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Beginning in the early 90's, I developed a passion for collecting postage stamps and related items such as first day covers and commemorative sheets. This lasted for just a few years. Now, after 30 years have passed, I've rediscovered some of those stamps in a binder in a cardboard box I had slipped away in a crawlspace. I've enjoyed collecting all sorts of things over the course of my life, including hockey cards, vinyl records, beer and railroad memorabilia and celebrity autographs.
Most of my collection consists of Canada stamps but I do have a few items from USA and abroad. Inside the binder I 'rediscovered', I found full panes or stamp sheets dating 28 to 29 years old and a few singles and corner blocks from the 70s. Full panes are unbroken sheets consisting of several stamps.
The stamps above were purchased in 1993 and are a commemorative stamp honoring former Governor General Jeanne Sauve. I remember her well and always had respect for her and thought she was a remarkable woman whose career included journalism, Member of Parliament, (first female) Speaker of the House and (first female) Governor General. She died of cancer in 1993 and when Canada Post honored her a year later, I purchased this sheet literally fresh off the presses and has always been one of my favorites.
I've often wondered if it was a good investment or not regarding postage stamps. While there always remains a 'face value' to my stamps, the actual cost of mailing a letter is now $1.07 here in Canada. Inflation over the years means my stamps have lost more than half their value. The stamps above have a face value of 43 cents, then the cost of mailing a stamp in 1994.
This would suggest that if you started a collection now with new stamps as I did as soon as they became available, you could expect the value of your investment / collection to depreciate in value significantly as time goes on as the cost of mailing slowly but surely creeps up ever higher. On the other hand, while it may depreciate at 'face value', the 'collectible' value might suddenly go up as they become scarce and the passage of time makes them more attractive to prospective buyers.
New 'varieties' have been discovered by keen stamp 'detectives' that might have elevated the value of some of my stamps. Here's a nice sheet of stamps that I've discovered now dubbed the 'High Orbit' variety. These are Canada Post's first attempt at making a 3D postage stamp and it appears to show the space shuttle flying over Canada. I still remember reading in articles of the issues they had trying to make the stamps. Looks like I got lucky. I bought just 2 sheets and it turns out one is the 'high orbit' while the other is the 'low orbit'. Apparently, I can fetch beyond $100 for each pane. Lucky me!
The fact that these panes remain unbroken definitely helps retain its value. As I recall from memory, 10 million of these stamps were made. Most have disappeared into the hands of die-hard collectors. I remember seeing these being used up on lettermail. I think I saved a few that came in my mailbox as regular mail. I have them buried away somewhere.
Another cool pane I found in the binder was a full pane of Canada Post's commemorative stamp honoring the 100th anniversary of the Stanley Cup in 1993. Now that 28 years have passed, I wonder out loud if this sheet of stamps has appreciated in value. Has a bit of damage at the top right. Nevertheless, it's still a full, unbroken sheet and in great condition otherwise. I think it looks great!
Now that I've entered my retirement years, the time has come to finally part with some of my treasured belongings. I've already started Listing on along with some vinyl records. I just sold a 30th anniversary commemorative edition LP of Pink Floyd's 'Dark Side of the Moon' LP for $137. The Stanley Cup stamp sheet is going up for at auction starting today. I'm sure hockey fans will love this one.
Canada Post also issued other stamp collectibles. This one below is an envelope with booklet and stamps commemorating retail chain Canadian Tire's 75th anniversary.
In the long run, collecting postage stamps has been a rewarding experience. Each stamp is a work of art. So much detail can be made to fit into a tiny little space that is a stamp. If you're interested in postage stamps, just remember that if you buy new, you may have to wait a lifetime to see a 'return' on your investment. There's also the risk of water damage, theft, fire, etc..
Buying vintage stamps may be a better option. Age does give stamps added value. If well kept and away from dampness, your stamps could be worth a pretty penny one day. Stamp collecting does take patience but the passion and love for the hobby alone makes it worthwhile. Finding these stamps purchased in my youth brings back fond memories of buying them and running back home to add to my collection. I can also recall attending a few stamp exhibitions. Those were good times.
Canada has some beautiful birds and one of my favorites is the Atlantic Puffin which was included in this sheet of stamps. I finally got to see atlantic puffins in real life when I visited Bonavista, Newfoundland in 2016. It's the only place these particular puffins can be found. They can dive off a sheer cliff no problem and come back up with a mouthful of small fish. A truly amazing and exotic bird.
It's sad to be parting with my stamp collection but it's time to downsize and I'll be using Ebay to list everything. If you have an account with Ebay, I've placed a link to my channel in the 'resources' section or you can click . Once there, you'll be able to see all the stamps I'll be listing over the next few weeks and months. If you happen to be a winning bidder, mention PublishOx and I'll refund you $2 off any shipping and handling costs. Every penny helps, right? My thanks to you for your support.
I'll likely write another article or two showcasing some of the stamps in my collection as I find then. I have them hidden away and I'll probably have to open a few boxes first. Who knows, I might find other interesting things that aren't even stamp related.
Other tidbits:
Philatelics - the study and collecting of postage-stamps
Numismatics - The study and collecting of money and / or coins
Check out some of my other articles...
We should be exploding at the speed we're moving.
Those old records might be worth a few $$.
Niagara - Mighty AND Treacherous.
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