The Challenge of Unlimited Worldwide Collecting
Many new philatelists begin their journey by attempting to collect every stamp issued across the globe. However, with the countries of the world issuing a total of approximately 10,000 new postage stamps each year, maintaining a complete worldwide collection quickly becomes unrealistic for most collectors due to constraints on money, space, and time. To keep the hobby enjoyable and manageable, many collectors choose to narrow their focus.
One highly personalized and structured method is chronological collecting, where you limit your collection to a specific historical era or even stamps issued since your birth year. This approach provides a clear boundary while allowing you to explore the artistic and historical changes of a specific period without feeling overwhelmed by the sheer volume of global releases.
The Appeal of Birth-Year and Era-Specific Philately
Narrowing your specialty to a specific timeframe, such as stamps issued during your lifetime, offers a practical way to build a highly complete and meaningful collection. Traditionally, trying to obtain every stamp ever issued by a single country can be incredibly expensive, as classic issues often command high prices.
By limiting your scope to a modern era—such as starting from your birth year—you significantly reduce the financial barrier. Most modern stamps are relatively inexpensive and readily available, making a complete run of a country's modern issues a realistic goal. This approach allows you to document history as it unfolded during your own lifetime, turning your collection into a personal historical archive.
Choosing Between Mint and Used Issues for Your Era
As you establish your chronological collection, you must decide whether to collect mint stamps, used stamps, or a mixture of both. Mint stamps have never been used and look exactly as they did when they were first sold at the post office, preserving their original gum. Used stamps, on the other hand, have served their intended purpose of carrying the mail and often feature interesting cancellations.
Collecting used stamps is generally more budget-friendly, and you do not have to worry about preserving the delicate gum. This flexibility allows you to customize your era-specific collection according to your personal preferences and budget, ensuring that your hobby remains a relaxing and stress-free pursuit.
Essential Tools for Safe Handling and Identification
When building a specialized collection, handling your stamps safely is paramount to preserving their condition. The Smithsonian National Postal Museum identifies a simple pair of stamp tongs, an album, and a general reference book as sufficient starting tools. Tongs feature smooth ends designed for picking up loose stamps without direct finger contact, protecting them from harmful skin oils.
Additionally, a magnifying glass is highly useful for revealing small design details, while a perforation gauge helps distinguish look-alike issues by measuring their perforations. To assist with organizing, you can use StampSnap to scan a stamp and create a likely identification or digital collection record before placing it in your album. Using these tools systematically ensures your stamps remain undamaged for years to come.
Verifying Issue Dates with Catalogs and Reference Books
To ensure a stamp fits within your chosen historical era, you must verify its exact year of release. While physical traits can offer clues, the Smithsonian National Postal Museum notes that physical observations should be compared with reliable references rather than treated as conclusive on their own.
Specialized stamp catalogs and general reference books are invaluable for this step, as they record critical details such as the official issue date, printing method, and watermark details. By cross-referencing your stamps with these catalogs, you can confidently organize your collection chronologically and avoid placing out-of-era stamps in your display. This methodical verification process is where many collectors gain a deep understanding of postal history.
Organizing and Mounting Your Chronological Collection
Once you have identified and sorted your stamps by year, the final step is mounting them safely in an album. If you choose to collect used stamps, you can utilize inexpensive stamp hinges to mount them directly onto album pages. However, if you prefer mint stamps, you should use protective mounts to avoid damaging the original gum.
Whether you choose to arrange your stamps by year, country, or a specific topic within your chosen era, the most important aspect of the hobby is your personal enjoyment. By narrowing your focus to a specific era, you create a structured, educational, and deeply rewarding philatelic journey that reflects your unique interests.
Frequently asked questions
Can I collect both mint and used stamps in a chronological collection?
Yes. The choice to collect mint, used, or a mixture of both is entirely your decision. Mint stamps preserve their original gum and look as they did when sold at the post office, while used stamps are often more budget-friendly and feature unique postal cancellations.
What tools do I need to safely identify and organize stamps by year?
According to the Smithsonian National Postal Museum, essential starting tools include stamp tongs with smooth ends to prevent skin oil damage, an album, and a general reference book. A magnifying glass and a perforation gauge can also help distinguish look-alike issues, while catalogs help verify exact issue dates.
Why is it difficult to collect every worldwide stamp ever issued?
The countries of the world issue approximately 10,000 new postage stamps every year. Attempting to collect all of them requires an unrealistic amount of money, space, and time, which is why many collectors choose to narrow their focus to specific eras, countries, or topics.