re: Does your collection have a cutoff date?
When my ticker stops a-tickin'.
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re: Does your collection have a cutoff date?
For my mint worldwide collection (which is still very small), I collect all issues from 1920 to 1960, a period that I regard as a golden age of stamp design. For my US collection (which starts at 1847), I actively collect right up to current issues, I am unabashed to say.
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re: Does your collection have a cutoff date?
I collect worldwide so I limit myself to the first 100 years (1840-1940)...but sometimes going a bit beyond to 1945 or so.
One big benefit of this is only needing one catalogue volume
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re: Does your collection have a cutoff date?
Unofficially, somewhere in the mid-2000's. Just too many new issues that are both difficult to get a hold of and to soak (if still on paper). Given the reduction in usage of lettermail, most new issues are clearly aimed at the collector market and I have no desire to keep financial pace with mint new issues.
With that said, I have been away from the hobby for a while and likely need to figure out how far my pages go and see from there.
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re: Does your collection have a cutoff date?
Yes and Yes
My U.S. is at 2012 or Scott #4716
Canadian is at 2012 0r Scott " 2600
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They who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. -Benjamin Franklin
27 Apr 2015
12:18:38pm
re: Does your collection have a cutoff date?
I cut my US off at 1978, although I do pick up interesting sheetlets and special issues at time. I confine general worldwide to pre-1940, except for British Commonwealth which I take through GVI issues.
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re: Does your collection have a cutoff date?
For US commemoratives my cutoff is around 1990, with a few exceptions. I would like to continue with the definitives past that date. I think that looking at the US collection in terms of how stamp production has changed is an interesting and fresh perspective - from the first perforated stamps to watermarking, to experimentation with booklets, to tagging and on and on. Instead of my frustration at self adhesives, just look at this as a progression in the process (for better or worse).
I really want to cutoff my world collections at 1940, but really focus on that 1840-1920 period. Then I realize that some of the most masterful engraving was done in the 1950s through 1980s, so I have to consider collecting engraved stamps as a topical by Engraver. I already have a start on my Czeslaw Slania collection (with a looong way to go)
Cut off, really? haha
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re: Does your collection have a cutoff date?
"I collect worldwide so I limit myself to the first 100 years (1840-1940)...but sometimes going a bit beyond to 1945 or so.
One big benefit of this is only needing one catalogue volume "
When I restarted in 1994 with airmails, I decided to cut it off at 1940. Was the Scott Classic being published then? I don't recall. Perhaps that was one reason I stopped in 1940. Like ChrisW, I don't need all those catalogs!
I remember that I wanted to build a more-or-less complete collection. I don't know why. What do you do when you complete a collection? I hope I don't do that.
According to my database, I have 5,022 stamps. I had no idea so many airmails had been issued in the early days. I still need lots of stamps, mostly varieties and Sanabria-listed stamps. Completion is probably impossible. I'm fine with that.
Ed Foster
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re: Does your collection have a cutoff date?
Ed Foster said,
"What do you do when you complete a collection?"
Good question! I have just one collection — used U.S. 1847-1947 — that I pay little attention to, adding stamps if and when I happen to see one I "need" or just want. It's housed in a Lighthouse album, a very lonely Lighthouse album. It's far from complete, but I rarely even look at it, much less study it with a plan to identify needs and then search for those stamps.
I do think that the goal of completeness has its own reward, which is not owning a complete collection, but in trying to complete it. It's much like sports fishing: the important goal is not having a big fish in your net, but in catching it.
Now that we've settled this question, I'd be happy to accept your boring, completed collections, or your unwanted, incomplete collections!
Bob
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re: Does your collection have a cutoff date?
"What do you do when you complete a collection?"
Are you serious?!? Any coin collector knows the answer to that question: Start another collection, of course!
Lars
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Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..
29 Apr 2015
03:41:45am
re: Does your collection have a cutoff date?
A cutoff date, absolutely.
I am not sure what it is since if I did I would know the date I passed on and closed my albums.
That reminds me of the fellow in the commercial who is doing a crossword puzzle or some other mundane task when he sees a note that clearly states that he will have a heart attack the next day. The commercial then goes on to advise us that "Bob" or "Bill" won't get a warning about his cardiac infarction when anyone who was awake and watching has just seen the poor guy getting exactly that warning.
Some mini-skits like that appear to be a bit illogical, possibly insulting the visual acuity of the viewer.
Any way, just to be safe, I always leave at least one album open on my desk when I leave the room so I never have all my albums closed at once.
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re: Does your collection have a cutoff date?
Yes my Hong Kong collection is upto the end of British rule 1997, after that I keep stamps i am sent from HK post-1997 but will not buy them. So I have all issued HK stamps to 1997, plus treaty port, maritime and arrival abroad, mostly now collecting upto end of KGVI.
Its one of the great things about HK stamp collecting there is a finish date easily kept to and it is possible to be a completist.
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re: Does your collection have a cutoff date?
If it is not too big a secret where did you get the used Litho machins from as apart from one stamp they seem to be as elusive as hens teeth.
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re: Does your collection have a cutoff date?
For my US collecion, no upper cut off but do not collect anything prior to 200 or so yet.
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re: Does your collection have a cutoff date?
Cut off date is 1996. At that time I got tired of new album pages and the advent of self-adhesive stamps shortly thereafter made my decision easy. Plenty to collect WW up to that point!
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re: Does your collection have a cutoff date?
I've tried, but every time I cut it off...it grows back bigger then before! I finally gave up.
The problem is, I'll set a cut-off date, then I'll acquire a single, set or sheet that post dates that cut-off, but really appeals to me. So I add it to my collection and always feel compelled to try and back fill all those empty spaces before it. It's a vicious cycle, stamp collecting. Always fluid, always changing.
WB
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18 Oct 2017
09:19:38am
re: Does your collection have a cutoff date?
WW - ends at 1949 (unless it's a set that overlaps into 1950)
Canada - individual stamps finished with the advent of self-adhesives but continue with S/S
Russia - ends with the fall of the USSR
Germany - ends at 2000 to include the completion of reunification
Topical Collections are limited to British Royalty events - weddings, coronations, etc.
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re: Does your collection have a cutoff date?
My US and Canada albums go to 1994 but like WB when I see something new for those countries I will add it to the collection on Vario pages, not worried about completeness after those dates. I collect several Scandinavian countries and those collections are on Vario pages so adding new stamps and not sticking with a set date works for me. My Iceland collection is current with 2016 on Steiner pages.
My collection of postal history has no start or end dates.
Vince
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Approvals
re: Does your collection have a cutoff date?
I do not have a cut off date for any country.
What I collect in general is the period from about 1930 till 2000 from most countries, provided the stamps are easier to find and do not cost much.
The older stamps I do not try to collect as they are not so readily found and may cost a fortune, plus I have no relation to those olden days. The newer stamps I also do not try to collect and have a complete collection of, as it would be largely a waste of money.
Instead of printing 20 stamps a year, countries now print 200+ stamps/year in much smaller print volumes taking us on a fools errand. Self adhesive or not, it is impossible to keep up.
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re: Does your collection have a cutoff date?
I cut off in 2015 when the second doctor told me to get my affairs in order; didn’t want to burden my wife with dispositioning even more material. After a number of surgical attempts to save me I started thinking again about buying some stamps but then the third doctor told me I had 6 months, so I continue to hold at 2015. Then about 8 months ago the fourth doctor told me there was nothing more they could do. Well, I am still here and now going through withdrawal from not buying any stamps! CAT scan tomorrow and if results were as good as last time, then enough of this action, I’m buying! LOL
Don
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re: Does your collection have a cutoff date?
Go, Don, Go!
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re: Does your collection have a cutoff date?
When I die or February 30th, whichever comes first.
Tony
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re: Does your collection have a cutoff date?
"When I die or February 30th, whichever comes first."
I'm very much in this school of collecting
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re: Does your collection have a cutoff date?
Cut off date?????
Last week for EVERYTHING...............
Then this week a whole lot of Approvals appeared - gap fillers newbies etc. - socut off date is now NEXT week!
Goodness knows what my kids will do with all my stuff when I am gone - But I won't care - I had a GREAT hobby for my lifetime.
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re: Does your collection have a cutoff date?
I figured I'd resurrect this thread because this is a topic that continues to interest me. I'm trying to manage my collecting interests so they don't get out of hand. What do you all recommend as some good cutoff dates for countries like France and colonies? What about Germany (or any other country you're interested in)? I've seen some good comments cutoff dates for the U.S. I'm not inclined to collect any present-day stamps as like many people have mentioned, so many countries produce way too many stamps every year. So for anyone who hasn't commented in this thread already, or someone who would like to add to what they wrote, I'm interested in reading whatever you have to say. I get inspired by discussion boards like this one.
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re: Does your collection have a cutoff date?
Ask yourself this question, “If I set a cutoff date will I be able to disposition any stamps I get after that date without hesitation?”
If you have no qualms about getting rid of stamps that fall outside your self-imposed cutoff date, then go for it. But some folks (like me) set a cutoff date but then struggle when they get stamp(s) which fall outside the date.
Don
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re: Does your collection have a cutoff date?
Don, I agree with you completely.
When I look at new issues coming out, they just really don't appeal to me for the most part. I just love looking at my old classics. Collecting the newer issues almost seems like a chore that I can't get out of....
I was considering just this morning setting a cutoff date, but I agree with what you said - I wouldn't go out of my way to pursue them, but if they come across my desk outside of my cutoff date, I think I would feel compelled to add them to my collection.
So - this is a dilemma -
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