First Day Covers - Help!

[wolf63]

I have six albums full of these, going back to the 1960s, that I am listing on a spreadsheet.

My main problem is that I don't know what constitutes a FDC.

Most of the items are commemorative envelops - that's okay.
But a few are on Airmail enveloped and date stamped on the day off issue.

Are both of these equally collectable? Are the stamps the important bit?

Any help is appreciated. :-)

[Moorea7]

They have to be date-stamped on the day of issue.
What a wonderful collection you must have - I went through a spell of collecting First Day covers but sold most of them on e-Bay (quite good
results) - I still have some Royal ones which will probably have increased in value.

[Geoffrey13]

The stamp with a clear first-day date is the valuable combination. But from my experiences at auctions, most recent ones (e.g. this century) only fetch very modest prices.

Jackpot if you're lucky enough to get a very rare one - perhaps a true philatelist will be along for more knowledgeable enlightenment.

[Moorea7]

https://www.windsorstamps.co.uk/First_Day_Rare_Covers--category--291.html

[Moorea7]

https://www.kenmorestamp.com/first-day-cover

[Buenchico]

This might help:
https://www.bfdc.co.uk/content/whatisafdc.html

My late father collected modern British postage stamps. He saved money by getting the latest set of stamps (without the posh FDC envelope) from the local post office, sticking them onto a plain white envelope and then returning to the post office to get the postmaster to carefully hand-stamp them with the date of issue (and of postage), ensuring that the postmarks only just crossed the corner of each stamp. (He was a very obliging postmaster!).

That satisfied my father's desire to have the first day covers but I'm not sure whether other philatelists would agree that they met the requirements though.

[Hopkirk]

Do any kids take up stamp collecting these days?

[wolf63]

I wish they were mine. They have been donated to Oxfam.

Thanks for the link Moorea - will have a look in the morning.

Geoffrey - I also deal with old postcards. We sell most online at about £8.99 for 32 postcards.

But every so often there is one worth £15+. I have some really old ones from about 1903 just now.

Thanks to both of you

[Buenchico]

>>> "Do any kids take up stamp collecting these days?"

There's an organisation which seeks to promote the hobby to youngsters:
https://www.stampactive.co.uk/

[wolf63]

Stamp collectors buy stamps in bulk from us in the hope of getting a couple that might be of value. They must be successful as they come back for more.

That said there is one for sale (not our shop) for £1,700. :-0

[Moorea7]

Wow! Are they loose stamps or on envelopes?

[Buenchico]

>>> "Stamp collectors buy stamps in bulk from us in the hope of getting a couple that might be of value"

Yes. As you're probably aware, it's called 'kiloware'. My father spent many, many hours sorting through modern British kiloware (which consisted of the corner bits of envelopes, with stamps stuck on them). It's a very specialised hobby where what would appear to most people as just one stamp can have hundreds of variations in colour, perforations, watermarks, phosphor bands and much, much more.

[wolf63]

This is what all the shops have for sale.

https://onlineshop.oxfam.org.uk/stamps/category/stamps?N=1238407244&Ns=sku.activePrice|1&Ntk=&;Nr=AND(product.active:1,NOT(sku.listPrice:0.000000))&No=0&Nf=&Nrpp=30

[wolf63]

Chris, I avoid dealing with stamps. The collectors take it all too seriously.

[Moorea7]

Re old postcards, I sold some on eBay for my cousin - they were mostly of views of people, houses, etc. in olden days French rural locations - most made between £12-15.

Other items which went for unbelievable prices were old suitcase labels, particularly those with pictures of the resort - The Ritz hotel in Paris label could have sold ten times over.

[Moorea7]

That's an interesting link - thanks. Can't wait till I get home on Sunday to check out my stamps!

[Gromit]

Not an expert but I used to collect as a boy.
I would say both are valid if stamped on the day of issue.
I think the specially printed envelopes with a fact card or booklet inside came in the 70s or 80s, when Royal Mail saw the potential of selling new stamps to enthusiasts.

I remember a couple of favourites of mine. The Roland Hill and the Stephenson’s rocket packs.

[jno]

btw, Wolf, I saw this and thought of you

https://postimg.cc/QVxzx17Q

[wolf63]

jno, that would be the bathroom door.

I still don't know if it is a good idea to get adopted again.