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Stamp collecting is just one of the few existing hobbies that people
practice today. This is mostly pursued by those who like to write
letters in the traditional fashion: through postal mail. Although new
methods of communications like e-mail are starting to compete fiercely
with postal mail, stamp benefits alone are still reasons enough for one
to continue sending letters. What makes stamp collecting wonderful is that it is not as expensive as other hobbies like collecting cars, movies, and many others. One stamp costs a dollar or even less than that to purchase, making them ideal for just about anyone to collect. They also do not require expensive and specialized equipment, although dedicated collectors do purchase some pieces of equipment that are inexpensive as well. History of Stamp Collecting Stamp collecting is basically a young hobby. It started only in the middle part of the nineteenth century. What is remarkable about this hobby is that it began with teenagers and children. The same pioneers would go on to write documentaries on their collection including quality and craftsmanship of the stamps. However, stamp collecting would become a mainstream hobby only in the early years of the twentieth century when people realized the benefits they could reap from stamp collecting. Benefits of Stamp Collecting As mentioned earlier, stamp collection as a habit has several benefits n store for the collector. These benefits would include the following: You can preserve historical items. Some stamps are undoubtedly historical, especially those limited-edition issues from earlier years. For example, collectors who have managed to get their hands on prints of the first-ever stamp are keeping that part of history alive and accessible to the current generation. Stamps can be worth a lot of money in the future. This is probably the best reason for one to start collecting stamps. If you are lucky enough, your stamp collection will be worth thousands to even millions of dollars, depending on the age as well as the quality of the stamps you have. This is because others know the significance of the stamps in history, or they would also like to expand their own collection. Stamps can be used for education. You can also use the stamps you collect for educating yourself and even your loved ones about the countries and places from which the stamp came from. You can even talk about stories behind the creation of such stamps. You will have something to look forward to in every letter. Lastly, instead of just receiving letters from friends, families, and acquaintances from any part of the world, you will also look forward to the fact that there could be a stamp worth adding to your collection in the envelope. Many people think that stamp collecting could be synonymous with the natural decline in the use of postal mail for communication. However, the fact that there are benefits to be enjoyed from stamp collecting merely means that people still have a good reason to continue postal mail for sending letters and messages. |