• A Stamp Collecting Legacy

Posted by: kidhelper on Monday, May 23rd, 2011

Creating A Stamp Collecting Legacy

For me my interest in collecting stamps started when I was eight and has continued until now, almost sixty years. I have continued my interest over the year collecting and keeping my collection active, but in no means aggressive. At first I collected just United States Stamps and gradually expanded to the countries of the world. As the the years went by, i realized that keeping up with the countries of the world was a bigger job than I could really do justice to, so I began focusing on stamps with children on them. This made more sense to me. because of my interest in children’s ministry. However, in the last ten years I have become interested in collecting more stamps from the countries that I have actually traveled to in my ministry.

I made an effort to expose my own four children to the art of stamp collecting. They each had a stamp book and we would go to stamp conventions and special events where stamp dealers would go, just to expose them to the fun of collecting. We would even secure deals on stamps and stamp collecting supplies just to keep the hobby alive at home. As the years passed and they grew up, none of them continued to show interest in stamp collecting on their own. So I resigned myself that maybe my collection would be passed down to my grand children. So I have been waiting for them to get old enough. Of course, I think one has to have an aptitude for organization, learning about events, people, place and things to be interested in stamp collecting.

So this is what happened…

My grandson, Benjamin, who is now eight years old, might be such a prospect. So I decided to expose him to stamp collecting, with his parents permission and support, of course. On this trip to Baltimore, I secured a brand new United States Stamp Album by H.E. Harris that is just incredible. It is like an annotated Stamp Album. It actually describes information about the stamp story below the photo of the stamp. So when you get that photographed stamp, you can learn more about that stamp as you mount it in your Album.  The advantage of this for the beginner is that they get more education and knowledge about what the stamp is about right away. It is much more fun and way more interesting to get into stamp collecting.The learning is much more immediate.

So on this trip, I presented Benjamin the New U.S. Stamp Album, four or five hundred United States stamps,  a couple of boxes to store the stamps, tweezers, stamp hinges, a magnifying glass with a light in it and a beginners guide to stamp collecting. He loved it. After some orientation and instruction on how to use the supplies and resources, Benjamin was actually putting his new collection of stamps into the Album. The next day, I discovered that he was again mounting stamps in his Album by himself, without any supervision. I think Papa did good.

Well, I think we started something for us to work on together, even with the three thousand miles that separate us. I think I will begin sending him stamps in the mail, as long as he shows interest. I do not want to presume more interest than he shows, but as long as he responds, I probably will too. If other grand kids show interest I will help them too. There is no “have to” collect stamps here for me. I just think this is a good learning hobby for the right person. If he moves on to other interests, and he just might, that is just fine.

I know I cannot take this collection with me, so I will be leaving it behind with someone. Why not find someone who is interested sooner than later.  Plus the additional benefit for me,  I get  the ongoing relationship. I think that is what this stamp collecting legacy is all about. I want to enjoy it, while I can, with my grandchildren.  This could be a lot of fun now.

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One Response to “• A Stamp Collecting Legacy”

American Philatelic Foundation Says:
March 31st, 2012 at 3:51 am

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