On the Educational Value of Stamp Collecting

Joseph Bellina wrote the following on The Hub @ Stamp SCHOOL to start a conversation. Though written with young people in mind, it seems to me that not all new collectors are young collectors. We should be trying to interest adults, too because while it's important to 'start them when they're young' it's also important not to exclude younger or older adults as new collectors! I'm publishing it here because I think it's worth preserving for philatelic posterity. Joseph writes:

The value of stamp collecting for a young person is not in the content that is what is on the stamps - but rather the process that is the act if organizing the stamps in some way based on the content. Organizing requires seeing similarities and differences making order out of chaos. Just the act of matching the picture in the stamp with the picture in an album is an intellectual process. Grouping topical stamps or thinking how to display them on a page is a creative act. 

There are few places these days where children are free to make choices so much is organized yet free play is powerful learning. Collecting stamps gives them that since they can choose what they do with the stamps. Of course as they organize these objects they may become curious about some aspect of what is on them and then the content becomes more important.  

Let me get a bit more technical. We make sense of the world by a mix of observation and inference - that is what we experience and what we think about what we experience. What we experience are the facts about the world. What we think are our ideas. With stamps usually we can agree about the facts what is on the stamp. Of course as one looks more closely at perforations or watermarks, our thinking evolves and other important facts are discovered. 

So, observation and inference are not completely separate since what we choose to observe depends on our thinking, and what we think is affected by what we observe. But the opportunity for a young person to do this, and to engage with others is powerful learning, because in the beginning the facts regarding what is on the stamp are clear, and easily agreed up so the focus because developing ideas. 

That is the real power of stamp collecting.

(Top photo - recent Canada sorted for a potential trade.)

I completely agree with Joseph re: albumizing stamps being a creative act. Too much so to be constrained by printed black & white images, lines and boxes in an album!

Burying the Lead and Maybe the Hobby

I recently joined the American Philatelic Society's The hub @ Stamp SCHOOL. Though not an APS member, the hub looked like an easy way to see and participate in online conversations on stamp collecting. "Learn and get to know like-minded people interested in stamps and postal history! Not sure which group is best for your post? Post it here!", they told me.

But what message does the number one topic each day send (top photo)? Membership is declining! There are 176 replies and 628 views so far, by far the most popular topic. The usual suggestions follow: make more use of social media to attract new, younger members; pay some influencers; give more courses; focus on expertizing and exhibiting. Does it say 'make stamp collecting more fun' anywhere in here?

Imagine if a business started an app, and the main message the app sent you each day was, "Why are our prices so high?". 

 

MaxStamps

Four bags o' stamps from MaxSold (top photo). Here's the story:

A philatelic pot-shot, I bid on four 'World Stamps' lots on MaxSold recently. Being cheap and a bottom-feeder who likes sorting, I made one bid and ended up winning all four lots. Heading out to pick up the stamps on Saturday, I'll see how I did. These photos are from the online auction lots listing. Not the best lighting but they gave me enough of an idea that they were worth pursuing!

It took a week or so, but I finally got all four baggies sorted. (I think they may have originated with Roy Linden from Verona.) They definitely provided their own cost in fun and then some!

Firstly, I separated out any damaged or common stamps. The common stamps will be donated to OXFAM. Then I pulled out on-paper stamps requiring soaking, most of which were in bag 'D'. Stamps I wanted to keep, either for my collection or for traders came out next. From this latter group I separated the 'finds' and photographed the best from each bag with the letter label that came with each bag. Click for a larger image:

Bag 'A' had some U.S. Washingtons and some fun Cinderellas (above). Some cool military cut squares and postmarks, plus Sierra Leons in bag 'B':

Mint Luxembourg and more Sierra Leone shaped stamps in bag 'C', plus US censor cancel:

Some in the top row from bag 'D' that will be fun to identify - not a word on 'em:

There are a lot of small, but interesting stamps in each bag: South and Central America, Cyrillic writing, and early European. They will take time to identify and check with the current stamps I have from each of those countries.

The hand-picked keepers and traders from each bag.

Close-ups of some 'finds'.

Who knows what awaited in each baggie at the start of this sort?

The Time Has Come - Postponed Projects?

This short article was written by the editor of The Circuit, the publication of the International Society of Worldwide Stamp Collectors. I'm a member, and I enjoy participating in the group's circuits. In the July-August issue just out, Father James Lentini lists several procrastination-prone projects providentially provided for possibly pastoral moments in the summertime:

Michael's Free Stamp Collectiong Starter Kits - 900 and Zooming!

I received this kind note from Michael Lynn. I've previously published a post on Michael's prolific philatelic philanthropic prowess! Michael's kits, for which he pays the postage, are a great gift for grandchildren, retired folks needing a hobby, people who wish they still had their childhood collection, etc. Each kit includes one stock sheet side of US stamps, including a number at least 100 years old, a small bunch of mint stamps and nice cancelled commemoratives. It also includes a page of foreign stamps. I try to make these cover as many countries as possible - often up to 30 different countries. Then, one can chose a country or a topical area from my list, for the third page. The last page has some stamps on paper to soak, a FDC, a postal card, and a US plate block.

This is a great program because it not only shows what one person can do, but also because it makes stamp collecting fun. Too often, it portrays itself as a pastime deluged by dust, submerged in stodginess, and embedded in exclusivity. That is not the way I was introduced to stamp collecting by my Dad, and I don't think it's a good public-facing picture to present to potential practitioners. Michael says...

Hi Eric. Thank you very for your support of Michael’s Free Stamp Collecting Starter Kits. The donations from you and others have made it much easier to keep this program going. I am happy to let you know that yesterday I got my 900th order! I am really excited to push on to 1,000 and beyond. Your topical stamps have been a HUGE addition to the quality of these kits. It is something the recipients surely appreciate. I thought you might like to see some of the comments I have gotten:

• Pueblo, CO - Wow — I received the stamps in the mail and they are truly great! Thank you so much for sending me such a beautiful collection. Your kindness made my day and now I can't wait to look them over with my nephew. I truly appreciate your thoughtful gift — it will be treasured.
• Glenwood, IN - Thank you for all you do to assist new collectors. I recently came across your post and was truly impressed by your dedication to keeping the love of stamp collecting alive worldwide. I also wanted to express my gratitude for all the time, effort, and resources you’ve invested in this mission.
• Ray, MI - Today I received the package and I was so surprised at the incredible variety of stamps and even more surprised by the “First Day” covers and “Issue” additions. As I glance through the these I was also struck incredibly surprised again by the blocks and well by now you get the picture. I am so very grateful to you and your program.
• Meridian, MS - I have received your stamps and they are absolutely stunning and I would love to have more if you can, I love anything old! From other countries, I mean it can literally be marvel and I would go nuts! I try to collect everything! The post cards were to die for! If you can please send me more! This is amazing for my beginners collection 
• Daytona Beach, FL - I just received and opened the stamp packet you sent me. I am beyond thrilled with the selections you have made for me. You have made my reintroduction into stamp collecting very exciting moving forward. Thank you once again for providing this service to me.
• Slate Hill, NY - I just wanted to thank you for the beautiful stamp kit that you sent me.  I just received the stamps in the mail today and when I opened the huge manilla envelope, I was stunned!  I could not believe my eyes!  All of the stamps are so different, so unique, so amazing!  I keep looking at the stamps and each time I do I find a different one or one stamp that I missed seeing before.  These stamps are a perfect addition to my growing stamp collection and I will treasure them always. I promise that these stamps have a good safe home. I just want to let you know what a kind and generous man you are to do this for us stamp collectors. I never thought that I would ever become interested in stamps, but one day I saw a pretty USA stamp and cut it out.  I also found a whole collection of endangered species stamps and then I really became involved in stamp collecting.  Well thank you again for your kindness and thoughtfulness.  You are a very nice man. Have a nice night and thank you once again. Take care and God bless.

Thanks again for your help!

Michael, you're more than welcome and I already have another package a-building!

 

Hold On and I'll Go and Czech!

Six months ago I'd started on the leftovers of the Long & Noble Crusade 2.0 in which I finally albumized accumulated stamps. In the linked post, I blogged about the Least Interesting Countries' stamps I'd accumulated. And done nothing with (below). Until today. 

Due to the heat advisories and with nothing but air-conditioning set at 21 degrees C, an empty dining room table and a beverage in front of me, I was finally able to start on the first sort-through of some of these countries, spreading out and then reconciling stamps I'd squirrelled away in the countries' envelopes with what was in my albums (scant for most of these countries due to my low interest in them!) and stamps I'd previously squirrelled away! Over a couple of days of heat, I made it through Austria, Belgium, Brazil, skipped Bulgaria - and why not, China and Czechoslovakia! Realizing that I'd never touched Czechoslovakia (actually Czech Republic, Slovakia and Czechoslovakia counterclockwise from top left in photo), this was a first run-through today. And the results were lots of duplicates.

So, since the Least Interesting Countries box was burgeoning, I expect to gain some space AND some duplicates in this process, ideally fitting all the countries back into this box as I go, maybe now with room to spare! Now done -  Hungary, Israel, Italy and a quick trip through the Netherlands Antilles, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Turkey, and the United Nations! Now remaining: Bulgaria, Russia. I can report there is understandably adequate room in the box and a zip-loc bag full of glassines for each country's doubles for disposition.

Five days later, I was finished!

The way this is going, I'm hopeful but still think that nothing but a total absence of anything to do will ever get me going through Bulgaria and Russia!

Summertime Sunroom Sorting

Summertime is a great time for some mindless sorting. A warm or cool beverage, tray and tongs and the great outdoors complete the scene. The only natural enemies are skulking squirrels and buffeting breezes. If either is present, the sunroom offers some pastoral protection!