Ian's Collection: March 2013

Thursday, 28 March 2013

Red Packet - Fair Price (Singapore) 2013

Thoughts on Stamp Collecting - II

Pos Malaysia has just released forms for SODA (Standing Order Account) members to order the Kedah Exhibition overprint miniature sheet (the Agong miniature sheet issued in 2012 is over-printed for this purpose) and New Currency (stamp issue from year 2012) uncut miniature sheetlet. On another occasion, PSM (Philatelic Society of Malaysia) also took the opportunity to issue (also on sale) PSM Kedah Exhibition cover. This PSM exhibition cover is only sold by PSM not Pos Malaysia. I view all these happenings in a positive manner, and in fact I welcome the appearance of these philatelic materials. Collectors have more choices or more philatelic materials to collect.

Pos Malaysia is commendable on issuing SetemKu and stamp folder as many collectors like these philatelic products. Honestly, Pos Malaysia should also consider issuing on regular basis the maxicards, aerogrammes, postal cards, presentation packs, imperforated miniature sheets, uncut sheetlets, imperforated stamps, numismatic cover, more than one cover design for FDC and different formats of stamp sets - more choices for collectors to choose. Pewter Selongor should also resume to issuing Pewter covers. PSM should also issue special covers from time to time.

It is the rights of Pos Malaysia and other organisations to come out with different innovative products, and at the same token it is the rights of collectors to buy or not to buy. Some collectors should not complain too much if they do not like some philatelic products. We must know that some other collectors may have immense passion on these products. As I always say different people have different preferences, and that we should not impose our righteous on other people. We collectors should also know that nobody put a gun on our heads asking us to buy.

Let celebrate the diversity of philately.

Tuesday, 26 March 2013

2013 - Unity

The below stamp set was issued on 26 March 2013 on topic of Unity. I personally think that the stamps are not much appealing.

Some Thoughts on Stamp Collecting - I

Many of us are too eccentric with our stamp collecting - the areas and types of philatelic material that we collect - viewing others not confining to our perception of collecting as wrong and weird. Philatelic material comes in different types - mint never hinged, mint hinged, postally used, used, CTO, definitive, commemorative, special, thematics, MS, sheetlet, stamp sheet, uncut sheet, imperforated sheet, presentation pack, FDC, cover, error, block-of-4, block-of-6, cylinder block, traffic block, gutter pair, wallpaper, illegal, unissued, annual album, aerogramme, postage due, revenue, overprint, reprint, surcharge etc. For me all these are collectable in one way to another. Different people might have different preferences, and we should not impose our righteous on others what to collect and what not to collect. Contrarily, we should celebrate the diversity of types/areas of stamp collecting.

Stamp collecting is supposed to be a hobby bringing you pleasure and fun. Emphasizing too much on monetary reward from stamp collecting is disastrous to the hobby. Just take stamp collecting like other hobbies (such as football, going movies, photography, travelling, drawing...). One needs to spend on hobbies, and that the hobbies shall bring you happiness. However, spending accordingly is the key for a healthy hobby.