Stamp Collection

By Hanna Nilson

A stamp collection can be a valuable thing! Believe it or not, there are an estimated 20 million stamp collectors in the US alone, making it one of the world’s most prevalent collection hobbies.

For starters, a stamp collection can begin with as little or as many stamps as you want. It’s a fun and even profitable way of spending your spare time. In fact, people have been doing it for years! Stamp collection began as a childish pastime in the 1860’s, but didn’t become widely publicized until the 1920’s. Eventually, stamp collection turned into one of the most popular types of collections in history.

For anybody interested in starting a stamp collection, you may find it useful to know a little more about some of the most desirable stamps in circulation today. For example, the very first stamp was called the “Penny Black” It was issued by Britain in 1840 and showed the face of Queen Victoria on the front. But, this was just the beginning; besides the “Penny Black” there are literally thousands of distinctive stamps just waiting to be added to a stamp collection.

Many beginners start their stamp collection by simply keeping saving as many stamps as possible. It also helps to asking family, friends and elderly friends or relatives to help collect stamps. Stamps received locally i.e. friends or family members, are often of the definitive sort. Definitive or local stamps might seem dull but, don’t be discouraged. Considering their diversity of colors, watermarks, paper differences, perforations and printing errors, they can quickly fill many pages in a growing stamp collection. The more help you can get, the quicker your stamp collection will multiply. So, you may also find it useful to keep and eye on the stamps received by major businesses because stamps, particularly in international business exchange, are most likely to gain historical interest. International stamps are a great asset to any stamp collection.

There are some select few stamps, which are now considered iconic for stamp collection. Some of the rarest and most sought after stamps include the “Tre-Skilling Yellow”, “Mauritius Post Office” and the “British Guiana 1c Black-Magenta”. It’s interesting that what seems to make these stamps unique, and therefore a priority for the established stamp collection, is their error(s) resulting from the printing process. For instance, the “Inverted Jenny” stamp is probably the most famous printing mistake in stamp history making it a superstar of stamp collection.

A hero of stamp collection and Philately; Count Philipp von Ferrary, began his stamp collection at the beginning of the 20th century. Making world-wide stamp collection history, Ferrary’s stamp collection is now one of the most complete ever formed! His stamp collection was a remarkable compilation of several hundred albums and included both the “Tre-Skilling Yellow” and the “Black on Magenta”. By the way, you should know that stamp collection is not the same as stamp philately. The philately of stamps is the study of stamp history, detail and values.

Yes, without a doubt, Ferrary has set the bar high, but don’t be intimidated. It’s never too late to start your stamp collection. A well established stamp collection is not just a hobby; it is anthology and authentication of history at its best. What better collection to pass-down to future generations? So, start collecting today; you never know what great finds you may end-up with.

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