Typography: Fonts of the Heart

Belgium

Typography is basically the font style used by the principle designer of the stamp. Many older stamps have a distinct font that makes them more collectible than other stamps even of the same time period.



Western Australia

Typography is a very highly specialized aspect of collecting stamps and I have not come across many collectors who assemble their lifelong collections along these challenging lines. You truly have to have a love for print-type more than art, subject, history, topic, country, geography or personage.



Ecuador

Special Art: Embossed Stamp Issues

Embossed stamp issues are a special breed of stamps each contains a raised texture one can actually feel with a finger. There are some embossed issues with Braille built into the stamp to assist the blind in reading the domination.

Others are special editions celebrating a great historical person or event and sold as a profitable venture to collectors throughout the world.

Whatever the agenda the embossed stamp issue is a valuable addition to any stamp collector and opens new possibilities to where stamps may go next in the future. Perhaps bar codes that can be scanned by smart phones will contain public service announcements or speak to the blind.

Welcome New Year, Welcome Ukraine to the Family

Welcome, Ukraine to the family of Kids Need Stamps. Thanks very much to a wonderful young person whom took it upon herself to translate our welcome letter and foreign stamp translation list into Ukrainian. A big favor to a part of the world where stamps are just becoming a part of their newfound cultural indendepence and political freedom. Great job and thanks again.

2009 was a widely successful year in that KNS continued to reach out and contact Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Stamp Clubs and International Parents with stamp attachments and stamp kits to start everyone in the right direction. And as always totally free of charge. We continue to make new friends in Canada, Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia and Ukraine.

KNS is marking its 3rd year in operation and continues to regularly assist Stamps for the Wounded (to honor our returning wounded veterans) and will build upon contacts to regularly supply a number of hospital programs for long-term sick children.

My family sincerely thanks you for your wonderful emails, heartfelt blog comments and overall support in this most important endeavor in helping parents help kids collect stamps.

Your Starter Kit ---The Journey Begins

The Journey towards Collecting Stamps begins after your starter kit comprises of 20 stamps both US and Foreign arrives in the mail.

My recommendation is you purchase a stockbook. A stockbook is a similar to a photo album but its pages are slotted for various sizes of stamps. The book is neutral (not dedicated to a certain country or theme) and will permit you to store the stamps safely until you decide what type or topic of stamp you may want to pursue with your child.

The following are but a few examples---(upon receipt of your starter kit you might decide to stick with)

United States

Certain Countries (i.e, France, Germany, Poland)

All Countries (i.e. the whole world of 150 plus countries)

Certain Themes (called Topicals, i.e, Shells, Fish, Butterflies, Soccer, Planes, Space, etc.)

If you decide to select the United States, then a US Stamp Album is a excellent choice to forever bound your stamps in a permanent collection. You will need a few low-cost supplies to start:

hinges: tiny adhesives that stick to back of stamp and album page

tongs: a type of blunted tweezer to safely handle stamps

magnifying glass: to increase your insight into various designs on stamps

mounts: a type of page protector but sized for stamps (best utilized on unused stamps)


You might not want to go this route so suddenly and just simply use a stockbook to fill with
US and various Foreign Stamps. If you do, you wont need any supplies other than the tongs
for handling stamps safely and possibly the magnifying glass.