50 years of collecting stamps

[Slingshot]

I have been collecting stamps for 50 years now. It began as a fun activity with a Majestic stamp album, gathering stamps from old letters, soaking them, and trading my duplicates for stamps I needed. In several years I had the US "complete", or at least I thought I did untill another collector patiently explained perforation, engraving, and watermark varieties to me. I upgraded to a Minkus album, and went through the mint stamp phase, then lost interest after about 20 years of active collecting and sold everything. It had ceased to be fun, and had become an investment activity, and was more like work.
A few years later I realized I had been accumulating interesting stamps I had taken from covers, and I began collecting again. This time I am doing it for fun, and really enjoy the hobby again.
In US stamps I collect SOTN's - Socked on the nose - cancelled stamps, which have the date and location circle cancel on the stamp itself. These are a bit unusual, and can be difficult to find, which makes the thrill of the chase very enjoyable, and they only cost a few cents at most when I do locate them.
In foreign I collect worldwide from 1840 - 1930. Why? Because I acquired an old Scotts International album from 1930 inexpensively, and the stamps are not hard to find, nor for the most part expensive either and it's fun to collect old stamps from all over the globe.
I also collect the Canadian Centennial issues, including interesting varieties, and SOTN's. The British Machin issues of Queen Elizabeth, which are an entire hobby in themselves. Then I collect France, Germany, Holland, and Belgium - just whatever tickles my fancy.
How about you - what do you collect?

[hombre_de_plata_flaco]

In foreign I collect worldwide from 1840 - 1930. Why? Because I acquired an old Scotts International album from 1930 inexpensively, and the stamps are not hard to find, nor for the most part expensive either and it's fun to collect old stamps from all over the globe.

You didn't buy that album recently at a McDonalds off of Friendship road by any chance, did you?

[Slingshot]

No, I didn't get it from a McDonalds on Friendship road. Did you sell one there?

[hombre_de_plata_flaco]

No, I didn't get it from a McDonalds on Friendship road. Did you sell one there?

Yeah... I thought you might have been the guy lol!

[Slingshot]

Hey Hoss;
Thanks for sharing! It looks like you have an interesting collection, but most importantly you are having fun collecting stamps! Keep up the good work.