Collecting stamps in the 4.0 era

Nowadays, the activity of sending letters by post has decreased sharply due to the widespread use of e-mail and social media messaging. However, stamps and stamps still hold a special place, not only in correspondence but also in cultural and tourism exchanges, because stamps are a unique cultural product that countries still maintain production of.

Although the stamps are only a few centimeters in size, to stamp collectors they represent a very vivid world of nature, people, culture and history of many countries.

In 1927, the Indochina postal service issued the Fondation de Saigon (Foundation of Saigon City) stamp set to commemorate the 60th anniversary of April 4, 1867, when the French government established the "Saigon City Committee".

PHOTO: PHUC MINH

In Ho Chi Minh City, stamp enthusiasts often gather at the headquarters of the Vietnam Stamp Company on Dinh Tien Hoang Street, Saigon Ward. Sometimes, they meet at a coffee shop in the courtyard of the Ho Chi Minh City History Museum. They also meet at schools to share experiences and benefits of collecting stamps.

OLD AND YOUNG, SAME PASSION

One of the names that has been associated with stamps for a long time is Mr. Nguyen Dai Hung Loc - Vice President of the Ho Chi Minh City Stamp Association. Mr. Loc said that he started collecting stamps at the age of 9, because his friends in the neighborhood "invited" him to do so. And then, when he went to Petrus Truong Vinh Ky School, he saw many teachers and classmates collecting stamps. At that time, the rare stamp he collected was a Soviet stamp with the image and signature of Yuri Gagarin - the world's first astronaut; next was the "Sri Lanka" stamp that was withdrawn in 1967 for religious reasons.

Stamps from Indochina period but stamped with the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in September 1945 to serve the needs of correspondence before new stamps could be printed. The two stamps on the left have the image of Dr. Yersin. The two stamps on the right have the images of Queen Nam Phuong and King Bao Dai.

PHOTO: PHUC MINH

"Stamps are not simply pieces of paper that show the postage fee, but also works of art that contain a lot of information about different countries. Among them, stamps that are in small quantities, issued on very special occasions or have printing errors, but are still preserved intact, will become a type of "antique" with a value many times higher than the original selling price," said Mr. Loc. For example, in Vietnam, envelopes with military stamps from the resistance war are now worth tens of millions of dong because they have historical significance and have become rare.

Mr. Pham Manh Hung, over 80 years old, has been involved in stamp collecting since his school days and is rarely absent from stamp exchanges and exhibitions in Ho Chi Minh City. Initially, he only collected stamps of famous people in the country, but later expanded to include themes of landscapes, women, ethnic minorities, businessmen and sports . He said: "Each stamp with the same theme, designed and printed by many different countries, has its own meaning, but when placed next to each other, it creates a perfect picture. Knowing how to combine them, they bring a new and very rich value."

Young "followers" who started collecting stamps also felt the same way as Mr. Loc and Mr. Hung. Considering stamps as a "witness" to preserve history, Ms. Duong Anh Kieu My shared: "Learning about stamps helps me improve my knowledge and connect with friends who share the same interests. Before, I only knew how to make friends with books, but thanks to collecting stamps and participating in stamp club activities, I have come out of my safe haven."

Stamp collectors meet and exchange at the headquarters of Vietnam Stamp Company in Ho Chi Minh City.

PHOTO: PHUC MINH

Student Nguyen Gia Hung, who has been collecting stamps for 12 years since he was 10 years old, said: "I love stamps about generals and marshals the most, because they give me more knowledge about the history of wars to defend the country." Student To Nguyen Tuan Anh said: "I have loved collecting stamps since I accidentally watched a video about the history and value of postage stamps. From then on, I started collecting stamps about the history of the country and the heroes and soldiers who sacrificed their lives, to remember and appreciate the efforts of our ancestors."

Mr. Nguyen Cao Thieu Khanh (30 years old), who has only been collecting stamps for 8 months, loves the Indochina stamp series (before 1945), especially stamps related to Queen Nam Phuong and King Bao Dai. When meeting professional stamp collectors, Mr. Khanh enjoys chatting and learning more historical stories related to stamps.

Stamps are not simply pieces of paper that represent postage fees, but also works of art that contain a lot of information about different countries. Among them, stamps that are limited in quantity, issued on very special occasions or have printing errors, but are still preserved intact, will become a type of "antique" with a value many times higher than the original selling price.

Mr. Nguyen Dai Hung Loc (Vice President of Ho Chi Minh City Stamp Association)

L AN TOA HOBBY OF STAMPS

Currently, countries around the world still maintain stamp production and take turns organizing stamp exhibitions, judging and awarding prizes for unique stamp collections. According to Vice President of the Ho Chi Minh City Stamp Association Nguyen Dai Hung Loc, there are currently hundreds of millions of stamp collectors in the world. The Vietnam Stamp Association was established on December 30, 1960, and is an official member of the International Philatelic Federation (FIP, established in 1926), and the Asia-Pacific Philatelic Federation (FIAP, established in 1974).

Recently, the Ho Chi Minh City Stamp Association and the postal service have started a number of activities to guide students in learning about the history of stamps and the hobby of collecting stamps. "Ho Chi Minh City stamp associations have proactively used social networks to inform and promote the hobby of collecting stamps to many people, especially young people. We hope that more units, organizations and individuals will join hands to spread the stamp collecting movement in many effective forms," ​​said Mr. Nguyen Dai Hung Loc.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/thu-choi-tem-thoi-40-185250903221216361.htm