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Stamp Collecting
Stamp Collection
Postage stamps are used primarily for prepayment of postal charges. The value of the stamp is normally printed on its face. Once the stamp is used it is marked by postal services and cannot be used again to cover postal charges. However, when this stamp goes into the hands of a stamp collector its value can increase tremendously. For example, a one-cent British Guiana magenta stamp of 1856 was sold for $280,000 at an auction in 1970. The hobby of stamp collection has become a serious business for many people.
The use of stamps started in England in 1840. They were the brainchild
of Rowland Hill. Earlier, postal charges were based on distance of delivery
and weight of the letter. The postal charges were collected from recipients
of the letters. Often the 'recipients' refused to receive the letters
and the letters had to make a two-way trip for no revenue. Rowland Hill
was able to show that the cost of handling of letters was much higher
than the cost of actual transmission. In other words, the distance of
delivery did not have much impact on total postal expenses. Rowland Hill
introduced stamps, which were used as prepayment for delivery of the letters.
The rates were kept same for delivery of letters all over Great Britain,
irrespective of the distance.
Gradually other countries started using stamps. In the USA, although the
use of stamps started in 1842, the government first issued 5 cents and
10 cents value stamps in 1847. The usage of stamps grew at phenomenal
rate from the time of its inception. Soon there were specialized stamps
such as special delivery stamps, semi postal stamps, airmail stamps, revenue
stamps (used primarily for tax or cess collection), and commemorative
stamps. The first commemorative stamp was issued by New South Wales in
1888, on the 100th anniversary of it’s founding.
The commemorative stamps are regular postage stamps that are issued to
honor some event, activity or a person of national importance. These stamps
are printed only once and are allowed to go out of circulation as their
supply is used up.
The collection of stamps started soon after they were first introduced.
Probably the earliest reference to stamp collection is an advertisement
in The Times of London, which appeared in 1841 and was placed "by
a young lady, being desirous of covering her dressing-room with cancelled
postage stamps". As interest in stamp collection grew, publication
of stamp catalogues started. The first list of stamps appeared in 1861
in Strasbourg and Paris. Usage of albums for keeping stamps started in
1862.
Stamp collecting has become a hobby all over the world. For many people
stamp collection has become serious occupation frequently involving huge
amounts of money. Stamps issued between 1840 and 1875 are among the most
valuable because of their rarity and historic significance. The stamp
catalogues are published regularly and feature hundreds of thousands of
stamps.
Due to the sheer volume of stamps the collectors often turn to specialized
fields. For example there may be collectors who collect stamps of particular
countries, events, time period, or some other themes.
Stamp collection is a popular hobby. There are clubs, societies, periodicals
and various interest groups all dedicated to philately (study and collection
of stamps). Sale and auctions of stamps are held frequently in many parts
of the world. Even on the Internet there are numerous forums, societies,
ezines and other publications. Many countries have organizations at national
levels for philately and public display of stamps.
Public interest in stamp collection has given rise to production and circulation
of fake stamps. One would do well to verify authenticity of costly stamps
before procuring them. There are many stamp organizations that can help
in this area. The most prominent of such organizations in the US are the
Philatelic Foundation and the American Philatelic Society.
What is the future of stamp collection?
The growing popularity of emails has adversely affected the volume of
mail, which is delivered by the postal services. Now the mail delivered
by post is often termed snail mail. Courier companies are also expanding
their business and are in direct competition with the postal services.
With more and more people using the Internet and growing automation it
is expected that volume of postal mail will decrease.
The production and issue of stamps are likely to decrease in the future.
However the hobby of stamp collection does not show any signs of tailing
off. As long as the stamps remain collectors' items the hobby is here
to stay.