Hobbies And Interests
First Stamp Ever
The British Penny Black, from 1840, was the first stamp ever printed. Its copies are still available, so it's not out of reach of serious collectors at about $200 for a copy.
Most Valuable Stamp
The British Guiana 1-cent magenta is considered the rarest and most valuable stamp, as only one has ever been found. It last sold for about $1 million.
Countries that No Longer Exist
Just because a country no longer exists doesn't mean its stamps aren't still collected. Travel back in history with stamps from places that have changed their name, such as Persia, or states that are now part of other countries, such as Danzig, which is a part of Germany.
Stamps as Exports
Some small nations, such as some Pacific islands, have little to export, so selling stamps to collectors is a significant part of their gross domestic product. These stamps are affordable collection builders.
Themes
Foreign stamps do not have to be collected strictly by country. Kids often get started in stamp collecting through themes. They may build a collection of insects, animals, planes, boats or famous works of art.