Stamp collecting is on the rise
In the Saturday, September 21st edition of *Trouw*, a large article appeared on page 13 titled 'Thanks to his stamps, Erik Boeré knows everything about Nobel Prize winners and cattle breeds'. The subtitle reads 'Stamp collecting is on the rise. With the new Dutch catalogue, which comes out on Tuesday, enthusiasts have plenty to look forward to again. Those who collect now truly do so as a hobby'. What are the experiences of the collectors and readers of the blogs? Do you agree with this dealer's views? Do you collect thematically?
Stamp collecting is on the rise
Journalist Orkun Akinci (Trouw) visits Erik Boeré's shop in Alphen aan den Rijn. He asks the journalist to name a country. Akinci replies Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesBoeré retrieves two albums of stamps from the Caribbean island group. Boeré does not know in advance whether there is interest in this country. Sometimes you buy a lot but sell no stamps at all. It is a very labor-intensive profession.
Boeré's passion for stamps is immense. After years of decline, stamp collecting is on the rise again. The new one is coming out this coming Tuesday. NVPH catalogue 2025 released in an edition of 7000 copies. They are expected to sell out quickly. In the good years, for example 2005, 16.000 copies were sold. And in the previous century, sales figures were even higher. The low point was in 2019, when only 4500 copies were sold.
Many albums stand against the walls of his shop. Almost every country in the world is represented. The ugliest stamp is from Equatorial Guinea (1971), with three Russian cosmonauts who died in Soyuz-11. A blue color was chosen, making the faces look gray. A bad design.
Every stamp has a story, including the Dutch stamps. In this catalog edition 2025, the following is mentioned: spy stamp (dove). Mint condition: 750 euros. During the war years, a forgery of the 1½ cent grey stamp was allegedly produced at Waterlow and Sons Ltd. in London for the British Intelligence Service, on behalf of the British Ministry of War. The stamp was supposedly used for espionage purposes. This (official?) forgery was issued without a watermark and is perforated 11. After the war, unused copies appeared on the market (Source: NVPH).
(On November 7, 2023, this stamp with certificate was auctioned at Rietdijk Veilingen for €277,50 (including additional costs). The upcoming auction will be held on November 4 and 5, 2024. The catalogue can be viewed online at www.rietdijkveilingen.nl).
Historical events and/or famous people are popular themes for countries to issue stamps. Nobel Prize winners, cattle breeds and commemorations of cities (including Amsterdam's 700th anniversary). But cars and bridges are also great subjects. Stamp collecting broadens your general knowledge.
Advice from Boeré: Do not try to complete the collection. Collect thematically, with every stamp or envelope having a story. Thematic collecting is on the rise, for example: Lenin, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Pokémon, Harry Potter.
End of interview. We would appreciate your feedback. Is philately on the rise again? Is this evidenced by the large number of visitors to fairs (e.g., Houten, Barneveld)? Are collectors satisfied with the Dutch issuing policy? Are there many thematic collectors among the readers of the blogs? Or do you prefer collecting by country? Do you buy at fairs, online, or in a physical stamp shop?
Source used: Trouw, 21 September 2024.
Personally, I collect the Netherlands up to the Euro conversion. I have stamped this almost completely.
Furthermore, I focus on plate errors; for this purpose, I regularly buy kilos of material to sort out.
Because I am almost complete with the Netherlands, I am looking further; the GDR is another collection I am working on.
I don't collect a motif because I find that “too vague”; a catalog isn't available for everything.
Does anyone have a tip for a nice collectible area?
Stamp collecting is in an elevator that goes down one floor every year.
In 2020-2021, there were indeed some collectors who picked things up again. But unfortunately, more collectors also passed away during those years than usual.
Because there were no fairs or clubs for most of that time, more collectors found their way to websites such as eBay and Delcampe, and to the website of the interviewed NVPH dealer. Who, of course, has to tell a positive story. Promotion and free advertising.
And who then also mentions a few names of popular books and films among the themes just to grab the attention of a few fans who might want those stamps for their display cabinet. About 20 series and blocks and you're all set. Not really collecting…
The fairs in the Netherlands are indeed well-attended. This is because there are fewer fairs and clubs. Therefore, people who enjoy going to fairs all attend the few fairs that still exist.
The new catalogues are indeed selling well. But I wonder, are there really more collectors of the Netherlands? Or do many collectors simply want to replace their old catalogues with those much nicer new editions? The sales figures for the editions from 2026 onwards will show that.
Just the answers to the remaining questions:
Are collectors satisfied with the Dutch issuing policy?
A big NO! I cancelled my subscription after they introduced that crypto stamp and the rate went above a euro.
Most of the designs don't appeal to me, and those Bonaire sheets from this year, for example, could just as easily be from such a notorious picture-stamping country as Saint Vincent.
Or would you prefer to collect by country?
I collect the whole world, but in moderation. I don't need to have everything. I'll see what I come across. I have my collection organized by continent and alphabetically by country in the stock albums.
Do you buy at fairs, online, or in a physical stamp shop?
I buy foreign news online, the rest at fairs. As I said in my previous answer: I'll see what I come across.
I haven't been to a shop in a very long time. The reason is the price difference. I wish the shopkeeper all the best with his business, but I find my not-so-thick wallet just a little more important than his profit.