A MaxSold auction this week included two views of stamp collecting items on a dining room table. Both the table and the stamp collecting items were up for bids. Though the bidding went higher than my initial maximum (doesn't it always?) I was eventually the successful high bidder - the albums and Canada Post books in the top photo for $30, the miscellaneous hoard below for $42, both before taxes and fees. What I was really interested in was the Canada Post Collector Packs. There were more pictures posted on the MaxSold website that led me to believe these were intact, unopened and therefore usable as postage!
As Canada Post continues hiking postage rates, stamp collectors like me who rely on exchanges, circuits and mailing stamps all over the world face increased costs to participate in this hobby: $1.24 within Canada, $1.75 to the U.S. $3.65 International. But what if I could buy mint postage at a reduced rate and use it at face value? When bidding, I hoped to #$%^ that the packs were full, since their contents were not visible. Well, examining the packs upon pick-up (in two boxes and feeling like 30 pounds' total weight !) showed me that they were indeed full.
I'll be formulating a total of mint postage obtained in these two lots. But right now, that initial bid price has resulted in $140 in postage! With more to come.
The albums are lightly used, nothing valuable observed so far, and I may consider switching my current paperback US (lacking some spots for early issues) and paperback Canada (lacking some spots and information on some issues) to these H.E. Harris dust-covered binder albums. The miscellaneous envelopes will be a fun sort over the long winter months. Two full packets of usable stamp hinges will save me $15 all on their own!
These appear to be someone's who started collecting earlier in life, then returned to the hobby perhaps upon retirement. I will give these items a good home in my retirement, and share them with others if I can't! This collection will live on. I'd like to thank the resident of the home on Calderwood Drive for curating this collection all these years!
