How Do You Become a Philatelist
Philately is defined as the study of stamps and so a philatelist is one who studies stamps. But that is not all it is. Philatelists not only study stamps, their history and manufacture, they also study the history of transport of mail by air, sea, train and road as well as documents that used stamps such as land leases, tax documents and a plethora of ephemera that may have held historic significance.
You can start anywhere in this field but I always suggest starting at the beginning which is the penny black and go from there. Using the knowledge you already have of your own country and its history is very helpful in finding an area which you may want to specialise but you don’t have to specialise at all if you don’t want to. You can gain a wide understanding of philately just by studying your own country’s stamps or those of a country you are interested in and may have some knowledge.
If you want to study other countries there is plenty of information everywhere to get started. It is only interest and motivation that stops anyone.
How Much Detail Do I Need to Know to Become a Philatelst
You don’t need to be an ‘expert’ in any field to become a philatelist. Simply as soon as you start studying and researching stamps, postal history or emphemera using stamps, you are a philatelist. As with anything in life, the more specialised in an area, the more well known you may become in the community of philately and if that is your goal, then it will take many years of study and reading to get there. But, if you have personal interest and drive, those years will fly by and all of a sudden you will have a wealth of knowledge about a particular subject.
It is not a requirement to specialise but rather a general knowledge of stamps issued across the world in a certain era in history will serve you well if you choose to take philately a little more seriously, and turn it into a career rather than a hobby. There are many philatelists making a very good living trading important pieces of history for preservation to other philatelists.
Do You Need To Be A Member Of A Society to be a Philatelst
There are thousands of clubs and societies all over the world for philatelists to join if you choose to, but it doesn’t give you any more certification of what you do than you undertaking the study. There is no degree or recognition that I am aware of in philately. There are associated degrees in history and literature that may help you in your quest to become a philatelist but it is not essential to undertake advanced courses to specialist in stamps.
Recognition comes from the community and there are awards and prizes offered for contributions to philately. Some take many years to even qualify for, as a true and in-depth knowledge of philately takes many years of consistent study and learning, but there are also many opportunities in clubs as a beginner to showcase a partiuclar area of interest in shows and events run almost every month. If successful in those at a local level, there will be opportunities to take your displays nationally and internationally. There are cash and prizes!
What is The Beneift of Becoming a Philatelist
Professionally it can lead to a career in stamp dealing, historic documents selling and much more. If you can write a piece of work that helps other philatelists, selling a book is a great way to earn some money from your interest. There are international events you can speak at and also set up booths at events to share your knowledge and sell pieces of history that you can verify and explain to the collector their signfiicance.
Personally it is a fulfilling past time if you like history and attention to detail. An appreciation of art helps but is not essential to studying the stamps of world. The more you delve into the field of stamps you will find a niche that you enjoy more than others and that may give you a clue to a specialty area you are happy to spend hours in.
Is Philately Dead
Far from it. Look at Instagram and you will see a new generation of philatelists arising who swap stamps from around the world, postcards, collecting stamps and stationary from all over the world. It is exciting to see that snail mail has not died in the age of technology and in fact is a glorified past time by many in the post crossing community boasting over 800,000 members so it may not be the biggest undertaking of the world but it is far from dead.
A recent evaluation of philately put the industry at over $2 billion dollars turn over world wide so again, not dead but an opportunity to contribute your own knowledge to the field and participate if you like in a healthy worldwide industry.
