Used stamps exchanges.

A member suggested a club where we could exchange a larger amount of stamps, 200, 300 that would also include definitives and CTO.

If there are more members interested, I could add additional clubs.

I know that there are strong feelings against definitives and CTO, especially against CTO. But as long as you understand what they are and if you like them, every stamp is valuable.

Should there be 2 separate clubs? One for definitives and one for CTO?
Or only one club for all stamps?

How many stamps per exchange? 300?

Now stamps are sent as a package... seriously?

The Thai post now requires me always to fill out a CN22 customs document for all letters sent abroad. From the perspective of the Thai Post, however, stamps are not documents, but goods. Documents can be sent as a letter, but stamps are considered as goods and goods are always packages, even though its a simple letterwith 100 stamps inside - the weigh is only 10 grams, but its a package...

2021 a 20g Letter to Canada was 1 USD
2023 a 20g Letter to Canada was 1,50 USD

Since August 2023 a 20g Letter to Canada is 3.70 USD because now my letter is traded as a package.

This is now toooo expensive for me, which is why I can unfortunately no longer use the 100 stamps Club for exchange...

@Angebeagarcia - I agree with you. Maybe there also other countries where shipping costs have increased and will continue to increase. It would be very helpfull to open a 300 to 500 stamps Club. I have lots of stamps that I would like to pass on, but the shipping costs are simply too high to ship only 100 stamps.

For several days now I have been thinking about the topic "CTO" and I wonder if these labels will be considered valuable in a few years. Who currently sends letters? So... where will the used stamps come from, in a very short time? And in that case, what will be achieved will be MNH or...CTO. If I look at the Conect platform, the stamps that are sold are in a high CTO percentage...
In my case, I have a lot in stock because I recently made a purchase and all I received is CTO; Used only stamps from several years ago. I just received a shipment in 100 stamps, and it represents a problem because whoever has touched me...doesn't want CTOs.
With respect to the issue of creating a group that exchanges 300 stamps, as long as my country maintains the price range it currently has, it is much more justified for me to exchange 300 to 500 stamps with registered delivery. I guess it will be different in each country...

It would be great if there could be a 300 stamps club in future with the same rules as the 100 stamps club. I specially like the rule:
Send stamps that you have. As much as possible take into account the preferences of your partner. These preferences are optional, not mandatory.

If you are a CTO collector, let others know in your profile and I know that collectors are happy to send you CTOs. If you do not like CTO write it in your Profile. Simple.
I have CTOs but I do not collect them. A 300 Stamps Club with members who love CTO is awesome in my opinion because I can send them all my CTOs. But if there would be a only CTO Club, Myself and many others would not be a part of it. Because Yes I could get rid of my CTOs, but then I simply get CTOs again that I don't collect... For the same reason I am not a member of the mint stamps club either, but I have mint stamps that I would like to pass on...

Тут 100 марок без повторов набрать не могут (см. фото последних обменов, где показаны все марки), а Вы хотите 300 без повторов...

Моё мнение:
1. Надо сделать отдельно клуб Definitives - 300 марок без повторов. Из 300 марок, думаю, можно будет найти, хотя бы 50-100 для коллекции.
2. Отдельно клуб CTO - 300 марок без повторов. 100 марок CTO будут весить больше 20 грамм, CTO в основном с клеем и требуют герметичной упаковки. Считаю, что 300 марок CTO - оптимальный вариант, с упаковкой будет получаться немного меньше 100 грамм.
Жду открытия клуба CTO

Когда будет открыт клуб CTOstamps?

Hi,
I would be interested in a CTO club. I do that already private with one member.
Not sure about the quantity. CTO's are often larger than commemoratives. 100 stamps would easily exceed the 20g limit.
Not interested in a definitives club, nor in larger numbers like 200 or even 400.

Thank you for your thoughts & suggestions

@Johnpeter I think you're right - Its necessary to wrap the stamps well. For this reason, it does make more sense to start a 300 stamps club.

@wuff67 Yes, you are right - If a letter with 400 stamps gets lost, the 400 stamps are gone.
From 2018 until today I have sent 235 letters with stamps. 2 of them got lost. In my case it is less than 1%. But yes, there are lost. If I send 40 letters with 100 stamps each (4'000 stamps) or 10 letters with 400 stamps each (4'000 stamps), the possibility that a letter does not arrive is still 1% (in my case) and also 1% of exchanged stamps who can get lost. It is possible that this % is higher for other collectors, but this would not affect the number of stamps in the envelope. I do not believe in a correlation between the number of stamps and the number of lost letters. If so, it would be safest to send stamps only through the 25 stamps club.

@wuff67 - What will I get in a lot with 400?? Is always a good question. We can’t know exactly, but…
If we assume that members are only on this platform to get rid of their (too common) stamps, then this is possible in the 25 or 50 stamps club without any problem.
In the 100 stamps club it is also still possible to send some (too common) stamps. This group of members would then send me 3x 100 (too common) stamps. In this case the result would not only be lots of (too common) stamps, but also lots of duplicates at the same time. In a 300 or 400 stamps club, however, this would be much more difficult, since the club rules in a 300 stamps club would also say stamps in good condition and no doubles…. Life for this this kind of members in the 300 stamps club could also be made more difficult by adding the following rule in addition to the other club rules:
Send 300 used stamps “with the same topic, country or year” per exchange.
This would be a real challenge for all members who just want to get rid of their (too common) stamps.

However, from my point of view, such an additional rule is not necessary, because I do not assume that members are only on this platform to get rid of their (too common) stamps. I have made the experience that most of the members try as much as possible, to consider the preferences of the exchange partner. From my point of view, the members are not interested in getting rid of stamps that nobody wants. Its more about to make someone else happy with their own stamps that are available.

@wuff67 - I agree, that sometimes the only way to get recent, cancelled stamps for our collection is to get the stamps on the envelope from an exchange. A 300 stamps club in addition to the 100 stamps club could increase the number of sent letters in case members stay in both clubs. In addition, the 50 gram envelopes in the 300 stamps club would have different and less common stamps than the regular 20 gram envelopes.

😉 I like the “Saving Club” idea, but of course you're right, this platform is not about saving money. My concern was that the donations for this platform would go down because of the rising shipping costs. Less donations could affect the operation of this platform. I was just trying to be creative to mobilize donors. Through the proposed saving options, no one can say they don't have the money to support this platform. But nice that the donations are still optional. This platform is simply awesome! Thanks very much to the developers!

If there are no further objections, it would be great if there could be a 300 stamps club in future with the same rules as the 100 stamps club.

My opinion is that many members already have a problem to send 100 (not too common) stamps. What will I get in a lot with 400?? If one letter gets lost, 400 stamps good bye.
400 stamps = 4 lots with 100 stamps. Sometimes the only way to get recent, cancelled stamps on the envelope for your collection.
No harm meant, Daniel! But this is a stamps club, not a savings club. :)

Aby bylo 400 známek v obálce bezpečných je nutné je dobře zabalit, to dá víc než 10g - smysl by mělo 200, 250, maximálně 300 známek.

To make the 400 stamps in the envelope safe it is necessary to wrap them well, this will give more than 10g - 200, 250, maximum 300 stamps would make sense.

Heey All! Thank you for your thoughts a few years ago! I'll try to start the discussion again but with a slightly different focus.

The worldwide shipping cost for letters increasing every year. Here in Thailand last year it was 19 THB zu send a 20 gramm letter - Now its 46 THB or more.
That's why I had the following idea!

100 Stamps (9 Gramms) & 1 Envelope (10 Gramms) = 19 Gramms - Great for the 100 stamps club!

20 Gramms is in the most countries the limit.... Everything above that costs more.

In most countries the next limit is 50 Gramms - So everything between 20 and 49 Gramm is the same shipping price.

With a 400 stamp club we could reduce the shipping cost. This number is perfectly adjusted to the costs.

Simple with the same rules as the 25, 50, 100 stamp club. Everyone still has the opportunity to place wishes in their profile.

@perceval don't be afraid that 400 stamps would increase the risk of getting very common stamps. Mathematically, there's the chance you'll get more regular stamps with 4x100 stamps than with a single 400 exchange because all 400 have to be different. But it can be to difficult for younger collectors.

@100clubmember
Yes, bulky envelopes are not the cancelling machines best friends. But therefore, I would suggest that these letters be stamped by hand at the post office. A little more effort but a much nicer result.

So my question: Could you please start a 400 stamps club?

400 Stamps is about 36 Gramm & 1 envelope (10 Gramms) = 46 Gramms

In my case in Thailand this means:
To send 4 times 100 different & used stamps = 5 USD
To send 1 time 400 different & used stamps = less than 2 USD

So I could save 3 USD for every exchange in a 400 Stamps club. With 1 exchange per week I cold save about 150 USD per year - and enough money to support this homepage for the next years. Even if the shipping costs would continue to rise....

So the 25, 50, 100 stamp club would still exist for all those who want to exchange a smaller number of stamps. But there would also be a 400 stamp club for anyone who wants to use it. I recommend everyone who can save more than 10 Dollars through the 400 stamps club to become a supporter and make a contribution so that this platform can continue to operate in the future.

Thank you all for checking this possibility to open a 400 stamps club.

i guess this is old post - but anyway

I have a lot of CTOs and definitives, which i would like to mix (maybe get something interesting or give something away that will be interesting to someone else)
so:

is here anyone interested in PRIVATE exchange of 100 (ctos or definitives)?
no i want/dont want. just mix of 100 DIFFERENT stamps.

PM me if interested

I agree with Juras about definitives stamps

Hi agree with Danubius. Let's implement 200stamps club. That is another option: anyone can decide to swap in one club or in another...maybe for someone who starts could be faster collect stamps or who start new countries...

If there's a club of 25, Why couldn't there be a club of 200 next to a club of 100?

...plus bulky envelopes are not the cancelling machines best friends.

If people like definitives or CTOs, can't they just write it in their profile?
As for the number of stamps, 100 is perfect, fits in a 20g letter! 200 stamps would increase the risk of getting very common stamps I 'm afraid...

PS - Россия = "E"

Натали - зависит от местных условий - в Чехии письмо "E" - Европа и "Z" в остального мира по базовой ставке до 50г, Словакия тоже. C таможней проблем нет.
0 - 50 g "E" cca 100 рублей, "Z" по воздуху приоритет cca 120 рублей.

Even in 100stamps swaps there are doubles, so people can't find 100 different stamps. What will be with 200stamps swaps then?
Also 200 stamps are weigting more than 20 g (may be 25-30 g), so it will be another postage cost. For example, in Russia the letters 1 to 20 g.: 45 (train) - 50 (air mail) rub, 21 to 100 g.: 85 - 105 rub. And heavier letters are more attractive for additional customs check.

Souhlasím s Jurasem. Za úvahu by stálo pouze zřídit klub 200 za stejných podmínek jako je klub 100.

I agree with Juras. It would only be worth considering to set up a club of 200 under the same conditions as a club of 100.

I strongly disagree with definitive club. Who can decide what is definitive stamp without catalogue? Many stamps issued in interwar period are small and one coloured, but commemoratives. Usually death anniversaries of some famous persons. And on the other hand many definitive stamps are quite large and very pretty with motives interesting for thematic collectors. And many other definitives are very valuable, especially some special variants or very old issues. By the way the "blue Mauritius" is also definitive stamp... I think that it is very silly to request only comemoratives or definitives. All of them are stamps.

Hi together!
Don't change the 100stamps.club!
I think there should be two different clubs, one for definitives, one for CTO's.
For me, I would not take part in an CTO-club. The definition of CTO's is rather difficult. Stamp collector is not the same as philatelist!!!
But I would take part in a club of definitives, because I've got thousands to trade.

Thank you for your opinions. I don't intend to change the 100stamps.club if is working well enough. Any change will have advantages and disadvantages. I don't want to do something that would potentially reduce the number or the quality of exchanges on 100stamps.club.

@francescpf: Different options in the same club are more difficult to implement at this point. Migrating different clubs into a single one with different options, it will be something to consider for long term.

The idea was that there might be members especially interested in definitives or CTO. Is there a way to help those members? I'm not convinced if this is a good idea and I don't know exactly how to do it. One club for both types or separate clubs for each type?

Are there members that only want definitives? Or are there members that only want CTO? Are they many enough for a separate club?

Mutual exchange after agreement makes sense outside this system in a form such as Trade only stamps.

The truth is Natalia - limiting only the memorial will lead to a radical reduction in the number of members.
Letter with over 200 stamps extends postage.
For many, more than 100 different commemorative stamps will be repeatedly prepared to solve the problem.

Sorry for f..ing smartphone keyboard:):)

Hello all :)
Thats good idea
I would say for this
1. Only premium members allowed
2. Let member yo "self label" with different options such as 200, 300, 500, 1000. Then when aa member chooses a partner, and this partner, for example, is a 500 stamps one, automatically a reversa exchange for same amount is donde.

An example.... Im as member who has cosen 1000 stamps. Then a member chooses me to send me 1000 estamos. Automatically, I receive an email to send him/her 1000 stamps too. It coyld also be flexible in amount of stamps.

PaulThiessen, I think it's not good idea. 100 only commemorative stamps are less accessible for many club members, so the amount of the swaps with positive ratings will decrease here.

I Would participate in this. would we change the 100 stamp club to commemeratives only then?

For consideration - add option 200 stamps - that would fit in a 50g letter.
Definitives and CTO the rules do not rule out now.