Some collectors support the admin in building his collection – in return for using the catalogue. They can be recognized by the golden badge of honor next to their username. A heartfelt thank you to all of them – their support really means a lot and keeps the admin motivated to continue this project.
For everyone else, here’s a small insight: Our catalogue now includes around 50,000 different banana stickers, making it the most complete of its kind. Every month I (the admin) add about 200 new stickers, found in WhatsApp groups, on Facebook, or through direct contacts. Almost every day I compare large batches of “new” stickers with what’s already listed.
Keeping the catalogue structure organized, answering user questions, and maintaining the technical side – none of that happens by itself. Behind the scenes, it takes a huge amount of time and energy, plus yearly costs of nearly €1,000, which I still mostly cover alone. All of this often brings me to my time limits – time that I no longer have for my own collection or for simple trading, which used to be the fun part of this hobby.
Some believe it’s enough to add new stickers or correct mistakes. I do appreciate that, of course, like anybody else – but it doesn’t help me managing the catalog or cover costs. For me, that’s simply part of the hobby: organizing your stickers and sharing duplicates with others – something I make possible by running this catalogue.
So I hope you understand why I ask for some duplicate stickers in return now and then. No money, no rare items – just a few extras you can easily spare. You can see in the catalogue whether I already have them, and putting one aside for me once in a while really isn’t too much to ask.
If you use something that someone else has built with passion, time, and effort – or if you just like the idea of having a good catalogue for our hobby – then it’s fair to give something back. So please, from time to time and on your own initiative, send something to help with the maintenance and costs of the catalog. You can decide yourself what and how much it’s worth to you – but sending nothing at all doesn’t feel right anymore. Don’t you think so?
Comments
I totally agree and I can
I totally agree and I can understand, that you are investing a lot of time and money for this extraordinary catalog. It has been always very helpful to me to organize my own collection,
But I also have to say, that I regret, that you will no longer trade for labels. We have been trading for many years, even before the catalog was born.
Again, my compliments for the wonderful job you have done and still are doing. Thank you very much, amigo.
Dear Peter,
Dear Peter, you always manage to touch the right spot — and yes, trading is what keeps this hobby alive. I really hope to get back to it once I’ve sorted my duplicates properly.
My main concern is how some collectors support the maintenance and financing of the catalog. I now spend far more time maintaining it than collecting or trading. Over the years, I’ve invested about €10,000 and uploaded more than 18,000 labels — a lot of time and care. So it’s frustrating when a few treat it like a self-service shop, or say no when I ask for a small thank-you.
I see the catalog as a warm, well-kept home for our hobby. Visitors are always welcome, and after a few visits, it feels natural to bring a small gift — a little thank-you for the work behind it. Just as guests might bring a bottle of wine, here it could be a few stickers I don’t yet have.
Thanks, amigo, for your words, your friendship, and your steady support. You — and a few others — are the reason I keep going, while some visitors I now politely let find their way out.
Warm regards,