Time devoted to hobby

[Jesse]

How long have you been collecting, and how much time do you spend on your hobby?

[Jimghad]

Active hobby for the past 60 years.

[salt]

I’ve started working through my grandfather’s collection about two years ago; I had found it in a very large suitcase and wondered why we were storing it as our house is small. I opened it up and found them forgotten, bending and in need of tender love and care. I thought I would try to make him proud if he could. I spent all of my free time discovering everything this suitcase held: all the tools I needed, information, albums and singles thrown about and the original Philatelic Service Oder Statements, accompanying the majority of just the 1960 – 1999 collection. That is the last thing I remember.. I still put all my free time towards it, philately has become all-consuming because the more I learn, the less I know.

[Jimghad]

It is a very large hobby in Europe. Unfortunately our younger generation have no interest.
The demand side is shrinking. The Baby boomers now what to get rid of their collections as their kids do not want them. So the supply side is growing very fast.

[salt]

Jimghad When exactly did Europe become interested? Do you mean presently?
I am the younger generation – I am 30 years young 🙂 Yes I understand the supply side but I am also an artist (a painter to be exact) and sometimes I think that’s what makes me good at being a philatelist. What if we could Save the Stamps, as it were; maybe it is as simple as becoming more creative about it? Like a new look or even a new way to showcase them? What if we are able to change the educational curriculum to teach about stamps and the history/ geography to follow? Lest we Forget, Remember?
I love my family’s collection of 1850 -1950 but it seems the designs changed after the 50’s and I personally do not like the way they are designed. I believe I am a ‘naturalist’ (art term) and the styles from then on become too ‘abstract’, I begin to lose interest here. I’ve become a bit more creative and because I am an artist, I have the ability.
If I can figure out how to post an image to show you guys what I can do, and if you like it, maybe you’ll be able to help me understand more?
Thanks for reading!

[Jimghad]

Salt, I am so happy to see a young person so keen with this hobby.Your artist backbroudis perfect. You can appreciate creativity.
Keep up the good work.
The world needs specialized people like you.

[geezer68]

I started pretty much at the same time I got interested in coins, which was in my teens. Life got in the way sometime in the 1990’s and now, I am playing the catch up game.

It’s kinda like starting all over again from scratch.

[Jimghad]

Geezer, good luck with your hobby and good health.

[Jesse]

Everyone, thank you for your input, and best of luck with your hobby.

For the record, I’ve been involved since February 2015, when I joined CSN as a reporter. I fancy postal history and collect 19th- and 20th-century covers, mostly.

[Author]

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