So I'm minding my own business on the board and one day recently Butterflies pops up and asks if I'd like a copy of a postmark he has in his possession knowing I'm collecting commemorative postmarks. Naturally I accept his offer.

Fast forward about a week and the cover with postmark arrives. Oh but that's not the half of it. Right away I notice he was considerate enough to frank the envelope with US Bicentennial stamps. I collect US Bicentennial. Right away I'm tickled pink with the franking alone.

Then I get inside the envelope and sure enough there's the cover and postmark he offered up gratis. But there's other goodies as well... a few Canada... a few Australia. Heck, I collect those too.

Then the one that made my philatelic day.

Below is a page from my New Mexico topical collection. This page is the single most incomplete page in the collection. I'm six pieces from complete on the NM collection.

\

So just what does Butterflies include as part of a serious "above and beyond" gimme?

THIS!



FIVE pieces from complete!

Amazing, i had no idea they would fit.
The "Goddess of Philately" works in mysterious ways!
From Oquist to me to you.
Now I know who might like the rest of the stamps on that envelope.
One of these days I'm sure I'll find an excuse to sent another letter.

Hehehe... those things are easy to find as singles but tough to find as used blocks... as far as singles go in the collection I've got that part whipped... it's running these fellows down that has been tough.

The two I have though have been from franking. Time and patience...

Thought that handiwork looked familiar. Glad to see it land in the perfect spot.

BTW:
I showed off the envelope with the sheet of Cape Hatteras stamps today at my stamp club meeting and the first person on my right grabbed it and kept it!!!

Then I showed off some of the poorer of the 1917 Austria on parcel cards and the person on my left took all of them!!

Just so you know, Stamp Bear material seems to get redistributed very quickly.

Will send another cape hatteras next time. Plenty of those laying around here

i love reading threads like this.. now this is what a community is all about!!

You said it great, BP!!!!

i have often tohught on this and while i agree with you Bengalpaws, i wonder if any one can express WHY that is?

IMO -
it has to do with the sense of being relaxed while learning, teaching with out the pressure of making someone understand.. the hobby it self leds a certain romance to the view of the world and brings forth a general commonality among people (collectors or not). i think that because we are not wrapped in the investment end of the hobby (though conversation on worth is welcome) we tend to look at each others collections and share our own with out that critical eye that bleeds into other places conversations.

for example i was off looking at a board i once used to participate in and this newer member had posted a stamp they loved, admittedly it was in rough shape, but rather then read the back story about WHY this was so well loved the first 9 replies were about condition, getting rid of it, and how none of them would dare to have such a piece in there collection. For me the interest was in the story behind the piece. a man growing up in the depression attempting to build a legacy to pass on to future generations with no money to speak of stole a note book and started gathering envelopes form trash bins. starting his collection in this way and this stamp being in the new owners hands brings forth fond memories of his grand father who started it.

This is what the hobby is about - the story that each of us brings forth, the history that speaks through our little pieces of paper, and the ability to share that with people who actually want to know more about that story then the condition of the stamp..

this to me explains Stamp Bears.

For whatever reason the majority... vast majority... here seem to want to pass along the hobby to others. It's a hobby for crying out loud not a life critical job.

I read recently of two ladies who were building a stamp collection together. The story stated how neatly and carefully they'd mounted their stamps, how much care and time clearly went into not only the collection but in its presentation.

Know what those ladies collected? "Pretty stamps". That's it... that was their collecting interest. If they thought it "pretty" it was fair game. Who in this wide, wide world has the right to tell them they're doing it wrong? Simple answer: No one.

I think I like this board above and beyond other stamp boards because here I get from others what I try to give to others... the simple principle of, "I'm OK, You're OK".

I agree with both of you, the way I collect is going to be different from each of you. If I dont like something or dont like how you collect your stamps, thats MY PROBBLEM. I would NEVER knock down someone, on they way they collect, what they collect or the condition of their stamps.

On another board, I was told that some of my early classic US stamps were shabby. OH WELL!!!! I love them and thats what counts the most. Most of the early classics are hard to come by and the money that I would have to have to buy no fault classics is not there. I am not collecting to become rich when I retire, Im here to enjoy the hobby and try to collect as many different US classics as possible. I would love to have them all, no matter what condition they are in.

Sorry to rant, but I really love being part of SB and hope this board continues to be a family, friendly board.

it always will Kris... those who attempt to make that hard may go right on to the next board...