As stamps were inexpensive and had vivid pictures, British children initially saw them as a fun game, so they collected them. Most people today collect stamps as a result of passing down a tradition from a relative or receiving a souvenir sheet from an acquaintance. One of the most popular types of compilations among Americans is the collection of postage stamps, with over 20 million people doing so today.
A postage stamp known as “Penny Black” was introduced in Britain in 1840 as the first adhesive stamp. It didn’t occur to them that this would result in a stamp collecting craze among young people, otherwise known as “Timbromania”, meaning “stamp madness.” As these hobbyists aged, they proudly passed on their stamp collections to the next generation, creating a market for stamp collectors.
The US caught on to this Timbromania in the 1930s, when the first souvenir sheet was printed, featuring a German blimp on the 65-cent “Graf Zeppelin”. Due to the Great Depression, many stamps were burned during this time, as few families could afford a book of stamps, which would cover the cost of feeding a family of four for one week if you bought one.
A stamp with a printing error became the most sought-after stamp in the world of postage stamp collecting. Most serious collectors will try to find one that is rare. The “Inverted Jenny” is a US postage stamp from 1918 that features a picture of an upside-down Curtiss JN-4 airplane!
Only 100 were ever printed and a block of four just sold at an auction for $2.7 Million! As a result of embossing a waffle pattern in the paper to prevent ink from running, the US-made “Benjamin Franklin Z Grill” stamps only sold two before the manufacturer realized this process was impractical. Now, one stamp is worth $3 million!
Postage stamp collecting is often associated with high prices internationally. For instance, the Swedish “Treskilling Yellow” stamp was printed in the wrong color, and its value is estimated at more than $2 million. In the year 2000, Britain’s “Penny Black” (the first official adhesive stamp) sold for $200, and it could fetch up to $3,000. Get more info about first class stamp.
Imagine owning a British Guiana Magenta stamp with a face value of one cent and a value estimated at $935,000! There is much controversy surrounding this stamp.
The only known copy is thought to have been altered to 4 cents, but this claim has been disproved, since there is only one known copy. There is speculation that there was another copy discovered, but that it was bought by Arthur Hind, who owned the original and quietly destroyed the copy. In 1999, a forged copy was discovered in Bremen, Germany.
Postage Stamps Online: The Advantages
It is possible to purchase regular stamps or even customize one for your own use using online postage services. Stamps work just like regular stamps, but you can print the online version right from the comfort of your own home. It is no longer necessary to buy stamps at the convenience store.
Postage stamps that can be used domestically as well as internationally are available. Priority mails, express mails, and airmail parcels are all covered. Once you learn to use them, you will never use your regular stamps again.
The vendors of these stamps usually provide their customers with software that allows them to create these stamps. As well as uploading your favorite photo, cropping it, editing it, and converting it into a valid postage stamp, you can also use the software to personalize the stamps.
The minimum order for most online postage stamp vendors is one sheet, which contains 20 stamps. Payments can be made with credit cards or similar online payment methods. The denominations of online postage stamps vary, so you should choose the stamp with the value that fits the mail you will send. Stamps start at $0.24 cents and up to $4.05.
Mailing snails has certainly become easier and faster with the advent of online postage stamps. Some vendors even keep a transaction record for their registered customers to use. It has made the whole thing convenient, especially if you have to send a large number of letters. The tracking of mass mailing actions is a useful feature for large corporate accounts.
The first thing you need to remember before you buy online stamps is to make sure that the stamps or labels are placed on the front surface of the mail and that they are not folded over. They should also be properly glued.
