I started collecting pulp magazines over 50 years ago. At first I bought just the items I needed and could afford, mainly from used bookstores. My first passion was completing a set of Astounding Stories back to the January 1930 first issue. I was able to get back to about 1939 from used bookstores. Then, I ran into a fellow collector whose collection went back another full year earlier than mine. He was willing to sell what I needed, but insisted on selling the entire collection- all or none. I eventually bought his collection, adding the earlier issues to my collection, and designating the better condition of the duplicate issues I now owned as my primary collection.

What was I to do with the duplicate items? I tried finding other collectors, but where I lived at the time, collectors were few and far between. The answer came in 1978, when Analog decided to re-establish their classified ad page. I placed a small ad, xeroxed a few copies of my extras list, priced them low to assure a quick sale, and found my extras gone within a few weeks.

At some point I decided this was a good way to grow my collection, and have continued with his model to the present. Catalog #149 was published last year, and webpages galore are filled with my extras. And I still purchase collections when I find them.