Date:12/05/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/12/stories/2008051253900600.htm

Tamil Nadu

Students get tips on stamp collection

Staff Reporter

Magnifying glass and a stock book, part of collector’s kit

— Photo: S. Thanthoni

HOBBY TIME: Philatelist P.S. Seshadri interacts with school students at a workshop in Chennai.

Chennai: Philatelist P.S.Seshadri enthralled students with information on stamps and the postal services at a workshop here on Saturday.

Mr. Seshadri talked about the ‘Penny Black’, the world’s first stamp which came into use on May 6, 1840. The Penny Black brought in the idea of ‘prepaid postage’. Until then, people who received letters had to pay for them.

A magnifying glass and a stamp stock book should be part of every stamp-collector’s kit, Mr. Seshadri said. He taught students how to “bathe” stamps in order to remove them carefully from the envelope clippings. Stamps could be categorised based on countries.

They could also be grouped according to themes like wildlife, transport and people, he said.

G. Balakrishnadas, president of South India Philatelists Association, encouraged students to network with friends and relatives who could pass on interesting stamps to them. Interacting with the staff at post offices could also lead to a wealth of information about new stamps and first day covers. He encouraged stamp collectors to participate in philately discussions held on second Sundays of every month at the office of the Chief Postmaster General on Anna Salai. The workshop was jointly organised by the South India Philatelists Association and the ABK-AOTS Dosokai, Tamil Nadu Centre.

Students from city schools, including AMM Matriculation and Maharishi Vidya Mandir, participated.