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Stamp Collecting as a Hobby
Stamp collecting is
one of America’s most popular hobbies, with an
estimated 20 million stamp collectors around the nation.
The hobby is also popular among collectors from many
other countries throughout the world. Old and young
alike enjoy collecting, reminiscing, and exploring foreign
countries through the hobby of stamp collecting!
Stamp collectors usually focus on one
stamp collection category because there are numerous
stamps and philatelic items issued. The most popular
stamp collections categories include postage stamps,
Federal Duck stamp, souvenir sheets, first day covers
(FDCs), First Day, and counterfeit or forged postage
stamps. Additionally, stamps may be categorized as definitive
or commemorative stamps. Definitive stamps are easy
to find because they are common. Commemorative stamps
are specialty stamps celebrating events and occasions;
only available for a limited time, but most can be found
through various dealers.
To begin collecting stamps as a hobby,
ask friends and family to save any stamps, especially
foreign or unusual ones, to add to your collection.
With the global community the Internet provides, ask
online friends, as well as fellow stamp collectors to
send or swap stamps from foreign countries. Grandparents
and older relatives may also be a wealth of valuable
resources when it comes to finding rare stamps. Antique
and philatelic shops are other places to begin building
a solid foundation for a great stamp collection. Subscription
to magazines and related publications are also a great
roadmap for stamp collecting.
Avid and beginner stamp collectors alike
take special precautions when handling and preserving
their stamp collections. Stamps pasted on envelopes
should be removed carefully by soaking the envelope
face down in warm water. When the stamp has separated
from the envelope, remove the stamp with stamp tongs,
tweezer-like metal instruments used for handling stamps.
Once stamps have been gathered, dry them in a stamp
drying book. Complete collections or individual stamp
specimens should be kept in a clean album or stock sheets,
both making excellent display cases.
While the majority of U.S. issued postage
stamps are easily accessible and not worth much in value,
there does exist highly valuable stamps every collector
seeks. Some of these include: the 1865 British Guiana
“Black on Magenta” , the Sweden “Three
Skilling Banco”, and “Hawaiian Missionaries.”
Other various items of value valuable include souvenir
sheets from foreign countries, rare plate number coils
and unique misprints. Popular, and more affordable,
items among collectors are Confederate U.S. Stamps,
United Nations Stamps, 19th Century Stamps, Asia Stamps,
and UK Stamps.
Stamp collectors comprise thousands
of local and national organizations where buyers and
sellers congregate to buy, sell, share, and swap stamps.
There also are national collectors’ organizations,
such as the American Philatelic Society in the United
States. Also, the ease and convenience of the Internet
makes stamp collecting as a hobby much more enjoyable
by allowing collectors to buy and sell stamps from the
comfort of one’s own home. Stamp catalogues such
as Stanley Gibbons, Scott catalogue, Michel, and Yvert
are essential publications for earnest collectors around
the world. These catalogues serve handy guides for organizing,
classifying, and appraising entire stamp collections,
as well as individual items. The American Stamp Dealer
Association, Inc. (ASDA) is another excellent resource
for both beginner and expert collectors. ASDA hosts
popular stamp shows across the nation drawing large
crowds of beginners and experts alike.
While some individuals view the future
of stamp collecting as pessimistic due to the advances
in technology such as e-mail, avid collectors remain
optimistic. Stamp collectors will always be searching
for rare valuable finds, even in the midst of all the
new stamps being issued every year. The proof is in
the fact stamp collecting as a hobby remains one of
the most popular pastimes in the United States!
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