Jerald Shin Shapiro asked:


Stamp collecting, one of the most popular hobbies in the world, is an activity that involves the gathering and organizing of postage stamps and other related items such as covers, that is, packages or envelopes with stamps pasted on them.

The first stamp ever to be issued was of a portrait of a young Queen Victoria in 1840 Britain, called “One Penny Black”. By the 1860s, the activity of collecting stamps was already beginning to become a popular pursuit, particularly for children.

Further on into the 1800’s, it was named “timbromania”, that is, “stamp madness”. The activity gained a huge following in Britain and eventually all over Europe and its colonies, so much so that businesses with the sole purpose of providing services for stamp collectors began to come about. These companies often sold stamps as well as supplies related to stamp collecting, such as stamp albums, in which the collected postage stamps are neatly stored.

In the United States, it was the rise in value of the postage stamps issued in the 1920s that provided much publicity and heightened interest on stamp collecting. By the 1930s numerous stamp collectors began to collect postage stamp issues of that decade by the hundreds, in the hope that, similar to the stamps of the previous decade, these too would become of great value in the future. But perhaps because of the high availability of such stamps, the “rarity” factor was lost and to this day, stamps from the 30’s are still available at very affordable rates.

The hobby of stamp collecting has also evolved into a much serious and organized activity regarding postage stamps, called philately, which is the study of postage stamps.

Rare postage stamps are perhaps one of the easiest to store and the most transferable investments, and are hence an ideal substitute to collecting artwork or precious jewelry.

With the advent of numerous technological advances such as email and SMS that are gradually making postal service rather obsolete, the creation and use of postage stamps have naturally also decreased dramatically, making it seem as if the hobby of stamp collecting might soon become obsolete as well. This may not be entirely true, however. To begin with, most stamp collectors are often interested in rare, old postage stamps, as opposed to new ones, so the decrease in the usage of postage stamps won’t affect the hobby too much. Perhaps some things never change, and stamp collecting, it seems, is, for now at least, here to stay.



ROD

Ricky Lim asked:


Lately, there has been a worldwide fascination on collecting antique Barbie dolls? Has time flown so fast that Barbie dolls are already considered authentic?

Apparently so. Barbie was first introduced in toy stores in 1956 and had quickly become the fascination of young girls, and even their moms. The doll collecting is second to stamp collecting as popular hobbies in the United States.

There are Barbie doll conventions, newsletter, magazines, clubs, and Internet sites which allow those who desire to collect antique Barbie Dolls to exchange information with other people who share their interest.

Nowadays, Barbie dolls are sold in more than 140 countries and continues to be in demand. Thus the continuing production of these toys despite the other brands that are available such as Bratz. Barbie continues to have its charm in the market. Collecting antique Barbie dolls is pretty much expected to happen.

Barbie dolls are designed and directly marketed to those who collect antique Barbie dolls. This hobby was introduced in 1988 during the Happy Holiday series which profited the interest of the people to collect these dolls.

Barbie dolls, for the sole purpose of becoming a collector’s item and not playing with has become an ongoing trend. Those who collect antique Barbie dolls don’t remove them from their boxes. The prices of these dolls range from $35 up to hundreds of dollars.

Those who engage in this hobby of collecting antique Barbie dolls know the name of the vintage dolls that they have to collect. They make sure that the dolls they buy can look suitable for any occasion. Be it on the beach or at the office.

Barbie dolls have always been fashionable and they also provide the collectors their own choices of shoes, purses, accessories, belts, hats, and even scarves. Mattel continues to earn big bucks because of this current hobby.

At the same time, it has progressed to reach the appeal of adults with world-renowned fashion designers joining the bandwagon and design for Barbie dolls so that they give the collectors more options in collecting antique Barbie dolls in the years to come. Two designers who are active in doing these are Bob Mackie and Vera Wang.

Another fascination of those who collect antique Barbie dolls are the hair because of its ongoing changes. Young girls, teenagers, and even adults are drawn to the long and beautiful tresses of Barbie which can be stylized and put accessories on depending on the collector’s liking and her outfits.

A lot of Barbie dolls already have combs, clips, and accessories.



BILLY

Beans asked:


Are they any different?

Is it just stereotyping? Or is something inherently good or evil or neutral about them?
it
*there

DARNELL

robynreedy123 asked:


i just received from my dying father his huge stamp collection. im still in the process of sorting everything but i need to know the value of them without having to go thru it stamp by stamp. ive got prolly 20,000 stamps from all over the world. i need names and numbers of appraisers in ohio and names of buyers. any advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated. ty

ANDRES

Jerald Shin Shapiro asked:


With the advent of electronic mail, the internet, and instant messaging, is stamp collecting still a feasible hobby? The answer is yes: sending letters by “snail mail,” after all, is growing to be increasingly rare, and what better time to collect stamps than taking advantage of the rarity of even finding them?

This leads to the question: where can one get stamps in this electronic day and age? Before you begin collecting, or start expanding that current collection, take note that there are actually different types of stamps available, and knowing these different types will aid you in knowing where to get them. Following are some sources of stamps for avid collectors.

•    Your ordinary postage stamps are actually the easiest stamps to obtain. You can get them off old letters in your grandfather’s storage box in your attic. You can get them from your friends who still keep their old snail mails. You can even buy some stamps from your local post office and simply keep them at home.

•    Postal Stationery will include air letter sheets and post cards issued by the government. You can get these at your post office.

•    Contact your local wildlife bureau, or wildlife conservation groups such as the Sierra Club. These groups will occasionally issue wildlife stamps with pictures of endangered species, and will sell them, or even give them away at the end of the year. These may include Federal Duck stamps, which are issued along with licenses for duck hunting.

•    Some postal services may release souvenir sheets, which are actually large pictures with perforated parts that may be torn out to serve as stamps.

•    Important stamps have their own “First Day Ceremonies,” where the stamps are given out along with a write-up on the stamp’s history. Experienced collectors often look forward to these events, as the accompanying write-ups can include an autograph of the speaker or speakers at the ceremony.

•    If you have more than one copy of a stamp, you can get in touch with stamp collectors through the Internet, via an electronic mailing list, for instance. This can allow you to exchange stamps, and make new friends as well.

If you want to start collecting stamps, then get in touch with experienced collectors, or find a stamp dealer near you. If you are already an advanced collector, keep yourself up to date with stamp catalogues. Stamp collecting is an enjoyable hobby, and it can be made even better with real know how and enthusiasm.



HERMAN

Kandice F asked:


I am an avid stamp collector now, so , I am curious about the what will happen to the value of past stamps with the upcoming forever stamp.

HARRIS

Jerald Shin Shapiro asked:


There’s no question about the interest and fun value of stamp collection. All you have to do is let them see special stamps that contain famous cartoon figures and they’re instantly hooked! Add a few interesting facts about other types of stamps - like explaining how many Sony Playstation sets they can purchase with a rare stamp - and you’ll no doubt have an obsessive philatelist in your hand.

Indeed, there’s no trouble in catching the interest of your kid - but the problem is how you can maintain that interest and turn your kid into a good stamp collector.

It would be such a waste if your kid started early on this hobby then end up bored or disappointed with his collection. With proper training, however, you’ll be able to ensure that your kid will be a responsible stamp collector and grow up with a hobby that he can always depend on to cheer him up - and maybe earn him a few bucks as well in the future.

Lesson 1: Let Your Kid Know about the Importance of Taking Responsibility

Kids are essentially immature and irresponsible but that doesn’t mean they can’t change or we can’t train them to become more mature and responsible. With the right motivation and guidance, your kid can become a good stamp collector - one who knows the value of his collection and gives it the care it deserves.

Don’t force your kid to love his stamp collection if it’s obvious that he’s not into it. There are just some things that parents and kids can never agree on. On the other hand, don’t be too harsh in reprimanding your kid when he commits a little mistake here and there. That’s the easiest way to drive your kid away and make him lose interest in stamp collecting entirely.

Lesson 2: Help Him Discover the Beauty of Stamps

Use illustrations and vivid descriptions to help him appreciate the stories behind each and every stamp he adds on to his collection. Explain the significance of the Penny Black and commemorative stamps that were issued by countries like Afghanistan or Russia.

Kids are known to let their imaginations govern their minds and hearts so it’s important for parents to capture their kids’ imaginations as well if they wish to succeed in turning them into responsible stamp collectors.

Lesson 3: Lead by Example

One of the most difficult things to do when collecting stamps is sorting, cleaning and drying them. Make sure that you teach your kid how to remove bits of paper stuck at the back of a stamp in a careful, step-by-step process. Be patient if he doesn’t get it at the first try. Be properly impressed when he finally does it right.

Lesson 4: Mounting Stamps

The penultimate step in this process is teaching your kid how to properly mount his stamps. Teach him how to organize stamps in an album and why some stamps should be always kept in front while other stamps are not worth keeping. Let him know about the importance of keeping duplicates and how it will help him widen his collection.

Lesson 5: Trading and Earning

Even kids are not invulnerable to the lure of money. To increase your kid’s love for stamp collecting, let him have his first try at trading stamps. Make sure that he truly has a rare stamp he could sell at a profit. His first trade will be something he’ll remember for a very long time and it would also be the one that would serve as motivator to keep him hooked with stamp collecting - and away from befriending gangs or exposed to any bad influence.



REX

Mariiiyaaa asked:


What is the best stamp collecting website that tells you all you need to know about stamps?

ISAIAH

Marvin Cervantes asked:


Stamp collecting is a very old hobby and is considered to be one of the most popular hobbies in the world. Though there is not that much money that can be made from this hobby unlike collecting coins, some people just do it for the fun of it.

This hobby involves delicate work. A little smudge, dirt or oil on any part of the stamp loses it value. This will make it hard to trade it with other people should the person want to trade it in exchange for something else.

The first thing that a person needs when working with these little objects is the proper tools. Stamps should be handled using a tong. This is similar to tweezers but has a flat edge.  This will make it easy for the collector to transfer it from the envelope to the album.

A magnifying glass is also needed to check on the quality of a stamp before buying it or trading it with a fellow collector. Stamps of good quality should have all the perforations intact which is the way of making sure it has never been used.

The album is a special binder that is used to store stamps. This can be bought at the local bookstore or at some specialty shops. Since the contents inside are very delicate, this should be stored in temperature and away from direct sunlight.

The best time to practice using these instruments is with letters that the person has received from people. The stamps are usually located on the upper right hand side and to get it out; the area around it must be cut out and placed in water.

After some time, the envelope and stamp will separate. Using the tongs, the person should pick up the stamp, dry it in the air to make sure all the water has been taken out the inserting it in the album. This practice should be done every time there is a need to extract it from a glued surface.

Another place where the person can get stamps without using a pair of tongs is by buying it from the post office. This can be bought per sheet and taken out later should the collector want to trade it with something that another collector has.

There are also people who do business like this that can be found in the newspaper and in the internet who sell stamps in sheets for a price. It just takes some time for the individual to look around and find it.

In order for the collector to have a wider network that can aid in the stamp collection, it will be a good idea to join a club. The benefits of being a member allow the person to trade with other members and stay informed about upcoming exhibits and fairs where further exchanges can be made.

Stamps can also be acquired at auctions. All it takes is for the person to know when it will happen and be ready with some money to bid for it.

The best way to determine if the stamp that is about to be bought is at a good price is by checking a price catalogue. This can be bought at the local specialty store which gives its standard value in the market.

Stamp collecting is both a hobby and a business. Should the person have a lot of a certain kind, to be able to get others to add for the collection, this can be sold just like how other people do it to make some money.

The best place to do it is the internet. The person can advertise it and have sort of an online auction. This can also be exchanged for other stamps.

Stamps these days are circulated more often that it was years ago. Because of this, there is not that much money to be made even if the person has a very good collection.

The internet and other ways of sending messages have made snail mail obsolete. Though this has not erased the use of the postal office or of stamps, it is still used in places where technology has not changed things.

Stamp collecting is fun and looking some through old letters could be the beginning of something big.



RODGER

kamelåså asked:


Are there less youngsters with this hobby than in the past? What do you think?

EUGENIO