Stamp Collecting, has been enjoyed by generations for over a hundred years. Many collections have started out by receiving a simple gift from a friend or relative, others have started by unearthing a pile of dusty old letters, complete with vintage postage stamps. Once the interest is roused, the collection just grows and grows.
Philately, the English teachers term for the collection and study of postage stamps is known to be one of the most popular hobbies in the world. If horse racing is the sport of Kings, then collecting stamps is surely the hobby of Kings. Royalty, throughout the years have been one of the greatest collectors, and have amassed massive collections, worth millions of dollars. and why not, they have their faces on the stamps don’t they.
Here’s a little known fact, in some countries, stamps are legal tender, this means that they can be used as currency, so you could go to the local store and pay in postage stamps, but you can still expect a strange look, because it’s certainly not commonplace.
An outsider may wonder why people would want to lovingly care for, and collect small pieces of paper with pictures on at all. We cherish our stamps, and treat them with dignity, we carefully house them, so they may stay, as new for as long as possible. The outsider may not see the intrinsic value of stamp collecting, or the financial value of the hobby, but most just love the art because they find enjoyment and fun from it.
Where else can you find something the weight of a penny black, with the same value? I’ve thought, but I still haven’t found the answer, moon dust perhaps, probably Saturn dust.
Designs of stamps have great appeal to stamp collectors, some have hidden meanings and cryptic messages, the majority are marking some form of event in history, along with some info on a person of significance, this makes them tiny time capsules too.
A quick look at a well prepared collection is like peering down a time tunnel, you are instantly whisked back to the time and place of the event, and you really get the look and feel of the era.
Tips on stamp collecting for beginners:
1. You can start off by collecting generally. You may get new cover sets for birthdays and the like. As time progresses, you will be drawn towards your favorite theme, and can begin to concentrate specialising in this field.
2. Always be on the look out for packs, when you travel, try to find collections rather than single items.
3. Be very careful when soaking your stamps, this will be covered in detail later.
So the message for young collectors is, start out small, choose a theme, or topic, and enjoy your hobby.