2.  What countries are they from?  How old are they?  How much do you think they’re worth? Look at the size, shape and colors of the stamps you have just been given…

3.  What was the world’s first stamp?  Where is it from?  What year was it created?  Whose picture is on it?  What were the first stamps in the US?  Whose pictures are on them?  What year were they created?  How are they different from today’s stamps?

4. At the dawn of aviation this stamp was issued.  How did the airplane get upside down?  Why is it worth $250,000?  Is the stamp on the right an error?  Why is it reminiscent of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory? One of the world’s rarest stamps from the Governors Ball in Mauritius. Why does it look so crude? Ooops. What went wrong?.

5.  Whose faces are on these stamps?  What are the symbols on the sides?  What do the symbols mean?  Why are there two prices listed?  Which stamp was issued right after the end of WWI?  Which stamp started out as a charity label?  Which stamp shows the name “Jewish State” instead of “Israel”? Stamps tell wartime stories Stamps show the transition from colonial times to independence

6. An early U.S. airmail stamp with map of the U.S. 100 th Anniversary of the Louisiana Purchase. This Chinese map stamp was never issued because Taiwan is not colored red! The few that exist are very rare.

7. Da Vinci’s Mona List on a 1952 stamp from West Germany. The Goya Nude on a stamp from Spain. A Greek fresco

8.  Work on stamps any time, day or night in any season.  Food for the active mind.  Affordable.  Choose exactly what you’d like to collect.  Trade stamps with other residents and guests.  Buy stamps without traveling.  Great local stamp club and stamp shows.

9.  Color, size and shape  Overall design  Method of printing  Papers vary  Perforations  Used and unused  Watermarks

10.  The world is your oyster. Collect the world!  Collect stamps from the U.S. (very popular)  Collect stamps from your family’s country  Collect stamps from the year of your birth  Collect the “Classical Period” 1840-1940  Collect stamps based on topics like: Medicine Famous inventors Embroidery on stamps Flowers Animals and pets or insects on stamps Shapes like triangles Broadway shows on stamps Bart Simpson on stamps (just kidding)

11.  Clip stamps off envelopes.  Trade with other collectors.  Buy stamp mixtures.  APS Circuit books.  Go to stamp club meetings.  Go to stamp shows.  Stamp approvals.  Buy stamps online and online auction site.

12. Store  Glassine envelopes  Stock books  Stock cards Display  Buy a stamp album  Make your own stamp album  Stock Books

13. Magazines  Linn’s Stamp News  American Philatelist Catalogs  Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalog  Scott Classic

14.  Your local stamp club: The Oregon Stamp Society meets twice a month and has its own clubhouse.  Northwest Philatelic Library  American Philatelic Research Library  Lots of stamp societies  Internet: Lots of stamp blogs

15.  When you become an APS member you get:  The American Philatelist magazine every month  Free access to the American Philatelic Research Library  Stamp circuit books  Access to StampStore  StampBuddy Service (APS membership not required)  APS membership is recognized throughout the hobby as an indicator of ethical dealing and integrity.  Applications available today. APS is the largest stamp society in the world with 33,000+ members.

16.  You can have your own StampBuddy mentor  Your mentor will meet with you at your residence.  Teach you all about our hobby  Help you choose what to collect  Help you to attend meetings of the local stamp club  Guide you at local stamp shows like PIPEX. StampBuddy is a national APS program that provides mentors for new adult collectors.

17. 1.Introduce yourself to today’s speaker and say that you might like to collect stamps. 2.Complete the StampBuddy application. 3.A StampBuddy Mentor will be assigned to you. 4.Your mentor will contact you and schedule time to meet with you. 5.Your mentor will never charge you for his services or sell you any stamps or stamp supplies. You’re on your way to joining the “hobby of kings”. Years of fun and excitement lay ahead. (Oh, and keep the stamps you got today even if you decide not to collect.)