Stamp collecting

Le Philateliste by François Barraud (1929).

Stamp collecting is the collecting of postage stamps and related objects. It is related to philately which is the study of stamps. It has been one of the world's most popular hobbies since the late nineteenth century with the rapid growth of the postal service,[1] but is now in decline with the rise of the internet which has sharply reduced the number of postal items arriving in households.[2] Stamp collecting proved to be an almost perfect hobby for collectors because there was a never ending stream of new stamps as each country sought to advertise its distinctiveness through its stamps. Because some stamps became rare a thriving international trade in stamps was created. While stamp collectors are of all ages, it has been particularly popular hobby among children, many of whom continued the hobby as adults.

Collecting

Stamp collecting is generally accepted as one of the areas that make up the wider subject of philately, which is the study of stamps. A philatelist may, but does not have to, collect stamps. It is not uncommon for the term philatelist to be used to mean a stamp collector. Many casual stamp collectors accumulate stamps for sheer enjoyment and relaxation without worrying about the tiny details. The creation of a large or comprehensive collection, however, generally requires some philatelic knowledge and will usually contain areas of philatelic studies.

Postage stamps are often collected for their historical value and geographical aspects and also for the many subjects depicted on them, ranging from ships, horses, and birds to kings, queens and presidents.[3]

Stamp collectors are an important source of income for some countries who create limited runs of elaborate stamps designed mainly to be bought by stamp collectors. The stamps produced by these countries may exceed their postal needs, but may also feature attractive topical designs that many collectors desire.

Queen Victoria's profile was a staple on 19th century stamps of the British Empire; here on a half-penny of the Falkland Islands, 1891.

History of stamp collecting

It has been suggested that John Bourke, Receiver General of Stamp Dues in Ireland was the first collector. In 1774 he assembled a book of the existing embossed revenue stamps, ranging in value from 6 pounds to half a penny, as well as the hand stamped charge marks that were used with them. His collection is preserved in Dublin.[4]

Postage stamp collecting began at the same time that stamps were first issued, and by 1860 thousands of collectors and stamp dealers were appearing around the world as this new study and hobby spread across Europe, European colonies, the United States and other parts of the world.

The first postage stamp, the Penny Black, was issued by Britain in 1840 and pictured a young Queen Victoria. It was produced without perforations (imperforate) and consequently had to be cut from the sheet with scissors in order to be used. While unused examples of the Penny Black are quite scarce, used examples are quite common, and may be purchased for $20 to $200, depending upon condition.

People started to collect stamps almost immediately. One of the earliest and most notable was John Edward Gray. In 1862 Gray stated that he "began to collect postage stamps shortly after the system was established and before it had become a rage".[5]

As the hobby and study of stamps began to grow, stamp albums and stamp related literature began to surface, and by the early 1880s publishers like Stanley Gibbons made a business out of this advent.

Children and teenagers were early collectors of stamps in the 1860s and 1870s. Many adults dismissed it as a childish pursuit but later many of those same collectors, as adults, began to systematically study the available postage stamps and publish books about them. Some stamps, such as the triangular issues of the Cape of Good Hope, have become legendary.

Stamp collecting is a less popular hobby in the early 21st century than it was a hundred years ago. Worldwide the estimated number of stamp collectors is around 200 million with about 25 million people enjoy the hobby in the United States,. Tens of thousands of stamp dealers supply them with stamps along with stamp albums, catalogues and other publications. There are also thousands of stamp (philatelic) clubs and organizations that provide them with the history and other aspects of stamps. Today, though the number of collectors is somewhat less, stamp collecting is still one of the world's most popular indoor hobbies.[6] In 2013 the Wall Street Journal estimated the global number of stamp collectors was around 60 million.[7]

Stamp collecting equipment

A few basic items of equipment are needed to collect stamps. Stamp tongs help to handle stamps safely, a magnifying glass helps in viewing fine details and an album is a convenient way to store stamps. The stamps need to be attached to the pages of the album in some way and stamp hinges are a cheap and simple way to do this. Hinging stamps can damage them, thus reducing their value; today many collectors prefer more expensive hingeless mounts. Issued in various sizes, these are clear chemically neutral thin plastic holders that open to receive stamps and are gummed on the back so that they stick to album pages. Another alternative is a stockbook where the stamps drop into clear pockets without the need for a mount. Stamps should be stored away from light, heat and moisture or they will be damaged.

Stamps can be displayed according to the collector's wishes, by country, topic, or even by size, which can create a display pleasing to the eye. There are no rules and it is entirely a matter for the individual collector to decide. Albums can be commercially purchased, downloaded or created by the collector. In the latter cases using acid free paper provides better long term stamp protection.

Acquiring stamps

Many collectors ask their family and friends to save stamps for them from their mail. Although the stamps received by major businesses and those kept by elderly relatives may be of international and historical interest, the stamps received from family members are often of the definitive sort. Definitives seem mundane but, considering their variety of colours, watermarks, paper differences, perforations and printing errors, they can fill many pages in a collection.[8] Introducing either variety or specific focus to a collection can require the purchasing of stamps, either from a dealer or online. Large numbers of relatively recent stamps, often still attached to fragments or envelopes, may be obtained cheaply and easily. Rare and old stamps can also be obtained, but these can be very expensive.

Duplicate stamps are those a collector already has and are not required, therefore, to fill a gap in a collection. Duplicate stamps can be sold or traded, so they are an important medium of exchange among collectors.

Many dealers sell stamps through the Internet while others have neighborhood shops which are among the best resources for beginning and intermediate collectors. Some dealers also jointly set up week-end stamp markets called "bourses" that move around a region from week to week. They also meet collectors at regional exhibitions and stamp shows.

Collecting specialties

A worldwide collection would be enormous, running to thousands of volumes, and would be incredibly expensive to acquire. Many consider that Count Philipp von Ferrary's collection at the beginning of the 20th century was the most complete ever formed. Many collectors limit their collecting to particular countries, certain time periods or particular subjects (called "topicals") like birds or aircraft.

Some of the more popular collecting areas include:

Organizations

A large stamp show containing a bourse at which collectors and dealers meet.

There are thousands of organizations for collectors: local stamp clubs, special-interest groups, and national organizations. Most nations have a national collectors' organization, such as the American Philatelic Society in the United States. The Internet has greatly expanded the availability of information and made it easier to obtain stamps and other philatelic material. The American Topical Association (ATA) is now a part of the APS and promotes thematic collecting as well as encouraging sub-groups of numerous topics.

Stamp clubs and philatelic societies can add a social aspect to stamp collecting and provide a forum where novices can meet experienced collectors. Although such organizations are often advertised in stamp magazines and online, the relatively small number of collectors - especially outside urban areas - means that a club may be difficult to set up and sustain. The Internet partially solves this problem, as the association of collectors online is not limited by geographical distance. For this reason, many highly specific stamp clubs have been established on the Web, with international membership.[9]

Organizations such as the Cinderella Stamp Club (UK) retain hundreds of members interested in a specific aspect of collecting. Social organizations, such as the Lions Club and Rotary International, have also formed stamp collecting groups specific to those stamps that are issued from many countries worldwide that display the organization's logo.

Rare stamps

Rare stamps are often old and many have interesting stories attached to them. Some include:

Some of the most valuable stamps in the world

  1. ^ "Rare stamp sells for record price in Geneva auction". BBC News. 22 May 2010. Retrieved 24 May 2010. 
  2. ^ a b Feldman, David (1993), Prices Realised for Public Auction November 1-6 November 1993, Prces Realised, Zurich: David Feldman, p. 1 

Catalogues

Main article: Stamp catalogue

Stamp catalogues are the primary tool used by serious collectors to organize their collections, and for the identification and valuation of stamps. Most stamp shops have stamp catalogues available for purchase. A few catalogues are offered on-line, either for free or for a fee. There are hundreds of different catalogues, most specializing in particular countries or periods.

Famous stamp collectors

The stamp collection assembled by French/Austrian aristocrat Philipp von Ferrary (1850–1917) at the beginning of the 20th century is widely considered the most complete stamp collection ever formed (or likely to be formed). It included, for example, all of the rare stamps described above that had been issued by 1917. However, as Ferrary was an Austrian citizen, the collection was broken up and sold by the French government after the First World War, as war reparations. A close rival was Thomas Tapling (1855 – 1891), whose Tapling Collection was donated to the British Museum.

Several European monarchs were keen stamp collectors, including King George V of the United Kingdom and King Carol II of Romania. King George V possessed one of the most valuable stamp collections in the world and became President of the Royal Philatelic Society. His collection was passed on to Queen Elizabeth II who, while not a serious philatelist, has a collection of British and Commonwealth first day covers which she started in 1952.[10]

The 32nd President of the United States of America, Franklin Delano Roosevelt was a stamp collector, he designed several American commemorative stamps during his term.[11] Late in life Ayn Rand renewed her childhood interest in stamps and became an enthusiastic collector.[12] Several entertainment and sport personalities have been known to be collectors. Freddie Mercury, lead singer of the band Queen, collected stamps as a child. His childhood stamp album is in the collection of the British Postal Museum & Archive.[13] John Lennon of The Beatles was a childhood stamp collector. His stamp album is held by the National Postal Museum.[14]

See also

References and sources

Notes
  1. ↑ Vickers, Marcia (15 December 1996). "Delivery Isn't Guaranteed, but Stamps Are Turning Profits". New York Times. Retrieved 10 December 2009.
  2. ↑ retrieved 11 Feb 2016
  3. ↑ "What is stamp collecting?". Learn About Stamps. 2010. Retrieved 4 October 2010.
  4. ↑ The origin of stamp collecting in America, Part 1: How stamp collecting came to the United States
  5. ↑ Gray, John Edward, A Hand Catalogue of Postage Stamps for the use of the Collector, 1862, Robert Hardwicke, page viii Free download here.
  6. ↑ "The history of stamp collecting". eSortment. 2010. Retrieved 4 October 2010.
  7. ↑ "Graph: The Wide World of Stamps". WSJ.MONEY. 2013. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  8. ↑ Klug, Janet (2012). "A limited budget can still mean unlimited fun". Linns Stamp News. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  9. ↑ "Stamp Clubs And Philatelic Societies". Stamphelp.com. Retrieved 25 October 2008.
  10. ↑ Courtney, Nicholas. The Queen's Stamps - The Authorised History of the Royal Philatelic Collection. London: Methuen, 2004, p.303. ISBN 0-413-77228-4
  11. ↑ "FDR–Stamp Collecting President". National Postal Museum. Retrieved 7 February 2010.
  12. ↑ "Why I Like Stamp Collecting", Minkus Stamp Journal, 1971 , cf. "The new Ayn Rand companion", Mimi Reisel Gladstein, p. 130, Greenwood Publishing Group, 1999, ISBN 0-313-30321-5
  13. ↑ "Famous Philatelists". The British Postal Museum & Archive. Retrieved 24 July 2009.
  14. ↑ "John Lennon - The Lost Album". National Postal Museum. Retrieved 24 July 2009.
Sources

Further reading

External links

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