'Thousands of free stamps' will be available for kids at upcoming show

By Colin Sallee

1. For the kids

The following was pulled from a Ventura County (CA) Philatelic Society press release:

Thousands of free stamps along with “basic training” for stamp collectors will be offered at the 25th annual Youth Stamp Fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 10, at the Dudley House Museum, 197 N. Ashwood St., Ventura.

The free event is sponsored by the Ventura County Philatelic Society and the Anacapa Middle School Stamp Club and, despite the name, “is open to the young and young at heart -- anyone who wants to learn more about stamp collecting,” said John Weigle of Oxnard, chairman of the event and a member of the adult society and adviser to the Anacapa Middle School club. Stamp collecting has been called the king of hobbies and hobby of kings because many kings – and queens – have developed extensive stamp collections.

The Youth Stamp Fair offers a “swag bag” to everyone who attends, free stamps, several work stations where stamp collecting techniques are explained, games, a cachet (pictorial envelope) contest, Geosafari games related to stamps, and a large where visitors can search for stamps for their collections. The stamps are free for those up to age 18 and 5 cents each for those above 18. Visitors will also be able to make bookmarks with stamps.

The U.S. Postal Service is expected to approve a special postmark featuring balloons and the words “Youth Stamp Fair 25 Years.” The artwork for the cancel was prepared by Carolyn Weber, a member of the adult club. The cancel will be used on the cacheted covers prepared by young artists and is available to any visitor who wants it as long as the item offered for the cancellation has first-class postage on it.

More information about the Youth Stamp Fair may be obtained from Weigle at 805-485-7121 or by email (preferred) at jweigle@bvcent.com.

2. Long live the Queen

Queen Elizabeth II became the longest reigning monarch of the United Kingdom on Sept. 9, surpassing Queen Victoria’s reign of 63 years and 216 days. Great Britain’s Royal Mail is celebrating the occasion with a souvenir sheet of five stamps, including a new definitive (regular-issue) stamp.

3. Be a wise consumer

"It doesn’t matter what you want or need — a house, a suit or a steak dinner — the essential point always comes down to the value (the importance, worth or usefulness of something) in relation to the cost (the amount that has to be paid or spent to acquire that something) of what you are considering."

Stamps and covers are no exception to this rule.

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