Top 5 most common words used by stamp collectors and their meanings
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Stamp collecting is one of the world’s most popular hobbies and the correct terminology for a stamp collector is philatelist.
There are quite a few important pieces of equipment required by philatelists, one of which is a magnifying glass or a hand lens as it is known in laboratory terms. This is used for examining stamps in close detail and identifying any potential marks or flaws.
You will also need some stamp tongs, which are similar to tweezers but with rounded edges. They can help to protect delicate stamps from the oils of your skin or damage from rough handling.
One of the most popular stamps to collect are commemorative stamps, these are usually just produced for a short period of time in celebration of an event or an anniversary. One of the most collected commemorative stamps in the world has a picture of Elvis Presley and was produced in 1993.
The first postage stamp ever issued was the Penny Black, and it was issued in Britain in 1840. Unused examples of the Penny Black are quite rare but used examples can be bought for between $20 and $200.
Definitive stamps are the most common type of postage stamp but they are still very collectable. They often have different watermarks or perforation tears and these differences can make them very desirable for collectors.
Many philatelists also collect maximum cards which are similar to postcards, however the stamp is on the same side as the picture. The picture on the card and the stamp usually bear close resemblance to each other. Those people who only collect maxi-cards are known as maximaphilists.
