ENGLISH, N4/2013

HOBBY OF STAMP COLLECTING

Text Source: American Philatelic Society and Wikipedia


 Stamp
Stampcollecting
collectingisisgenerally
generally
accepted
acceptedas asone
oneofofthe
theareas
areasthat
that
make
makeupupthe
thewider
widersubject
subjectofof
philately,
philately,which
whichisisthe
thestudy
studyof
of
stamps.
stamps.AAphilatelist
philatelistmay,
may,but
butdoes
does

 Stamp
Stampcollecting
collectingisisaaless
lesspopular
popular not
nothave
haveto,
to,collect
collectstamps.
stamps.
hobby
hobbytoday
todaythanthanititwas
wasin inthe
theearly
early
20th
20thcentury,
century,but buttoday
todayititisis
estimated
estimatedthatthatabout
about2525million
million
people
peopleenjoy
enjoythe thehobby
hobbyin inthethe
United
UnitedStates,
States,while
whileworldwide
worldwidethe the
estimated
estimatednumbers
numbersof ofstamp
stamp
collectors
collectorsisisaround
around200200million.
million.
 As a beginning stamp collector, the first thing
you must do is gather some STAMPS! There are
lots of places where you can get stamps:


 Stamp
Stamp Dealers
Dealers

 Pen
Pen Pals
Pals

 Local
Local Stamp
Stamp Clubs
Clubs

 Your
Your Mailbox
Mailbox

 Local
Local Post
Post Office
Office

 Friends,
Friends, relatives,
relatives,
and
and local
local businesses
businesses
 Your stamps can be
mint or use


 Used
Used —— Stamps
Stamps that
that
have
have served
served their
their
intended
intended purpose
purpose of
of
carrying
carrying the
the mail.
mail.

 Mint
Mint —— New
New stamps
stamps
that
that have
have never
never
been
been used.
used.
 How do you want to collect?
Two popular ways of collecting
are topical or country


 Country
CountryCollecting
Collecting— —You
Youmay
may
choose
choosetotocollect
collectstamps
stampsfrom
fromthe
the
country
countrywhere
whereyou youor
oryour
yourancestors
ancestors
were
wereborn.
born.You
Youmaymayhave
haveaaspecial
special
interest
interestin
inaacountry
countrybecause
becauseyou,
you,aa
parent,
parent,or
oraafriend
friendvisited
visitedthat
that

 Topical
TopicalCollecting
Collecting——InInthis
thistype
typeofof country.
country.
collecting
collectingyou
yougather
gatherstamps,
stamps,
envelopes,
envelopes,postmarks,
postmarks,etc.,
etc.,related
related
to
toone
onespecific
specifictopic.
topic.Animals,
Animals,birds,
birds,
flowers,
flowers,ships,
ships,space,
space,scouts,
scouts,
Disney,
Disney,and
andsports
sportsare
arejust
justaafew
fewofof
the
thetopics
topicsyou
youcan
cancollect.
collect.
 Stamp collecting is easier and more fun when
you have the right tools to help you organize,
identify, and handle your stamps


 Magnifying
MagnifyingGlass
Glass--AAmagnifying
magnifyingglass
glassisisaa
great
greattool
tooltotohelp
helpsee
seethe
thedetails
detailsof
ofyour
your
stamps.
stamps.Some
Somestamps
stampsappear
appeartotobe
bealike,
alike,
but
butwith
withclose
closeinspection
inspectionyou
youwill
willsee
seesmall
small
differences
differencesthat
thatcan
canhelp
helpto
toidentify
identifyaarare
rare
stamp.
stamp.

 Storage
Storage--Stamps
Stampscancanbe bestored
storedin in 
 Perforation
PerforationGauge
Gauge--AAscale
scaleused
usedtoto
something
somethingas assimple
simpleas asaashoe
shoebox,
box,but
but measure
measurethetheperforations
perforationsor
orridges
ridgesalong
along
placing
placingstamps
stampsin inan
analbum
albumallows
allowsyou
youtoto the
theoutside
outsideedges
edgesof
ofstamps.
stamps.
display
displayyour
yourcollection.
collection.You
Youcan
canbuybuyan
an
album
albumorormake
makeyour
yourown.
own.

 Tongs
Tongs--Tongs
Tongslook
looklike
liketweezers,
tweezers,but buthave
have
aasmooth
smoothgripping
grippingsurface
surfacedesigned
designedto to
handle
handlestamps.
stamps.Using
Usingtongs
tongskeeps
keepsthetheoil
oil
and
anddirt
dirtfrom
fromyour
yourfingers
fingersfrom
fromdamaging
damaging
the
thestamps.
stamps.
 Elements of a Stamp


 Denomination
Denominationof ofthe
thestamp:
stamp:this
this
number
numberisisthe
thecost
costor
or“face
“facevalue”
value”of
of
aastamp
stampissue.
issue.

 Name
Nameof ofcountry
countrythat
thatissued
issuedthe
the
stamp:
stamp:More
Morethan
than260
260nations
nationsfrom
from
all
allaround
aroundthe
theworld
worldcurrently
currentlyissue
issue
stamps.
stamps.All
Allcountries
countriesinclude
includetheir
their
name
nameononaastamp
stampissue,
issue,except
exceptforfor
Great
GreatBritain
Britainwhich
whichonly
onlyuses
usesaa
picture
pictureof
ofthe
theQueen’s
Queen’shead
headand
andno no
text.
text.
 Elements of a Stamp
(cont.)


 Perforations
Perforationsof
ofthe
thestamp:
stamp:these
these
small
smallholes
holesaround
aroundthetheedge
edgeofofthe
the
stamp
stampmake
makeititeasy
easyto
totear
tearstamps
stamps
apart
apartfrom
fromaabooklet,
booklet,coil,
coil,or
orsheet.
sheet.


 Topic
Topicororsubject
subjectof
ofaastamp:
stamp:the
the
design
designononaastamp
stampmay
maybe beaa
number,
number,aafamous
famousperson,
person,or
orititmay
may
honor
honoran animportant
importantevent,
event,animal,
animal,
plant,
plant,rock,
rock,or
orany
anytheme
themeworthy
worthyofof
attention.
attention.
 Elements of a Stamp
(cont.)


 Perforations
Perforationsof
ofthe
thestamp:
stamp:these
these
small
smallholes
holesaround
aroundthetheedge
edgeofofthe
the
stamp
stampmake
makeititeasy
easyto
totear
tearstamps
stamps
apart
apartfrom
fromaabooklet,
booklet,coil,
coil,or
orsheet.
sheet.


 Topic
Topicororsubject
subjectof
ofaastamp:
stamp:the
the
design
designononaastamp
stampmay
maybe beaa
number,
number,aafamous
famousperson,
person,or
orititmay
may
honor
honoran animportant
importantevent,
event,animal,
animal,
plant,
plant,rock,
rock,or
orany
anytheme
themeworthy
worthyofof
attention.
attention.
 Elements of a Stamp
(cont.)


 Color
Colorof
ofstamp:
stamp:this
thisdetail
detailoften
oftenisis
important
importantfor
foriden­
iden­titifying
fyingolder
older
stamps.
stamps.


 Cancellation
Cancellationofofstamp:
stamp:this
thismark
markisis
put
puton
onthe
thestamp
stampto toshow
showthat
thatitithas
has
been
beenused
usedand
andto toprevent
preventititfrom
from
being
beingused
usedagain.
again.ItItmay
mayinclude
include
wavy
wavylines,
lines,straight
straightlines,
lines,fancy
fancy
shapes,
shapes,mottos,
mottos,or oraasimple
simplepen
pen
mark.
mark.
 Fun Facts about Stamps


 Sometime
Sometimebefore
before1883
1883advertising
advertising
for
forvarious
variousproducts
productswas wasprinted
printedon on
the
theback
backofofU.S.
U.S.three-cent
three-centstamps.
stamps.

 In
In1693,
1693,letters
letterswere
wereheld
heldininfront
frontofof
aacandle
candleto
todetermine
determinethethepostage
postage
rate.
rate.The
Theless
lessthe
thelight
lightshone
shone

 Bhutan,
Bhutan,ananAsian
Asiannation
nationininthe
the through,
through,the
themore
morecostly
costlythe
therate.
rate.
Himalayan
HimalayanMountains,
Mountains,issued
issuedaa This
Thiswas
wasknown
knownas ascandling.
candling.
group
groupofofpostage
postagestamps
stampsthat
thatwere
were
actually
actuallyphonograph
phonographrecords.
records.These
These
stamps,
stamps,issued
issuedinin1973,
1973,had
hadnative
native
folk
folksongs
songsrecorded
recordedononone
oneside
sideand
and
could
couldbebeplayed
playedononaarecord
recordplayer.
player.
 Fun Facts about Stamps


 The
Theworld's
world'slargest
largestand
andsmallest
smallestpost
post
offices
officesare
arelocated
locatedin inthe
theUS!US!The
The
world's
world'slargest
largestpost
postoffice
officeisisthe
thehead
head
post
postoffice
officein
inChicago,
Chicago,Illinois.
Illinois.The
The
smallest
smallestpost
postoffice
officein
inthe
theworld
worldisis
located
locatedin inOchopee,
Ochopee,Florida.
Florida.

 An
Anundersea
underseapost postoffice
officeactually
actuallydid
did
exist!
exist!ItItwas
wasestablished
establishedin in1939
1939as
as
part
partof
ofaascientific
scientificfacility
facilityon
onthe
thesea
sea
bed
bedoff
offthe
theBahamas.
Bahamas.TheyTheyused
usedaa
special
specialoval
ovalpostmark
postmarkthatthatwas
was
inscribed
inscribed"SEA
"SEAFLOOR/BAHAMAS".
FLOOR/BAHAMAS".
 Fun Facts about Stamps


 The
Thefirst
firstpost
postoffices
officesin
inAmerica
Americawere
were
bags
bagshung
hunginintaverns.
taverns.TheThemail
mailwas
was
handled
handledby bycaptains
captainsof ofships.
ships.

 When
Whenstamps
stampswere
werefirst
firstissued,
issued,they
they
had
hadnonogum
gumononthe
theback.
back.AndAndififpaste
paste
was
wasnot
notavailable,
available,mailers
mailerssometimes
sometimes

 Can
Canyouyoubelieve
believecats
catswere
wereusedusedtoto pinned
pinnedor oreven
evensewed
sewedstamps
stampsto to
deliver
deliverthe
themail?
mail?Well
Wellit's
it'strue.
true.In
In envelopes.
envelopes.
1879
1879Liege,
Liege,Belgium
Belgiumemployed
employed37 37
cats
catstotocarry
carrybundles
bundlesofofletters
letterstoto
villages.
villages.This
Thisservice
servicedidn't
didn'tlast
lastlong
long
as
ascats
catsproved
provedtotobe
bethoroughly
thoroughly
undisciplined.
undisciplined.
 Fun Facts about Stamps


 In
In1969
1969during
duringthetheApollo
Apollo11
11moon
moon
flight,
flight,the
theastronauts
astronautstook
tookwith
withthem
them
aadie
dieof
ofaapostage
postagestamp
stampwhich
whichthey
they
pulled
pulledan animpression
impressionof ofwhen
whenthey
they
touched
toucheddown downon onthe
themoon.
moon.Once
Once
the
thedie
diewas
wasreturned
returnedto toearth
earthititwas
was

 Great
GreatBritain
Britainisisthe
theonly
onlycountry
country used
usedto toproduce
producethe the10
10cent
centairmail
airmail
which
whichissues
issuesstamps
stampswithout
withoutits
its stamp
stampissued
issuedin inSeptember
Septemberof of1969.
1969.
name
nameprinted
printedon onthem.
them.Instead
Insteadthethe
profile
profileof
ofthe
themonarch
monarchappears
appearson on
British
Britishstamps.
stamps.The TheUniversal
UniversalPostal
Postal
Union
Unionallows
allowsthisthisbecause
becauseBritain
Britain
was
wasthe
thefirst
firstcountry
countrytotoissue
issue
stamps.
stamps.