Synopsis: What does any self-respecting early library technician retiree do to keep himself out of trouble? Why, buy a used and antiquarian numismatic and philatelic (i.e. literature specializing in coin and stamp collecting, respectively) mail order book business, of course! All 3,000 lbs. on 3 pallets from its original location in Montreal! I’ve been the proprietor of Richard Stockley Books since April 29, 2019, took delivery of the material on May 7, 2019 and then moved it from the storage facility to my home by May 3, 2020, all the while buying, selling and trading at shows (until March 8, 2020) and exclusively online ever since. In the absence of an online inventory, I send out personalized fixed price lists to my customers upon their request which number 140+ worldwide.
Early RRC Library Tech. Retiree marries passions and repurposes skills in antiquarian, out-of-print, used numismatic & philatelic mail order book business, Richard Stockley Books
By the fall of 2018, after 14 years working at Red River College Library, it became clear to me, in no small part to the nudge I received from my wife, Esther G. Juce, that my then increasingly frail 90-year-old father needs me now and not in the 4-5 years I had originally planned to retire. Thankfully, at age 57, I was eligible to take early retirement and so I began to make my plans…
On Nov. 14, 2018 while minding my own business at work as a library technician with Red River College Library (16 days after I had announced on Oct. 30 to my supervisor that I planned to retire by Jan. 2, 2019 after more than 14 years’ service, but before I made this announcement public to my colleagues, which did not occur until Nov. 19) I received what turns out to have been an exclusive offer from Richard Stockley to purchase his antiquarian and out-of-print numismatic and philatelic book business. He and his wife, Deirdre Crevier, had decided to retire to “warmer climes” (as Richard put it; to Belize, as it turned out) by the fall of 2019. Here is the core of his message. Interestingly, he had no prior knowledge of my imminent plans to retire:
Since the two of you are active in the local numismatic & philatelic communities and avid bibliophiles, my thoughts turned immediately to you. Would you be interested in taking over my hobby/business?
This is not a business where you will get rich but it is a good way to keep busy in retirement. It does have potential and you can build it to whatever level you wish. You will be the only full-time [second-hand numismatic and philatelic] book dealer in Canada.
As you might imagine, I spontaneously could not but help but yelp out in delight upon reading Richard’s e-mail message inviting me to take over his “hobby/business”!
I had first met Richard in person at a Torex Show in the fall of 2013 (I attached an image of this occasion) and he was the first dealer I always made a bee-line to at all the RCNA Conventions he attended from 2014 to 2017, inclusive, with numerous mail orders in-between and afterwards, even though he could not attend the 2018 RCNA Convention. I made my first contact with Richard through his AbeBooks.com site asking him a question about the annual Royal Canadian Mint reports (which I collect) on Aug. 25, 2013.
I’m thus a relatively newly minted Canadian numismatic/philatelic book dealer, “Richard Stockley Books”. As of April 29/19, after several months’ of cordial negotiation (it’s hard to believe I just passed my first anniversary as the new owner) I purchased this 40-year-old business from its original owner, Richard Stockley, who was domiciled in Montreal and retired with his wife Deirdre Crevier to Belize last fall. I have therefore been making the buying, selling and trading numismatic literature a priority (over collecting) ever since, particularly online and at shows (I don’t have a storefront; rather the 3,000 lbs. of books and equipment Richard sent me last May 7 were in a storage facility out of which I’ve operated until I moved everything in my home as of Sun. May 3, after five loads within a period of a couple of weeks). My stock is now finally well ensconced in my home just ahead of the first anniversary of receiving it on May 7, 2019. One of the good things about this pandemic is that it has afforded me the opportunity to reorganize my home to make enough space to accommodate my inventory and thereby save me $210 in monthly rental costs, or more than $2,500 per annum.
Another very good thing about the pandemic is that it has compelled me to develop the mail-order side of my business, since I cannot (yet) attend any shows and have not gone to one since March 8, 2020. Out of this experience I’ve developed a number of thematic fixed price lists that I send to customers whom I know would be interested because the respective themes cover their collecting interests. In other words, I’ve been sending out customized fixed price lists of materials in my stock to my customers to quite good effect if sales are any indication. Thanks to Wayne Homren, Editor of The E-Sylum, “an electronic publication of the Numismatic Bibliomania Society”, who recently invited me to offer these price lists to E-Sylum readers, no fewer than 15 more potential customers requested such lists from me. Topics include ancient and medieval coins, Canadian pre- & post-Confederation tokens, Coins of the Far East, world medals, world paper money, obscure and hard-to-find U.S. numismatic literature, numismatic literature relating to Western Canada, etc.
If you would like more information about my new business venture, I invite you to click on a number of articles that have appeared in various trade publications about my early major trade show experiences, plus some updates after my first year in the business:
In The E-Sylum:
HOWARD R. ENGEL ACQUIRES RICHARD STOCKLEY BOOKS, The E-Sylum: Vol. 22, No. 21, May 26, 2019, Article 8: https://www.coinbooks.org/v22/esylum_v22n21a08.html
RCHARD STOCKLEY BOOKS AT 2019 RCNA SHOW, The E-Sylum: Vol. 22, No. 32, August 11, 2019, Article 21: https://www.coinbooks.org/v22/esylum_v22n32a21.html
RICHARD STOCKLEY BOOKS OFFERS PRICELISTS, The E-Sylum: Vol. 23, No. 37, September 13, 2020, Article 2: https://www.coinbooks.org/v23/esylum_v23n37a02.html
ENGEL’S ANGLE ON NUMISMATIC LITERATURE: SANDHAM’S COINS, MEDALS & TOKENS OF CANADA (1869), The E-Sylum: Vol. 23, No. 41, October 11, 2020, Article 14: https://www.coinbooks.org/v23/esylum_v23n41a14.html
In Canadian Coin News:
An announcement of the purchase https://canadiancoinnews.com/richard-stockley-sells-book-business/
An account marking my first anniversary in the business https://canadiancoinnews.com/issue/volume-58-12/?view=read#dflip-df_94461/7/
In short, I’m gratified that the library skills I originally acquired at Red River College and then put into practice over a 30+-year career in the field (nearly the last half of which were served at Red River College Library) are now re-purposed into my antiquarian, used and out-of-print numismatic and philatelic book business. “The business” itself marries a number of my own passions of coin, stamp and book collecting and my sense of vocation to help provide people with access to information, knowledge and the accumulation of the ages.” An exciting new venture, adventure and career to be sure to keep me interested and occupied when I’m not looking after my Dad! He was an astute business man who owned and ran a trucking business for 44 years prior to selling it in 1998 that, at its peak, employed 500+ people, had 1,000+ pieces of equipment and operated out of some 15 terminals in every province west of Quebec, plus two states (Washington and Oregon) for deliveries throughout Canada and the U.S. He naturally always wanted me to get involved. Apart from working at the Winnipeg headquarters a few summers as a teenager, I never did, nor did I ever get into any kind of business… until now. I therefore find it most satisifying to be able to confer with him my experiences and ask his advice which I know he takes great pleasure in.
Respectfully submitted by
Howard R. Engel,
RRC retiree since Jan. 2, 2019
RRC Distance Education Instructor, Library Programs, 1995-2014
RRC Library Help Desk Technician, Princess Street Campus, 2003-2004
RRC Library Technician, Notre Dame & Exchange District Campuses, 2004-2019
“If a thing be true, that is a real joy.” — Latin proverb
“There is no frigate like a book.” — Emily Dickinson (1830–1886)