Why Do You Collect Stamps

I have been asked this in the past, and I am always interested in why others collect stamps.

For me it was a family activity when I was younger, to do with my dad. We used a scrapbook and pasted the stamps in by country. When I was around 8 or 10, I was given a Scotts World album to use, and that started me off on a new journey, and a new way to collect. I also had a friend who was a missionary priest in Japan, and he was also a collector. When he would visit Canada every so many years, he would bring me some stamps, and also some from the surrounding areas. I would give him a bunch from Canada so he could pass them on.

I also guess that my love of history has also helped me enjoy this great hobby.

Greetings kevin-v

You seem to fall into the group of folks who colect stamps for the enjoyment of doing so like me. My great great grandfather was a postmaster ans my grandfather was a rural mail carrier. Was given an old Minkus Global one volumn stamp album for my eighth birthday. My grandmother gave me a post card mailed from her father's post office when I was about 13 and have been collecting ever since. Just turned 75.

There has been several similar threads on this forum over the years. The answers seem to fall into two catagories: collecting for fun; and, collecting for profit. Us fun folks seem to enjoy it best and for a longer time.

Collecting for the enjoyment of collecting, whatever that might be, is the name of the game. Don't hesitate to ask questions especially if you need basic information and especially more advanced sources of information for any possible topic. You should be able to find folks on this board a little further along on their collecting journey glad to share experiences.

My personal bias is a used stamp loses the story of its journey in the postal service when it is removed from the cover it transported to its destination. Collecting postal history adds a whole new aspect to your journey in our hobby. Sounds like you are a perfect candidate to become a postal history collector?

Wishing you many enjoyable future days in our hobby. Rus

….. when I brought home my 5th bicycle my wife * 'suggested' * I collect something that takes up less space.

Because it's fun. That's the only reason I need.

Cephus said: "Because it's fun. That's the only reason I need."

Add I: "Yea, verily! verily!"

It imparts a deep sense of calm.

Part fun and part speculation.
The current narrative is that stamps are going to zero. So that to me is an opportunity to buy collections cheap. The other narrative is that it is impossible to make money in stamps. "No one and I mean no can do it" :)

I ask myself why I collect too. The last two auctions I tried to take part in just blew me away. The items that I wanted sold way too high. This tells me that 'some' of the stuff I have will do really well if I turn around and sell. Living in Canada, I just don't know who the best auction houses are from the sellers standpoint. Time to do a little research if I can't afford to buy anymore.

As a youngster it was a way of bringing order from chaos. It was also a great way to learn about history, geography, world leaders, currencies etc etc

Later, it became about 'completion', whatever that means. Unless you've bottomless pockets, you can only take this so far.

Now, it's much MUCH more to do with postal history, production techniques (printing, paper, watermarks, perforation etc.) and Departmental administration.

The stamp became a vehicle for something far beyond the stamp itself.

Something odd and yet curious and exhilarant about seeing tons and tons of colorful stamps and organizing them

Recently I started getting excited about the history background of each stamp and its travel to my stockbook. I used to hate history classes...

Great question. It is something I did as a teenager and then like many drifted away from. I rediscovered my old Harris Liberty album in a box after I retired and then it was off to the races.

My grandfather and his father were both collectors so there is a multi-generational thing to it. Also, my dad was a mailman. All through the 70s he would bring me the latest stamps as singles and plate blocks. I still have all of those and so there is a little bit of nostalgia as I'm reminded of those times.

I can quietly conquer the world.

Some very interesting answers.

Just curious. Are there any other Ham Radio Operators out there? And did that influence your hobby?

I am a ham radio operator and was a SW radio listener, so I was also collecting QSO postcards. I never thought of it, but I guess both hobbies intertwined at times.

Collecting stamps is a part of my retro life

CQ, Kevin V. Have been a ham for over 40 years but collected stamps much longer.

Wishing you good DX Russ

Because they are there.