Collectors gather to swap stamps, stories at monthly meeting

Tom Culver of Mount Pleasant and Randy Kursinsky of Midland, look at old stamps from other countries on Tuesday night at the Isabella County Commission on Aging building, 2200 S. Lincoln Road, during the Mid Michigan Stamp Club meeting. "There are thousands of stamps in these bags we go through." Culver said. (Bethany Walter/Staff Photographer)

Tom Culver can attest to the fact that much can be learned from an avid philatelist.

Better known as stamp collectors, Culver said he has learned about global politics by what countries print on their stamps.

“You’ll know all the answers on ‘Jeopardy!’ if you collect stamps,” Culver said.

He has been attending the Mid Michigan Stamp Collecting meet-up for more than 50 years.

Tuesday at the Isabella County Commission on Aging, 2200 S. Lincoln St., three of the about seven members sifted through thousands of stamps Culver bought by the pound from a stamp dealer.

Tom Culver of Mount Pleasant looks at old stamps from other countries on Tuesday night at the Isabella County Commission on Aging building, 2200 South Lincoln Road, during the Mid Michigan Stamp Club meeting. "I've been collecting since I was 12 or so." Culuer said. (Bethany Walter/Staff Photographer)

Two hours of sifting brought smiling faces, as stamps from the bags were bought for three cents each, and collections were sold for 10 percent of their face value.

Culver said although the Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalog, often referred to as the philatelist’s bible, deem many stamps of miniscule value, he collects because of his love of the many varieties.

Each member took turns passing stamps to fellow philatelists to examine.

“Damaging the corners is like damaging a painting,” Culver said.

He said he first joined the group after moving to Mount Pleasant to work as a geologist for the DNR in the ’50s.

“The hobby is not what it used to be,” Culver said.

The three club members all wore prescription aviator glasses, which helped aid their searches through thick piles of stamps.

Richard Moreau said size and perforation are important components of what collectors seek.

Moreau recommended taking stamps off envelopes with water, but said special solvents are needed for more recent stamps, along with using special varieties of glue.

Moreau has been a club member for more than 10 years and has more than 15,000 stamps in his collection.

“Sometimes mint cents are worth more, and others were worth just enough to mail something,” Moreau said.

Some stamps are from fictitious countries made to turn a profit, while others indicate they are from specific places.

Randy Kursinsky traveled from Midland for the club’s monthly meeting, held at 7 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month.

“I think there’s a gene you have to have to collect things, whether its jeans or salt and pepper shakers,” Kursinsky said.

Culver and Kursinsky admitted to having thousands upon thousands of stamps in their collections.

“Anything that appeals aesthetically, people collect,” Culver said. “But as you get older, you can’t keep everything,”