Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Don
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Wow! I was thinking butterflies and race cars. I'm not sure what the target audience is, but it won't be my preteen grandkids. As an adult, I was compelled by it and I think it could be effective on an adult level, but certainly not for youngsters.
WB
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Shouldn't neglect also targeting all the baby boomers just now entering retirement.
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I developed the video based upon the recent APS survey results; targeting 20 to 55 year-olds.
If you are seeking online stamp resources to introduce kids to philately please try these online games I developed for kids. (I did these and donated them to APS for the World Stamp Show.)
http://www.stampsmarter.com/aps/games.html
Don
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There is such a huge difference between the ages of 20-55, I'm not sure the "horrors of war" would really cover the full scope of that age bracket. I have a 30 year old son and I know a lot of his friends. They're into hunting, fishing, camping, muddin', women, fun in the sun, etc... They don't want to be sheltered from this type of dark subject matter, but for them, I think it would be too near to watching the nightly news.
Don't get me wrong, I found the video very compelling and you did a fine job in making it. But in a broad sense, I don't think it will spawn that many new collectors in the lower range of that particular age group. It's just my opinion, but I think most in the 20-40(+/-) year old range still want to think "happy thoughts" and would be much more compelled toward a...shall we say, enlightened topic of interest.
WB
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I enjoyed it.
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"Shouldn't neglect also targeting all the baby boomers just now entering retirement."
I recently saw Scott English, Executive Director of the APS, speak. He talked about APS growth and demographics. He said their largest growth was this pre-retirement group of people in their 50s. We are the folks who have grown children, spare time and a few dollars to spend. Many people are looking for a pastime and look back to their stamp collecting in their youth fondly. As a result APS will be investing a better portion of their recruitment budget in this area.
USPS is working on the youth end of the spectrum with all the issues of recent years with cartoon characters, super heros and pets. When I did my post office crawl last fall, I noticed that even the smallest post offices had displays of current commemorative stamps on sale. The general public is noticing, either collecting or using these stamps on mail. I get a lot of mail from car modelers, and I'm seeing the recent pickup truck stamp on a lot of it. When I was in a post office I witnessed a middle age lady buying stamps for her mail. She saw the display and chose the ice cream booklet and said, "These look fun!"
Although us diehards may see these recent issues as wall paper, it seems to be good marketing for the times and target audience.
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Agree with targeting the pre-retirement group as the most likely group to grow...but eventually the hobby will run out of people who "use to collect as a kid and look back at collecting in their youth fondly"
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"but eventually the hobby will run out of people who "use to collect as a kid and look back at collecting in their youth fondly" "
There's more people out there with small stamp collections than we can imagine. In fact people you know...
Here's the story. We've known my wife's best friend at least 40 years. When I did the stamp talk at my model club, my wife had taken a photo of me and posted it on FaceBook. So we went to this friend's house last weekend, and the subject of my stamp talk came up. That's when she tells me that her mother was a big stamp collector and dragged her and her brother around to stamp stores when they were kids! She tells me that her brother has a large stamp collection! I've also known him all this time. Then she adds that her 35 year old daughter has a stamp collection, that her grandmother started her on. The daughter, who I've known since birth, goes to her room and brings out a binder where she had all kinds of foreign stamps on stock sheets.
I was floored! I've known these folks forever and the subject of stamps never came up!
I had my airmail binder in my car (we were in NJ for the weekend, and I was going to show a friend of mine my new Zeppelins the next day). So I brought it in and the daughter and I spent about an hour going through it. She was very interested, and said I was motivating her to put her collection into better order!
So you know she will be getting a care package the next time I visit!
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I enjoyed the video, which was well prepared and produced, and greatly enhanced by the choice of music. But it did seem to be more an 'anti-war' statement, than a promotion of stamp collecting. I think a more distinct link with stamp collecting (using cutaways at the cost of fewer stamp images), would enhance the message you're trying to get across.
I admire your 'preliminary effort' at this though.
It is however with slightly heavy heart that having watched your production, I now offer my rather pessimistic view of the hobby's future:
"...but eventually the hobby will run out of people who "used to collect as a kid and look back at collecting in their youth fondly"."
This is the key problem the hobby faces. And when the supply of pre-retirement collectors is exhausted, I think we can forget about the younger generations showing much interest at all.
Yes there are pockets of younger collectors out there, but there aren't enough of them.
From what I have seen, the generation currently at senior school (my kids included) have no knowledge of or even the slightest interest in history. That to me is an important prerequisite to taking up the hobby beyond the mere accumulation of attractive or interesting 'labels'.
This isn't helped by somewhat belittling comments from journalists, such as “Britain is a nation of eccentrics, and people engage in odd hobbies like train-spotting, stamp collection and collecting butterflies”; as previously referred to on another thread. Sadly, this just attaches a stigma to hobbies in general.
What we do have to remember, is that these hobbies were amongst the few activities that children could occupy themselves with little expense, some 40 plus years ago. There were bricks and mortar shops on the high street, there were steam trains running (I'll skip the butterfly collecting). With enthusiastic encouragement from parents, these hobbies undoubtedly overcame boredom and were a distraction from loneliness for many.
Now, youngsters are totally immersed in technology. Aside from the 'play stations' and gaming gizmos, they are obsessed with mobile phones and their associated communication platforms.
To me, it is highly unlikely that they would dare indulge in unfashionable hobbies like stamp collecting , for fear of being ridiculed by their peers; "it's so un-cool!". After-all, we have seen how the likes of Twitter and Facebook can be so corrosive and destructive.
Do they listen to the music we grew up with and loved? No. For the very same reason; it is not fashionable. They just don't identify with our 'outmoded' tastes and interests.
Aside from the above, the younger generation(s) of today barely understand the concept of a postal system, other than it being a mechanism to send and deliver parcels via eBay and online shopping outlets.
Letters and postcards are never written; never mind posted. So how can we possibly think that a hobby that involves the removal of (often non existent) postage stamps from envelopes, would give any much needed impetus to philately.
I wish that I could come back in the future and be proved wrong. Sadly, I think we may be clutching at straws.
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I don't think APS membership data is the best overall barometer of the hobby. I think the bottom line is that the demand for high quality material is very strong. I've heard that stamp collecting is a "dying hobby" for 25 years and the price of U.S. #2 is higher than ever.
I would say that the "golden age" for stamp collecting was the 30s and 40s. After 1960s cultural revolution is when stamp collecting became known as a hobby for "squares". The people retiring right now didn't grow up in a time when stamp collecting was cool
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Here is a second video, one with more uplifting content (and suitable for the youngest children)
"Rainbows On Stamps"
Don
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Very nice.
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At the risk of sounding like a big sissy, I actually enjoyed that very much. My granddaughter has a modest collection of stamps with rainbows and unicorns, I sent her Mom the link. I think she'll get a big kick out of that one. Well done, sir! 
Now watcha got for little boys who like to play in the mud, catch bugs and lizards and generally do what little boys do? 
WB
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Don, Kudos for your work on trying to spread the hobby. Who knows what will really help draw attention and interest but anything positive can't help. History, geography, art old pieces of paper and hopes of finding treasure have always been things I thought compelling. I've wondered quit often on how to interest kids but the competition of video games is a hard act to follow. Getting baby boomers started again seems to have been the most successful avenue in the last couple decades with the advent of the internet. Appealing to the physically handicapped and people in colder regions of the planet would also be areas to address for obvious reasons. I don't no whoever said stamp collecting was not cool hasn't the foggiest idea what cool is. Stamps are very friggin cool, shout it from the rooftops. Collectors have always been somewhat secretive so it is hard quantify how many there are and at what level. It's not a bad idea to assk most anyone you run into if they collect or not.
I played a few of your games and found them mildly entertaining and maybe a step in the right direction for younger people. I thank you for your time in addressing this problem that we all worry about.
I found an error in your Presidents cross word puzzle. Andrew Jackson clue should read "on the twenty dollar bill"
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WB,
Added a new 'space' video this morning (below). Perhaps this might be good for the boys?
I have not yet had the time but I will, at some point, go back and add 'CC' (closed captions) which will identify each stamp. I did not want to add this in during the development of the video since I could not figure out how to turn them on and off. But I know how to do this in YouTube after publishing them.
Don
Space Stamp Video
P.S. - Thanks Mitch! I fixed the crossword hint.
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Now that was fun!! You do an outstanding job with these videos and I think they should serve the cause very well!! I know my grandsons will really enjoy them.
WB
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I like the space one but then I do like sci fi.
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Don that is a great job. As a 47 year old retired veteran I can certainly relate to the first video whole heartily especially after four tours to Iraq. You've hit the target audience you were seeking in my eyes. On another more personal note I'm introducing my youngest son to the hobby by having him sit on lap when I'm sorting and placing stamps in albums. It's especially fun to watch him try to imitate what I'm doing.
Jeremy
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Good presentations and well done, nice choice of stamps and music.
Just my two pence worth, but is this the music that today's 6-15 year old children listen to?
Maybe to be "hip" with current trends it should be from Beauty and the Beast or Frozen or whatever else is currently in vogue.
There are of course two sides of the argument, if we have new collectors coming in the value/price of stamps will rise, making our collections more valuable.
On the other hand, if fewer collectors enter the market, then as the older generation of philatelists passes to sharpie free pastures, more stamps will be available and prices will decrease making it easier and cheaper for us to fill the gaps.
Today's children live in a cyberspace world, they do not read newspapers, they do not pass the bricks and mortar shops and are unlikely to encounter the world of stamp collecting without a nudge from local stamp nuts.
Recently where I live (well 40 miles away)there was a stamp meet arranged, it did not make our local newspaper and the organisers (Prairie Mountain Philatelic Society) do not have an entry in the telephone directory, or on Facebook and no contact details were given in the blurb for the event. It did warrant an entry in the local newspaper for the show area but nothing since. Hard to join if you have no contacts.
Winnipeg philatelic society does have a web presence and gives freebies to youngsters at shows but is a five hour round trip away.
Hopefully things will come around and the older hobbies will arise from the ashes with a new audience.
Is it that today's stamps are really just pretty (sometimes) Photo shopped images, rather than the artwork created by the engravers. Maybe the schools should be teaching the older crafts and skills.
OK rant over, back to the stamps.
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sheepshanks, true enough....
I'm 57 and have fairly eclectic taste in music but sorry, I don't do rap. (I think rap is to music what Etch-A-Sketch is to art. 
)
Don
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51 Studebaker, I'm just past 70, rap is alien to me, especially being hard of hearing, maybe that's a blessing.
I grew up with classical music, Gilbert and Sullivan, Oklahoma etc, teen years were Dylan and Donegan, later Rolling stones-early stuff, Trad jazz, folk and still some classical music to soothe the soul.
Just not sure what your average youngster listens to and enjoys, understands these days. Though if it's pink it should appeal to girls under 10.
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Rap does suck but etch-a-sketch however....
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Ernie, try this for finger touch etching, war historians will also appreciate.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5bdMyOWLHg
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New Video
Reef Fish On Stamps
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Very nicely done—yet again—Don. These are really, really good.
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Made me wanna go crusin' in my yellow submarine. Another fun video!
WB
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Thank you for the kind words, I am hoping it stimulates others to also make and post stamp videos. If anyone needs any help I would be happy to give assistant.
I added Closed Captions (CC) to this video to help ID the stamps. CC is 'off' by default but you can see them by clicking on the CC as shown below.
I only added the year of issue and issuing country but it would be easy to add catalog number, descriptions, values, etc. I like it is off by default since it more for collectors than the casual viewer.
Don
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Don, are there any issues with using the songs for these videos? I've got a couple of ideas, but wasn't sure about problems with copyright laws.
WB
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WB,
YouTube uses algorithms to detect copyright infringements and in fact they are quite good. They will rarely detect music incorrectly (especially classical music for some reason) but for the most part they are very accurate.
Many Copyright owners understand the value of having YouTube support and have entered into agreements with YouTube to pay them without needing to charge the casual video poster. They do this through the use of ad revenue; so on many video you will see ads pop up during the video. This is a sign that there are copyright royalties being paid. It is actually pretty slick of YouTube to work it out like this; if they did not have this in place YouTube would have far fewer videos.
They also enforce regional copyrights laws, so they will automatically block some videos depending on copyrights in various countries. The David Bowie sound track I used in the Space video is blocked in some countries due to this.
The only downside is that you have to first upload the video for it to detect any copyright issues. But all-in-all YouTube has really streamlined the video posting process and making sure that copyrights are honored yet not a hassle to the video poster. Everything is automated and painless for posting videos.
Don
Note: The above applies to non-commercial videos. Commercial videos fall into another category and are subject to more stringent copyright protections.
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Cool! Now all I have to do...is learn how to make a video!
WB
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My son loves the games.
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I think there is potentially a large number of adults who could become collectors. You just have to tap into the market. The approach I think needs to be more oblique, and tagged on to someone's "other" interest(s).
Here in the UK there is an upsurge in interest in history, in it's broadest sense - particularly since it's downgrading in mainstream education. I was in a news store today and I was staggered by the number of "history" and "nostalgia" magazines - not just general titles, but transport ( my particular bag) but also genealogy, regional titles,antiques and sport. Large numbers of people must be buying these magazines, otherwise the numbers published would be much less.
It is not a huge leap from history to social history to postal history, and from there to stamps. I feel that this should be the target market. These people may not collect stamps as stamps per se, but as ephemeral objects in the context of their primary interest.
For example someone researching their forbears or their local history might be persuaded to collect postmarks and postal history connected with their research.
It might be that these people may be able to distance themselves from the "anorak" image of collectors in general and stamp collectors in particular. I also think that the collecting fraternity does not put enough emphasis on the intellectual satisfaction gained by serious study and research. Most outsiders perceive collectors to be either mere accumulators, or higher income types spending large sums of money on "investment" grade stamps, and I have to say that the image we put over ourselves ( and by the press) seems to be too heavily slanted on value. The beauty of stamp collecting for me is that it is far removed from earning a living, and more to do with interest ( and knowledge ) FOR IT'S OWN SAKE (capitals not for shouting but for emphasis).
Just how we achieve this I am not sure.
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"Most outsiders perceive collectors to be either mere accumulators, or higher income types spending large sums of money on "investment" grade stamps, and I have to say that the image we put over ourselves ( and by the press) seems to be too heavily slanted on value. "
I think you're right on both counts.
The press (or media) is the primary source of the most adverse effect. It has the most narrow focus on just one element; value. It only ever reports on something selling for a new 'record' price. Does it ever report on a collector achieving an award for an exhibit; even by local media? No.
Value is then the only perception the general public have. And so it then fuels the situation where some collectors, when their 'habit' is admitted in conversation, justify it by saying, "Well, it's my little investment". This is obviously done to obviate embarrassment of being interested in a hobby which is perceived as 'nerdy'.
This then becomes a vicious circle.
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New video uploaded to YouTube this morning...
'Royals on Stamps'
Music 'Royals' by Lorde
Don
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Latest video, Bridges On Stamps - Bridge Over Troubled Waters
(Click on "CC" to see additional info in video)
Don
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Love the video Don! I hadn't heard that song in very long time. That song is a literal masterpiece. Gives me goosebumps listening to it.
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Amazing work, Don! If these videos don't entice kids and adults alike to start collecting stamps, I don't know what will!
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To embed a video, copy ONLY the video ID (in this case, the "MYK..." https://youtu.be/MYK34RyUpqY), highlight it, and click the Youtube button.
Ted
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Thank you Ted!
I think I had tried everything under the sun but not that!
Don
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02:13:30am
" ... This is obviously done to obviate embarrassment of being interested in a hobby which is perceived as 'nerdy'. ..."
And years ago while filling out college applications, I was advised to mention philately even though I had hardly looked at a stamp in six or eight years. But it was considered an indication of seriousness and perhaps erudition.
I suppose an interest in college then, especially one of the Federal Military Academies, was a bit nerdy.
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Clocks On Stamp Music Video
"Time" by Pink Floyd seems a natural choice
Don
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Another fantastic choice of music, Don. The combinations you come up with are spectacular!
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I was requested to generate some Disney videos to be shown at an upcoming stamp show. I made 5, here are three of them.
Mickey Stamps - Music "Mickey Mouse Club"
Frozen - Music "Let it Go"
The Lion King - Music "Circle of Life"
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The issue, in your videos, is not the copyright, since you have given credit as to where the ownership lies (performer). It is the royalties to be paid for the use of the music. As you said, YouTube seems to have that taken care of that with ASCAP and BMI.
Great job with the videos. I'm going to show some to my grandsons next time they are here.
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Very nice videos.
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Hello everyone
We have two of our grandchildren staying for a few days while their dad recovers from surgery - a broken shoulder in a bike mishap. The little ones are Luke who's 3 and his sister Evie who's 1. We also have Harry, another grandchild, who comes to us every Friday - he's 2. We are discovering how old we actually are (round the 70 mark) while trying to keep up with the little ones!
So, I'm wondering, at what age one can begin to interest little children in stamps and stamp collecting. Not at 1, certainly, nor at 3, I think. But before long the time will come. What's your experience of this?
Luke, Evie and Harry aren't our only grandchildren - we also have Victor who's 5, Charlie who's 11, Toshi who's 16, Rachel who's 17 and Chloe who's 20.
The parents are totally uninterested in any sort of collecting. and I must admit that I'm reluctant to show my collections to any of them - certainly at this young age!
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I started my grandsons out when they were 3. I gave them hundreds of stamps, damaged and not, plus a couple of old stock books. I told them to look at the stamps, keep the ones that they want and put them in their stock books. Basically I told them to "have at it".
I worked on my stamps as they went through the hoard. Now, as they are getting older, I am getting them to look at the stamps and not collect the damaged ones, and to replace the damaged ones that they saved when they were younger.
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In thinking about ways that we might be able to capture new, younger (under 60 year old) people I struggled to think of ways to introduce non-collectors to our hobby. Perhaps what is needed are ways in which we present stamps without it coming across as an old, fuddy-duddy hobby… something a bit more edgy, more contemporary, something that might appeal to their social values. So I took a stab at doing a music video kind of thing and here is the preliminary effort. Feedback welcome.
Don
Mods: Sorry, I cannot seem to get the YouTube embed tags to work.
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re: Introducing others to our hobby
Wow! I was thinking butterflies and race cars. I'm not sure what the target audience is, but it won't be my preteen grandkids. As an adult, I was compelled by it and I think it could be effective on an adult level, but certainly not for youngsters.
WB
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re: Introducing others to our hobby
Shouldn't neglect also targeting all the baby boomers just now entering retirement.
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re: Introducing others to our hobby
I developed the video based upon the recent APS survey results; targeting 20 to 55 year-olds.
If you are seeking online stamp resources to introduce kids to philately please try these online games I developed for kids. (I did these and donated them to APS for the World Stamp Show.)
http://www.stampsmarter.com/aps/games.html
Don
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re: Introducing others to our hobby
There is such a huge difference between the ages of 20-55, I'm not sure the "horrors of war" would really cover the full scope of that age bracket. I have a 30 year old son and I know a lot of his friends. They're into hunting, fishing, camping, muddin', women, fun in the sun, etc... They don't want to be sheltered from this type of dark subject matter, but for them, I think it would be too near to watching the nightly news.
Don't get me wrong, I found the video very compelling and you did a fine job in making it. But in a broad sense, I don't think it will spawn that many new collectors in the lower range of that particular age group. It's just my opinion, but I think most in the 20-40(+/-) year old range still want to think "happy thoughts" and would be much more compelled toward a...shall we say, enlightened topic of interest.
WB
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re: Introducing others to our hobby
I enjoyed it.
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re: Introducing others to our hobby
"Shouldn't neglect also targeting all the baby boomers just now entering retirement."
I recently saw Scott English, Executive Director of the APS, speak. He talked about APS growth and demographics. He said their largest growth was this pre-retirement group of people in their 50s. We are the folks who have grown children, spare time and a few dollars to spend. Many people are looking for a pastime and look back to their stamp collecting in their youth fondly. As a result APS will be investing a better portion of their recruitment budget in this area.
USPS is working on the youth end of the spectrum with all the issues of recent years with cartoon characters, super heros and pets. When I did my post office crawl last fall, I noticed that even the smallest post offices had displays of current commemorative stamps on sale. The general public is noticing, either collecting or using these stamps on mail. I get a lot of mail from car modelers, and I'm seeing the recent pickup truck stamp on a lot of it. When I was in a post office I witnessed a middle age lady buying stamps for her mail. She saw the display and chose the ice cream booklet and said, "These look fun!"
Although us diehards may see these recent issues as wall paper, it seems to be good marketing for the times and target audience.
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re: Introducing others to our hobby
Agree with targeting the pre-retirement group as the most likely group to grow...but eventually the hobby will run out of people who "use to collect as a kid and look back at collecting in their youth fondly"
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re: Introducing others to our hobby
"but eventually the hobby will run out of people who "use to collect as a kid and look back at collecting in their youth fondly" "
There's more people out there with small stamp collections than we can imagine. In fact people you know...
Here's the story. We've known my wife's best friend at least 40 years. When I did the stamp talk at my model club, my wife had taken a photo of me and posted it on FaceBook. So we went to this friend's house last weekend, and the subject of my stamp talk came up. That's when she tells me that her mother was a big stamp collector and dragged her and her brother around to stamp stores when they were kids! She tells me that her brother has a large stamp collection! I've also known him all this time. Then she adds that her 35 year old daughter has a stamp collection, that her grandmother started her on. The daughter, who I've known since birth, goes to her room and brings out a binder where she had all kinds of foreign stamps on stock sheets.
I was floored! I've known these folks forever and the subject of stamps never came up!
I had my airmail binder in my car (we were in NJ for the weekend, and I was going to show a friend of mine my new Zeppelins the next day). So I brought it in and the daughter and I spent about an hour going through it. She was very interested, and said I was motivating her to put her collection into better order!
So you know she will be getting a care package the next time I visit!
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re: Introducing others to our hobby
I enjoyed the video, which was well prepared and produced, and greatly enhanced by the choice of music. But it did seem to be more an 'anti-war' statement, than a promotion of stamp collecting. I think a more distinct link with stamp collecting (using cutaways at the cost of fewer stamp images), would enhance the message you're trying to get across.
I admire your 'preliminary effort' at this though.
It is however with slightly heavy heart that having watched your production, I now offer my rather pessimistic view of the hobby's future:
"...but eventually the hobby will run out of people who "used to collect as a kid and look back at collecting in their youth fondly"."
This is the key problem the hobby faces. And when the supply of pre-retirement collectors is exhausted, I think we can forget about the younger generations showing much interest at all.
Yes there are pockets of younger collectors out there, but there aren't enough of them.
From what I have seen, the generation currently at senior school (my kids included) have no knowledge of or even the slightest interest in history. That to me is an important prerequisite to taking up the hobby beyond the mere accumulation of attractive or interesting 'labels'.
This isn't helped by somewhat belittling comments from journalists, such as “Britain is a nation of eccentrics, and people engage in odd hobbies like train-spotting, stamp collection and collecting butterflies”; as previously referred to on another thread. Sadly, this just attaches a stigma to hobbies in general.
What we do have to remember, is that these hobbies were amongst the few activities that children could occupy themselves with little expense, some 40 plus years ago. There were bricks and mortar shops on the high street, there were steam trains running (I'll skip the butterfly collecting). With enthusiastic encouragement from parents, these hobbies undoubtedly overcame boredom and were a distraction from loneliness for many.
Now, youngsters are totally immersed in technology. Aside from the 'play stations' and gaming gizmos, they are obsessed with mobile phones and their associated communication platforms.
To me, it is highly unlikely that they would dare indulge in unfashionable hobbies like stamp collecting , for fear of being ridiculed by their peers; "it's so un-cool!". After-all, we have seen how the likes of Twitter and Facebook can be so corrosive and destructive.
Do they listen to the music we grew up with and loved? No. For the very same reason; it is not fashionable. They just don't identify with our 'outmoded' tastes and interests.
Aside from the above, the younger generation(s) of today barely understand the concept of a postal system, other than it being a mechanism to send and deliver parcels via eBay and online shopping outlets.
Letters and postcards are never written; never mind posted. So how can we possibly think that a hobby that involves the removal of (often non existent) postage stamps from envelopes, would give any much needed impetus to philately.
I wish that I could come back in the future and be proved wrong. Sadly, I think we may be clutching at straws.
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re: Introducing others to our hobby
I don't think APS membership data is the best overall barometer of the hobby. I think the bottom line is that the demand for high quality material is very strong. I've heard that stamp collecting is a "dying hobby" for 25 years and the price of U.S. #2 is higher than ever.
I would say that the "golden age" for stamp collecting was the 30s and 40s. After 1960s cultural revolution is when stamp collecting became known as a hobby for "squares". The people retiring right now didn't grow up in a time when stamp collecting was cool
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re: Introducing others to our hobby
Here is a second video, one with more uplifting content (and suitable for the youngest children)
"Rainbows On Stamps"
Don
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re: Introducing others to our hobby
At the risk of sounding like a big sissy, I actually enjoyed that very much. My granddaughter has a modest collection of stamps with rainbows and unicorns, I sent her Mom the link. I think she'll get a big kick out of that one. Well done, sir!
Now watcha got for little boys who like to play in the mud, catch bugs and lizards and generally do what little boys do?
WB
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Don, Kudos for your work on trying to spread the hobby. Who knows what will really help draw attention and interest but anything positive can't help. History, geography, art old pieces of paper and hopes of finding treasure have always been things I thought compelling. I've wondered quit often on how to interest kids but the competition of video games is a hard act to follow. Getting baby boomers started again seems to have been the most successful avenue in the last couple decades with the advent of the internet. Appealing to the physically handicapped and people in colder regions of the planet would also be areas to address for obvious reasons. I don't no whoever said stamp collecting was not cool hasn't the foggiest idea what cool is. Stamps are very friggin cool, shout it from the rooftops. Collectors have always been somewhat secretive so it is hard quantify how many there are and at what level. It's not a bad idea to assk most anyone you run into if they collect or not.
I played a few of your games and found them mildly entertaining and maybe a step in the right direction for younger people. I thank you for your time in addressing this problem that we all worry about.
I found an error in your Presidents cross word puzzle. Andrew Jackson clue should read "on the twenty dollar bill"
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re: Introducing others to our hobby
WB,
Added a new 'space' video this morning (below). Perhaps this might be good for the boys?
I have not yet had the time but I will, at some point, go back and add 'CC' (closed captions) which will identify each stamp. I did not want to add this in during the development of the video since I could not figure out how to turn them on and off. But I know how to do this in YouTube after publishing them.
Don
Space Stamp Video
P.S. - Thanks Mitch! I fixed the crossword hint.
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Now that was fun!! You do an outstanding job with these videos and I think they should serve the cause very well!! I know my grandsons will really enjoy them.
WB
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I like the space one but then I do like sci fi.
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12:18:01pm
re: Introducing others to our hobby
Don that is a great job. As a 47 year old retired veteran I can certainly relate to the first video whole heartily especially after four tours to Iraq. You've hit the target audience you were seeking in my eyes. On another more personal note I'm introducing my youngest son to the hobby by having him sit on lap when I'm sorting and placing stamps in albums. It's especially fun to watch him try to imitate what I'm doing.
Jeremy
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Good presentations and well done, nice choice of stamps and music.
Just my two pence worth, but is this the music that today's 6-15 year old children listen to?
Maybe to be "hip" with current trends it should be from Beauty and the Beast or Frozen or whatever else is currently in vogue.
There are of course two sides of the argument, if we have new collectors coming in the value/price of stamps will rise, making our collections more valuable.
On the other hand, if fewer collectors enter the market, then as the older generation of philatelists passes to sharpie free pastures, more stamps will be available and prices will decrease making it easier and cheaper for us to fill the gaps.
Today's children live in a cyberspace world, they do not read newspapers, they do not pass the bricks and mortar shops and are unlikely to encounter the world of stamp collecting without a nudge from local stamp nuts.
Recently where I live (well 40 miles away)there was a stamp meet arranged, it did not make our local newspaper and the organisers (Prairie Mountain Philatelic Society) do not have an entry in the telephone directory, or on Facebook and no contact details were given in the blurb for the event. It did warrant an entry in the local newspaper for the show area but nothing since. Hard to join if you have no contacts.
Winnipeg philatelic society does have a web presence and gives freebies to youngsters at shows but is a five hour round trip away.
Hopefully things will come around and the older hobbies will arise from the ashes with a new audience.
Is it that today's stamps are really just pretty (sometimes) Photo shopped images, rather than the artwork created by the engravers. Maybe the schools should be teaching the older crafts and skills.
OK rant over, back to the stamps.
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sheepshanks, true enough....
I'm 57 and have fairly eclectic taste in music but sorry, I don't do rap. (I think rap is to music what Etch-A-Sketch is to art. )
Don
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51 Studebaker, I'm just past 70, rap is alien to me, especially being hard of hearing, maybe that's a blessing.
I grew up with classical music, Gilbert and Sullivan, Oklahoma etc, teen years were Dylan and Donegan, later Rolling stones-early stuff, Trad jazz, folk and still some classical music to soothe the soul.
Just not sure what your average youngster listens to and enjoys, understands these days. Though if it's pink it should appeal to girls under 10.
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Rap does suck but etch-a-sketch however....
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Ernie, try this for finger touch etching, war historians will also appreciate.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5bdMyOWLHg
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New Video
Reef Fish On Stamps
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Very nicely done—yet again—Don. These are really, really good.
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Made me wanna go crusin' in my yellow submarine. Another fun video!
WB
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Thank you for the kind words, I am hoping it stimulates others to also make and post stamp videos. If anyone needs any help I would be happy to give assistant.
I added Closed Captions (CC) to this video to help ID the stamps. CC is 'off' by default but you can see them by clicking on the CC as shown below.
I only added the year of issue and issuing country but it would be easy to add catalog number, descriptions, values, etc. I like it is off by default since it more for collectors than the casual viewer.
Don
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Don, are there any issues with using the songs for these videos? I've got a couple of ideas, but wasn't sure about problems with copyright laws.
WB
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re: Introducing others to our hobby
WB,
YouTube uses algorithms to detect copyright infringements and in fact they are quite good. They will rarely detect music incorrectly (especially classical music for some reason) but for the most part they are very accurate.
Many Copyright owners understand the value of having YouTube support and have entered into agreements with YouTube to pay them without needing to charge the casual video poster. They do this through the use of ad revenue; so on many video you will see ads pop up during the video. This is a sign that there are copyright royalties being paid. It is actually pretty slick of YouTube to work it out like this; if they did not have this in place YouTube would have far fewer videos.
They also enforce regional copyrights laws, so they will automatically block some videos depending on copyrights in various countries. The David Bowie sound track I used in the Space video is blocked in some countries due to this.
The only downside is that you have to first upload the video for it to detect any copyright issues. But all-in-all YouTube has really streamlined the video posting process and making sure that copyrights are honored yet not a hassle to the video poster. Everything is automated and painless for posting videos.
Don
Note: The above applies to non-commercial videos. Commercial videos fall into another category and are subject to more stringent copyright protections.
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Cool! Now all I have to do...is learn how to make a video!
WB
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03:06:53pm
re: Introducing others to our hobby
My son loves the games.
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01:55:46pm
re: Introducing others to our hobby
I think there is potentially a large number of adults who could become collectors. You just have to tap into the market. The approach I think needs to be more oblique, and tagged on to someone's "other" interest(s).
Here in the UK there is an upsurge in interest in history, in it's broadest sense - particularly since it's downgrading in mainstream education. I was in a news store today and I was staggered by the number of "history" and "nostalgia" magazines - not just general titles, but transport ( my particular bag) but also genealogy, regional titles,antiques and sport. Large numbers of people must be buying these magazines, otherwise the numbers published would be much less.
It is not a huge leap from history to social history to postal history, and from there to stamps. I feel that this should be the target market. These people may not collect stamps as stamps per se, but as ephemeral objects in the context of their primary interest.
For example someone researching their forbears or their local history might be persuaded to collect postmarks and postal history connected with their research.
It might be that these people may be able to distance themselves from the "anorak" image of collectors in general and stamp collectors in particular. I also think that the collecting fraternity does not put enough emphasis on the intellectual satisfaction gained by serious study and research. Most outsiders perceive collectors to be either mere accumulators, or higher income types spending large sums of money on "investment" grade stamps, and I have to say that the image we put over ourselves ( and by the press) seems to be too heavily slanted on value. The beauty of stamp collecting for me is that it is far removed from earning a living, and more to do with interest ( and knowledge ) FOR IT'S OWN SAKE (capitals not for shouting but for emphasis).
Just how we achieve this I am not sure.
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"Most outsiders perceive collectors to be either mere accumulators, or higher income types spending large sums of money on "investment" grade stamps, and I have to say that the image we put over ourselves ( and by the press) seems to be too heavily slanted on value. "
I think you're right on both counts.
The press (or media) is the primary source of the most adverse effect. It has the most narrow focus on just one element; value. It only ever reports on something selling for a new 'record' price. Does it ever report on a collector achieving an award for an exhibit; even by local media? No.
Value is then the only perception the general public have. And so it then fuels the situation where some collectors, when their 'habit' is admitted in conversation, justify it by saying, "Well, it's my little investment". This is obviously done to obviate embarrassment of being interested in a hobby which is perceived as 'nerdy'.
This then becomes a vicious circle.
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New video uploaded to YouTube this morning...
'Royals on Stamps'
Music 'Royals' by Lorde
Don
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Latest video, Bridges On Stamps - Bridge Over Troubled Waters
(Click on "CC" to see additional info in video)
Don
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Love the video Don! I hadn't heard that song in very long time. That song is a literal masterpiece. Gives me goosebumps listening to it.
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Amazing work, Don! If these videos don't entice kids and adults alike to start collecting stamps, I don't know what will!
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To embed a video, copy ONLY the video ID (in this case, the "MYK..." https://youtu.be/MYK34RyUpqY), highlight it, and click the Youtube button.
Ted
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Thank you Ted!
I think I had tried everything under the sun but not that!
Don
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Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..
10 Apr 2017
02:13:30am
re: Introducing others to our hobby
" ... This is obviously done to obviate embarrassment of being interested in a hobby which is perceived as 'nerdy'. ..."
And years ago while filling out college applications, I was advised to mention philately even though I had hardly looked at a stamp in six or eight years. But it was considered an indication of seriousness and perhaps erudition.
I suppose an interest in college then, especially one of the Federal Military Academies, was a bit nerdy.
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Clocks On Stamp Music Video
"Time" by Pink Floyd seems a natural choice
Don
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Another fantastic choice of music, Don. The combinations you come up with are spectacular!
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I was requested to generate some Disney videos to be shown at an upcoming stamp show. I made 5, here are three of them.
Mickey Stamps - Music "Mickey Mouse Club"
Frozen - Music "Let it Go"
The Lion King - Music "Circle of Life"
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The issue, in your videos, is not the copyright, since you have given credit as to where the ownership lies (performer). It is the royalties to be paid for the use of the music. As you said, YouTube seems to have that taken care of that with ASCAP and BMI.
Great job with the videos. I'm going to show some to my grandsons next time they are here.
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Very nice videos.
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Hello everyone
We have two of our grandchildren staying for a few days while their dad recovers from surgery - a broken shoulder in a bike mishap. The little ones are Luke who's 3 and his sister Evie who's 1. We also have Harry, another grandchild, who comes to us every Friday - he's 2. We are discovering how old we actually are (round the 70 mark) while trying to keep up with the little ones!
So, I'm wondering, at what age one can begin to interest little children in stamps and stamp collecting. Not at 1, certainly, nor at 3, I think. But before long the time will come. What's your experience of this?
Luke, Evie and Harry aren't our only grandchildren - we also have Victor who's 5, Charlie who's 11, Toshi who's 16, Rachel who's 17 and Chloe who's 20.
The parents are totally uninterested in any sort of collecting. and I must admit that I'm reluctant to show my collections to any of them - certainly at this young age!
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I started my grandsons out when they were 3. I gave them hundreds of stamps, damaged and not, plus a couple of old stock books. I told them to look at the stamps, keep the ones that they want and put them in their stock books. Basically I told them to "have at it".
I worked on my stamps as they went through the hoard. Now, as they are getting older, I am getting them to look at the stamps and not collect the damaged ones, and to replace the damaged ones that they saved when they were younger.
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