[Roy]

Hi Gents,

Thank you for your comments thus far, some very interesting points and many shared experiences.

As an Englishman living abroad and in often remote locations, I have benefited from the 'internet age' as going to shows or meeting fellow collectors is often not an option. However I do miss the shows and meeting up with folks. Like many I started off swapping badges in the playground at school (circa 1970's).

I think what I miss the most is the shear enthusiasm that seems laking in some collecting circles and what I dislike the most is the almost blinkered selfishness approach for 'acquisition' in and of itself as apposed to collecting for it's enjoyment as it's own thing.

Many years ago I was asked by a collector to 'appraise his collection' (not badges), to my surprise he had a (relative) huge quantity of items but knew almost nothing about them and had forgotten many of the items he had acquired. It seemed all he had done was to throw vast amounts of money over a a decade to acquire as large a collection as possible just to say 'look at how big and important MY collection is'.

On a positive note and although I miss the days when one could sit down with a friend to share a recent discovery and chat about all it's facets, we do have that here on the forum, al be it remotely, it does provide is with a place to do this and for that I'm grateful.

Cheers,

Roy