LOL...many of us started collecting with the HE Harris approval service. I used to tape my quarters to a note card to mail my payment back. (Ahem...this was a LONG time ago!)
Amazing! I should try tape a quarter to some mail to see if it arrives today... 🤔 LOL, thanks Deborah, I'm seeing several folks here in the comments that are familiar with the approval service, and commonly signed up using the adverts in comic books...wow!
I@@ExploringStamps I found the original ad in the back of one of my dad's Popular Mechanics magazines! I knew to look there after reading about stamp collecting in a reader at school.
Good morning, what a happiness to wake up on Sunday morning and watch you my friend, I am extremely happy to know that you liked the radio stamp, Laura and you are forever in my heart, I loved the dog 🐕
Aerogrammes. UK Royal Mail still produce a type of aerogramme for sending to serving personnel in the armed forces stationed overseas. Known as a 'bluey', because of their colour. They are only available from post offices. I used them to keep in touch with my son in the RAF.
@Lia from Spain - If you see this, I just wanted to let you know since you like stamps made from unusual materials, that Bhutan produced a bunch of lenticular stamps in the 60s and 70s that are quite interesting. They made some textured/embossed painting stamps in the 70s which kind of look like little oil paintings on canvas of famous paintings. Another good one to check is their ‘history of sculpture’ set from ‘71. They used a kind of plastic like material to make the sculptures on the stamps looks shiny and 3D. They even made tiny vinyl record stamps in the 70s too. I don’t know what they were on back then but I want some 😂 Bhutan is definitely worth checking out for unusual stamps.
Great programme, Graham. I'm happy to say that Jessica in Brazil and I are friends, thanks to your earlier video. I belong to the ASSS and have done Space displays at my club. I am now working on Local Posts in Germany 1946/8 for another display next May. Keep up the good work and if I get to Stampex this year I hope we can meet for a couple of minutes...
Thank you Rick! Jessica is awesome, so glad you made a connection with her 😊. Good luck with your Local Posts display, and YES if you attend Stampex, we can totally chat in person. Thanks so much for watching!!
Your ambulance cover would be a good launching point about non-machinable stamps which are offered in the US but I don't think elsewhere. Worth investigating.
I once got my mail searched by CBSA (Canadian Border Service Agency) and they used an yellow tape with “CBSA/ASFC” on it to seal it. It was nothing but a piece of paper lol.
Your channel and videos bring such joy and happiness to me and my wife. Great job! I remember seeing those matchbooks here in Quebec, I also remember ordering Archie comic books that way.
I've gotten a letter searched by border protection before. It was nothing of concern since it was a birthday card from my aunt in Aruba, lol. I still have it in my collection.
Hi Graham. I use a 1937 Imperial 'Good Companion' portable typewriter, got from my Dad, thanks for the shout out about Type Pals, I'm going to look that one up! 👍
@@ExploringStamps Those matchbooks were pre-1980. At the time the minimum price in the Scott Catalogue was 0.03 (it went to 0.05 in 1980) so in theory, 1000 stamps would be worth $30.00. The 1000 stamps was 80% Eastern European CTOs and 20% used.....with "5 special mint stamps", that were usually Middle Eastern cinderellas. The used portion was usually machins and American definitives. Even for a beginning collector, I think they were disappointing. Mystic and Jameson had similar offers at the time. The approvals were hit and miss though.
Hi Graham, very nice episode, liked it. The potato deal fromTristan da Cunha is fascinating, I liked it very much. Also the many topics, stamp collecting seems endless to me. The stamps from Kyrgyz are looking nice, especially the mountain stamps. May be I will travel to Stampex end of September. I wanted to do it last year and if everything is working fine I will be there.
Zeppelin flight postcard from Cheryl Ganz - it doesn’t get more epic! (I’m planning on going on that same flight next Spring, will send a card onto you to add to your collection.)
Right?! It doesnt get more philatelically epic than a Cheryl Ganz Zeppelin flight postcard!! Yes please send a zeppelin card when you go, the flights look amazing btw, I'm sure you will enjoy it! Thanks for watching Paul :)
Hi Graham. I'm in the middle of the Pacific. It's difficult to get internet on the ship. We have limited data and I was saving it all for your episode. Super excited. ❤
Hi Graham, great video, as always. Man am I jealous of all the great post that you get. There were 2 particular highlights from this video for me. First, the Kenmore stamp company. Gosh, I remember them from my time as a child stamp collector in the 1970s. Amazing that they still exist! I purchased the “large lot of all different for a fraction of the catalogue price” (they had ads in comic books in those days as well as match books) and it was fine for a starting collector, but I also found the constant mailings to be very irritating and mostly CTOs. I checked out their web page and it seems to be more sophisticated now 50 years later. Of course, this was all pre-internet, so no stamp trading or exchange sites or videos like “Exploring Stamps”. The second point that was very interesting was your cover opened by the US border authority. It reminded me of the only other such cover that I have seen - one in my collection sent from Argentina to Germany in 1943 and stamped with “Geoffnet, Oberkommando der Wehmacht” (opened by the High Command of the Armed Forces) and featuring the Nazi symbol. I think that they make an interesting if ironic pair. Keep up the great work.
So entertaining as always! I just love getting mail, always so exciting to see the contents of your PO Box. I had no idea Spain made so many gimmicky stamps, one of my favourite areas of collecting. Now I must go in search of them.
It is 2:15 am, and the start of a new week, here in Goa, India and I just completed watching your video from end-to-end. I will look up the video again, later in the day, to look up the link to subscribe to the newsletter and a whole lot more ... and as always, keep up the good work.
Dear Graham, I've been waiting for the next episode like a kid waits for christmas. I learn more in one episode of #philately than anywhere else. Thank you SO much for doing this. You actually made me start collecting stamps. I've just returned from the big american stamp show in Cleveland. Too bad we couldn't meet there. I hope you see you in London! Cheers! Mike
😊 Thank you so much!! It is great to see that the channel has helped in your philatelic journey. Yes if you are in London for Stampex, I will likely be seeing you there. Thanks so much for watching and supporting the channel :)
Hi Graham, I was pleasantly surprised to see the postcard I sent made on to the video. I'm also looking forward to the "Clash of Empires" episodes. Lastly I think I speak for most of your fans when I say that if mail day videos were 2 hours long it wouldn't seem enough. Best wishes, Mont from Ridgedale.
Thanks Mont 😊 always a pleasure to see something from you arrive. Thanks so much for all your support, it really means a lot! … hmm 2 hours, I’ll have to start including an intermission half way through 😆
Awesome video! Regarding chess by mail, one of my favourite essays ever is "The Gossage-Vardebedian Papers" which follows a chess-by-mail game. It's hilarious. (So, so many of your gifts are incredible to see!)
Hi Graham, thank you for this entertaining video which goes all over the place. A real fun thing to watch on a Sunday afternoon. Good to hear you will be at Stampex for all days, we sure will meet again, Do you bring Laura this time? It is always more fun when you don’t travel alone. I will see what I can bring that is fun and different to show from my collection. See you end of September. Erik
Finally got a chance to watch this episode and I am glad I did! One of my interests is modern US postal history and the cover opened by Homeland Security is a keeper! I have never seen one so thanks for sharing it. I really liked the Spanish ancient professions stamps and the assembled vintage radio, all really cool. Sorry to see viewer mail go away as these episodes are always fun!
It‘s always a treat to find a new episode up. I always enjoy your mail episodes because I always learn something new! Thanks Graham, and I hope to see you at another show sometime.
That matchbook was from the 60s when the catalog value of all common stamps was 3¢. Today 1000 stamps would be $250 catalog as the lowest prices are now 25¢. Approvals were heavily advertised back when I started in Popular Mechanics, Popular Science, and many other magazines. I think I did it a bit but quit like you did. Also, I earlier put in a comment identifying a postcard I have online (evidently not allowed to mention the site as I did) but it was to show you a 1972 chess game in progress between Czechoslovakia and New York. Love your site. I've been on and off collecting for 60+ years.
Another excellent video full of useful information on our hobby. The artwork on the Postcard Day stamp is very nice. The Outer Space stamps and FDCs are fascinating history. Well done as always! Greetings from Arizona.
Graham, I don't know if you ever considered doing another video on a philatelic topic (like previous videos on tongs, postmarks and cancels, zeppelin mail, etc.), but I was really hoping someone could explain tagging to me in more detail. Specifically, modern tagging and what a UV light is meant for and all that stuff. I don't really understand it and I think you're just the man for the job. If you'd consider it, I know I, and probably many other beginners, would be extremely appreciative. Either way, keep up the great work!
I really enjoyed this mail day episode and getting to see some really interesting and fun stamps from around the world! This is giving me ideas of stamps to look out for when I travel in the future:)
Thanks Les! I love how the community is eager to share how they enjoy the hobby, like you said it shows how diverse this hobby really us. Glad you enjoyed the episode 😊
Playing chess over post mail was quite spread years ago as far as I understand. I have a similar postcard with part of the chess game sent in 19th century from Russia
I played postal chess for many years, but it’s long ago. Indeed games take months or even years. Nowadays with computers being better than humans, it’s not so populair anymore. When playing this kind of check, you often play douzens of games at the same time.
Graham, you should do a video on all the tricks for mounting stamps. I have made every mistake on Earth with mounting stamps (too much moisture, cutting the mounts the wrong size, using mounts that are too big, etc.) and I have the Scott Specialty Album set which is too expensive of an album to make mistakes in. Any tips for us beginners? What about for mounting vertical strips of stamps or odd-sized stamps? If you could do a video on that, I would be grateful. Or if you know someone who knows the proper way to, for example, mount a vertical strip of stamps, please point me in the right direction. Keep up the great work!
Hi Graham, Great video, I was away for a long weekend in England (visiting my daughter and family) and just got around to watching your video and I also have a pile of emails to look at due to your plug for the Astro Space Stamp Society. Thank you for the information about the Society and for promoting it. I will now go and start on the emails. Derek (Astro Space Stamp Society)
Great video Graham, always happy to wake up and see a new episode to watch on my commute :) Great you will be at Stampex! I will be there for the first time this year, I am very excited for it!
Thank you so much Graham! I’m happy you liked my item. I knew that was a good one to give you. I’ll have to look into modern zeppelin flights that are in Germany. Maybe I could send one to them.
I’ve seen that matchbook before! I have gotten stamps on approval from Mystic Stamp for a short time each time in the late 80’s and again in early 2000’s. I loved buying unique sets of worldwide stamps. Now with the Internet, I don’t do it as I just go on and buy specific stamps I want. Thanks for teaching us so much through these mail day episodes! Love them!
Ah, that’s something I didn’t properly think about! The internet has largely killed the usefulness of stamps on approval. Yes I’d rather just purchase the exact stamps I need than fuss over large selections of them at a time. Thanks for sharing!
That’s a shame about the wooden postcard! I’ve seen them for sale in gift shops, etc in touristy places in the UK and have thought that they would be great as wall art - probably not so much as postcards!
Hi Graham, I saw you featured my postage mail in this episode. I was shocked to suddenly hear my name, I wasn't expecting it anymore :D, if you ever need help on the Belgium issue, if it ever pops up, just reach out, I'll be glad to help. I have a work collegue that has a reversed Dendermonde, but it's a fake... :p. the center was cut out an reversed and 'glued' back together. They made a huge mistake though, cause they reversed the name of 'termonde - dendermonde' also...^_^ I received your letter through the mail recently and want to thank you for that! It was really kind!! Keep up the good work! I'll definately keep watching from my side!! ;)
Thanks Bjorn 😊!! I was hoping that you saw it get featured. That fake Dendermonde sounds like a special piece 😂👏 Glad my letter arrived, thanks for contributing to the episode!
Glad you enjoyed the episode, cinema themed philately and postal history Im sure is amazing, what a wonderful theme to collect. Thanks so much for watching!!
Seeing the Cinderella I got made (and letter) at 36:45 was super exciting. My little boy is philatefamous! Great video as always. Unfortunately I started a new job at the beginning of July and couldn't find the time to go to London for the Clash of Empires exhibition. I'll almost certainly go to Stampex though, so perhaps I'll see you there! :)
I just found this video (maybe seen earlier? i don't remember). In the Netherlands, if you only have someone's postcode, you will end with maybe 25 addresses where the person lives. In theory, if you only write the postcode and house number, the mail will arrive at the right address. I think they will not accept such mail.
@@ExploringStamps Of course! Since first watching an angel statue episode on Dr. Who, I haven't look at statues of angels and people quite the same way since. "Don't blink". Heebie-jeebies!
I was going thru my GB collection and dup's. I have a mint og #1 and 4 covers and 46 used dup's. Looks like they have done well price wise. Being a Yank,I was able to buy British for less, than what they sold for in the UK. Hard to believe,that when I first collected in 1959,Elizabeth was Queen,and was until I was 73. We Americans loved her and Queen Mum and Princess Diana. Not so much for the current King though.
I received an empty envelope minus postcards from France with no WE Care envelope. I drove to the post office and said please don't deliver an empty envelope without telling me.
Hi Graham, I have purchased 'special offer' stamps from Mystic with the deal of sending stamps and you have to return the ones you do not want. My experience has been the majority of the special offer stamp sent have imperfections; centering is bad, the colors are not crisp, etc. I sent them all back. I also purchased stamps from them only to find out when they arrived, they were CTOs. I would have been so upset if they had been advertised as such but that was not the case. Not a big fan of them but understand some can be of value. What is your opinion of CTO stamps? good or bad for the hobbist?
I have mostly negative thoughts about CTOs...BUT, I understand how they potentially help the world of stamp collecting. I have plenty of CTOs and use them regularly on my channel, but I struggle to agree that CTOs are actually stamps, when they were made to just be sold to collectors and not used on the mail....This is a heavy debate topic 😬
Can I suggest a possible stamp entry for Creepiest Stamps here? - 1999 UK Inventors Tale - Industrial Worker and Blast Furnace 26p. I have voted earlier and unable to submit this within the Googledoc without voting again, so thought of commenting here.
I'm looking at going to stampx with my dad, but im confused about the tickets, i understand the £10 on Wednesday but otherdays are showing 0.00 dose it mean its free to enter on those days or do u need the Wednesday ticket, been years since my dads been stampx and since getting into stamps myself recently thought it be a nice treat to take him there but with both of us being dyslexic where both confused by the website 😅 I know it may be silly, but any help is appreciated 😊
Yes correct! Days 2, 3 and 4 are free, only day 1 is £10 . you can walk into the show and get your wristband at that time. If you have any issues at the door, tell them Graham knows you ;). Definitely a great day trip with your dad, hope to see you there.
👋🤠 Greetings from Missouri ! Stamps on approval ?? 😐 USUALLY low quality and over priced space fillers 🙂 And that was $2.95 CAD @40:00 👍👍 TA, Graham 157👍 ✌
Hello Graham. The link to your Instagram isn't working. I clicked in order to follow you on there and it came back with a sorry this page isn't available notice. Love your videos have been watching them for quite a while now and they are always informative and enjoyable. Thanks heaps ! 😀
