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Newsletter #3, October 30th, 2000 |
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Commerce and Camaraderie |
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We attended Vanpex 2000, the annual two day Stamp Show of the British Columbia Philatelic Society this weekend. Vanpex is the main club show in the Vancouver area that features both collector's displays and dealer's sales tables. The stamp show is located in the main showroom of the Landmark Hotel, on Robson Street, one of North America's busiest retail venues, in Canada's third largest city. How many people would you expect to visit such a show in such a location? Thousands? The stamp displays have mass appeal. Anyone can enjoy them. The club members, dealers, and collectors present are all quite personable. What a great opportunity to introduce, or reintroduce, stamp collecting to non or new collectors. |
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Apparently stamp collectors are a fraternal organization and there are only a couple of hundred adherents left in the Pacific Northwest, because we could name every person who came through the door of Vanpex, we did very little business, and that only with regular clients. We do not expect to sell much at local shows, because the prospective buyers can see us in our store anytime and are more likely to try and make contact with visiting sellers or show dealers who do not have stores. We enjoy seeing our collector and dealer friends, many of whom we only see at shows such as these, but we need more than goodwill to survive in business today. Perhaps we should rechristen stamp shows stamp socials and ask the dealers and exhibitors to supply the coffee instead of having to move and expose their wares unprofitably. |
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What we really need to do is work together better to promote shows, like Vanpex, as the events they are, showcases for the hobby of stamp collecting. Stamp displays, stamps for kids, and stamp dealers and collectors who appraise, buy, and sell are all components of a successful show. Show organizers and dealers have to plan promotions together. A disappointing show is a missed opportunity to grow our hobby. Here is an opportunity collectors and speculators will not want to miss. Canada Post recently issued a die cut booklet of self adhesive stamps commemorating Petro Canada. To supply singles for their quarterly packs of new issues the Post Office apparently had to produce a differently perforated printing. The Petro Canada single in the quarterly pack has different die cut perforations than the booklet stamps. How rare are these? Only time will tell. |
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 All Nations Stamp & Coin
5630 Dunbar St. at 41st Ave. Phone: 604-684-4613 Fax: 604-266-4515 e-mail: collect@direct.ca |
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