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 Since then some of the information may be out-of-date depending on how far back you're reading.

November 2001

A funny thing happened as I was writing this column. I learned that I was no longer writing about Web sites, as I had since '98. Instead, I found out I was writing about stamp collecting stories that are published on the Web.

Our stamp exhibits are our philatelic essays illustrated with the real objects. They're the best way we have to understanding individual stamp issues, usages, and processes, and are our best teachers. The best tell their story.

Of course, the limitations of physical stamp exhibits are well known. Few stamp collectors actually have the opportunity to visit the large shows and see the well-prepared exhibits, and fewer, still, have the time to study and absorb the depth of information presented in the better ones. But philatelic essays on the Web can help solve that.

I've been reviewing online exhibits here for sometime, and their time has come for they are one of the most effective educators in philately.

eBay Stamp Stores

eBay is an online mall where you can buy stamps at auction and they're very, very successful. So, it was no surprise when eBay opened a venue for online stamp stores.

Simply put, eBay sellers lists their items in the same manner as they would their auction lots with eBay taking a commission from each sale. For the seller, the store can be a quick and easy-to-use Web site and e-commerce solution.

When last I clicked through it, eBayStores had four pages of stamp store listings, arranged by the number of items for sale at each store, though there's a search box in the corner if a buyer is looking for a particular item of interest.

Trouble is, search queries scour all of eBay's stores, not just stamp stores. This sort of forces buyers to browse through many, many stamp stores, or to sort through many, many search listing results.

I think sellers would prefer you browse their shops. After all, when I go to a stamp show, I wind up with a bag full of things I wasn't planning on buying, from new tongs, magazines, old catalogs, topical material and interesting covers. I rarely find anything that I've written down on my "want list."

Obviously, this online venue doesn't cover all the territory that APS stamp collectors are interested in, but it is just a beginning and a good model for anyone else eyeing a new approach to philatelic e-commerce.

eBay Stamp Stores
http://www.ebaystores.com/stores/category131072/index.html

Trains: A-Z Wayside

Alphabetilately, the Web site, has grown. This is Bill Senkus's Web site which presents well-illustrated essays about stamps and stamp collecting in an A-Z format, and though I think the initial layout of the site was a linear 26-page, A-Z run, things have changed.

"Trains on US Locals and Expresses" and "Trains on US Stamps and Postal
Stationery" are multi-page presentations that very well could be a Web site unto themselves, and worth an hour or two of your online time.

The exhibit is well-illustrated courtesy of Siegel Auction Gallery auction catalogs with many rare US locals and expresses, and with many US national issues used to carry mails along the rails.

As more and more pages are added, the site becomes richer, adding to its already wide scope.

Trains at "Alphabetilatley"
http://alphabetilately.com/US-trains-00.html

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Old Surfers never die...

What happens to all the old installments of the "Glassine Surfer"? They go to the online archives.

If you're looking for a Web site that was mentioned in this column, you can find it in the online archive, which has text and links from the column dating back to '98.

Most of the Web sites, regardless of date, are still great resources, but some of the information may be out-of-date depending on how far back you go. In fact, a Web archaeologist might enjoy delving into the deeper sediments to see what was once fresh and new.

"Glassine Surfer" archives
http://www.GlassineSurfer.com

e-Consumers

Billions of dollars change hands on the Web, and that attracts the usual crowd of slippery characters, so take a few moments to learn to protect your online wallet.

Below are a few sites, not limited to stamp collecting, that cover the whole realm of online consumers pitfalls that you're better off knowing about before hand than after the fact.

Scam Busters
http://www.scambusters.com/

Consumer Net
http://www.consumernet.org/

FBI fraud
http://www.ifccfbi.gov/

Of course if you're dealing with a stamp transaction over the Web you may want to check on the other party's APS membership online.

APS
http://www.stamps.org/aps/services/verify.htm

WWW Exhibitions

APS member Gordon Brick would like to see an Internet category for stamp exhibitions, where virtual stamp exhibits are published on a Web site and judged or rated online.

The benefits to stamp collectors are obvious. Everyone can see an online exhibit, and the presentation could remain online for a very long time. Additionally, the writer could augment his or her work as time goes on and as information or important stamps and covers come to light.

Brick has already prepared online versions of two of his exhibits that he took to the Peach State stamp show and has hosted them on his Web site.

U.S. Air Mails and First Flight Covers
http://www.stampvault.net/airmail.html

Fly like an Eagle
http://www.stampvault.net/exppri.html

Additionally, Brick would like to see the APS create an official judging category for such online stamp exhibitions. If you'd like to register your opinion on this topic, you're invited to e-mail the APS with your thoughts and comments.

Even if the idea of competitive exhibitions is alien to your ideas of enjoying stamp collecting, you owe it to yourself to stop by Brick's exhibits.

The airmail presentation is 161 pages of well-illustrated information about all of the USA's air mail issues presented chronologically starting with #C3 to the present Arcadia National Park issue.

PWO

The Philatelic Webmasters Organization is a new group meant as an organizing body for philatelic Webmasters with a stated intention of concentrating on inspiring young people to collect stamps.

Just as stamp club newsletters are different than a commercial philatelic newspaper or catalog, publishing a site on the Web is different than writing for a magazine or producing a bound book, making philatelic Webmasters a new philatelic species.

The professed intent of the group is to serve as a place to learn, and membership is free. All anyone need do is have a stamp collecting Web site and apply.

Being able to ask questions and pool thoughts and ideas about html, java and quirky code is one good thing about the PWO, but the group is also involved with helping to identify illegal stamp issues for the Universal Postal Union. You can find a list of countries that have had stamps illegally issued in their name, along with many details.

The PWO site also hosts a UPU advisory list of illegal stamps, as well as a list of commercial Web sites selling these items.

I also read at the site that it has been proposed that the UPU begin an official numbering system for legitimate stamp issues and publish it on the UPU site.

Philatelic Webmasters Organization
http://www.pwmo.org/

Universal Postal Union
http://www.upu.int/

HTML by e-mail

It's all well and good to talk about using the Web for stamp exhibits, but first you need an introduction and a few lessons in the hypertext markup language, that everyone knows as "html."

One of the best Web sites is Jennifer Kyrnin's html site and her free HTML 101 training class. For 10 weeks you get syllabus by email. It lets you proceed at your own pace and will give you an understanding of html basics as well as some advanced topics.

Some of the items covered are; text manipulation, lists, images, linking, and tables.

Kyrnin's Html 101
http://html.about.com/library/beginning/bl_htmlclass.htm

09-11-01

Because of the mechanics of magazine production I was writing this column for Novemebr 2001 on September 11. I started work at eight in the morning, but was interrupted by a phone call at around 9:30 am.

I was oblivious to the events at the World Trade Center and turned on the TV. Born and raised in NYC, I was staggered when saw the black smoke spewing from the north tower, knowing that what I saw had to be a hellish nightmare to anyone Downtown.

I hung up the phone and turned back to the TV, and it was only then that I saw that there had been only one tower standing. I had to turn off the TV.

It's now the next morning, and the Vermont National Air Guard F-16's are flying sorties. It was hours before I was able to look at the TV again, and by then it felt as if a lifetime had passed.

I know that many of the APS live and work in New York and have been hurt by these events. If you have, I am sorry for the loss and suffering and pray that tomorrow is a brighter day of hope.