Darryn and Han Sheng are always buying and collecting BB badges over eBay. It's quite a nice practise having vintage and rare items from all parts of the world.. anticipating their arrival through the mail.. and finally holding up that rare item in the palm of your hands.
I've decided to try a little hobby resurrecting myself. Stamp collecting.
Yea, I used to collect stamps and first day covers when I was in secondary school. In BB, I was one of the rare ones who made it all the way to Hobbies stage 3 using only stamp collecting. Though not as exquisite as badge collecting, it has the same hype.. and stamp collection own charm.
Stamps are not simply pretty pictures to decorate your envelope for the purpose of paying a postage fee. Every month, there are new designs featuring various themes. It could be an event they're trying to promote (Olympics, F1, APEC Summit, etc), historical reminders (anniversaries, Independence Day, etc), tourist destinations (Visit Malaysia 2008), things (fruits, cars), people (Queen E, etc), environmental awareness and everything else deemed appropriate.
As for a collector, the value of the stamp is determined by a few things:
1) The condition of the stamp - Torn stamps naturally are valued less. Some people soak enveloped to extract the stamp. This practise sometimes damages the stamp and reduces it's quality.
2) "Mintness" - Has the stamp been used? The "post stamp", with the date, venue and ink marks can add value to the stamp depending on the significance of the day. A mint stamp is a stamp which has not been used, with its glue still intact.
The value of the stamp also can be driven up if there's a few of the same type, like a series where they are almost similar, yet different lined up together. If the stamp or stamps were sent by/to someone famous, used in an important event, etc.
The easiest way to get or create high valued stamps is by going for first day covers. First day covers are a set of stamps with a unique design release for purchase only on that one day with unique stamp chops. You usually need to be at the post office itself to get them. You can buy as many as you want, buy it for anyone, but they're just available for that single day.
The value of stamps aren't determined by the quantity you have as opposed to some stamp collectors who pile up the exact same type of stamp in a few books. Stamps collection should be unique. Imagine your stamp or first day cover booklet as a mini art gallery. What would you wanna keep and display?
I just needed a little push. I've been buying stuff on eBay as well. And I've got myself some BB stamps.
Why BB stamps? Well, it's almost impossible to get your hands of every stamp and first day cover cause the categories are too wide. The best you can do is select a category to your liking and narrow down on the kind of stamps you'd personally like to have. I'm a BB dude. Hence, BB stamps!
So far I've got some from the Solomon Islands and Samoa. All of them to celebrate BB's 100 years, then from 1883-1983. This year BB's celebrating it's 125th Anniversary. I've got more stamps on the way. Will blog about them as they arrive =)
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