callmemadam has revived her interest in stamps but mostly collects pretty ones. I pick up the occasional example if it ties in with one of my interests - I have husky stamps, biplane stamps, and a Dick Tracy stamp a kind friend in the USA sent me. I might pick up some of the Dr Who ones!

I'm tempted by the Dr Who stamps. You can buy them framed. If I had the money I might well splash out...

The attraction for me is that stamps have already served their purpose when they reach you. A letter arrives, and there's - as you say - a little coloured label on the envelope, which you can tear off and keep if you want to. All the pretty design is gratuitous, only there for the fun of creating a miniature picture.

The minute you turn that around, and start issuing stamps for collection rather than for use, I lose interest.

Yes, they become like those stickers that are sold in sealed packages that kids swap among themselves.

Only in this case he didn't. I took it home. It's probably in the attic.

[Edited to correct typo. Why do I never see them until I press "post"?]

I'm a random collector, not a philatelist of any sort. I collect a few stamps when I think they're really striking. Like these, just issued last week:





Edited at 2013-04-12 11:27 am (UTC)

Those are pretty.

I have three big hardbound stamp albums that belonged to my great-grandfather, who died in 1941. Though I've done some collecting on my own, that ancient collection of his is far more poignant than anything I could ever possibly assemble ... and for me, that symbolizes what's interesting about the hobby.