History of stamp collecting...
What's history telling us about the future of stamp collecting?

People who study the history of stamp collecting often are not that optimistic about the future of stamp collecting. What do you think?

Visit some stamp collecting websites or a stamp collecting forum on the Internet, or read a stamp collecting magazine or articles about stamp collecting in a historical perspective and you come to the conclusion that a lot of collectors see a smaller role for stamps and stamp collecting in the near future. Their argument is that more and more communication is digitized through the Internet causing a decline in mail volumes and therefore fewer postage stamps being used.

But is such pessimism justified? Is stamp collecting a dead hobby?

It's true that stamp clubs are having problems attracting young stamp collectors. But on the other hand, we see much lively online discussion on message boards and social network sites, and the Internet has given a chance to stamp collectors to revive their hobby.

What's really going on?

We at eGlobals Stamp Collecting see at least three trends based on what we've learned from the history of stamp collecting:

1) The future of stamps and stamp collecting is in the niche

From an economic point of view, postal mail and stamps are simply old technologies for sending correspondence. Today, we don't need postal mail and stamps anymore. E-mail is FREE. Online is the way now to distribute messages, letters, correspondence, and other reading material.

Stamps will be used, but only in the niche. Most of the time you use the Internet to distribute your content. At least, that's the way the “youngsters” are communicating with each other. You use postal mail and stamps only in case of personal invitations, business letters, anniversary cards, etc.

2) New scarcity

If it can be digitized, it will. That's simply how economics works. The use of stamps in today's and tomorrows economy moves to the niches where either a) folks with passion for stamps still use them or b) it still makes sense to use them.

With all that abundant and FREE communication through the Internet, new scarcities arise like personal attention, authenticity and the “touch factor”. The touch factor is becoming more and more important. When products and services are digitized, holding a physical product in your hands gives it some exclusivity. Stamps represent such “scarcity”.

3) High tech and high touch

The Internet and online communication has built-in limitations. As more and more people communicate through interactive media, the need for living, breathing human beings to share and discussion your hobby with, only increases.

As new communication technology accelerates, so will our craving for the friendly attention of fellow stamp collectors.

What do you think?

How do you see the future in the light of the history of stamp collecting? Is the decrease in the usage of postage stamps affecting the hobby of stamp collecting? Do you believe stamp collecting is still alive in say 2035? Is the Internet opening up new opportunities for the hobby or is the opposite true?

What do you think?

Is stamp collecting a dead hobby or not?

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