April 2011

We had a week of mid-70's temperatures in early March and it looked like spring was coming early. This week we had almost six inches of snow. It lasted only two days though - just long enough to flatten our newly blooming daffodils.

Mail coming from Europe is being delayed severely. Mail weighing more than 4 oz in particular is being delayed for as long as two months. I have been receiving letters from both Germany and Austria routinely from 6-8 weeks after the posted dates. There are no indications on the delivered letters as to why they have been delayed - e.g. no customs markings. Other dealers report similar experiences. These delays are greatly slowing our ability to post new issue shipments on time.

This month we have updated our German Area Part II price list which covers the German occupations and plebiscites from Lithuania through Poland General government. There is are many new items on this list including many better Michel listed varieties. As always though, some - especially the better items - are one of a kind.
Next month we will update our Liechtenstein price list and, if we have time, our German colonies price list. Actually we have already started both listed and expect to have them done by next month.

We have received quite a few inquiries as to when we will have another price list of catalogs and albums. The answer is that we will probably next have another list. We sold everything we had on hand on Ebay and will probably use Ebay for items we have to sell in the future. We are not in the supplies business letting them accumulate for a price list just resulted in an overflowing supply room!

Michel Austria Specialized Catalog

We just received the 2011 Michel Austria Specialized Catalog. As was the case last year, there are almost no changes of any kind in the new catalog. In fact, we could find only two price changes in the stamps listed before 1940!.(Last year we found two changes also.)

If you have a Michel Specialized Austria version from the past 4-5 years, there is little reason to acquire this year’s catalog. About all you will get is a listing of the recently released new issues.

Michel Specialized Germany Catalogs will be released soon

Volumes I and II of the 2011 Michel Germany Specialized catalogs will be released in mid April. Catalogs can be ordered now from Werner Zielniewicz at WernerZiel@aol.com. Each volume is $95 plus $11 for air mail postage to US. Werner accepts payment via PayPal or personal checks. If you order now you will have your catalog first!

Our Web Site

We continue to expand our listings on our web site. Since the majority of our sales now arrive via the web site, we are paying more and more attention to our listings there. We are expanding the number of photos of the stamps being offered - starting with the most expensive items. We continue to offer monthly specials also.

One of the advantages of ordering from our web site is that your order gets to us immediately. When you are seeking an item that is in limited supply you increase you chances of getting the it by getting your order in first.

Another advantage to ordering from our web site is that we try very hard to make sure that all items listed on our site are in stock. If we sell out of an item we delete it immediately from our site listings.

ALTERNATE CHOICES

We frequently remind our customers to please provide alternate choices on their orders. We wish we had an unlimited supply of stamps, but we do not. We always fill your first choices if we have them and use your alternate choices only when we are sold out of your first choices. By providing alternates you insure that you will get stamps and not a refund!

AUSTRIA PHILATELIC SOCIETY (US)

The Austria Philatelic Society (US) is entering its 12th year as a stamp club focusing on the Austrian area. We have members throughout the US and abroad. The club is anchored by its quarterly bulletin and twice a year stamp auctions.

If you collect stamps and/or covers from the Austrian area you should consider joining our group; we have members from beginners to extremely advanced collectors. Dues are only $15 a year. Ask us for a free sample bulletin and application.