My name is Earl Netwal. I've been listing on eBay for over ten years now. At first as a part time extension of my part time stamp collecting business. About seven years ago, I began the transition from doing weekend stamp shows in the Upper Midwest to a solely internet based business.

My original specialty within philately was US Postal Cards. From there I grew interested in Postal Stationery and Postal History. I'm more a historian than a stamp collector. The used cover that has gone through the mail is a historical artifact. It's got an official patina, being that it is carried by the postal service as sanctioned by law, and has markings that serve to date and geographically fix the item.

These characteristics are even more important when it is recognized that where ever people have gone, some form of Mail Communications was always important to the people involved, once writing evolved.

As such, you can find "mail" from every conceivable human endeavor. Collectors gather it so they can tell the story of history as it happened.

As a personal example, I served in the US Navy during the Viet Nam era. I have in my very small personal collection covers from every ship I served on. Their value is not great, but I like them.

Each of these ships had their own postal clerk and postal markings. This in my personal history. Many of my ship cover collectors are just interested in having something to represent their service or that of a loved one. Many of my covers wind up in scrap books.

I have from time to time had Mail or covers from Colonial Times in the US, even earlier from Europe, Civil War Soldiers mail, covers that were canceled on VJ day in Tokyo Bay, and much more.

I have also had covers from ghost towns that blew away 100 years ago or more throughout the US. And oh so much more.

At first my Philatelic eBay business was a sideline, but as it grew I began to see it as a real business.

I now consider myself a full time internet marketer.

My plan is to build my eBay Cover business while also launching into additional internet marketing arenas.

Ultimately, I hope to be able to teach others how to avoid some of the many pitfalls, I've so thoroughly explored.

So far, I have built a web site called www.ShipCovers.com where I host thousands of mostly US Navy Ship Covers from the early 1900's to recent days.

I have added two new product lines to my regular eBay inventory. These include magazine subscriptions and a series of cd's and DVD's produced by a Florida Company. These include many educational, historical and classical items from early Thomas Edison Silent Movies to Civil War Maps, to Military training manuals to David Copperfield Secrets.

I expect to go even further afield in the near future. Stay tune for details. Better yet subscribe to my newsletter.

Wherever I go, though, the postal history, covers etc, will remain a big part of what I do.