Collect stamps and coins


	Stamp Collecting
See Also Coin Collecting Currency Sports Cards	Handfuls of History Stamp collecting has been around since shortly after the inception of stamps in 1840. The world's first stamp, the "Penny Black" was issued by Great Britain in May of 1840, largely a result of the efforts of Sir Rowland Hill, who worked deftly to try and standardize postal rates at that time. Since Great Britain was the originator of postage stamps, they never put their country name on them, a practice that continues to this very day. The fancy term for stamp collecting is "Philately" and stamp collectors are "Philatelists". Philately includes the collecting and study of early postal items, carried before the inception of stamps and marked with various ink designs best described as postmarks. The study of these postmarks is a challenging field and collectors of this field are often referred to as being postal historians, that is to say they collect and study the postal markings and routings of mail while giving secondary consideration to the actual adhesive stamp used, if any.	The First Stamp
Some of Canada's Stamps 2001 World Figure Skating Championships	Stamp collecting has often been called the "King of Hobbies and the Hobby of Kings". Indeed, it is true that more people collect stamps than anything else in the world, approximately 7 to 10% of the world's population. However, such collections are by no means restricted to those of wealth or royal stature. With innumerable ways to collect stamps, few hobbies offer so many different tangents providing such pleasure. A few of the most popular ways to collect include saving only stamps of one's own country, or saving stamps which portray a favourite topic such as ships or birds, or stamps showing a certain king or queen. That is just the start, and practically all collectors would agree that there is no right or wrong way to collect stamps. Having said that, one should also not acquire just anything that comes along without first inspecting it to ensure that the material is sound, appropriately priced and properly identified. Damaged material is generally only viewed as collectible in the case of a very rare stamp or if your collection is only of stamps you receive on mail yourself. Stamps portray succinctly what was happening historically in the country at the time, or in the past. It is a hobby that can provide many hours of enjoyment at very little cost. Many people begin with a simple album and only the stamps from mail they receive and just see where it leads. Certainly many fine collections are assembled with minimal cash resources with a little perseverance and direction. For those so inclined, spending money on scarcer or rare material will add to a more well rounded collection and also provide a basis for making the collection more of a family asset. All Nations Stamp and Coin has professional philatelists on staff to personally assist you with your stamp acquisitions. That assistance extends not only to assisting you with stamp purchases but also to professionally and courteously answering any stamp questions you may have. Please call the store anytime and speak with Brian Grant Duff. If you are interested in selling stamps please refer to selling your collection or contact the store directly.