Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
03:57:25pm
Does anyone have any other stories about parts of their collections and why they happened?
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I have so many collections. 
I'm an absolute Magpie. I see something that takes my interest and snap, I have a new collection. Oh, Well, I'm having fun.
Tim
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That's exactly how it is for me. Heigh ho!
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It's called "The Hook". You get one stamp that catches your eye with a good price and the next thing you know you're starting a new collection! I'm so easy...
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One of my collections consists of Algerian stamps. I’ve never been to Algeria and except for Stamporama member foudutimbre, from Algeria, I don’t know nor have I ever met a single Algerian. On that basis, I suppose it is "strange" that I collect Algerian stamps.
I don’t recall the precise trigger that sent me searching for Algerian stamps, but it was probably my discovery of French and French Algeria stamps overprinted with “EA” — État Algérian or Algerian State. I soon came to see them as the most interesting overprints I’d ever come across. Here’s the “deep background”.
The Algerian War had much in common with the Vietnam War, in which I served as unwilling cannon fodder. The entire Algerian War and the early stage of the Vietnam War were examples of asymmetrical warfare, a concept in which a modern, well-trained, well-armed, and well-supplied army faces poorly trained, poorly armed, and poorly supplied army, usually considered to be an insurgent army.
The French in the First Indochina War and in the subsequent Algerian War, and the Americans in the Vietnam War, using modern weapons, strategies, and tactics, and supported by elaborate supply lines, faced guerrilla forces using obsolescent and even antiquated weapons, often without the slightest support networks. The Algerian War was the first war to make extensive use of helicopters, on the French side, of course; Algerian insurgents mostly used their feet, cars, and trucks to move around Algeria. In both wars, the Western, well-equipped and trained armies won more battles than they lost, but nevertheless lost the wars to enemy forces who exhibited greater ability to use their own environment to their advantage and especially their greater determination to win. This photograph, which I took on my first or second day in South Vietnam in 1966, illustrates just how asymmetrical the Vietnam War was in its early stages. Hint: the little guy is a Viet Cong.
When the French finally gave up their attempt to control Algeria, Algerian authorities immediately began overprinting their stocks of French and French Algeria stamps with the “EA” overprints, but they were overprints with a difference: Each postmaster in the new country was authorized to apply the EA overprints using whatever resources they had. Whole sheets were overprinted on letterpresses. Blocks of stamps and presumably some individual stamps were overprinted with locally made rubber stamps. Some postal employees just used a pen and ink. Printed overprints were usually in boldface, and in different fonts, sizes, and styles. Most were sans-serif, but seriffed overprints exist. Ink used might be black, red, or green. Opaque bars obliterating any reference to France were often included in the overprints. As you might imagine, varieties of the overprints are numerous, but many are actually catalogued. Here are several from my collection, off cover and on:
A few months after the war, Algeria issued its own pictorial stamps that are virtually identical to French pictorial stamps of the period, but clearly showing them as Algerian stamps, not French stamps. From the top, a French stamp, an overprinted French stamp, and the Algerian version of the same stamp:
Just as Vietnam has issued many stamps commemorating its victory in the Vietnam War, Algeria continues to this day to issue stamps commemorating its victory over French forces. Even France issued a stamp commemorating its humiliating defeat by Ho Chi Minh’s Vietminh army at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu:
Bob
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Bob, just a slight correction to your very interesting story.
"often without the slightest support networks"; except of course for the continuous support from the communists in Russia, China, Cuba, and even the home-based commies like Hanoi Jane. I don't believe the extended war in Viet Nam was justified, and I mourn for the lost and damaged lives of all on both sides. The Korean, and Viet Nam wars should have been won in no time flat, but profits took precedence over lives. Has anything changed?
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I collect Indochina because of my interest in the Vietnam War.
In the book "About Face" by Col. Hackworth he noted (referenced a study in early 60s) that an insurgency supported by an external source usually wins. This was true in Vietnam starting more in 1963 time frame, when North Vietnam actively supported the conflict with weapons and soldiers. By 1965, the VC and especially the NVA were carrying very modern weapons (the reliable AK-47, 120mm mortar, etc.). As Col Moore stated after the battle of Ia Drang, the NVA was as well trained and motivated as the American solider. The experience gained over time was diluted by the 1 year rotation cycles for enlisted and 6 months for officers. The VC/NVA were there until they died or won.
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Al,
I agree with your comments 100%. But, I am not sure where you obtained the 6 month rotation for officers. I was as officer and I served 2 tours in Vietnam, both of which were 12 full months long.
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07:56:40am
Occasionally friends find out I collect stamps and ask me which countries. Some are pretty obvious, like the US and Canada, and then I say "Peru". No offence to any Peruvians out there but it's not an obvious choice! When they want to know why I tell them about getting a large lot of "P" countries because there were good selections there from The Philippines (US protectorate), Puerto Rico (ditto) and a couple PEI stamps I wanted. I also ended up with a very large collection of Peru. So I decided to get more, why not? My wife and I started collecting Russia and Poland many years ago because we thought they were pretty and would be fun to collect for that reason. Other countries got added along the way because I had lots of them for some unknown reason, so what the heck! I've always sort of regretted Peru because I really don't like their stamps very much. But I still pick some up occasionally! Why not?
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"But, I am not sure where you obtained the 6 month rotation for officers."
A better way to say it that officers served 6 months in a combat line company then 6 months in a rear position. This meant young officers that served just learned the job before they rotated to a staff position. The Army promotion system was based upon combat time so wanted every officer to get a chance to get their ticket punched. Some did multiple tours. Enlisted in combat companies usually stayed in the field. This means people were always in learning mode.
The Marines had a 13 month cycle.
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Yes Tim, I too am afflicted with the dreaded Magpie syndrome......Oh look at that shiny bauble....I must have it.
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I shouldn't get into this thread, but Vietnam is a sore point with me.
No one wants to go to war and take the chance that one might come home in a body bag or severly injured. That said, the troops that fought in Vietnam deserved better. There's nothing nice about war... No Queensburt rules, etc.. If you go to war, there should be one and only one onjective... win the war as quickly as possible with minimal casualties. There should be no "No Fire Zones" or "No Pursuit Zones"! The politicians screwed the troops and were directly responsible for the war dragging on for two decades, almost 60,000 US fatalities and countless Vietnamese fatalities on both sides and finally abandoning the South Vietnamese to the communists. Vietnam was not the only war politicians screwed up.
OK, I told you I shouldn't have answered this thread. Sorry.
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Pulling the thread back on track…
I collect New Jersey postmarks on full cover or card. How this came to be..
Back when I was a teen, my uncle worked for Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G). In the 1970s everyone mailed in a check for their bills so this company received an enormous amount of mail.
My uncle brought home huge boxes.. his own intent was to find uncanceled stamps he could use again, never to pay postage again! Then he’d pass the boxes on to me, so I could search out all the interesting stamps.
Once I had all the used commemorative stamps one would ever need, I took notice of the town postmarks and put these in alphabetical order in a shoe box.
Then I found a small paperback zip code directory and started to mark them off. That got me to requesting postmarks by mail from post offices. I started in the directory at “A” and got as far as “C” when I lost interest.
I had a very nice bicycle, a Peugeot Tour De France English racer that was fun and easy to ride. I would take trips around the county. When my father questioned my accounts of how far I had gone, I started going to post offices and getting postmarks to establish proof of my travels!
After I gave up on stamp collecting, I’d still toss occasional stamps into the old chest of drawers that housed much of my collection, and when I found postmarks on my mail, I’d put those in the NJ box.
Upon getting back into collecting stamps maybe 8 years ago, I found the box. Seeing it was already not a bad collection, I put it all in binders using two pocket pages.
I started buying covers on eBay which led me to discontinued post offices. I discovered several sources of information that I put into my own spreadsheet and found over 2400 different varieties to collect. And I find new ones to list regularly. Currently my collection is at 42% completion. At this point it’s been getting difficult to find ones I need. I don’t anticipate getting anywhere near completion because I feel that there may not be any surviving covers for many of the entries.
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10:51:06pm
Re; '' ....No one wants to go to war and take the chance that one might come home in a body bag or severely injured.....''
I try not to be thin skinned, but I feel that this comment is rather insulting, especially on the week when so many families memorialize members who were lost and celebrate the thousands who simply did what they saw as their patriotic duty.
''No one ?'' nay thousands knew the odds, took the risk, and, I daresay, barring infirmity, would roll the dice again.
Henry V, --Shakespeare
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remember’d;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.
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If you want to read about the mindset of a warrior, read the book "About Face" by Col. David Hackworth. He was reported to have received the most medals in Vietnam (multiple purple hearts, etc). But then he criticizes the medal system. He lived to lead troops into battle. Reading about Vietnam really puts some context behind the stamps of the region. It is also not a positive story of the US Army as an organization.
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11:01:05pm
''.... But then he criticizes the medal system. ....''
No surprise here. many, (perhaps most) veterans who actually served in combat zones look at the fruit salad displayed on the chests of veterans, who in recent wars never passed the three mile limit, with disdain that crosses into disgust.
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He called them "been there" medals and suggested that commanders (those in command and control helicopters or back at the base camp) get "commander" medals for performace rather than valor medals (bronze star, silver star, etc). Medals were another aspect of the Army promotion system.
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This is my diabetic cat OBI! I think, therefore I am - I think! Descartes, sort of!
26 May 2023
03:57:25pm
I just added a few Angola stamps to my collection even though I don't really collect Angola. There were two series of Angola stamps I really liked - the 1951 bird series and the 1953 animal series. When I picked them up and stuck them in Big Blue vol IIIA I realized that I now had quite a few stamps on those pages. I really don't like the early Angola material so it wasn't really a country I wanted to collect. So what the heck!! I decided to just try to fill the pages for Angola in vol IIIA. Seems like a sensible thing to do and now thanks to picking up 6 stamps from Steve today I only have 3 more spaces to fill to complete my collection of Angola from 1949 to 1955 and since I have no wish to expend the collection it will be done!
Does anyone have any other stories about parts of their collections and why they happened?
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re: Strange reasons for starting a collection
I have so many collections. I'm an absolute Magpie. I see something that takes my interest and snap, I have a new collection. Oh, Well, I'm having fun.
Tim
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re: Strange reasons for starting a collection
That's exactly how it is for me. Heigh ho!
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re: Strange reasons for starting a collection
It's called "The Hook". You get one stamp that catches your eye with a good price and the next thing you know you're starting a new collection! I'm so easy...
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re: Strange reasons for starting a collection
One of my collections consists of Algerian stamps. I’ve never been to Algeria and except for Stamporama member foudutimbre, from Algeria, I don’t know nor have I ever met a single Algerian. On that basis, I suppose it is "strange" that I collect Algerian stamps.
I don’t recall the precise trigger that sent me searching for Algerian stamps, but it was probably my discovery of French and French Algeria stamps overprinted with “EA” — État Algérian or Algerian State. I soon came to see them as the most interesting overprints I’d ever come across. Here’s the “deep background”.
The Algerian War had much in common with the Vietnam War, in which I served as unwilling cannon fodder. The entire Algerian War and the early stage of the Vietnam War were examples of asymmetrical warfare, a concept in which a modern, well-trained, well-armed, and well-supplied army faces poorly trained, poorly armed, and poorly supplied army, usually considered to be an insurgent army.
The French in the First Indochina War and in the subsequent Algerian War, and the Americans in the Vietnam War, using modern weapons, strategies, and tactics, and supported by elaborate supply lines, faced guerrilla forces using obsolescent and even antiquated weapons, often without the slightest support networks. The Algerian War was the first war to make extensive use of helicopters, on the French side, of course; Algerian insurgents mostly used their feet, cars, and trucks to move around Algeria. In both wars, the Western, well-equipped and trained armies won more battles than they lost, but nevertheless lost the wars to enemy forces who exhibited greater ability to use their own environment to their advantage and especially their greater determination to win. This photograph, which I took on my first or second day in South Vietnam in 1966, illustrates just how asymmetrical the Vietnam War was in its early stages. Hint: the little guy is a Viet Cong.
When the French finally gave up their attempt to control Algeria, Algerian authorities immediately began overprinting their stocks of French and French Algeria stamps with the “EA” overprints, but they were overprints with a difference: Each postmaster in the new country was authorized to apply the EA overprints using whatever resources they had. Whole sheets were overprinted on letterpresses. Blocks of stamps and presumably some individual stamps were overprinted with locally made rubber stamps. Some postal employees just used a pen and ink. Printed overprints were usually in boldface, and in different fonts, sizes, and styles. Most were sans-serif, but seriffed overprints exist. Ink used might be black, red, or green. Opaque bars obliterating any reference to France were often included in the overprints. As you might imagine, varieties of the overprints are numerous, but many are actually catalogued. Here are several from my collection, off cover and on:
A few months after the war, Algeria issued its own pictorial stamps that are virtually identical to French pictorial stamps of the period, but clearly showing them as Algerian stamps, not French stamps. From the top, a French stamp, an overprinted French stamp, and the Algerian version of the same stamp:
Just as Vietnam has issued many stamps commemorating its victory in the Vietnam War, Algeria continues to this day to issue stamps commemorating its victory over French forces. Even France issued a stamp commemorating its humiliating defeat by Ho Chi Minh’s Vietminh army at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu:
Bob
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08:04:53pm
re: Strange reasons for starting a collection
Bob, just a slight correction to your very interesting story.
"often without the slightest support networks"; except of course for the continuous support from the communists in Russia, China, Cuba, and even the home-based commies like Hanoi Jane. I don't believe the extended war in Viet Nam was justified, and I mourn for the lost and damaged lives of all on both sides. The Korean, and Viet Nam wars should have been won in no time flat, but profits took precedence over lives. Has anything changed?
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re: Strange reasons for starting a collection
I collect Indochina because of my interest in the Vietnam War.
In the book "About Face" by Col. Hackworth he noted (referenced a study in early 60s) that an insurgency supported by an external source usually wins. This was true in Vietnam starting more in 1963 time frame, when North Vietnam actively supported the conflict with weapons and soldiers. By 1965, the VC and especially the NVA were carrying very modern weapons (the reliable AK-47, 120mm mortar, etc.). As Col Moore stated after the battle of Ia Drang, the NVA was as well trained and motivated as the American solider. The experience gained over time was diluted by the 1 year rotation cycles for enlisted and 6 months for officers. The VC/NVA were there until they died or won.
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re: Strange reasons for starting a collection
Al,
I agree with your comments 100%. But, I am not sure where you obtained the 6 month rotation for officers. I was as officer and I served 2 tours in Vietnam, both of which were 12 full months long.
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This is my diabetic cat OBI! I think, therefore I am - I think! Descartes, sort of!
28 May 2023
07:56:40am
re: Strange reasons for starting a collection
Occasionally friends find out I collect stamps and ask me which countries. Some are pretty obvious, like the US and Canada, and then I say "Peru". No offence to any Peruvians out there but it's not an obvious choice! When they want to know why I tell them about getting a large lot of "P" countries because there were good selections there from The Philippines (US protectorate), Puerto Rico (ditto) and a couple PEI stamps I wanted. I also ended up with a very large collection of Peru. So I decided to get more, why not? My wife and I started collecting Russia and Poland many years ago because we thought they were pretty and would be fun to collect for that reason. Other countries got added along the way because I had lots of them for some unknown reason, so what the heck! I've always sort of regretted Peru because I really don't like their stamps very much. But I still pick some up occasionally! Why not?
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re: Strange reasons for starting a collection
"But, I am not sure where you obtained the 6 month rotation for officers."
A better way to say it that officers served 6 months in a combat line company then 6 months in a rear position. This meant young officers that served just learned the job before they rotated to a staff position. The Army promotion system was based upon combat time so wanted every officer to get a chance to get their ticket punched. Some did multiple tours. Enlisted in combat companies usually stayed in the field. This means people were always in learning mode.
The Marines had a 13 month cycle.
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re: Strange reasons for starting a collection
I shouldn't get into this thread, but Vietnam is a sore point with me.
No one wants to go to war and take the chance that one might come home in a body bag or severly injured. That said, the troops that fought in Vietnam deserved better. There's nothing nice about war... No Queensburt rules, etc.. If you go to war, there should be one and only one onjective... win the war as quickly as possible with minimal casualties. There should be no "No Fire Zones" or "No Pursuit Zones"! The politicians screwed the troops and were directly responsible for the war dragging on for two decades, almost 60,000 US fatalities and countless Vietnamese fatalities on both sides and finally abandoning the South Vietnamese to the communists. Vietnam was not the only war politicians screwed up.
OK, I told you I shouldn't have answered this thread. Sorry.
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re: Strange reasons for starting a collection
Pulling the thread back on track…
I collect New Jersey postmarks on full cover or card. How this came to be..
Back when I was a teen, my uncle worked for Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G). In the 1970s everyone mailed in a check for their bills so this company received an enormous amount of mail.
My uncle brought home huge boxes.. his own intent was to find uncanceled stamps he could use again, never to pay postage again! Then he’d pass the boxes on to me, so I could search out all the interesting stamps.
Once I had all the used commemorative stamps one would ever need, I took notice of the town postmarks and put these in alphabetical order in a shoe box.
Then I found a small paperback zip code directory and started to mark them off. That got me to requesting postmarks by mail from post offices. I started in the directory at “A” and got as far as “C” when I lost interest.
I had a very nice bicycle, a Peugeot Tour De France English racer that was fun and easy to ride. I would take trips around the county. When my father questioned my accounts of how far I had gone, I started going to post offices and getting postmarks to establish proof of my travels!
After I gave up on stamp collecting, I’d still toss occasional stamps into the old chest of drawers that housed much of my collection, and when I found postmarks on my mail, I’d put those in the NJ box.
Upon getting back into collecting stamps maybe 8 years ago, I found the box. Seeing it was already not a bad collection, I put it all in binders using two pocket pages.
I started buying covers on eBay which led me to discontinued post offices. I discovered several sources of information that I put into my own spreadsheet and found over 2400 different varieties to collect. And I find new ones to list regularly. Currently my collection is at 42% completion. At this point it’s been getting difficult to find ones I need. I don’t anticipate getting anywhere near completion because I feel that there may not be any surviving covers for many of the entries.
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Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..
01 Jun 2023
10:51:06pm
re: Strange reasons for starting a collection
Re; '' ....No one wants to go to war and take the chance that one might come home in a body bag or severely injured.....''
I try not to be thin skinned, but I feel that this comment is rather insulting, especially on the week when so many families memorialize members who were lost and celebrate the thousands who simply did what they saw as their patriotic duty.
''No one ?'' nay thousands knew the odds, took the risk, and, I daresay, barring infirmity, would roll the dice again.
Henry V, --Shakespeare
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remember’d;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.
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re: Strange reasons for starting a collection
If you want to read about the mindset of a warrior, read the book "About Face" by Col. David Hackworth. He was reported to have received the most medals in Vietnam (multiple purple hearts, etc). But then he criticizes the medal system. He lived to lead troops into battle. Reading about Vietnam really puts some context behind the stamps of the region. It is also not a positive story of the US Army as an organization.
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Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..
03 Jun 2023
11:01:05pm
re: Strange reasons for starting a collection
''.... But then he criticizes the medal system. ....''
No surprise here. many, (perhaps most) veterans who actually served in combat zones look at the fruit salad displayed on the chests of veterans, who in recent wars never passed the three mile limit, with disdain that crosses into disgust.
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re: Strange reasons for starting a collection
He called them "been there" medals and suggested that commanders (those in command and control helicopters or back at the base camp) get "commander" medals for performace rather than valor medals (bronze star, silver star, etc). Medals were another aspect of the Army promotion system.
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