Is This as Sad as I Think?

Add to all this the fact that, for years now, not every U.S. post office stocks every new U.S. issue, even in the cities. A more effective method of discouraging collectors can hardly be imagined. If we were to stop issuing dozens of meaningless, easily-forged new issues yearly, and instead focused on issuing a handful of historically relevant, forge-resistant engraved stamps, things could be turned around. But don't expect that to happen any time soon, hmm?

It is a sad state of affairs that there are so few dealers/agents for new issues, and that so few dealers are even stocking recent issues (by recent, I mean within past 1-2 decades). Several solid reasons for this have already been given above.

It had gotten to a point, that if you needed something within past 1-2 decades, it was sometimes cheaper to buy a recent collection. I actually did that a few times. But unfortunately, even that option has started to dry up.

Japan is a typical example. You can still purchase modern pre-2000 mint collections (mostly pre-1990, but the pre-2000 can still be found with patient searching). But try getting one that goes past 2000, or even a mint accumulation that goes past 2000 -- you can be searching for years. I think I've only seen 2-3 reasonable auction lots in the past 5 years, and I either missed the auction or got outbid. Yeah, the Japanese deflation, cratering of the Japanese collector market followed soon by cratering of the Japanese wholesale market played a big role. But you see this not only for Japan, but for other countries as well. Fundamentally, I would say the huge drop in new collectors who actively/consistently purchase recent mint stamps are definitely the main reason. There's no longer enough demand to support a large dealer/agent supply, given face-value cost of modern stamps. But I would also suggest the following minor factors:

*increase in collectors cutting off at year 2000 or earlier
-- besides the traditional cutoffs at 1940, 1953, 1970
-- I noticed an approximate cutoff in the 1985-1995 range in collections I purchased. I suspect this is tied into the US market collapse in the mid-late 1980's. As it turned out, I also dropped out of collecting from 1983-1992, but for unrelated reasons.
-- 2000 brought about a natural collection cutoff date. I was really surprised by how many online collectors I met that used 2000 as their cutoff.

*change in philatelic agency practices
-- not the mass-market countries, but even the limited/controlled issue countries
-- Automatic new issue customer service has dropped off, with notable exceptions of the smaller countries/entities. You used to be able to write/talk to someone about customizing your new issue service, even the stamps used to mail. With the large operations now, it's mostly mark the categories on the form, any other options we either won't do or will charge extra. The smaller postal agencies, tend to have much better one-on-one customer service.
-- Considering that the stamps won't be used for postage, you'd think they'd offer freebies. Consider my history of new issue services that I subscribed to from 1970s-1990s (yeah, I kept the new issue service, even thought I quit actively collecting in 1983). Back in the day, your purchase was shipped to you FREE!!! Even from overseas. Plus, they would often include freebies. Some mailed with stamps, some meters, but it was free. UN would mail coinciding with a first day of issue, so your UN stamps always arrived as a first day cover! Then some Postal Agencies started charging for shipping. Some started insisting on insurance/registration (one of my agencies always sent registered for free!). I've seen some Postal Agency new issue invoices in which the shipping/registration charge was more than 75% of the face value of the mint stamps sent! Is it any wonder new issue subscribers dropped even faster than collectors were dying.

Anyway, that's enough for this post. It is, as you say, sad. Sad for philately, sad for collectors looking for recent stamps.

k

My lack of interest in new issues has much to do with self-adhesives. So for US, you are pushed into buying sheets ($) since it is the minimum you can buy from USPS PO or cave.

In the case of Japan, do collectors in Japan have an issue getting their issues?

Hi stampers 
Looking for new issues is a pain in the A I collect used stamps witch are very hard to find!

There is a dealer in Denmark Nordfrim this is a huge web site they have a world wide new issue service.

Tony H

Thanks. She gets the same things out of ISJP but it's nice to know there are options.

Looks like Nordfrim is jumping in to capture the ex-Herrick customers. They placed a large ad in the latest Linn's email newsletter, visible also on this web page:
images.amosmedia.com/linns/browser/2022/related-products/20220607a.html

What bothers me about this and every other new issue service ad, these days, is that they are not up front about the cost. They know doggone well what percentage over face they are selling them for. Why don't they disclose it?