Improving Your Stamp Collection - Knowing Your Limits

I have been bidding on Ebay for many stamps lately and I realised that bidding is really done based on a spur of the moment thing.  Sometimes, it isn't simply because the stamp being put up for auction is valuable or anything.  It is just that I want to improve my collection and I really wanted it at that point in time.

Many times, I find myself being outbid by other presumably stamp collectors who somehow seem to have a deeper pocket than mine and who can afford to put up really crazy bids for the items.  It is with this that the realisation that stamp collecting is really about acquisition and it involves stepping over others to get the stamp that you treasure the most.

One thing for sure:  It is good to know your financial limits when seeking to improve or build up your stamp collection.

Straits Settlements Queen Victoria 1883-1891 Definitive Stamps

Just bought an entire lot of Straits Settlements stamps off Ebay and one of the sets includes the Straits Settlements QV Definitive II from 1883-1891.  Have the 2c, 4c, 5c, 6c, 24c and 32c USED.  Please see the scan below.

As I have some duplicates, was thinking that it was possible to actually perhaps sell the extra ones off Ebay.  However, I am not so sure about paying a listing price when there is no confirmation that anyone will actually buy these stamps.

Postal Codes and Mail Sorting

A few days back, I wrote about Singapore's Postal Code system and how it has evolved over the past from a 2 digit code to a 4 digit code and finally to the current 6 digit numerical code.  Searched online for a video on how mail sorting is done and am surprised to realise that it is now almost fully automated with computers being able to analyse even handwriting.  Feel free to watch the video below.