Stamps: Technology transforms stamp collecting during pandemic

October is National Stamp Collecting Month and the hobby is taking on a new look with events now taking place online. Hobby leaders said they are seeing more and more collectors engage in the pastime in ways few thought possible before the global coronavirus pandemic hit. Stamp club meetings, shows, exhibitions and educational sessions have moved almost exclusively to the internet, advancing the hobby in new ways and gaining new adherents. Many dealers and auction houses are reporting booming business as collectors stay at home and look to build their collections because they aren't spending money on dining out or travel. "The traditional methodologies (of the hobby) are disappearing because they can't be exercised," said Scott English, executive director of the American Philatelic Society. "Now with the pandemic, it has forced the audience that has been really resistant to change to have to adapt." One event that has shifted online is the Postal History Symposium, a program that brings together some of the hobby's biggest names. It has been held since 2006 primarily at the American Philatelic Center in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, or the National Postal Museum in Washington. Because travel is not involved this year, anyone can participate. Scheduled for Oct. 26-30, the program looks at "Postal Innovation of the Classic Era: Evolution Leading to Modernization." Speakers will discuss topics such as the rise of the American post, the postal history of the first U.S. stamps of 1847 and the westward expansion of mail service in the 19th century. And it's all free. Register at www.uspcs.org/society/news-and-events/future-events/symposiums/symposium-2020/. Some stamp shows have moved online, with dealer bourses and digital exhibits becoming the norm. A collector can "visit" a show from the comfort of their home, purchasing stamps and covers from faraway dealers and viewing exhibits that they otherwise may never see. Earlier this month Stampex in London was conducted online, becoming the first international stamp show to take place digitally. Speakers, discussions, exhibits and the dealer bourse were available to anyone who registered on the show's website. In the past, the only way to participate was to travel to London. Sure, English admitted, the social aspect of philately is lacking in an online venue, but people who would not normally attend such a show were able to take advantage of the philatelic smorgasbord that was offered. Meanwhile, the Cleveland-based Garfield-Perry Stamp Club has held its monthly meetings online since June. During the Oct. 1 meeting, members heard presentations from award-winning exhibitor Bill Schultz and Jasmine Smith, a paper conservator. They described the development of a census database of 6¼-cent rate covers from the 19th century and the restoration and preservation of postal history. English has seen how beneficial online meetings can be for older collectors. He described the "marvel" in the face of an 85-year-old collector who had been unable to attend a local club's meetings because he can no longer drive, when he got to see his philatelic friends on a video call. "What it does is online takes away a lot of those obstacles to enjoying collecting," English said. The hobby also is progressing rapidly in developing on-demand resources such as podcasts and educational videos, English said. One example finds the American Topical Association's "Fall for Topicals" program throughout October. Discussions of stamps and covers related to railroads, indigenous people, maps and politics of the Middle East and more are on tap for the rest of October. Details are at americantopicalassn.org. "What (the online expansion) does," English said, "is take away those obstacles that prevent people from more fully enjoying collecting with others. The hobby has to be a 24/7 service." Dennis Sadowski can be reached at sadowski.dennis@gmail.com.