| History | | | | and the receiver of the letter it marked. If the stamp is |
| The practice of collecting takes its root deep in history. | | | | glued to a letter with great historical value, then it |
| Antique Egyptians were already collecting books in the | | | | should not be removed from it. Both together probably |
| great library of Alexandria. French King Louis XIV, the | | | | have a much greater value than the two separated. |
| king sun enjoyed the French Royal Coin Collection so | | | | By collecting stamps, you are not only collecting |
| much that he visited it every day, remarking that he | | | | antiques but you might also want to collect new issues |
| could always find something new to learn. | | | | from your local postage administration. You can also |
| The Medici family, in Renaissance time, made the first | | | | decide to collect stamps from all over the world, within |
| effort to collect art. | | | | a certain category, like animals, vehicles, personalities, |
| Collecting as a hobby | | | | etc... The themes are as vast as it is possible to |
| The hobby of collecting consists of acquiring specific | | | | imagine. |
| object related to a particular interest of the collector. | | | | When you decide collecting antique stamps, you will |
| The hobbyist can also acquire those objects as an | | | | expect to come across the one stamp that very few |
| investment. Collections are often highly organized, very | | | | have. A stamp can be unique by its design, by the low |
| well cataloged, and attractively displayed when | | | | number of copies issued, making its number decrease |
| displayed to the public of for the interest of the owner. | | | | with the passing of time, but also by the unique flaws |
| Since collecting depends on the interests of the | | | | some stamps might have got when they were printed. |
| individual collector, it may deal with almost any subject. | | | | The lack of some elements (in the drawing, |
| The depth and extent of the collection may also vary. | | | | unperforated stamps) or the error of printing (wrong |
| Some collectors choose to focus on a specific | | | | colors, wrong distances between elements) in a stamp |
| subtopic within their area of general interest. There are | | | | might completely change its value. It was in 1840, in |
| also individuals, who take up collection of coins as their | | | | England, that the first postage stamp was issued. In |
| hobby. In both the cases people try to hold on to the | | | | France the first stamp appeared in 1849. At that time, |
| identities. Some collections are capable of being | | | | having printing flaws was much more common than it |
| completed, at least to the extent of owning one | | | | is today. |
| sample of each possible item in the collection. | | | | Where to get stamps? |
| Collectors who specifically try to assemble complete | | | | There was a time, it was much easier: the only way to |
| collections in this way are sometimes called | | | | write something to someone was by sending a letter, |
| "completists". Upon completing, they may stop | | | | with a stamp on it. So you just had to send letters and |
| collecting, expand the collection to include related items, | | | | hope for an answer just to begin your collection! So |
| or begin an entirely new collection. | | | | many people were collecting that it was easy to trade. |
| Collecting postage stamps | | | | Still it is estimated that 2 million people in France are |
| Well in fact, you can collect almost everything! It's up to | | | | collecting stamps. With the venue of internet, habits |
| you to decide. But keep in mind that everything has its | | | | have changed and people prefer now to send email |
| own price. If you want to collect Faberge eggs or | | | | rather than sending letters by standard mail. There are |
| vases from the Ming dinasty (why not?) then you | | | | less postal stamps issued and even though postal |
| better have the wallet that comes with the hobby. Not | | | | services are editing more and more stamps for |
| everybody has the money to collect antiques. In the | | | | collection purposes only, I believe it's not the same thing. |
| other hand, there are rather inexpensive things that | | | | What was before a genuine object that you could |
| you can collect with very little money. Additionally, you | | | | obtained with dedication and patience by exchanging |
| can also collect immaterial things like for instance, | | | | with others or by asking friends to keep the envelops |
| collect countries you have visited, or towns you have | | | | they received, is now a commercial object accessible |
| been. | | | | with the power of money. Internet has also changed |
| Among material collections, stamps are probably one | | | | favored the access to stamps from many other |
| of the most rewarding activities. By collecting stamps, | | | | countries. If you check buying sites like for instance |
| you collect not only printed pieces of paper, but you | | | | eBay, you will find a vast range of stamps from all |
| also collect a part of history. The symbolism of the | | | | over the world. But be very careful, some are not |
| stamp reveals itself through history, for what it | | | | what they look like and buying through internet can |
| represents and for what it was issued for, but it also | | | | sometimes quite a delusion. |
| represents a piece of local history involving the sender | | | | |