By Jon R. Warren
Although the exact date for the beginning of stamp collecting cannot be determined, most authorities feel that people began collecting shortly after the first postage stamps were issued in May, 1840, in London. These were two-pence and one-penny designs. The design for the one-penny stamp was a silhouette of Queen Victoria taken from a commemorative medal. Early stamp collectors were facetiously described in 1842 by Punch magazine as having "more anxiety to treasure Queen's heads than Harry the Eighth did to get rid of them!"In the 1860s, stamp collecting became an established hobby in the United States and Europe. Stamp dealers distributed albums and published catalogues listing stamps of several nations. One catalog issued in 1866 listed about 2,400 stamp varieties.Because of the great number of different stamps issued throughout the world today --- estimated to be more than 200,000 --- most collectors tend to limit themselves to so-called "specialties". Some of the specialties include stamps of a particular country, continent or period, stamps with specific designs, stamps containing printing errors, air mail stamps, and commemorative stamps.First issued by New South Wales in 1888, commemorative stamps have become a special interest to may collectors. The first United States postal commemorative was issued in 1893 to observe the 400th anniversary of the discovery of America.Stamp collecting is a hobby for all people. It is enjoyed by millions --- from the child who has just purchased "20 all different" stamps by mail to European Royalty searching for a rare issue.
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