Abacus
Antique Dealers: An Introduction to Stamp Collecting
To
outline all of the facets and sidelines of stamp collecting
is much like trying to define outer space. Each has
almost limitless boundaries. While this document will
explore the more common philatelic pursuits, the possibilities
are by no means complete. They can never be complete,
because collecting stamps and related material defies
full annotation.
Stamp
collecting’s charm is its individual, tailor-made
freedom to fit the desires of any collector for as
much as he wishes to spend in time, money and effort.
For beginning collectors, some good advice is not
to take on more than they can handle comfortably in
all of those areas. That maxim applies whether stamps
are collected by country, by topic, by time period
or within any other personal parameters.
Stamp collecting’s charm is its individual, tailor-made
freedom to fit the desires of any collector…
Many
years ago, it was possible to collect all the stamps
of the world. A small, optimistic minority may still
try to do so. But with more than a half million stamps
already issued worldwide, and with thousands more
being released each year, that is an impossible dream
even for the opulent few. Great rarities and thousands
of varieties now make it impractical for anyone, however
wealthy, to attain world completeness.
The
following guidelines may aid you in whatever your
collecting choices may be.
Enjoyment:
Collect what pleases you or what interests you. If
you are smitten by the colorful new stamps of some
offbeat island, collect them regardless of their future
worth, postal validity or philatelic prestige. If
you cannot afford to obtain all that’s available
in your field, limit yourself to what intrigues you
the most. No law says that your collection must be
absolutely complete.
Many
fine, award-winning collectors follow that path, collecting
stamps or covers just for the fun of it. F. Burton
Sellers, a prominent collector, works hard on the
stamps of Haiti, Panama and United States possessions.
For sideline enjoyment, he likes a topical, “wine
on stamps.” He delights in another collection
called simply, “Cuz I Like ‘Em,” a
potpourri of stamps with unusual cancels, odd shapes
and advertisements printed on their gummed sides.
Ernst
M. Cohn, who owns one of the worlds top-notch collections
of the Paris Balloon mail of 1870-71, can’t wait
for the postman to arrive. He’s looking for mail
properly stamped and addressed to him, but which the
post office has misdirected and delayed. Cohn collects
plenty of these postal “goofs” right at
his front door.
Collecting stamps and their related material is probably
the least structured hobby in the world; you can do
exactly as you wish.
The
late Emerson Clark, a past president of the American
Philatelic Society, specialized in the stamps of Canada
and Mexico. For a philatelic dessert, he doted on
something he called “Libations, Liver Pills and
Loose Ends.” This melange consisted of advertising
covers from breweries, vintners, distilleries and
liquor merchants; patent medicine stamps and covers;
and such wild items as envelope ads reading, “Electric
Beans For Tired People,” and “Stansfields
Unshrinkable Underwear.”
The
message from these prominent collectors is clear:
You can be serious about stamp collecting and have
fun at the same time. These fine collectors are saying
you may do what you please, without worrying about
cataloging, organization or whether anyone else collects
that way. Collecting stamps and their related material
is probably the least structured hobby in the world;
you can do exactly as you wish.
Common
sense: Be aware of your financial limitations, and
beware of unbelievable bargains and outrageous pricing.
Most beginning collectors attempt to try for too broad
a stamp spectrum. Collecting every U.S. postage stamp
is now almost an impossible dream. Counting all available
varieties of U.S. stamps, only one or two complete
U.S. collections are thought to exist.
Collecting
stamps issued within a time span was more popular
decades ago than it is now. Our grandfathers often
tightened their collecting to a set period: a few
years or a couple of decades. Even today, many serious
stamp collectors will limit themselves to one stamp,
with all of its varieties, essays, proofs and postal
usages; one set of definitives or commemoratives;
or just a year or twos worth of issues.
Tightening
your collecting goals will allow you to become more
knowledgeable about what you do collect. With that
focused knowledge comes price sagacity, better selectivity
and, very possibly, more enjoyment. All of that leads
to another point.
Authoritative
sources: Let yourself be guided by any and all reliable
sources. Read avidly, seek information and assistance
in your stamp searching, follow the philatelic press,
and never be afraid or too proud to ask for help from
fellow collectors and dealers who know your collecting
field.
Join
a local stamp club or start one if none exists in
your community. When it comes to stamp collecting,
camaraderie and knowledge just seem to go together.
International, national and regional societies now
embrace almost every collecting phase and stamp-issuing
country. Seek them out. Many societies publish data
about specific collecting fields in newsletters, papers
and journals. Some maintain libraries whose books
are available to members.
Techniques:
Learn as much as you can about the stamp hobby, its
tools, language and methods. Good basic catalogs will
give you much of this information; their introductions
often can educate you on terms, printing methods and
stamp design. Read them, though they may seem complex
at first. A thorough knowledge of these will help
you attain your collecting goals. When you realize,
for example, that a tiny variance in perforations
can mean the difference between a common stamp and
one of great value, you will appreciate the wisdom
of a quest for philatelic knowledge.
Although
you have been advised to limit your collecting goals,
don’t apply that rule to your accumulation of
knowledge. As with antique and art collecting, knowledge
and discernment are the keys to common-sense approaches
and the enjoyment of your hobby. With those caveats
in mind, what are the major choices when it comes
to collecting stamps?
Copyright
© 2001 Linns Stamp News
