The Wonderful World of Maximum Cards - By Giorgio Migliavacca ©

The Wonderful World of Maximum Cards

[DORIN's note: SHQIPERIA is ALBANIA, just so you know]

"Collectors who spend days on the internet to save $3 on a collectible have low self esteem and obviously value their spare time very little. Other collectors  systematically bargain and want to save on shipping costs. While this approach may be acceptable for newly issued stamps and packet material it is very unwise for maximum cards that are rare, even when they have been produced in recent years. You will not be able to contact a dealer or a club that will supply you with a dozen or less of a given maximum card."


"A rather important detail in maximum cards production is the fact that in most instances postmarks fall on a dark area of the postcard and are not easily readable. The glossy surface of most postcards is another obstacle as it will not absorb the ink of the postmark and the postage stamp will not adhere or at best will flake off at a later date. The most commonly used remedy is to "dull" the postcard' surface in the area designated for stamp and postmark. This can be achieved by using a razor blade to gently scrape away the glossy surface.  Extra, extra fine sand paper or extra fine steel wool, judiciously used, con produce good results without disfiguring the postcard -- a little goes a long way and less is more. Some experimenting on cheap postcards will give you the required practice. Some dull appearance or some opaqueness and microscopic scratches  in the area around the stamp are perfectly acceptable; only inexperienced collectors will object to that.

A widespread misconception is that maximum cards are at their best when they have a first day of issue postmark. This is not so, especially since maximum cards with more closely related special postmarks became available during the time of postal validity of a given postage stamp."

All of this brings us to ponder on our reactions to an over-regulated hobby where the fun slowly evaporates because the "game" keeps getting more complicated. FIP, organized philately, and philatelic clubs ought to remember that over-regulating the hobby has negative effects. Some items that were acceptable in an exhibit 10 or 15 years ago are no longer admitted because of some new regulations. If the new and stricter regulations affect a cheap item it is no major problem, but if it is an expensive or difficult to find item being condemned, then the collector's reaction is disappointment and quite often a desire to dump everything and even leave philately as a whole. This can be summed up with the old adage: the road to hell is paved with good intentions."

"Another requisite is the use of a commercially produced postcard. This, however, is not always possible and maximaphily clubs have resorted to private editions of specially produced postcards. Privately produced postcards  are acceptable for producing maximum cards only when the appropriate postcard does not exist on the open market [DORIN's note: privately-produced postcards SHOULD BE ACCEPTABLE ANYTIME, in my opinion!!! :) ]. Again, some miopic collector told me that he only wants commercially published cards - little he knows that the regulations admit private editions as explained earlier, and unfortunately for him his pursuit for perfection has blinded him"

"Collecting maximum cards is fun, do not let too many technicalities take the fun out of it; stick to the basic rules but do not become obsessed with them. If the interest in maximum cards will grow at the same pace it has during the last 15 to 20 years, maximum cards may well turn out to be a very good investment, both culturally and financially."

http://www.virginstamps.com/world_maximum_cards_maximaphily_cartoline_maximum.html