Sometimes you meet the most interesting people in philately.

I collect precancels on US postal cards and over the years, I’ve corresponded with Charles Fricke on that subject. Charles is a very well-known and respected member of the philatelic community, especially in the area of US postal stationery.

Anyway, Charles called me on the phone the other day. He had some stamps that he was looking to dispose of, but they were not items that I deal in. I was able to point him to some other dealers who carry that kind of material.

Anyway, we had a very nice chat for about 15 minutes. He’s now 94 and he started collecting at age 6 in 1928. Imagine the stories he has from his nearly 90 years of involvement in philately.

Anyway, Charles shared a story with me that he never told anyone else about. Of course, I can’t repeat that story here. I could sit down with him for days/weeks on end and just listen to his fascinating stories. The things he has done, the people he met, and so forth. He has a gold mine of memories.

It was just one of those experiences that just makes you feel good and happy to be a part of philately.