What
Stamps Shall I Collect?
As
we described in our previous
page, that there are so many
different kinds of postage
stamps in the world. It would
be an individual preference
of what to collect. You can
collect the world of stamps
or limit your fields of endeavor.
We
also mentioned that you can
start collecting few thousands
of stamps of "the world".
On this you will be able to
learn about stamps and the
countries where it came from.
The first few thousand stamps
should be world wide in variety
and cover all kinds of issues.
Of course, it should be stamps
of a very low cost.
From
the very beginning, we start
to learn about things that
are of interest and will stand
us in good stead as we prgoress.
However, almost everyone looks
forward to completing a project
and if our goal is a collection
of the entire world, that
will be a sunstantial fortune
and the time involved in building
such a collection. Hence,
after few years of stamp collection,
most collectors turn toward
specializing that give them
the possibilities of completion
within reasonable time.
Specializing
your stamp collection can
be done in so many ways. You
can specialize by single country
like mine. I am collecting
United States, United Nations
and Canada mint. Other collectors
major in different kind of
stamps, such as airmails,
special delivery or revenue
stamps.
Some
collectors also collect according
to the pictures on the stamps
and this is called Topical
stamp collecting. Many collects
arts on stamps, music, flowers,
birds, animals and even landscapes.
This kind of collecting offer
a fascinating field for the
youngsters and the natureminded.
For example, I am collecting
different kinds of topics
for my daughter AJD and that
includes art on stamps, birds,
animals, flowers, dolls, dinosaur,
and other children friendly
stamps. I am also chasing
everywhere for the souvenir
sheets of the 20th century
issues called Millennium Collections.
And with another desire that
I am interested with the work
of art of the famoes Slania
engraver.
With
this kind of collection you
are on your own. There are
no catalog or printed albums
to guide and restrict you.
The albums you will use will
be blank albums, the reference
books you will use will be
the general catalog of the
world's stamps, encyclopedias
and similar materials to uncover
the stories behind the stamps
you place in your collection.
Many have found this is a
most satisfying form of collecting
stamps.
Also,
another fascinating form of
collecting is the "First
Day covers". This consists
of entire covers to which
is attached a new stamp mailed
on the first day of issue.
In the United States the Post
Office designates certain
cities to inaugurate the first
day sale of a new stamp and
provides a special "First
Day" cancellation to
be applied to all covers mailed
from the post office, bearing
the new stamp, on the specified
day. Several firms provide
envelopes with very handsome
"cachets" which
may be purchased and used
with the new stamps. A "cachet"
is an appropriate picture
printed, usually, at the left
side of the envelope which,
in its design and wording,
has special significance for
the new stamp issue. More
about "FDC" on the
following First Day Cover
page in which I will illustrate
some FDC in my collection.
We
have mentioned few ways of
which stamps are collected.
The versatility of the hobby
is unlimited and no doubt
you will develop your one
particular "specialty"
as you progress. Most of us
stamp collectors does.
