Stamp Collecting  11/90



1. Discuss  how  you  bettered  your  understanding  of  persons,

   places,  institutions,  history,  and geography  in  your  own

   country  and in the world, because of your collecting  stamps.

   (Be able to discuss several of each.)



2. Explain something of the growth and development, problems, and

   history  of  the U.S. postal system.  Explain how  our  postal

   system is different from those of some other countries.



3. Demonstrate  the  use of one of the standard  catalogs.   Show

   what  you  look for.  Explain why market prices vary  so  much

   from catalog prices for both mint and used stamps.



4. Explain the meaning of "good condition" of a stamp.  Show  one

   stamp  that  is  well  centered,  fully  perforated,   clearly

   canceled,  clean and undamaged by tears or thin  spots.   Tell

   how this affects the stamp value.  Tell what country's  stamps

   you consider especially attractive.  Why?



5. Demonstrate a knowledge of albums and how to mount stamps with

   or  without  hinges.   Show the use of  a  perforation  gauge,

   watermark detector, magnifying glass, and stamp hinge.



6. Display   stamps  that  show  the   following:    perforation,

   imperforate,  roulette cancellation, cover, mint, coil  stamp,

   overprint,  surcharge, engraving, and types printed  by  other

   methods    including   photogravure,    offset    lithography,

   typography, and letterpress.



7. Prepare  a  page showing ingenuity in displaying one  or  more

   stamps.   Use  clippings,  drawings, or  any  other  means  to

   emphasize the story behind the stamp or stamps.



8. Show  one  stamp  in each of  the  following  classifications.

   Explain  the purpose of each: regular postage,  commenorative,

   semipostal, airmail, postage due, envelope, special  delivery,

   precancel,  revenue,  postage  meter  labels,  and   airletter

   sheets.



9. Explain various types of stamp collections, including  topical

   collections.



10. Mount and show in a commercial album or an album of your  own

   making ONE of the following:

   a. A collection of 750 or more different stamps from at  least

      30 countries.

   b. A collection of 150 or more different stamps from a  single

      country or a group of closely related countries.

   c. A  collection of 75 or more different bird,  trees,  great

      men, music, aviation, Scouts on stamps, etc. (Stamps may be

      from any number of countries.)

   d. A collection of 200 or more different special items such as

      precanceled stamps. postage meters, revenue stamps, covers,

      postal stationery, etc.