Download this report as an MP3 sound file.

Fanning the Flames of Philately

The Stamp Collecting Report, I'm Lloyd de Vries.

[siren]

Stamp dealer Telah Smith is also a collector.

"I'm a retired firefighter. I retired about 13 years ago, but I've always had a love
for fire-issuing stamps from all over the world."  :08

He belongs to a specialist group called Fire Service in Philately.

"Most of the members, we have close to 200, are either retired or active firefighters
here in the United States or around the world." :07

A collection of firefighting stamps is small enough to be reasonable.

"U.S. has issued 4 or 5 items, the first one would be 1948 and the Volunteer
Firefighting issue." :08

Collections like these are called topical or thematic.

"That's one of the main things in stamp collecting now, versus country collections as
people can collect any topic imaginable."  :08

And, stamp dealer Telah Smith says, the subjects can be pretty esoteric.

"I've got 4 or 5 people looking for hedgehog stamps!" :03

I'm Lloyd de Vries of The Virtual Stamp Club. For more on stamps and stamp collecting,
visit virtual-stamp-club-dot-com.

----------------------------------------------------------
Go to Previous Report
Go to Next Report 

Go to Report Index