FDC's. Their role in a stamp collection need to well defined. Point of view.

Do you consider FDC’s relevant to a classical stamp collector? No! Unless it is a letter carrying Penny Black sent on the date of issue or a similar item from before the concept of FDC's were invented. Could even very well be of a later date if genuinely a letter reflecting the proper postal rate.

But why are FDC's not terribly popular among advanced traditional collectors? Because their postal purpose is questionable. They are wannabe letters, but never become letters. A letter is basically a message to somebody who is absent. If the receiver replies you even have a correspondence. FDC's do not carry messages, they just mark an event. The stamp on an FDC furthermore often does not reflect a rate for services rendered.

These facts do not mean that FDC's cannot form part of a stamp collection. I am sure thematic collectors wellcome them. I myself include FDC's in my open class collection. They represent my theme and add to the variety of objects. Whether they fall in the category of stamp related material (50%) or non-stamp related material (50%) I do not know. The judges will surely tell me if the balance in my collection is out of order.

FDC's should be accepted for what they are. A collector's item marking an event. Problem is that suffisticated dealers sometimes make unexperienced traditional collectors believe that FDC's belong in a traditional collection and even may gain in value like traditional stamps and covers sometimes do. FDC's, however, very rarely do gain in value to the great disappointment of many a young collector!

Help me write a book (E-book) about Stamp Collecting and Philately!

Many a fine book has been written about Stamp Collecting and Philately, but if you think carefully. When did you last see or hear about a new Introduction to our hobby? Specialized catalogues and studies, yes, but an Introduction? And in case you did, did it take into account the last ten to twenty years development within the field of Stamp Collecting and Philately or was it just a rehash of older books on the subject?

I have been asking for a recent introduction to philately in several bookshops in Europe, but unsuccessfully so. I suppose the demand for such a book is not con­sidered huge or even worth while testing by the publishing houses. All that can be said about the hobby has been said in details they might say, which is probably true, but in my view they are still wrong.

Why? Because during the last ten to twenty years, the framework with­in which Stamp Collecting and Philately has been operating has changed tremendously to the hobby’s advantage. Albeit that very likely there are fewer Stamp Collectors and Philatelists to day world wide than before – I insist on using both concepts – the hobby still merits the characteristic of attracting a world wide interest and due to the Internet and all the activity that follows from it, the hobby has better conditions today than for very many years. If given just a slight but intelligent and inspired push drawing on the collective knowledge of the past, but taking full advantage of the new framework I am quite certain that Stamp Collecting and Philately will continue to attract the interest of millions of people and help further understanding and tolerance among peoples, qualities strongly needed in the world of today.

Now what to do? Help me write a modern introduction to Stamp Collecting and Philately in the form of a book, or preferably an E-book. Help me to give those that are tempted to take up this old hobby the tools and instruments they need to become successful Stamp Collectors and Philatelists.

Let’s start by putting together a draft easily accessible and logical modern Contents section. As for a draft working title for the book I suggest:

Philately of Today
Introduction to Stamp Collecting and Philately in the Age of the Internet

Looking forward to hearing your ideas and comments!

With Collector’s Greetings

Svend