Janet Klug in one of her Refresher Course articles that appeared in Linn's Stamp News says bidding in auctions is a fun way to add new material to your collection. Whether it's bidding on eBay or at one of the stamp auctions held thoughout the year at major stamp shows, Janet cautions collectors to be careful."If you do not know anything about auction bidding, here is the first and best piece of advice I can give you: Read the terms of sale," Klug suggests.
She goes on to pen, "The auction terms of sale contain all the pertinent information you will need to know about the date the auction closes, acceptable methods of payment, how much time you will be allowed to settle your account, the buyer's fee, the return policy, the extension policy, the raises over next highest bids, the amount of taxes, costs you will incur for postage and insurance, and other terms that might be unique to the particular auction firm."
"Do not assume that all auction firms have the same terms of sale. They do not," Klug reminds us.
To read her entire article, click here.
The American Topical Association (ATA) has a free Halloween checklist and Halloween crossword puzzle on the organization's website in both Excel and .pdf format through October 31.
Carrie Van Brunt-Wiley writes on the HomeInsurance.com website about insuring your stamp collection the right way.
Tom Fortunato writes on DearDoctorPostcards.com, "Back in the mid-1950's, doctors in the United States began receiving colorful postcards from exotic locations around the world advertising a popular anesthetic drug known as Pentothal Sodium. Its manufacturer, Abbott Laboratories of Illinois, developed a scheme to mail a postcard every couple of weeks to hundreds of thousands of doctors and health facilities on its giant mailing list, first to US addresses and then others abroad."
"The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (RHLI) is pushing the envelope for their 150th anniversary celebrations," writes Kaleigh Rogers on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation/Hamilton website.
The IDF’s Combat Engineering Corps training aboard M113 “Zeldas.” The shortcomings of the M113 were one spur to the development of heavy armored personnel carriers. Israel Defense Forces photo
The first of the IDF’s heavy armored personnel carriers, Achzarits were built from the captured hulls of Soviet-made T-54/55 tanks. Photo by gkirokI...Beginning in 1987, some 276 T-55s were rebuilt by removing the turret and constructing a compartment for 10 troops. The bulky Russian diesel engine was replaced by a compact power pack, leaving space for a passageway to a rear exit door. The exterior was covered with reactive armor that defeats RPGs and early ATGMs. Named Achzarit (“Cruel One”) the 48.5 ton vehicle carries four roof-mounted 7.62 mm machine guns.
Nagmachon heavy APC at the LIC 2004 exhibition. Derived from the British Centurion tank, this example has the distinctive “doghouse” replacing the turret. Photo by Fresh Military & Security Forum, Israel via MathKnightSimilar rebuilds gave new life to hundreds of obsolete IDF Centurion tanks. ...By the 1980s, as Centurions were replaced by new Israeli-designed Merkava tanks, they were rebuilt as infantry carriers. ... Some Nagmachons are fitted with a distinctive non-rotating “doghouse” studded with vision blocks for a forward observer.
Soldiers from A Company, 1st Battalion, 29th Infantry Regiment, maneuver around an Israeli Namer during the Maneuver Battle Lab’s Ground Combat Vehicle assessment at Fort Bliss, Texas. The Namer was originally rebuilt from early Merkava tank chassis, but today they are being constructed by General Dynamics Land Systems in the United States. DoD photo by 1st Lt. Tyler N. GinterNamer means “tiger” or “leopard” in Hebrew. Weighing 66 tons, this big cat is the most heavily armored APC ever built. About 130 are currently in service. Early versions were converted surplus Merkava Mk. I tanks, but new production vehicles are assembled by General Dynamics in Lima, Ohio, and then shipped to Israel for installation of weapons and the secret composite and reactive armor.Namer carries a crew of 11: commander, driver, gunner and eight troops. The gunner’s remote-controlled weapon station can be fitted with a 7.62 mm or 12.7 mm machine gun, or 40 mm grenade launcher. Four external video cameras provide 360-degree vision.Future versions will carry a 30 mm automatic cannon and the Rafael Trophy active protection system. Namer is under evaluation for the U.S. Army’s Ground Combat Vehicleprogram.