Buying covers, as opposed to scrounging for them yourself, goes all the way back to the earliest clubs (United Matchonians, etc.) in the 1930s. There‟s no doubt, though, that today that option is being exercised much more frequently...not surprising, given the curtailed availability of covers from the traditional business outlets. And, it‟s not just an option that is being used more by novice collectors to enable them to get a “toehold” in the hobby. Veteran collectors are always seeking to find those particular treasures which have so far managed to elude them, and collectors in general are more willing to buy what they need, especially since trading has declined as well. As a collector, you have three basic avenues open to you for buying covers: auctions, local accumulations from non-collectors, and bulk-buying within the hobby. Auctions give you the opportunity to zero in on specific categories and, in some cases, specific covers—a bundle of 25 Railroads, an 8-cover Union Pacific Matchorama set, a stack of American Ace boxes numbered from 2600-2650, etc. You know pretty much what you‟re getting, and you can be assured of the quality, since lots have to meet certain standards and be labeled accurately. All of the big conventions and swapfests feature large auctions, and many of the regional clubs have very successful mail auctions with their bulletins (which is good, since those auctions are what keep these clubs afloat financially). The RMS Convention auctions, which are the largest in the hobby, and Sierra- Diablo‟s Bulletin auctions are examples. Additionally, there are a few private mail auctions from specific collectors, such as Don Fisher‟s Matches n Stuff, which entail fairly large catalogs, with pictures, being mailed out to prospective customers. Also, of course, within the last couple of years, matchcover auctions have become available electronically, through the internet, as well. The downside of auctions is that this is the most expensive of the three buying options. You can always hope that no one else will be bidding on the lots you want, but that‟s not the normal way of things! The second approach entails you canvasing your local area for accumulations that are available outside the hobby, from non-collectors—the senior citizen who has just moved into a trailer park and no longer has room for that big bag of matchbooks gathered from years of vacations, etc. In order to find these sources, you have to advertise. Take out a small classified ad in a local advertising circular and then wait for the calls to come in. Where I am, for example, we have a weekly publication called the Penny Pincher, which is almost entirely made up of ads from people in the community either looking to sell or buy by Mike Prero PRESIDENT TREASURER EDITOR John Bachochin Jack Benbrook Mike Prero 15731 S. 4210 Rd., 1328 E. Rosser St. 12659 Eckard Way Claremore, OK 74017 Prescott AZ 86301 Auburn,CA 95603 918-342-0710 928-772-3763 530-906-4705 No. 331 ALL DUES DUE APRIL 1st August 2012
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Transcript
Buying covers, as opposed to scrounging for them yourself, goes all the way back to the earliest clubs
(United Matchonians, etc.) in the 1930s. There‟s no doubt, though, that today that option is being
exercised much more frequently...not surprising, given the curtailed availability of covers from the
traditional business outlets. And, it‟s not just an option that is being used more by novice collectors to
enable them to get a “toehold” in the hobby. Veteran collectors are always seeking to find those particular
treasures which have so far managed to elude them, and collectors in general are more willing to buy what
they need, especially since trading has declined as well.
As a collector, you have three basic avenues open to you for buying covers: auctions, local
accumulations from non-collectors, and bulk-buying within the hobby. Auctions give you the opportunity
to zero in on specific categories and, in some cases, specific covers—a bundle of 25 Railroads, an 8-cover
Union Pacific Matchorama set, a stack of American Ace boxes numbered from 2600-2650, etc. You know
pretty much what you‟re getting, and you can be assured of the quality, since lots have to meet certain
standards and be labeled accurately.
All of the big conventions and swapfests feature large auctions, and many of the regional clubs have
very successful mail auctions with their bulletins (which is good, since those auctions are what keep these
clubs afloat financially). The RMS Convention auctions, which are the largest in the hobby, and Sierra-
Diablo‟s Bulletin auctions are examples. Additionally, there are a few private mail auctions from specific
collectors, such as Don Fisher‟s Matches n Stuff, which entail fairly large catalogs, with pictures, being
mailed out to prospective customers. Also, of course, within the last couple of years, matchcover auctions
have become available electronically, through the internet, as well. The downside of auctions is that this is
the most expensive of the three buying options. You can always hope that no one else will be bidding on
the lots you want, but that‟s not the normal way of things!
The second approach entails you canvasing your local area for accumulations that are available outside
the hobby, from non-collectors—the senior citizen who has just moved into a trailer park and no longer
has room for that big bag of matchbooks gathered from years of vacations, etc. In order to find these
sources, you have to advertise. Take out a small classified ad in a local advertising circular and then wait
for the calls to come in. Where I am, for example, we have a weekly publication called the Penny Pincher,
which is almost entirely made up of ads from people in the community either looking to sell or buy
by
Mike Prero
BULLETIN
PRESIDENT TREASURER EDITOR
John Bachochin Jack Benbrook Mike Prero
15731 S. 4210 Rd., 1328 E. Rosser St. 12659 Eckard Way
Claremore, OK 74017 Prescott AZ 86301 Auburn,CA 95603
918-342-0710 928-772-3763 530-906-4705
No. 331 ALL DUES DUE APRIL 1st August 2012
No. 331 SIERRA-DIABLO BULLETIN-August 2012 Page 2
particular items. I‟ve tried this approach several times over the last 15 years and have found some pretty
good buys. You‟ll get some responses from people who think they‟re going to make a killing with you, of
course; you just screen those out. Most will be more than reasonable, and you‟ll probably be surprised at
the number of people who will just give the matchbooks to you outright, glad that they mean something to
someone besides themselves. It‟s important to mention your pricing right at the initial call.
Be sure to explain that, unless there are some very old and very unusual types in the accumulation, the
matchcovers are only worth a few pennies each. You don‟t want to drive all the way out to the person‟s
house only to find that his or her expectations are way out of line with yours. The downside of this option
is that much of what you‟re going to come across will be junk—struck, glued, bobtailed, nationals, and, of
course, lots of dupes. Non-collectors don‟t have the same standards that we expect within the hobby. Still,
I‟ve always found that this approach is worth the time and trouble you put into it. Upside: it‟s the cheapest
way to go, and you never know when you‟re going to stumble across a real treasure trove.
Bulk-buying [my own term] entails buying part or all of another collector‟s collection. Here, we‟re
talking about purchasing anywhere from a hundred to hundreds of thousands of covers at a time. There are
three ways of doing this. If you have the money, you can simply buy entire collections that become
available from time to time. You‟ll probably be bidding against a few other buyers, but, here, you‟re
bidding for the whole tamale, not individual lots. Another way is to contact a specific collector who you
know is selling off his collection, usually piecemeal, and offer to buy specific numbers or specific
categories. Here, the collector, perhaps because of age, is phasing out his collection. You write for details,
determine the bulk price for covers, and, when you reach an agreement, you send a check and wait for the
covers to arrive (the buyer always pays the postage, by the way, unless your specific agreement calls for
something else).
The other way you have open to you is to buy in bulk from a person who handles estate collections
within the hobby. Here, someone has been delegated to sell off the collection of a deceased hobbyist, with
the proceeds going to the family or whatever destination has been designated. There are several people
within the hobby that handle estate sales; the biggest source I know of is Bob Hiller, Santa Ana, CA. He
usually has several collections available at any one time. You can contact Bob, or any person in a similar
position, tell him what you‟re looking for, find out the bulk price of the covers in question (based on an
average price per cover), and order what you want. Downside to the bulk-buying method: you‟re using a
shotgun approach to try and find what you want. Upside: the price is intermediate between auction prices
and buying local accumulations, and you can be assured of getting quality, collectible material, not junk.
Over the years, I‟ve used all of the buying methods described above, and, as I‟ve tried to indicate, there
are advantages and disadvantages to each. Personally, I‟ve found that I prefer the bulk-buying method. It‟s
especially advantageous to a collector, such as myself, who collects in many different categories. I
purchased some 2000 F-S Banks and a 1000 F-S Motels this way, for example, and I found lots of covers
that I could actually use in my own collections—and I don‟t even collect Motels! But, I knew there would
be many conjunctives in areas that I do collect [AAA, “Duncan Hines-approved,” manumarks I always
look for, etc.], and the rest is excellent trading stock.
If you‟re thinking of buying covers, whether on a regular basis or just occasionally (perhaps when
trading has slowed down, or you just feel it‟s time for a quick infusion of new material), think about what
you want, how much you‟re willing to spend, and where you‟re going to look. Contact some experienced
collectors and get their recommendations on the best auctions, what‟s currently available, reliable people
to deal with, etc....good hunting!
No. 331 SIERRA-DIABLO BULLETIN-August 2012 Page 3
Fraternals: F.O.E.
...That‟s Fraternal Order of Eagles, an old and much-honored fraternal organization, and, to our benefit,
an organization which has put out a long and varied line of matchcovers.
The Eagles were established on February 6th, 1898, in Seattle. Over the years, they have been very active
in community services. In 1900, they sponsored America‟s first Workmen‟s Compensation Law; in 1923,
they sponsored the first Old Age Pension Law; in 1935, when FDR signed the Social Security Law, he gave
the pen to the Eagles, as a symbol of their invaluable support. In fact, the Eagles have been recognized for
their community support by every president since FDR. In 1976, the Eagles founded their first European
chapter.
There are over 1,900 chapters, or “Aeries,” in the U.S. and Canada. There are also more than 1,700
auxiliaries. While the aeries don‟t seem to have been as prolific in their output of matchbooks as, say, the
Elks lodges, still—think of all the covers!
That‟s what first attracted me to this category. I love l-o-n-g series! I‟ve been collecting F.O.E.s, now, for
almost nine years, and I currently have 986. The largest collection I know of is Mel Garrett‟s, KS, who had
1,064 back in 1993.
Within this category, there are stock and non-stock issues, sets, Girlies, Christmas, Dated, Full-lengths,
and even some errors [see below]. There are also some „golden oldies‟—Federals and the like. Not
surprisingly, the vast majority of these covers are front-strike 20-strikes, but there are 30s, 40s, and at least
one Swedish Foil box. I have dupes. Anyone want to trade?
No. 331 SIERRA-DIABLO BULLETIN-August 2012 Page 4
Nevada's Highway 50: The Loneliest Road in America
Nevada‟s Highway 50 runs across the state, east-west, through the Great Basin, which encompasses most
of the state. This desert road, though definitely lonely, has a lot going for it. It meanders through an ancient
lake bed, climbs over several mountain passes, follows the old Pony Express route, used to be part of the
Lincoln Highway, and is a link to the state‟s only national park.
It was actually Life magazine, in the mid-1980s, that christened the 285 miles of asphalt from Fernley to
Ely (which is most of the Nevada highway) as “The Loneliest Road in America.” Nevada residents
recognized a good thing when they saw it and ran with the idea. Local residents came up with the “Highway
50 Survival Kit” to promote attractions and services along the route. The State Legislature even authorized
highway road signs boasting of the title. As it turned out, the efforts didn‟t help much—it‟s still a lonely
black ribbon through a bleak landscape— but it does add to the road‟s character! And, it can add character
and color to part of your Small Towns collection—or part of your Famous Places collection—or part of
your Highway Signs collection (as Pete Varvis, CA, used to collect).
How about a “Loneliest Road Town Collection?” Many of the towns along Highway 50 got their start as
mining boom towns. As the mines dried up—so did many of the towns. Look for covers from Delta, Ely,
Eureka, Austin, Fallon, and Fernley (all Nevada towns). If you could find a cover from each, it might just
make a unique and interesting display (hint, hint), not to mention a nice little aside to your main Small
Towns collection.
How about a “Loneliest Road Famous Places Collection?” Highway 50 passes through, and by, some
really interesting spots. Entering from the Utah side, you go right by the Great Basin National Park (which
has a grove of 3,000-4,000 year-old bristlecone pines and Nevada‟s only glacier!). Next, there‟s Ward
Charcoal Ovens Historic State Park (six 30-foot-high kilns built in 1876 to provide charcoal for the smelter
of the Ward Mining District). On the other side of the road, there‟s Cave Lake State Park. About mid-state,
there‟s the Hickison Petroglyph Recreation Area (great rock art). The Sand Mountain Recreation Area
features a 600-foot high sand dune, all that‟s left of the beaches of ancient Lake Lahontan. Next, the Fallon
Naval Air Station, where “Top Gun” pilots come to train. Walking along the petroglyph trail at Grimes
Point Archaeological Area, you can unfortunately see how the graffiti of modern-day louts is gradually
defacing the ancient Indian art.
And, if you collect highway signs, as Pete did, those Highway 50 covers take on a new meaning when
you know their background and location—standing forlornly out there on this often deserted road! Again,
worthy, perhaps, of a showcase of their own!
All in all, here‟s a road that calls out to
collectors and travelers alike. All you Texans
might think about taking Highway 50 as you
pack up and head out to this year‟s AMCAL in
California. Stop and see the sights—and ask for those covers! Perhaps you could one day boast