Stamp collecting

Stamp collecting is the collecting of postage stamps and related objects, such as envelopes (cover)s. It is one of the world's most popular hobbies, with estimates of the number of collectors ranging up to 20 million in the US alone.

Future of stamp collecting

It has become commonplace to declare that the future of stamp collecting is bleak, due to the increasing popularity of e-mail and other electronic forms of communication. However, both the telegraph and telephone were revolutionary alternatives to physical mail when introduced in the 19th century, yet did not spell the end of stamps on mail. Also, collectors tend to be just as interested in old stamps as new ones, and they would not stop collecting just because no new stamps were being introduced; on the contrary, in forums such as the letters page of Linn's Stamp News, many collectors complain that there are too many new types of stamps to keep up with each year, and that the flood seems to be increasing rather than decreasing.

Related Topics:
E-mail - Telegraph - Telephone - Linn's Stamp News

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