Presentation slide 1

1. Presentation slide 1 PRESENTATION ON STAMP COLLECTING BY VIPAN KUMAR THAKUR

2. Presentation slide 2 PRESENTATION ON STAMP COLLECTING BY VIPAN KUMAR THAKUR

3. Stamp Images A

4. Stamp Images C

7. Topic PRESENTATION ON STAMP COLLECTING

8. PRESENTATION ON STAMP COLLECTING PRESENATION ON STAMP COLLECTING WHAT IS STAMP COLLECTING ARRANGING OF STAMP COLLECTION STAMP QUIZ TECHNICAL TERMS USED IN STAMP COLLECTING IMAGE GALLERY STARTING A STAMP COLLECTION ANATOMY OF A POSTAGE STAMP DIFFERENT KINDS OF STAMPS TECHNICAL DATA OF A STAMP SITE MAP TYPES OF STAMP COLLECTIONS A VISIT TO PHILATELIC EXHIBITION MAIN MENU SUB MENU SITE MAP QUIT

9. STAMP COLLECTING Stamp Collecting is known with a respectable name ‘Philately’. Philately has come to mean, specifically, the collection and study of postage stamps, postmarks and stamped envelopes and the study of postal history. The word "philatelist" means a person who practices philately or stamp collecting. It comes from the French word philatelie, which was derived from the Greek words "philos", meaning loving, and "atelia", meaning exemption from tax (which also came to mean "postage is prepaid"). MAIN MENU SUB MENU SITE MAP QUIT

10. STARTING A STAMP COLLECTION PRESENTATION ON STAMP COLLECTING • The remarkable feature of stamp collecting is that, it is easy to start a collection. You might be receiving letters from your relatives, friends or from some where else on some occasion or otherwise, such as Birthday Cards, Diwali Greetings, New Year Greetings etc. with stamps affixed on it. Let us know more about easy ways of getting stamps, tools helpful in stamp collecting and how to remove stamps from envelopes. EASY WAYS OF GETTING STAMPS STAMP COLLECTOR’S TOOL KIT REMOVAL OF STAMPS MAIN MENU SUB MENU SITE MAP QUIT

11. TECHNICAL DATA OF A STAMP DATE OF ISSUE DATE OF ISSUE NUMBER PER ISSUED SHEET NUMBER PRINTED DENOMINATION DENOMINATION PERFORATION PRINTER OVERALL SIZE PAPER COLOUR PRINTED SIZE PRINTING PROCESS WATERMARK MAIN MENU SUB MENU SITE MAP QUIT

12. ANATOMY OF A STAMP MAIN MENU SUB MENU SITE MAP QUIT

13. DIFFERENTKINDS OF STAMPS Definitive: Stamps used for ordinary postage. These stamps are small in size, simple design, often printed in single colour and in large quantities and are on sale for a long time. When one lot is exhausted another is printed even with new plates if first plates are worn out. World’s first stamp “Penny Black”issued by Great Britain was definitive. Commemorative: Stamps issued in connection with an event, person or anniversary. These stamps are printed in small quantities. Once these stamps are all sold out, these are not usually reprinted. Contd…….. MAIN MENU SUB MENU SITE MAP QUIT

14. DIFFERENTKINDS OF STAMPS Special: Some stamps are issued with characteristics of both Definitive and Commemorative Stamps, these are known as Special. Official/Service: The stamps used only by Government offices. Sheet: Almost all stamps are issued in sheets of stamps. Coil: Stamps issued in rolls, long strips one stamp wide to be sold through Vending Machines. Booklet: Sometimes Post Office sell different stamps in small booklets. Regular: Generally all stamps are called ‘Regulars’, because these are to be used on Regular Post. Postage Due: When insufficient stamps are used for posting a letter, the balance amount has to be recovered from the receiver of the letter. Such letters are stamped/marked ‘Postage Due’. Some countries issues Postage Due Stamps for this purpose to show collection of insufficient postage. Airmail:The stamps meant exclusively for mails carried by aeroplanes. Contd…….. MAIN MENU SUB MENU SITE MAP QUIT

15. DIFFERENTKINDS OF STAMPS Mint: A stamp that has not been used and is in same condition as sold by Post Office i.e. in perfect condition with full gum and valid for postal transmission is a Mint Stamp. Unused: A stamp that has not been used but has been affixed in an album with a hinge, its gum gets disturbed and is no longer in mint condition and is called unused. Used: A stamp hat has served its purpose of payment for delivery of a letter and defaced by a Postmark or cancellation is called used. Se-tenant:Two or more stamps of different designs, which exist as an unseparated pair or strip. Quite frequently, the strip makes the complete design, each individual stamp depicting a part of the motif. Tete Beche: A pair of stamps in which one is upside down in relation to the other. Separation desroys the tete beche variety. Other Types: Stamps can also be classified by a number of other characteristics, such as Perforate or Imperforate, Printing type, whether watermarked or not etc. MAIN MENU SUB MENU SITE MAP QUIT

16. STAMP COLLECTOR’S TOOL KIT STAMP TWEEZERS PHOTO CORNERS MAGNIFYING GLASS WATER COLOUR BRUSH HINGES PERFORATION GAUGE STAMP MOUTNS NOTE BOOK COLOUR GUIDE STOCK BOOKS STOCK ALBUMS TRAY WATERMARK DETECTOR MAIN MENU SUB MENU SITE MAP QUIT

17. Stamp Tweezers (Tongs) • The stamps spoilt by careless handling. Perspiration, skin oil and dirt, generally present on the fingers, may permanently damage the stamps. Instead of using your finders and thumbs, a pair of stamp tongs (Tweezers) should be used for handling the stamps. Tweezers are made of light metal with slender or flattened 'spade' tips and should be rust proof and should not be sharp. They enable stamps to be picked up, sorted out and placed quickly and safely, unspoiled by hands. In the beginning it may be difficult to use Tweezers, but with a little practice you will be able to use them quite expertly. MAIN MENU SUB MENU SITE MAP QUIT

18. Magnifying Glass • A good Magnifying Glass is essential, for the real enjoyment of a collection, with a good view of stamps. The stamp design can be observed in a detailed close-up with a Magnifying Glass. The varieties and errors can be found easily with a magnifier. • There are different types of magnifiers/ simple plastic and ordinary glass magnifiers, special pocket magnifiers and magnifiers with lighting arrangement and with extremely powerful lens. MAIN MENU SUB MENU SITE MAP QUIT

19. Stamp Stock Books, Stamp Albums • Stamp Album: Store your stamps in albums to protect them. Some Stamp Albums feature specified categories with pictures of stamps that should appear on each page. Some Stamp Albums has certain number of pages assigned to each country, with some basic information about the country at the top of the page and rest of the page is divided into small rectangles, in which stamps can be affixed with Hinges. • Stock Book: A Stock Book is another type of album with thick, card like pages and with plastic or transparent material or paper pockets on each page. Stamps can be easily inserted, slipped and removed in these pockets, untill they are affixed on the album pages or exhibit with the help of Hinges. Stock Books do not picture the stamps, so you can organise them according to Countries, Theme or as you wish. MAIN MENU SUB MENU SITE MAP QUIT

20. Hinges Stamp Mounts • Fix stamps in your Stamp Albums and Exhibit Pages with the help of Hinges. Never use tape or glue as it may damage the stamps, when you try to remove them from your Stamp Album and decrease the stamp’s value. Hinges are very small strips/pieces of almost transparent, nonporous thin paper with special gum on the one side and easily removable. After folding, one third to one fourth of the hinge is affixed to the stamp, which is then affixed to the album page with the help of the other part of the hinge. • The Stamp Mounts are very thin pockets of polyurethane sheet, closed on one, two or three sides, in which the stamp is placed. Stamp Mount is glued at the back for affixing it on the album pages/exhibit pages. The best way to keep mint, unused stamps is to put them in mounts and then stick the mount. This way the stamps stay undamaged and its adhesive backing is also not affected.. MAIN MENU SUB MENU SITE MAP QUIT

21. Packets of Photo Corners TRAY A tray is required for soaking the stamps in water for removal from the paper and also for detecting the watermarks by moistening the back of the stamp with a liquid lighter than water. Water Colour Brush • Some photo corners should always be kept in reserve.They will come in handy for first day covers, special covers and other oversize items. • A small good Water Colour Brush is usefull for moistening the Hinges carefully, removing the gum from the stamps and for various other chores. MAIN MENU SUB MENU SITE MAP QUIT

22. Watermark Detector • A Watermark is a distinguish mark, design that is made on paper during its manufacturing, on which stamps are to be printed. the material as per the design of the mark. As in currency notes and treasury papers, watermark paper is used, as a security device to ensure that no unauthorized paper, is used in printing, absence of this watermark is a sure sign of the stamp being counterfeit. • Stamps can be held, back to front, against a source of strong light to examine watermarks. Special fluids dropped on the back of the stamp also help, but its fumes are poisonous. Electric watermark detectors help in checking the watermark clearly. Inexpensive watermark detectors have a jet black plastic surface which help the watermark to be identified. MAIN MENU SUB MENU SITE MAP QUIT

23. Perforation Gauge Note Book • Note Book is another tool to help us. It is simply a student’s copy. Describe your collection in it, make a list of wanting stamps, note down other information that helps in planning and presentation of one’s collection in albums or exhibitions. • It is used to measure the perforation of stamps (Holes between stamps that make it easy to separate them). Of course it is quite easy to count perforations directly, but Perforation Gauge makes the measurement of perforation simple, instant and correct. It has different scales showing various sizes of perforation, place your stamp against each scale until its perforations match exactly those on the gauge. Colour Guide • A colour guide helps us to identify and distinguish the various shades of the colour of the stamp. MAIN MENU SUB MENU SITE MAP QUIT

24. REMOVAL OF STAMPS • Most stamps come to us affixed on envelopes through the mail, how are you going to remove these stamps from envelopes? First you should examine for special postal cancellations or an image, design, slogan, message on the envelope that appeals to you. If yes, then one should keep the entire envelope in one’s album. If not one should cut it leaving borders on all sides of the stamp. Contd……. MAIN MENU SUB MENU SITE MAP QUIT

25. REMOVAL OF STAMPS When you have collected ten to fifteen stamps, they should be soaked, stamp side up, in water in a shallow bowl. Do not soak too many stamps at one time, they should have room to float. Stamps affixed on coloured envelopes should be soaked separately, as the coloured left may damage other stamps. Contd……. MAIN MENU SUB MENU SITE MAP QUIT

26. REMOVAL OF STAMPS After soaking the stamps for five to ten minutes, you will notice that the stamps begin to float free from paper. Now remove stamps from water with the help of Tweezers. Remember the gum on the back of stamp needs to be removed also. Use Water colour Brush for this purpose. Rinse the back of stamp gently in fresh water and make sure all gum is off. After this the stamp should be placed face down on a clean blotting paper or Paper Towels and covered with another blotting paper or Paper Towel and put a book on top of them to prevent curling. Leave the stamps to dry. Contd……. MAIN MENU SUB MENU SITE MAP QUIT

27. REMOVAL OF STAMPS After the stamps are dry they should be carefully examined for tear, crease, missing perforations or any other damage and the securely kept in stock books/pocket books/albums. Let us now summarise the steps for removal of stamps from covers. 1 Examine to preserve with the cover or not. 2 Cut it out with border. 3 Segregate (according to colour/paper). 4 Soak in water-face up 5 Remove (paper as well as gum) 6 Dry- face down 7 Straighten out and re-examine 8 Secure in stock books/ albums MAIN MENU SUB MENU SITE MAP QUIT

28. ARRANGING ONE'S COLLECTION • BASIC ITEMS REQUIRED FOR ARRANGING YOUR COLLECTION STAMP ALBUMS AND STAMP STOCK BOOKS USE OF HINGES AND MOUNTS ROUGH NOTE BOOK WRITING IN THE ALBUM WRITING FOR THE EXHIBIT PLAN FOR ARRANGEMENT GOOD PEN PREFERABLY WITH BLACK INK MAIN MENU SUB MENU SITE MAP QUIT

29. STAMP ALBUM • Stamp Album: Store your stamps in albums to protect them. Some Stamp Albums feature specified categories with pictures of stamps that should appear on each page. Some Stamp Albums has certain number of pages assigned to each country, with some basic information about the country at the top of the page and rest of the page is divided into small rectangles, in which stamps can be affixed with Hinges. • Stock Book: A Stock Book is another type of album with thick, card like pages and with plastic or transparent material or paper pockets on each page. Stamps can be easily inserted, slipped and removed in these pockets, untill they are affixed on the album pages or exhibit with the help of Hinges. Stock Books do not picture the stamps, so you can organise them according to Countries, Theme or as you wish. MAIN MENU SUB MENU SITE MAP QUIT

30. Use of Hinges and Mounts • Peelable hinges are normally used to mount stamps in an album or a loose page. For Mint Stamps, a mount is better. • Peel off the hinge if not required only after it gets dried up, otherwise it thins the stamp. • Cut hinges into two, lengthwise and use only half portion for small stamps. • While using mounts one should be doubly careful while putting in and taking out the stamps as the slightest carelessness slip may damage the perforations, stamp comers. MAIN MENU SUB MENU SITE MAP QUIT

31. Pen • A good pen, with a black ink should be used to write up your Album and Exhibit Pages. A Rough Note Book • One should keep a Rough Note Book to note down information gathered from Philatelic Magazines, Periodicals, Newspapers, Stamp Catalogue , discussion with others etc. The basic information to be acquired about your stamps is its Technical Data , Reasons of issue, information about special cancellation, errors, varieties, printing flaws, some other interesting features etc. MAIN MENU SUB MENU SITE MAP QUIT

32. Plan for Arrangement One pursuit Hobby of Stamp Collection not only for one’s own pleassure, satisfaction, knowledge but may have desire to exhibit his/her collection in an Philatelic Exhibition and win prizes . Presenting your stamp collection in an Philatelic Exhibition is rewarding in itself, apart from winning prizes. Your exhibit should be self speaking. It should be well arranged. The Title Page of an exhibit should have heading matching to theme, introduction to the subject, a brief plan what is shown in the subsequent pages, layout of stamps or philatelic material used in an exhibit. For written material you should make a draft write-up and also note down position of stamps or other philatelic material to be used on which page in the Rough Note Book. Note down Heading and sub headings for various pages. Contd…….. MAIN MENU SUB MENU SITE MAP QUIT

33. Plan for Arrangement List of other material if proposed to be used in the exhibit. Take care of linking the pages with each other and ensure a logical flow of the theme. Other ideas about your collection should also be noted down in the Rough Note Book. Display of stamps should be well balanced. Too many stamps on one sheet and 2 or 3 stamps on other sheets will be imbalanced. Also too many stamps on the top half of the page and too few on the bottom half makes it imbalanced. Bordering your stamps with a thin black line around the mouths or bordering the page itself in similar fashion will be appealing. Used and Mint stamps should not be mixed with each other. other philatelic materials you arrange are directly related to your theme. MAIN MENU SUB MENU SITE MAP QUIT

34. Writing in the AlbumWriting for the Exhibit Your exhibit should be self speaking. So writing is also most important part of your exhibit. It should be brief and relevant to the theme. The write up is done with a view to impress upon the visitors as well as the jurors. The write up should tell about important aspects of stamps, FDCs or other Philatelic material used. It should be below or on the side of stamps, FDCs or other Philatelic Material. It should be written in Black Ink and may be type written. It should be neat and legible. Spelling mistakes, over-writings and unnecessary punctuations should be avoided MAIN MENU SUB MENU SITE MAP QUIT

35. TECHNICAL TERMS USED IN PHILATELY A B C E F G H I M O P Q R S T U W MAIN MENU SUB MENU SITE MAP QUIT

36. TECHNICAL TERMS USED IN PHILATELY • Adhesive: Stamps are to be affixed on articles (letters, parcels etc.) for postal transmission, so they are issued with gum on the back and are called adhesive. • Aero Philately: The collection and study of Air Mails Stamps and other airborne mail items. • Air Mails: The stamps meant exclusively for mails carried by aeroplanes. • Airmail:Postal articles carried by an aircraft. • Bisect: The Stamps cut in half vertically, horizontally or diagonally to be used as two separate stamps, each equal to half the face value of the original stamps. This type of arrangement is done by the Government in emergency when there is shortage of stamps of the lower denomination. • Block: Un-separated set of four or more stamps. • Booklet: Different stamps sold by post offices in small booklets. MAIN MENU SUB MENU SITE MAP QUIT

37. TECHNICAL TERMS USED IN PHILATELY • Cachet: A special postmark provided by the post office in connection with a first day of issue, air flight, philatelic exhibition, etc. • Cancellations: A mark applied on stamps to deface them indicating that it has been used and may not be used again. • Cancellation by compliance: It refers to stamps cancelled on request by collectors. • Cancelled to order: Cancelled without having been used for postal purposes. • Catalogue: A book listing stamps issued by different countries, with estimated market price. • Centered: A term used where a stamp design is balanced equally from the four margins. • Coils: Stamps issued in rolls, as in the United States and Sweden, for easy handling and machine vending. • Combination covers: A cover bearing stamps from two or more countries, a practice necessitated in early days when mail travels between two or more Non U.P.U. Nations. • Commemoratives: Stamps issued in connection with an event, person or anniversary. • Composite stamps: A number of stamps which together depict a design, may be two but usually four and in the form of a block. • Cutouts: Cutouts are impressed stamps cutout from envelopes, postcard or other printed postal stationery for use as ordinary stamps, or for collecting purposes. • Cut square: refers to the shape of cut out and imperforate stamps of irregular shape (round, hexagonal etc) • Cut-to shape: are stamps or irregular form trimmed close to the margin. These are worthless relatively. The value is highest when stamps are cut square with good margins. MAIN MENU SUB MENU SITE MAP QUIT

38. TECHNICAL TERMS USED IN PHILATELY • Entire: An envelope or other postal stationery preserved in complete condition and not as cutouts. • First day cover or FDC: An envelope bearing cancellation date representing the first day of issue of the stamp affixed thereon. • Fiscal: Stamps used for revenue purposes other than as prepayment for postal transmission. Fiscal cancellation are different from postmarks. • First flight: It is important in aero-philately, where emphasis is laid on cards and covers carried on pioneer flights. • Franking: It is a method of prepaying postage by a special machine used under license from the Postal Department. While impressing a mark indicating the postal value, the amount due to the post office is automatically recorded. • Gutters: The space between two stamps for perforation/ margin. • Hinge: Hinges are very small strips/pieces of almost transparent, nonporous thin paper with special gum on the one side and easily removable. After folding, one third to one fourth of the hinge is affixed to the stamp, which is then affixed to the album page with the help of the other part of the hinge. MAIN MENU SUB MENU SITE MAP QUIT

39. TECHNICAL TERMS USED IN PHILATELY • Imperforate: stamps are those without perforation roulettes. • Inverted: stamps are invariably valuable and occur when stamps are printed in two or more colours involving a second feeding into the printing machine, when the partly- printed sheet is wrongly fed the second time. This usually results in an inverted author, but inverted surcharges and watermarks are also known. • Machine cancellation: represents a postmark applied by a printing machine, to ensure maximum clarity of the postmark. Frequently encountered in exhibition and propaganda postmarks. • Margins: Space between the perforation and design's border or frame in a stamp. It also refers to the borders of stamp sheets, on which register marks, pointers, numbers, dates, codes of colours used etc. are indicated. • Mint: stamps are those sold by the post office, in perfect condition with full gum and valid as prepayment for postal transmission. • Maxima Cards: Maxima Cards are special cards with an enlargement of the stamp design or showing a scene relating to the stamp, like a picture postcard. These are of particular interest and philatelic value when it has the related stamp affixed and cancelled. • Miniature sheets: Miniature Sheets are issued in connection with issue of commemorative stamps. It is a sheet containing these stamps. Around the stamps, there is an ornamental border or related information, illustrations etc. MAIN MENU SUB MENU SITE MAP QUIT

40. TECHNICAL TERMS USED IN PHILATELY • Official:The stamps used only by Government Offices. • Overprint:Includes everything added to the original design of the stamp. • Pair:refers to two stamps that have not been separated. • Pane blocks:A block of four or more stamps with a tab carrying information. • Perforations:are characteristic of almost all modem stamps. They. are an indispensable aid to separation of stamps from a sheet. This is formed by punching out tiny discs from sheets. • Perforation Gauge:It is used to measure the perforation of stamps (Holes between stamps that make it easy to separate them). Of course it is quite easy to count perforations directly, but Perforation Gauge makes the measurement of perforation simple, instant and correct. It has different scales showing various sizes of perforation, place your stamp against each scale until its perforations match exactly those on the gauge. • Pre-cancellation:The system under which bulk mailers are given stamps that are already cancelled. MAIN MENU SUB MENU SITE MAP QUIT

41. TECHNICAL TERMS USED IN PHILATELY • Quadrille: Faint 'graph' on album pages, meant to facilitate easy arrangement and write up for the stamps. • Roulette, Rouletting: A process with the same object as perforations, with the difference that instead of punching out holes, the rouletting pins only pierce the papers. • Se-tenant: Two or more stamps of different designs, which exist as an unseparated pair or strip. Quite frequently, the strip makes the complete design, each individual stamp depicting a part of the motif. • Strip: refers to three or more unsevered stamps in a single horizontal row or vertical column. • Souvenir sheets: See 'miniature sheet'. MAIN MENU SUB MENU SITE MAP QUIT

42. TECHNICAL TERMS USED IN PHILATELY • Tete-beche: refers to a pair, strip or block of a stamps with one or more inverted relation to the others. • Traffic lights: are small start or dots on the margin in a sheet of stamps, indicating the colours used in printing the stamps. UPU: refers to the Universal Postal Union formed in 1875. It regulates free flow of mail between countries. Under UPU agreements, all countries treat foreign mail with equal care. UPU conventions regulate international relations between postal administrations of all countries as well as postal rates to different countries. • Used: refers to stamps that have (unless otherwise specified) been used postally. • Watermark:A Watermark is a distinguish mark, design that is made on paper during its manufacturing, on which stamps are to be printed. the material as per the design of the mark. As in currency notes and treasury papers, watermark paper is used, as a security device to ensure that no unauthorized paper, is used in printing, absence of this watermark is a sure sign of the stamp being counterfeit. MAIN MENU SUB MENU SITE MAP QUIT

43. A Stamp Exhibition and You • A philatelic exhibition is organised to promote and disseminate information about Philately. It is a wonderful event and a delightful thing to all stamp lovers. It will stimulate a keen interest for philately. It is educative and will surely increase your G.K. It is also likely to create lasting friendship between you and philately. • A philatelic exhibition is a great spectacle for all stamp lovers where the philatelists display their wide range of precious collections of stamps under one roof and is available for public viewing. This event is organized at some important place in your city. • The philatelic event may be of World level, National level, State level or District level. The World level and National level Philatelic Exhibitions have thousands of frames. A first look at it, over whelmed you and also register a feeling of confusion in your mind, because you find yourself standing in a jungle of frames, which are planted in so many rows in different patterns. It might not be possible to see all the frames. Go through the programme of the exhibition and display plans. There are the number of exhibits, some on science, some on history, some on culture, some on tradition, some on flora and fauna etc. Make a selective list. So make a more effective choice of what to see, and what not to see . This will help you in properly planning your approach and enjoying the same to full extent. Contd…….. MAIN MENU SUB MENU SITE MAP QUIT

44. A Stamp Exhibition and You • Always start with those, which are related to your stamp collection and which attract you most. There might be exhibits of some prominent philatelists and some rare items on display, be sure to include in your programme even though they may not be falling under your specialization. Reserve some time in your schedule to see the classics exhibits, exhibits in invitation class, Court of Honour Class, Exhibits of Postal Administrations, Collection of the members of the Jury (by invitation only, if any) and prize winning exhibits after the announcement of awards and of course donot forget to see the ‘The Best Exhibit, prize winning exhibit. • Observe and examine the selected exhibits carefully and note down the following points: • i. the items displayed on the theme • ii. the way it is presented. • iii. the leading idea of the exhibit. • iv. how they have been related to the theme. • v. the way it has been written up. • vi. General impression of the exhibit. Contd…….. MAIN MENU SUB MENU SITE MAP QUIT

45. A Stamp Exhibition and You • If it appears to you that there is something unique, uncommon or some new idea presented, then bookmark it in your mind. • Note down important points – they will be in handy when your memory begins to fail you and the exhibition is long dismantled. Compare the exhibits and try to form your own views and judgements about their relative merits. Note that even the common stamps become as useful as rare items on an exhibit on account of depth study and research done by the exhibitor. Similarly, relevant cancellations may also serve the purpose of stamps on an exhibit. • Examine the above thoughts and various other aspects of presentations. What you observe, see and learn from the the exhibition is going to be a milestone in your serious and eventful philatelic career. • After seeing a philatelic exhibition it may appear to you that there is hardly anything that you can do with your stamp collection; after giving some thought, it is sure that there is something pleasant you can do with it, no matter what you have in your collection. Contd….... MAIN MENU SUB MENU SITE MAP QUIT

46. A Stamp Exhibition and You • Sometime you can take time to compare your stamps with what you have seen at a philatelic exhibition, other times you may only be able to have a sight of them and be pleased, even though the same is for a short time. Still other times the only thing you may be able to do is to change your own thinking about your stamp collection and this can end up being a significant positive step and which may enthuse you to exhibit your collection in a better way. • If you throw your hands in despair or frustration, it will not take you anywhere. The more effective choice is to know, without a doubt, that there is something you can do with your stamps, and to then get busy with them. A best stamp collection exhibit is made not by chance, but by choice. • God gave us two ends, one to sit on and one to think upon (about your stamp collection also) and act. Success depends on which one you use, head you win and tails, you do not lose. So not only think but plan also and not only plan but act also and you will met with success and see your own exhibit at the next philatelic event. It will be a thing of beauty to joy forever and a best heritage to bequeath to your children. • Good luck and enjoy philatelic exhibition. MAIN MENU SUB MENU SITE MAP QUIT

47. EASY WAYS OF GETTING STAMPS • The hobby of stamp collecting is very easy to start. It is also not very expensive. One can enjoy it with limited financial resources. In our country stamps with total denomination of less than Rs.500/- are issued in a year. One of the biggest question any stamp collector faces is from where to get stamps cheaply. One may collect used as well as unused stamps, the opportunities are really great. Not all collections consist of unused stamps that one buy from the post office. Used stamps are worth saving, have value, and they may cost you nothing. Here are easy ways of getting stamps. • Ask your parents, grandparents if they have any old letters, which may have stamps on the envelopes. If you find some old letters having stamps from your grandparents, you will be lucky as the stamps might be 40 to 50 years old and a good start. Contd…….. MAIN MENU SUB MENU SITE MAP QUIT

48. EASY WAYS OF GETTING STAMPS • The other place to search for stamps is your own Letter Box. Do not be discouraged when you not receive letters. Now a days people write very few letters, they communicate with each other by other means of communications. But I am sure you might be getting greeting cards for Birthday Greetings, Festival Greetings and New Year Greetings. You are again discouraged when you notice that many senders use the same common small stamps. Ask the people who write to you to use commemorative stamps on their letters and they will remember to ask for big stamps t the post office when sending letter to you or your family if you let them know you are a stamp collector. • Neighbours, friends, and relatives are another good source of stamps. Most of people just throw away stamps when they receive them on letters. Do not hesitate to ask them to save their mail’s envelopes for you before they throw away all the envelopes. Contd…….. MAIN MENU SUB MENU SITE MAP QUIT

49. EASY WAYS OF GETTING STAMPS • One source of getting stamps is your parents working place. All offices, business places receive good number of letters and envelopes are thrown away. • Older collectors may have number of duplicate stamps and often they are willing to help new stamp collectors by giving them stamps, or at least providing packets of stamps much more cheaper than stamp dealers. • Local Stamp Clubs are another place to get stamps. A club may offer stamps as prizes, or have cheaper stamps you can afford to buy. Some stamp clubs sponsor junior clubs that meet at schools. If you are fortunate enough to have one of these in your area, it can be a great source of both stamps and advice. Contd…….. MAIN MENU SUB MENU SITE MAP QUIT

50. EASY WAYS OF GETTING STAMPS • Older collectors may have number of duplicate stamps and often they are willing to help new stamp collectors by giving them stamps, or at least providing packets of stamps much more cheaper than stamp dealers. • Local Stamp Clubs are another place to get stamps. A club may offer Stamps as prizes, or have cheaper stamps you can afford to buy. Some stamp clubs sponsor junior clubs that meet at schools. It can be a great source of both stamps and advice. If you does not have a local club, then start a local club. All it takes are four or five other stamp collectors who are interested in getting together to learn about and trade stamps and ideas. • Pen Friends in foreign countries is a very good way to get stamps from that country. His or her extra stamps may seem really common in that country, but over here they are much scarcer. Your own stamps may look fairly common to you, but he or she is sure to appreciate them. MAIN MENU SUB MENU SITE MAP QUIT