There is a STAMP COLLECTING Contest at the Minnesota State Fair 

It’s got to be SOTN for me. The enthusiasm and joy that radiates out from you when you see a good one is truly great. If you can duplicate that in your entry you are a shoe in for a ribbon. Good luck.

You are a philatelic superstar. Love the videos.

Enjoy being a Philatelic Wunderkind ( Or whatever your shirt says!) Good luck withe contest...!!

I think option 1 is great. :) The idea of ​​turning something old into something new and preserving it in this way is just wonderful. French stamps are iconic and have such a beautiful design. I bet the visitors will like them very much.

Lovely stamps. Okay, my vote is SOTN collection. Good luck!

Mr Silk, once again thanks for the content of today's excellent exciting video. How wonderful to receive such a great trade from Holland from your kind viewer. For me I think option 1 will be the most creative option for the show. It will be bringing back to life a beautiful piece of postal history.

What a cool competition. All great options, but I would go with the French collection. It is such a nice story and would present beautifully.

My choice would be option 3. I really like socked on the nose stamps with the place, date etc nice and clear. I guess it's the historical and geographical part I'm into , plus the fact that these stamps have been through the system and travelled the world.

Option #2 👍👍👍👍👍

I like option 1 the cover of the old French album is truly historic and beautiful.

I agree that the King George VI is a very important era, and are amongst the most beautifully designed and printed out there. I therefore believe that you should go with option number 2

You are looking particularly good, Silk; I'm thinking that quitting that stressful job was a big plus. Well do I remember attending the Minnesota State Fair, and marvelling (40-plus years ago) at the amazing variety of apples that Minnesota produced. I wonder whether that's still the case. I also attended the Iowa State Fair for the 5 years or so that I lived in Des Moines, and talk about food on a stick! OMG! Growing up in Oregon, food on a stick was not a "thing" at the State Fair, so that was quite a gastronomic revelation for me! You have given me an intriguing idea about using the cool covers of a very old album to create a new album. I have been trying to figure out how I want to house my ship stamp collection, and reusing old album covers may just fill the bill. I always love looking at June's Album. I have watched that video so many times and find it so calming and refreshing. Gosh, I like ALL three options for the fair entry. If I had to choose, I would vote for Option 3, just because it's a more unique entry, both from the standpoint that the cancels you choose will be something no one can duplicate, and also you can refine it down a bit (cancels are a massive area to explore). Maybe narrow it down to a specific time period, or compare a couple of time periods to show how cancels changed over time, or get even more specific in some way, while still allowing you to present a whole bunch of stamps.

I went to a stamp show in Cleveland in the 60s and saw an amazing display. The entire 1902 regulars set in singles, blocks, covers, AND AUTOGRAPHS including George and Martha Washington!!!

Hello Silk i would go for number 2, those stamps are so beautyfull. Greetings from the Netherlands.

Beautiful French collection - it would be cool to see a restored Petit album live on! The King George V collection is amazing and put together with such care. The US SON collection is also amazing. I'm leaning towards the KGV but they would all make amazing exhibits. I love your acknowledgement of previous collectors - I have gotten boxes from dozens of estate lots and I think about those original collectors and hope they will approve of the care I am showing their stamps now.

Hi Silk. Due to short time you have I would goto option 3 Best regards James in Scotland.

Many thanks for the fin and encouraging videos you do. My feeling, for what it's worth, is option 1 because that will be a very personal and unique collection. Whereas 2 and 3 are more likely to be done by other collectors.

Option 1 - France! Would love to see how the repurposing of that pretty album turns out!

thanks 😊😊😊😊😊

I think option 2 would give you the most fun to put together

I vote for 2nd option. Good luck.

Wonderful trade stamps! The Netherland stamps are always such imaginitive and colourful designs. Have fun sorting them. :)

I think I would put together your early French collection for this year and the George the VI for next year, since it might take a while!

Option 1. Always go with your first impulse, it's usually correct.

My inner french is calling for option 1!

So I think you just found your third design for your hypothetical merch store... "Philatelic Superstar!" ;)

I vote for the French Petit Album.

While the sweet, artistic intentions of both the French and KGVI collections are touching and thoughtful, I feel the SOTN collection really shows your passion for a particular theme. I think it is your best opportunity to show the true joy of collecting and making a collection one’s own. Also, keep in mind that you are showing these in a frame so the book options won’t translate as well. There are some good videos about displaying for shows on RU-vid. I think the Royal Canadian Philatelic Society has even started posting a series on it. Also the American Topical Association has some helpful information on one frame displays. Good luck Silk! Have fun!

Option 2

My vote is on SOTN and fancy cancels (third option)

Option 3

Congrats on the "Online Philatelic Superstar" shirt which was an amazing idea of your wife, highly appreciated !👍 Kind regards to her, if she reads this comment section. A gift is a gift, so no obligation to answer rapidly. And yes, in my opinion you might use "Le petit album de timbres poste" to create a new album for classic French and/or Belgium stamps. Greets from GER, U.

I am afraid that, as a French philatelist, I will be biased, and will go with Option 1. I have noticed a few mancolists in your first album that will be easy for me to find for you. I mostly collect French FDCs, but I do love my American Artcraft FDC collection from 1939 to 1950. I have only a few mancolists, and I believe we could help each other! All the best to you from beautiful Provence. Laurent

I vote for the SOTN cancels. I assume the fair-goers will not all be stamp collectors, so the US stamp theme would be of more interest to the general public than other countries. Also, it's a great way to show how cancels can be interesting! I find many stamp collectors just don't appreciate that, let alone the regular folk. If you pick a relevant theme, eg. finding cancels from Minnesota and talking a bit of history of Minnesota, I think they'd all love it. :)

Thanks for opening my package on video and that You liked the stamps i've sended, hope they all find a way into Youre collections, and i think You have to go for option 1 🙂

Silk!! Where have you been hiding that KGVI collection. Huge wow factor! As my Dad used to say, "You can't go wrong with British Colonials!".

go for the duck stamps1

Best shirt EVER!!! It made me imagine collecting autographed “ Online Philatelic Superstar” trading cards 😊 What you are doing is really influential, and such a positive and joyous delight. It makes the world a better place. Does your wife sell t-shirts or her other crafts online? Those stamps you received are amazing. I’ve been toying with the idea of making bookmarks featuring stamps specific to people I care about. My sister-in-law almost went to the Olympics for speed skating. She would love a bookmark w/ stamps like those. I’ll have to look them up. Also, I also noticed you suddenly look 10 years younger! What the heck? I need some of that magic. Thanks for another fun video. I always look forward to them 🎉

I vote for Option 3 - fancy cancels…to make it suitable for the State Fair (yes I’ve been and it’s awesome!), you could focus on your Minneapolis/St Paul cancels and pre-cancels if you have enough? 🤔🤗

I reckon the French album is an excellent idea, but the glorious KGVI album has my vote... though probably because I don't precisely understand the socked-on-the-nose concept. Lol

What type of album is that France one? I love the cover

I think I'd go with the SON option. Being US stamps, might be of more interest to fair visitors.... and next year, expand to the British Empire..... and the next year.....

Watching a BATMan episode where Roger C Carmel as Col Gumm tries to turn Batman and Robin into Giant Stamps. Ever see it?

Option 4: The History and Prominent People of Minnesota in Stamps. Including blown up pictures of said stamps for clarity.

A vote for the SOTN canceled collection.

How about a 4th option,fill up the duck stamp album I sent you.

So what is the security situation at the Fair? Is there a chance that someone could walk off with your display? I would not put really valuable stamps in your display. I like Option 2.

Option 1 or 3. You need to copyright your slogan.

So I havnt watched you in about 2 months or so and boy have you changed. You’ve got from not even showing your face to an online philatelic superstar. And some you’ve got everyone sending you free stamps. Let’s see some videos of the stamps you’re sending back. You are a lot of fun still I enjoy you but I hope you’re not falling in love with yourself. Not sure if I wanna check send on this I feel like I’m being a hater. But here goes. Send

My guess is that most people presenting in a state fair arena will approach it from an arts and crafts perspective. So, if you were to research how to put together a single pane exhibit like would be done at an APS sanctioned event, and put something together along those lines, you would set a new standard ;-) APS exhibits are often history lessons that tie-in a philatelic aspect with a historical or sociological occurance. I would steer clear of things like plating exhibits or ones that het into the weeds of philatelic research......keep it approachable and fun. .maybe something like mail carrying on the Great Lakes, for example? That may take time, however, for you to dig up covers and letters that tell a story. I dunno, maybe that all is a bit ambitious for the time you have.

G’day Mr Silk, now I have just looked up the Mn state fair, dont you live in St Paul? Regards from 🦘