Stamp Column Archives

The Glassine Surfer Column Archive

This column originally appeared in the American Philatelic Society's monthly magazine, "The American Philatelist." Since then some of the information may be out-of-date depending on how far back you're reading.

July 1999

Viva la Revolution

The 'Net has turned marketing into everyone's business.  The 'Net is geared to selling anything to anyone at the lowest price as fast as possible.  

Amazon.com has a bookstore, record shop, an online drug store and run auctions for, among other things, stamps.  Yahoo! owns a 'Net broadcasting company and auctions stamps at its auction site.  And this month [[ed note: this July]] Ebay will debut a news stand magazine to attract more people to its auctions.

In the short term, a few million people will get their first exposure to stamp collecting at Ebay, Yahoo! and Amazon.com.  The hobby should grow, and that's good.  But the 'Net is a devilishly tricky "buyer beware" marketplace, and in the long term, the newcomers' inexperience could hurt both the newcomers and the hobby.

Young or beginning stamp collectors need the help, advice and support of other collectors that local stamp clubs and good stamp dealers give by sharing their knowledge, experience and resources.

So keep your eyes open on the 'Net and try to help others find their way to their local stamp club.

Philatelic-American Fourth

Everyone celebrates The Fourth.  Small towns have big parades, and barbeques quickly become family and neighborhood reunions, but what could be a more Philatelic-American way to honor the Fourth than to visit the National Postal Museum at the Smithsonian Institute.  And in 1999 you can do it online.

The NPM web site boasts a gallery of virtual online exhibits, as well as information about the tangible displays in the capital.  It's a very good way for people to see what treasures stamps really are.  With hotdog in hand, click on over to the museum.

National Postal Museum
http://www.si.edu/postal/start.html

And while your in Washington, stop by the National Archives online exhibits.  If the Smithsonian is the Nation's Attic, then NARA is America's safe deposit box.

The National Archives at
http://www.nara.gov/exhall/exhibits.html

Aloha, Hawaii

"Stamps from the Kingdom of Hawaii" is four-star web site that tells the story of the Kingdom's stamps.  Collector Rodney Moura covers the legendary Missionary issues, the numeral issue, free inter-island mail, the Kahului Railroad Company, as well as revenues, postcards and envelopes.

Moura illustrates each issue with good copies and accompanying text with layout and color evoking both Hawaii and its stamps.  If you're knowledgeable about Hawaiian philately, and even if you're not, drop in and maybe contribute an anecdote or Hawaiian Blue or two.

Stamps from the Kingdom of Hawaii at
http://www.aloha.net/~rodney/

Quick Clinic

McAfee has been producing PC anti-virus programs since MSDOS 3.0, and now the company handles just about all the PC housekeeping chores you could think of.  They even offer a free online service called the McAfee Clinic.

The clinic is actually three check-ups, and you can opt for the full treatment or pick those you want.  Go to their website and the Quick Clinic area, and all the work will be done between your PC and their Internet site.  You have to register a password with them, and you can go back when you want or need to.

The first is the Virus Scan. It will tell you if you have a virus on your hard drive, but since you don't download this scan, there's no virus detection on your PC afterward.  It scanned 3100+ program files and found nothing on my drive.