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Published on: 22nd June 2020
We have spoken before about how to sell your stamp collection but many of our readers will be interested to know what is stamp collecting about? Who does it? Why? Well this article aims to reveal all…
So what is stamp collecting?
Stamp collecting consists of collecting a range of postage stamps and other related objects and relates to the study of stamps known as ‘philately’ (which partly explains why we’re known as ‘Kent’s Leading Philatelic Auction House’). It is now one of the world’s most popular hobbies, with stamp collectors all over the world seeking out either particularly rare or popular stamps.
Stamp collecting originated in the late nineteenth century and grew rapidly as more and more post was used. This resulted in countries looking to showcase and demonstrate their uniqueness using stamps, turning them very much into collectable items. This has only grown since then to make stamp collecting the popular hobby we see today.
Who does it?
Anyone can collect stamps and here at T&T Auctions we see a wide range of collectors. Traditionally thought of as a hobby more for the elderly, we’re seeing many younger collectors enquire about collections these days. Collectors could be:
- Those who have always had a genuine interest in the history and development of print.
- Part of a family of stamp collectors – especially younger generations who collect stamps will often have a parent or grandparent who introduced them.
- Perhaps someone who has found an old collection while clearing out the loft of a family member and has since taken a genuine interest (incidentally finding a stamp collection while clearing out a loft is a popular reason for many people getting in touch with us about selling a stamp collection!)
Why?
There are a multitude of reasons why an individual may collect stamps. These include:
- They are collectors by nature – since the beginning of time there have been collectors of all sorts of different items and stamps are no different!
- They enjoy it! Many collectors either love the challenge of finding a rare stamp, or just like the different types of pictures, colours and designs you see on stamps.
- Being part of a community. There are many stamp collectors and a real camaraderie amongst them.
- Affordability – stamp collecting can be an extremely rewarding but also affordable hobby making the barriers to starting much lower than some.
- Many collectors will purchase a stamp collection as a means of investment. This is a very different type of collector and requires a great deal of knowledge about stamps, their origins and what they’re worth.
How can you start?
Starting a stamp collection is relatively straightforward in the sense that a range of stamps are readily available for you to begin collecting. Once you have decided that starting a stamp collection is something you want to do you the next step is to think of a ‘theme’ for what to collect. You could, for example choose to collect stamps by colours, or perhaps countries, or even historical periods if that’s what interests you! We will write more of a detailed guide on starting a stamp collection in due course so keep your eyes peeled!
We hope you found this article useful and interesting. If you are thinking of starting a stamp collection or want to know more about what it entails, we would love to hear from you. Give us a call on 01892 529 898 and our friendly team would be happy to help and advise!
Published on: 22nd June 2020