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General Philatelic/Supplies, Literature & Software : Album woes!

 

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slscm

21 Feb 2018
04:13:38pm
I am really all over the place when it comes to picking an album for my fast growing worldwide collection. I initially bought the Minkus Supreme pages from Amos (1840-1952) and I like the white paper and the thickness of the paper but I'm bothered by the fact that there are multiple years (mostly in the 70s and 80s) with no available supplements. My collection does go into these years so, though I prefer the classic area stamps, I would like the option of having a supplement available.
On to step two, made a few pages with Vario pages and I do like the look of the stamps against the black back round but the pages themselves are quite heavy and somewhat awkward to flip through (in an album). Verdict: not bad but let's see what else I can try.
Moving on to step 3, Steiner. I like the low subscription price. Made a few pages in 70 and 90 lb paper stock and I do like them. One of the things I do like about the Steiner pages is the abundance of descriptions of the various stamps which, to me, makes perusing the stamps in an album more enjoyable. So I thought I was done but alas...
Step four, Scott International. I have purchased a couple of old Big Blues on eBay recently and I generally like the album so I thought I would buy some pages from Amos -- Part IA. They arrived today. I have to say I am beyond disappointed with this product! I knew the paper was not going to be white but it's more like a goldenrod and, to me, it's much too dark. I've had a couple of Scott Country Albums in the past and those had paper that was much lighter in color. Besides the color, the current International pages seem quite thin compared to the Minkus pages and the pictures are quite blurry (copy after copy, I'm sure). To sum it up, when I saw the UPS man come up the walk this afternoon I was excited, now not so much.
So now, what to do, what to do. I think I'm headed back to Steiner. Any thoughts from the peanut gallery are appreciated! -Stacy


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philb
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21 Feb 2018
05:01:19pm

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re: Album woes!

I can relate, no one seems to have the perfect answer..new albums are very expensive, some folks use the black stock pages where they can move stamps around as they acquire them..others keep printing their own pages. When we get beyond dabbling in stamps it is not an inexpensive hobby.

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Steve

21 Feb 2018
05:05:40pm
re: Album woes!

Welcome to the world of the WW collector! I settled on your fourth option--Scott Internationals. Bought mine off of eBay before I really knew what I was doing, so some of the early purchases were a bit ragged. And then I bought more. And then even more. I probably have acquired over 25 used Scott albums for my 1840-1965 collection--some for the pages and some for the stamps.

These threads may help:

https://stamporama.com/discboard/disc_main.php?action=20&id=8639#60041

https://stamporama.com/discboard/disc_main.php?action=20&id=15371#115789

Over the Christmas holiday, I did a round of album maintenance in which I moved from 7 albums to 10 for the Parts I-V that cover through 1965. Glassine interleaves almost all the way through and many extra blank pages made it a bit thick at 7 volumes. Also, since the albums are used, I'll occasionally find a page that really needs replacing, or one that I was missing, and so the extra albums come in handy.

Good luck!

-Steve

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slscm

21 Feb 2018
05:17:40pm
re: Album woes!

Steve, agree there are some decent old Internationals on eBay and elsewhere and that may be a good option for acquiring the various International parts. I think I will call Amos Adv. and see if I can return the new pages that proved to be such a disappointment.

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kam41566

21 Feb 2018
06:52:54pm
re: Album woes!

Stacy,

If you decide you want to continue with the Minkus Albums, I may be able to help. I purchased suppliments for some years in the '70s and '80s, back when you could still find them. I did not continue using Minkus for very long (I collect WW from the beginning to the current year) and they are just taking up space in my stamp room. I would love to send them to someone who could use them. I understand you dilemma with albums. I have been using stockbooks for quite a while, but I am now switching to Varios.

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ChrisW
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APS# 175366

21 Feb 2018
06:58:20pm
re: Album woes!

I can relate too as I think I have tried many of these same albums (although not the Minkus). I'm fortunate that I have two original volumes of Big Blue from 1985 that are on nice thick paper with nice clear stamp images.

I also have some areas that I use Steiner pages that I modify by changing the fonts and adding some additional text, photos, etc. and put the pages in page protectors.


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21 Feb 2018
07:37:17pm

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re: Album woes!

I would opt for Steiner pages. When I look at what I have saved for my collection many of the nicest pages are old pages hand layed out and inked - truly a labor of love. People used to take pride in presentation back before the era when everything has to be instant.

Just my two cents - but it is the only option that allows for creativity and freedom to display as simple or complex as you want to in regards to varieties, used snd mint, etc.

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AntoniusRa
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The truth is within and only you can reveal it

22 Feb 2018
12:33:25am
re: Album woes!

Once I started collecting I had to decide how far I wanted to go. I bought a set of Minkus Green cloth binders. It was the biggest mistake that I have made in collecting. Do not buy Minkus! The numbering system is useless and when you decide you should switch to Scott.
You will have a great deal of difficulty transferring stamps. Minkus has a different layout than Scott also so it it does not work well with Scott catalogs. Any one living in the U.S. should have Scott as there main catalog. Unless a collector is specializing in a country or two. I finally decided to go for broke and started buying used Scott Specialty
albums for any country I could find. You'd probably do best buying used Internationals that have many stamps that will benefit your collection and at a good price. You most always can by albums with many stamps much cheaper than you can buy a new album without any stamps. If you decide you want to go further with some countries then go ahead and buy some used Scott Specialty albums. I use Steiner formats for a lot of things but would not like to print the whole world. After over 30 years of taking this seriously. I think this is the best way of taking care of storage.

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ChrisW
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APS# 175366

22 Feb 2018
09:00:55am
re: Album woes!

"I would opt for Steiner pages. When I look at what I have saved for my collection many of the nicest pages are old pages hand layed out and inked - truly a labor of love. People used to take pride in presentation back before the era when everything has to be instant.

Just my two cents - but it is the only option that allows for creativity and freedom to display as simple or complex as you want to in regards to varieties, used snd mint, etc. "



Webpaper,

Not clear what you mean here. First you say you "would opt for Steiner pages" then the rest of your post sounds like you favor just using blank pages written up in pen?Confused

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"Collecting worldwide classic era stamps"
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22 Feb 2018
11:40:51am

Auctions - Approvals
re: Album woes!

I did not mean to confuse - Steiner pages do, I believe, offer some option to rearrange and modify, customize things. If not I believe that there are other programs out there that do allow for the box size and placement to be customized.

Back when people hand laid out pages and inked them the computer wasn't around - they would have used it if available.

Hope that clarifies - it's the option of creating a page to your liking for a set of 4 or a set of 12 the way you want it that is the important point.....

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ChrisW
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APS# 175366

22 Feb 2018
11:45:46am
re: Album woes!

Understood, thanks for the clarification. Yes, Steiner pages allows one to customize if you are able to modify the files.

Otherwise, just using blank quadrille pages and a pen or printed labels is another good way to customize your collection.


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"Collecting worldwide classic era stamps"
scb
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Collecting the world 1840 to date - one stamp at a time!

23 Feb 2018
02:05:23am
re: Album woes!

"Once I started collecting I had to decide how far I wanted to go. I bought a set of Minkus Green cloth binders. It was the biggest mistake that I have made in collecting. Do not buy Minkus! The numbering system is useless and when you decide you should switch to Scott.
You will have a great deal of difficulty transferring stamps. Minkus has a different layout than Scott also so it it does not work well with Scott catalogs."



And for the very same reasons we Europeans we do not like Steiner nor Scott, LOL.

I guess the base line here could be established as:

If you use Scott catalog, then Scott Blues/Browns or Steiner pages (or Palo) are they way to go for maximum compatibility.

If you use Minkus catalog, then go with Minkus Master/Global for maximum compatibility.

And if you use any of the European catalogs, then just acknowledge the fact that Europeans ceased producing and using worldwide stamp albums after WW2 (though Yvert went up to late 1970s with production of Monde-albums).

I've sometimes thought that the life of worldwide stamp collector would be so much simpler if there was just one catalog-numbering scheme which all things were based. But we cannot change reality, only how we perceive it.

My personal approach is to stick with the chosen system (mix various catalogs, and use stockbooks for storage), and just make the best of it. Surely my approach has got some shortcomings, but there will always be some no matter what system you use Clown

-k-

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philb
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23 Feb 2018
01:47:01pm

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re: Album woes!

Words of wisdom from our friend SCB. There are certainly alternatives to the VERY EXPENSIVE volumes of worldwide albums like the Scott Internationals. Collectors spend more of your hobby money on stamps and less on the crazy expensive catalogs and albums. I do not try to keep up with the current crop of stamps being issued. So far my 2012 Scott catalogs are working for me.

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Cursus
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24 Feb 2018
02:05:51am
re: Album woes!

As an European collector, I fully agree with SCB. I use country-catalogs and I'm in love with my old (European!) albums, that I got from (many years ago gone) fellow collectors. So, I've an old Y&T for Baltic Republics, a Philos for Germany, and also old albums for Scandinavia (up to 1950) and Netherlands.
Furhtermore, I don't like the American way of using both sides of a page. The Scott style of segregating stamps in air-mails (which Yvert also did!) and "semi-postals" (a word quite unknown to me), disturbs me.
Having said that, I found the Steiner pages a suitable and cheap way of properly displaying stamps on my private collections.
For competition, I make my own pages. But, not being wealthy and liking stamps, I prefer to put my money on stamps, rather than on another kind of paper.

Well, that's just my view!

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Richmond
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RICHMOND FC PREMIERS 2017, 2019, 2020

24 Feb 2018
05:02:05am
re: Album woes!

Steiner on Lighthouse pages with Bates Numbering in Lighthouse 13 ring albums works well for me.

Regards


Richmond

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ChrisW
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APS# 175366

24 Feb 2018
07:29:03am
re: Album woes!

"Bates Numbering"



Confused

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angore
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Al
Collector, Moderator

24 Feb 2018
07:37:12am
re: Album woes!

"I found the Steiner pages a suitable and cheap way of properly displaying stamps on my private collections. "



I prefer the words "less expensive" over "cheap". Album makers do not seem to realize that high fancy albums are actually a deterrent for beginning collectors. An decent inexpensive album is a fundamental aspect in encouraging collecting. Steiner's pages provide it. Mystic realizes it too (loss leader) as a way to sell stamps and supplies.

What a stamp group could do is work a deal with Steiner where a new member would get a choice of several countries for a small fee. Beginning collectors are not looking immediately for access to a library, expertizing services, scholarly articles, traditional exhibits, etc.

The cost of starting a US collecting the traditional way....Album (HE Harris over $100, Mystic is a better deal at $40, Scott Pocket Catalogue ($30 new), mounts ($30 for an assortment if collecting Mint). etc.

To me the key for beginners is being able to acquire and organize inexpensively since organizing and completeness can drive the satisfaction.

We have all been there before when you want to get involved and realize the hidden costs for a leisure hobby - not just stamps.
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Richmond
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RICHMOND FC PREMIERS 2017, 2019, 2020

24 Feb 2018
07:45:57am
re: Album woes!

Chris

Bates Numbering is a pdf add on (apparently used by the legal profession).

It enables me to number my Steiner pages with ISO Country Code /Steiner Year/ Page Number i.e. DEU-949-012 - (Germany - Steiner 1949 File - Page Number)

Regards


Richmond




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BermudaSailor
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26 Feb 2018
02:54:17pm
re: Album woes!

I too have used Steiner and have found them to be, with some modification, the answer to most of my needs.

I have also used Album-Easy, which requires a bit of climbing up a bit of a learning curve. Once mastered, however, I have found that I can design all kinds of custom pages. This allows me to neatly place singles, blocks, and other multiples, including covers, all on one page. I can write text in and under each frame, in a variety of fonts and type sizes. And the results are very professional looking. Worth a look.

David

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uboatnut

26 Feb 2018
04:58:56pm
re: Album woes!

I strongly second AlbumEasy.Thumbs Up

I didn't find the learning curve all that difficult, and now the new version has a wizard to make the process even easier. There are also many prepared albums and examples that one can copy and paste so you can easily alter them to what you want.

GREAT JOB, CLIVE ! Applause

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angore
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Al
Collector, Moderator

26 Feb 2018
05:11:41pm
re: Album woes!

Bates Numbering really just means there is a unique identifier for every page. The tool and now the software helps you do it automatically.

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AntoniusRa
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28 Feb 2018
02:11:37am
re: Album woes!

If you are looking for a U.S. album there is no reason you shouldn't get A used Scott National. There are a great many of these laying around for a new home. You can usually pick them up for $25.00 or so and they are the most preferred U.S. album out there. Most all of the top collectors use them. The only better is the Scott Platinum hingeless album which is difficult to find for any section. I went ahead and bought the 19th century platinum pages when they were still making them. For the rest of the pages as well as B.O.B. I've had around 8 different Nationals consisting of different sections to put together the whole U.S. area in 5 volumes.

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51Studebaker
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Dialysis, damned if you do...dead if you don't

28 Feb 2018
06:33:35am
re: Album woes!

"I prefer the words "less expensive" over "cheap". Album makers do not seem to realize that high fancy albums are actually a deterrent for beginning collectors. An decent inexpensive album is a fundamental aspect in encouraging collecting. Steiner's pages provide it."



The flip side of that coin is that ‘print-your-own’ approach can easily lead to disaster; a fact which is rarely mentioned. I am always favor people having choices, but choice implies that people are educated enough to make good decisions. (eBay is a good example; plenty of choices but also plenty of potential bad decisions if you do not have the knowledge required.)

The slippery slope with ‘print-your-own’ approach is that it attracts those who are seeking to save money. Nothing wrong with saving money except for one thing; false economy. If a person buys poor quality paper, they can easily damage their stamps and covers. The potential for using poor quality paper appears to be pretty high. Folks do not understand the term ‘acid free’ and a muddled marketing message makes this issue even more difficult. Good quality paper is not cheap, quality paper is much more expensive to produce so you will not find at the local big box store on sale.

And if you invest in good quality paper, mounts, binder, printer and your time, you will find that that ‘print-your-own’ is no cheaper than commercial products. In my opinion, the real value is that you can customize the page and make them your own. I have seen some really fantastic custom pages done by some of the folks here.

I would also rank as a real plus that you can verify the quality of the materials you are using. A dirty little secret about the commercially available albums and pages is that no one publishes the specification of the paper they use. They gloss over this with some marketing fluff but none of them provides consumers with enough information to make an informed buying decision. We simply have to take it on faith that they are using good paper.

For the record, good quality paper is defined as paper that is buffered with at least 2-3% calcium carbonate, has a cotton content of 25% or greater, and it should only contain high alpha cellulose pulp from purified wood fiber (contains no Lignin).
Don

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Al
Collector, Moderator

28 Feb 2018
07:25:37am
re: Album woes!

The key is to print your own is that you are the master of your own destiny. You always have options rather than locked into a certain system. One key aspect is page size. I have a Mystic Heirloom (yes not the same quality as Scott) but I create my own variations using better paper. One key cost is binders. You can pay a lot for them (over 2x) if you are in a closed system.




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smauggie
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28 Feb 2018
04:10:05pm
re: Album woes!

Hi Don,

Question for you. If you are encasing the stamp in a high-quality mount does the quality of the paper matter as much since the stamp is not ever touching the paper directly? I can understand if you are using hinges, but the mounts I use encase the entire stamp.

Thanks,
Antonio

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Dialysis, damned if you do...dead if you don't

28 Feb 2018
05:02:12pm
re: Album woes!

Hi Antonio!
Direct contact will accelerate acidification but is not required. Acidification also outgasses, releasing acid into the air. So, for example, storing stamp in glassine envelopes but placing them in a wooden cigar box will result in the stamps eventually toning and becoming brittle. Oxygen also helps paper acidify as well as allowing mold, rust, and foxing to occur. This is why places like the National Archives store rare documents in vaults and carriers injected with inert gases. If a hobbyist uses sheet protectors in conjunction with low grade paper, they could be creating an acidic microclimate.

I do not mean to be fear-mongering. If we careful control the surrounding environment (a cool, dry and stable storage environment; temperatures should be held at a constant 70°F with a relative humidity held between 30% and 50%) most acidification is greatly slowed.

The worst case scenario would be to use cheap paper, use sheet protectors, store the album in a poor environment, and then ignore the album for 5-10 years.

Beyond controlling the environment, good stamp stewardship demands that we take our albums out every few months, look them careful, and enjoy the stamps and covers!
Don

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smauggie
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01 Mar 2018
06:01:35am
re: Album woes!

Thanks for your insight Don, that makes sense.

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Author/Postings
slscm

21 Feb 2018
04:13:38pm

I am really all over the place when it comes to picking an album for my fast growing worldwide collection. I initially bought the Minkus Supreme pages from Amos (1840-1952) and I like the white paper and the thickness of the paper but I'm bothered by the fact that there are multiple years (mostly in the 70s and 80s) with no available supplements. My collection does go into these years so, though I prefer the classic area stamps, I would like the option of having a supplement available.
On to step two, made a few pages with Vario pages and I do like the look of the stamps against the black back round but the pages themselves are quite heavy and somewhat awkward to flip through (in an album). Verdict: not bad but let's see what else I can try.
Moving on to step 3, Steiner. I like the low subscription price. Made a few pages in 70 and 90 lb paper stock and I do like them. One of the things I do like about the Steiner pages is the abundance of descriptions of the various stamps which, to me, makes perusing the stamps in an album more enjoyable. So I thought I was done but alas...
Step four, Scott International. I have purchased a couple of old Big Blues on eBay recently and I generally like the album so I thought I would buy some pages from Amos -- Part IA. They arrived today. I have to say I am beyond disappointed with this product! I knew the paper was not going to be white but it's more like a goldenrod and, to me, it's much too dark. I've had a couple of Scott Country Albums in the past and those had paper that was much lighter in color. Besides the color, the current International pages seem quite thin compared to the Minkus pages and the pictures are quite blurry (copy after copy, I'm sure). To sum it up, when I saw the UPS man come up the walk this afternoon I was excited, now not so much.
So now, what to do, what to do. I think I'm headed back to Steiner. Any thoughts from the peanut gallery are appreciated! -Stacy


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philb

21 Feb 2018
05:01:19pm

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re: Album woes!

I can relate, no one seems to have the perfect answer..new albums are very expensive, some folks use the black stock pages where they can move stamps around as they acquire them..others keep printing their own pages. When we get beyond dabbling in stamps it is not an inexpensive hobby.

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Steve
21 Feb 2018
05:05:40pm

re: Album woes!

Welcome to the world of the WW collector! I settled on your fourth option--Scott Internationals. Bought mine off of eBay before I really knew what I was doing, so some of the early purchases were a bit ragged. And then I bought more. And then even more. I probably have acquired over 25 used Scott albums for my 1840-1965 collection--some for the pages and some for the stamps.

These threads may help:

https://stamporama.com/discboard/disc_main.php?action=20&id=8639#60041

https://stamporama.com/discboard/disc_main.php?action=20&id=15371#115789

Over the Christmas holiday, I did a round of album maintenance in which I moved from 7 albums to 10 for the Parts I-V that cover through 1965. Glassine interleaves almost all the way through and many extra blank pages made it a bit thick at 7 volumes. Also, since the albums are used, I'll occasionally find a page that really needs replacing, or one that I was missing, and so the extra albums come in handy.

Good luck!

-Steve

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slscm

21 Feb 2018
05:17:40pm

re: Album woes!

Steve, agree there are some decent old Internationals on eBay and elsewhere and that may be a good option for acquiring the various International parts. I think I will call Amos Adv. and see if I can return the new pages that proved to be such a disappointment.

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kam41566

21 Feb 2018
06:52:54pm

re: Album woes!

Stacy,

If you decide you want to continue with the Minkus Albums, I may be able to help. I purchased suppliments for some years in the '70s and '80s, back when you could still find them. I did not continue using Minkus for very long (I collect WW from the beginning to the current year) and they are just taking up space in my stamp room. I would love to send them to someone who could use them. I understand you dilemma with albums. I have been using stockbooks for quite a while, but I am now switching to Varios.

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ChrisW

APS# 175366
21 Feb 2018
06:58:20pm

re: Album woes!

I can relate too as I think I have tried many of these same albums (although not the Minkus). I'm fortunate that I have two original volumes of Big Blue from 1985 that are on nice thick paper with nice clear stamp images.

I also have some areas that I use Steiner pages that I modify by changing the fonts and adding some additional text, photos, etc. and put the pages in page protectors.


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"Collecting worldwide classic era stamps"
Webpaper

In loving memory of Carol, my wife for 52 years.

21 Feb 2018
07:37:17pm

Auctions - Approvals

re: Album woes!

I would opt for Steiner pages. When I look at what I have saved for my collection many of the nicest pages are old pages hand layed out and inked - truly a labor of love. People used to take pride in presentation back before the era when everything has to be instant.

Just my two cents - but it is the only option that allows for creativity and freedom to display as simple or complex as you want to in regards to varieties, used snd mint, etc.

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AntoniusRa

The truth is within and only you can reveal it
22 Feb 2018
12:33:25am

re: Album woes!

Once I started collecting I had to decide how far I wanted to go. I bought a set of Minkus Green cloth binders. It was the biggest mistake that I have made in collecting. Do not buy Minkus! The numbering system is useless and when you decide you should switch to Scott.
You will have a great deal of difficulty transferring stamps. Minkus has a different layout than Scott also so it it does not work well with Scott catalogs. Any one living in the U.S. should have Scott as there main catalog. Unless a collector is specializing in a country or two. I finally decided to go for broke and started buying used Scott Specialty
albums for any country I could find. You'd probably do best buying used Internationals that have many stamps that will benefit your collection and at a good price. You most always can by albums with many stamps much cheaper than you can buy a new album without any stamps. If you decide you want to go further with some countries then go ahead and buy some used Scott Specialty albums. I use Steiner formats for a lot of things but would not like to print the whole world. After over 30 years of taking this seriously. I think this is the best way of taking care of storage.

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ChrisW

APS# 175366
22 Feb 2018
09:00:55am

re: Album woes!

"I would opt for Steiner pages. When I look at what I have saved for my collection many of the nicest pages are old pages hand layed out and inked - truly a labor of love. People used to take pride in presentation back before the era when everything has to be instant.

Just my two cents - but it is the only option that allows for creativity and freedom to display as simple or complex as you want to in regards to varieties, used snd mint, etc. "



Webpaper,

Not clear what you mean here. First you say you "would opt for Steiner pages" then the rest of your post sounds like you favor just using blank pages written up in pen?Confused

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"Collecting worldwide classic era stamps"
Webpaper

In loving memory of Carol, my wife for 52 years.

22 Feb 2018
11:40:51am

Auctions - Approvals

re: Album woes!

I did not mean to confuse - Steiner pages do, I believe, offer some option to rearrange and modify, customize things. If not I believe that there are other programs out there that do allow for the box size and placement to be customized.

Back when people hand laid out pages and inked them the computer wasn't around - they would have used it if available.

Hope that clarifies - it's the option of creating a page to your liking for a set of 4 or a set of 12 the way you want it that is the important point.....

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ChrisW

APS# 175366
22 Feb 2018
11:45:46am

re: Album woes!

Understood, thanks for the clarification. Yes, Steiner pages allows one to customize if you are able to modify the files.

Otherwise, just using blank quadrille pages and a pen or printed labels is another good way to customize your collection.


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scb

Collecting the world 1840 to date - one stamp at a time!
23 Feb 2018
02:05:23am

re: Album woes!

"Once I started collecting I had to decide how far I wanted to go. I bought a set of Minkus Green cloth binders. It was the biggest mistake that I have made in collecting. Do not buy Minkus! The numbering system is useless and when you decide you should switch to Scott.
You will have a great deal of difficulty transferring stamps. Minkus has a different layout than Scott also so it it does not work well with Scott catalogs."



And for the very same reasons we Europeans we do not like Steiner nor Scott, LOL.

I guess the base line here could be established as:

If you use Scott catalog, then Scott Blues/Browns or Steiner pages (or Palo) are they way to go for maximum compatibility.

If you use Minkus catalog, then go with Minkus Master/Global for maximum compatibility.

And if you use any of the European catalogs, then just acknowledge the fact that Europeans ceased producing and using worldwide stamp albums after WW2 (though Yvert went up to late 1970s with production of Monde-albums).

I've sometimes thought that the life of worldwide stamp collector would be so much simpler if there was just one catalog-numbering scheme which all things were based. But we cannot change reality, only how we perceive it.

My personal approach is to stick with the chosen system (mix various catalogs, and use stockbooks for storage), and just make the best of it. Surely my approach has got some shortcomings, but there will always be some no matter what system you use Clown

-k-

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philb

23 Feb 2018
01:47:01pm

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re: Album woes!

Words of wisdom from our friend SCB. There are certainly alternatives to the VERY EXPENSIVE volumes of worldwide albums like the Scott Internationals. Collectors spend more of your hobby money on stamps and less on the crazy expensive catalogs and albums. I do not try to keep up with the current crop of stamps being issued. So far my 2012 Scott catalogs are working for me.

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Cursus

24 Feb 2018
02:05:51am

re: Album woes!

As an European collector, I fully agree with SCB. I use country-catalogs and I'm in love with my old (European!) albums, that I got from (many years ago gone) fellow collectors. So, I've an old Y&T for Baltic Republics, a Philos for Germany, and also old albums for Scandinavia (up to 1950) and Netherlands.
Furhtermore, I don't like the American way of using both sides of a page. The Scott style of segregating stamps in air-mails (which Yvert also did!) and "semi-postals" (a word quite unknown to me), disturbs me.
Having said that, I found the Steiner pages a suitable and cheap way of properly displaying stamps on my private collections.
For competition, I make my own pages. But, not being wealthy and liking stamps, I prefer to put my money on stamps, rather than on another kind of paper.

Well, that's just my view!

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Richmond

RICHMOND FC PREMIERS 2017, 2019, 2020
24 Feb 2018
05:02:05am

re: Album woes!

Steiner on Lighthouse pages with Bates Numbering in Lighthouse 13 ring albums works well for me.

Regards


Richmond

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ChrisW

APS# 175366
24 Feb 2018
07:29:03am

re: Album woes!

"Bates Numbering"



Confused

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angore

Al
Collector, Moderator
24 Feb 2018
07:37:12am

re: Album woes!

"I found the Steiner pages a suitable and cheap way of properly displaying stamps on my private collections. "



I prefer the words "less expensive" over "cheap". Album makers do not seem to realize that high fancy albums are actually a deterrent for beginning collectors. An decent inexpensive album is a fundamental aspect in encouraging collecting. Steiner's pages provide it. Mystic realizes it too (loss leader) as a way to sell stamps and supplies.

What a stamp group could do is work a deal with Steiner where a new member would get a choice of several countries for a small fee. Beginning collectors are not looking immediately for access to a library, expertizing services, scholarly articles, traditional exhibits, etc.

The cost of starting a US collecting the traditional way....Album (HE Harris over $100, Mystic is a better deal at $40, Scott Pocket Catalogue ($30 new), mounts ($30 for an assortment if collecting Mint). etc.

To me the key for beginners is being able to acquire and organize inexpensively since organizing and completeness can drive the satisfaction.

We have all been there before when you want to get involved and realize the hidden costs for a leisure hobby - not just stamps.
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Richmond

RICHMOND FC PREMIERS 2017, 2019, 2020
24 Feb 2018
07:45:57am

re: Album woes!

Chris

Bates Numbering is a pdf add on (apparently used by the legal profession).

It enables me to number my Steiner pages with ISO Country Code /Steiner Year/ Page Number i.e. DEU-949-012 - (Germany - Steiner 1949 File - Page Number)

Regards


Richmond




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BermudaSailor

26 Feb 2018
02:54:17pm

re: Album woes!

I too have used Steiner and have found them to be, with some modification, the answer to most of my needs.

I have also used Album-Easy, which requires a bit of climbing up a bit of a learning curve. Once mastered, however, I have found that I can design all kinds of custom pages. This allows me to neatly place singles, blocks, and other multiples, including covers, all on one page. I can write text in and under each frame, in a variety of fonts and type sizes. And the results are very professional looking. Worth a look.

David

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uboatnut

26 Feb 2018
04:58:56pm

re: Album woes!

I strongly second AlbumEasy.Thumbs Up

I didn't find the learning curve all that difficult, and now the new version has a wizard to make the process even easier. There are also many prepared albums and examples that one can copy and paste so you can easily alter them to what you want.

GREAT JOB, CLIVE ! Applause

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angore

Al
Collector, Moderator
26 Feb 2018
05:11:41pm

re: Album woes!

Bates Numbering really just means there is a unique identifier for every page. The tool and now the software helps you do it automatically.

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AntoniusRa

The truth is within and only you can reveal it
28 Feb 2018
02:11:37am

re: Album woes!

If you are looking for a U.S. album there is no reason you shouldn't get A used Scott National. There are a great many of these laying around for a new home. You can usually pick them up for $25.00 or so and they are the most preferred U.S. album out there. Most all of the top collectors use them. The only better is the Scott Platinum hingeless album which is difficult to find for any section. I went ahead and bought the 19th century platinum pages when they were still making them. For the rest of the pages as well as B.O.B. I've had around 8 different Nationals consisting of different sections to put together the whole U.S. area in 5 volumes.

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51Studebaker

Dialysis, damned if you do...dead if you don't
28 Feb 2018
06:33:35am

re: Album woes!

"I prefer the words "less expensive" over "cheap". Album makers do not seem to realize that high fancy albums are actually a deterrent for beginning collectors. An decent inexpensive album is a fundamental aspect in encouraging collecting. Steiner's pages provide it."



The flip side of that coin is that ‘print-your-own’ approach can easily lead to disaster; a fact which is rarely mentioned. I am always favor people having choices, but choice implies that people are educated enough to make good decisions. (eBay is a good example; plenty of choices but also plenty of potential bad decisions if you do not have the knowledge required.)

The slippery slope with ‘print-your-own’ approach is that it attracts those who are seeking to save money. Nothing wrong with saving money except for one thing; false economy. If a person buys poor quality paper, they can easily damage their stamps and covers. The potential for using poor quality paper appears to be pretty high. Folks do not understand the term ‘acid free’ and a muddled marketing message makes this issue even more difficult. Good quality paper is not cheap, quality paper is much more expensive to produce so you will not find at the local big box store on sale.

And if you invest in good quality paper, mounts, binder, printer and your time, you will find that that ‘print-your-own’ is no cheaper than commercial products. In my opinion, the real value is that you can customize the page and make them your own. I have seen some really fantastic custom pages done by some of the folks here.

I would also rank as a real plus that you can verify the quality of the materials you are using. A dirty little secret about the commercially available albums and pages is that no one publishes the specification of the paper they use. They gloss over this with some marketing fluff but none of them provides consumers with enough information to make an informed buying decision. We simply have to take it on faith that they are using good paper.

For the record, good quality paper is defined as paper that is buffered with at least 2-3% calcium carbonate, has a cotton content of 25% or greater, and it should only contain high alpha cellulose pulp from purified wood fiber (contains no Lignin).
Don

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angore

Al
Collector, Moderator
28 Feb 2018
07:25:37am

re: Album woes!

The key is to print your own is that you are the master of your own destiny. You always have options rather than locked into a certain system. One key aspect is page size. I have a Mystic Heirloom (yes not the same quality as Scott) but I create my own variations using better paper. One key cost is binders. You can pay a lot for them (over 2x) if you are in a closed system.




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smauggie

28 Feb 2018
04:10:05pm

re: Album woes!

Hi Don,

Question for you. If you are encasing the stamp in a high-quality mount does the quality of the paper matter as much since the stamp is not ever touching the paper directly? I can understand if you are using hinges, but the mounts I use encase the entire stamp.

Thanks,
Antonio

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51Studebaker

Dialysis, damned if you do...dead if you don't
28 Feb 2018
05:02:12pm

re: Album woes!

Hi Antonio!
Direct contact will accelerate acidification but is not required. Acidification also outgasses, releasing acid into the air. So, for example, storing stamp in glassine envelopes but placing them in a wooden cigar box will result in the stamps eventually toning and becoming brittle. Oxygen also helps paper acidify as well as allowing mold, rust, and foxing to occur. This is why places like the National Archives store rare documents in vaults and carriers injected with inert gases. If a hobbyist uses sheet protectors in conjunction with low grade paper, they could be creating an acidic microclimate.

I do not mean to be fear-mongering. If we careful control the surrounding environment (a cool, dry and stable storage environment; temperatures should be held at a constant 70°F with a relative humidity held between 30% and 50%) most acidification is greatly slowed.

The worst case scenario would be to use cheap paper, use sheet protectors, store the album in a poor environment, and then ignore the album for 5-10 years.

Beyond controlling the environment, good stamp stewardship demands that we take our albums out every few months, look them careful, and enjoy the stamps and covers!
Don

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smauggie

01 Mar 2018
06:01:35am

re: Album woes!

Thanks for your insight Don, that makes sense.

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