Why Do People Collect Stamps?

By Author: Barinov Alexander
Total Articles: 1
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In 2009 the New York Times estimated that 20 million Americans count stamp collecting as a hobby. Millions of other stamp collectors are scattered around the world. Collecting stamps is one of those hobbies that stupefy people who are not too interested in them. You have probably wondered why stamp collectors spend so much time poring over world stamp news. You may not make sense of world stamp news but avid stamp collectors rely on it for information about new interesting stamp issues, stamp auctions, gatherings of stamp collecting enthusiasts, among other news vital to stamp collectors. People started collecting stamps soon after they were introduced. In less than two decades hundreds of stamp collectors and dealers could be found in the US and Europe.

Stamp collectors are interested in many aspects of a stamp. One of them is the age of the stamp. Stamp collectors treasure older stamps because of their antique value. Collectors also value stamps depending on their rarity. Like all collectors items, a rare stamp will fetch more value than a relatively common stamp. Some of the most rare and highly valued stamps include ...
... the "Inverted Jenny" and the "Treskilling Yellow". A stamp is also valued according to the historical context in which it was issued. People, for example, attach more value to a stamp that was issued during the reigns of certain monarchs.

Also important to stamp collectors is the portrait on a stamp. The value of a stamp depends to a large extent on the person whose portrait it bears. A stamp with the portrait of a revered person or a historical figure like a monarch is more valuable than a stamp with say the portrait of a more recent figure like an athlete.

Stamp collecting enthusiasts scour world stamp news for news of interesting stamp issues. Post offices often issue special stamps to coincide with certain events. For example, a country hosting the Olympics might issue a special Olympic stamp. These special issues are usually limited and which is why collectors find them very valuable.

Even though stamp collecting is no longer as popular as it was in the early 20th century, there are still many people who are dedicated to the hobby. There are stamp collectors' clubs in many countries together with hundreds of dealers who buy and sell stamps. Numerous publications provide stamp collectors with world stamp news and help them to connect with each other.

For more information about stamp collecting please visit http://www.stampnews.com/