Tiny but significant pieces of history

COLLECTING stamps and coins is not about collecting as many of them as possible even though that was what some of us did in our childhood.

The more we had to display in our little stamp albums and coin boxes, the more cool it made us looked to our peers.

However, philately and numismatics, referring to the study and collection of stamps and coins or bank notes respectively, are not hobbies to be taken lightly. After all, it takes some knowledge to tell all the various stamps and coins apart.

In fact, to serious collectors, all the stamps and coins signify an important part of our lives.

To philatelist Ong Liap Teck, stamps represent the history of a country and form an integral part of our lives — something that should not treated as a mere frivolous collection.

“Stamps, coins and banknotes — they may be small items but are very important as they have a lot of historical value. From the history of stamps, we know the history of our country. Stamps show control within the territory of a country.

“Through stamps, we are able to appreciate the progress of systems, communications, international business and so on throughout the years,” he told thesundaypost.

Ong, the president of Philatelic Society of Kuching Sarawak, strongly believed that through philately and numismatics, people would have a better understanding and appreciation of history.

“Stamps, coins, banknotes or old documents are actually artefacts accessible to ordinary people. They are not antiques per se but something connected with either our personal or our country’s history.

“For example, from all the documents of the past, we can tell how unique Sarawak is, having been ruled by a foreign family for about a century.

“We also learn that stamps from the Japanese occupation period tend to be valuable because there were very limited postal correspondence in those days — so to have something from that era is a priceless piece of history.

“Besides, most families would have their own documents of some sort from the past. All these have stories or lessons to tell the current or future generations. That’s why it’s important to keep, study and share them with other collectors,” he said.

According to Ong, the Philatelic Society of Kuching Sarawak now has 280 members of whom about 100 are active and they have gatherings on weekends to discuss their hobby.

The Society was founded in 1993 with the aim to promote Sarawak stamps by creating fellowship among collectors, and provide a healthy avenue for youths to gather and learn about this traditional hobby.

Stamp collection was once a popular hobby before being overtaken by video games and technological gadgets.

Ong said the Society aimed to be the training ground for cultivating knowledge, history and appreciation of the arts through philately and numismatics.

“Most of the members’ collections are Sarawak stamps, coins or banknotes — from the Brooke era till the present. Morerover, some members collect old documents and ephemera such as postcards and old letters.

“Usually, the stamps and coins are found through auctions, private collections, old documents such as discarded files as well as fellowships with overseas societies.”

Ong pointed out that different members usually had different knowledge or expertise with their own specific collections.

Because of this, different topics are discussed at the weekly gatherings. This makes for good sharing sessions as no one can be an expert in every field. The scope of the topics is very wide — which makes the Society interesting.

“Actually, there are many other such groups in Kuching and other parts of Sarawak. We hope to attract more friends to join us — and usually communicate and promote our activities through Whatsapp and Facebook Group (Philatelic Society of Kuching Sarawak).

“Age is not a problem at all as we have members from 18 to 88 years old. The response has been good from active members and everyone enjoys the harmonious interaction,” he said.

Ong, who started his stamp collection in 1997, is interested mostly in collecting revenue stamps used on documents — not those used in postage.

For those wishing to start a collection, he cautioned against impulsive purchases, stressing on the importance of research.

“Don’t buy until you are very sure of its historical value and check with various sources. It would be good to check who the previous owners were or what the source of the documents was.

“You also do not have to buy at a very expensive price. It does not mean old is valuable. Actually, this hobby is not so much focused on the monetary value of the collections as some may not worth much at all.”

He said people collected them because of the rarity or uniqueness of certain items, adding that sometimes, the colour of the same stamp may differ, making it a unique set but it did not fetch a high price commercially.

“Of course, for those wishing to be sure of prices, there are catalogues, issued by relevant authorities, which merely serve as guides. The prices are subjective and may differ between catalogue and selling price — which could be higher or lower.”

Ong also pointed out that usually stamp collecting started with sentimental values — in the days when people still relied heavily on postal service.

“The days when people sent letters and postcards through the post. People, especially youngsters, may start collecting stamps because of sentimental value or emotional attachment. For example, if you have penpals overseas, you tend to cut out the stamps from the different countries.

“It’s really the sense of possessing something that nobody else has or something with very few left in the world.

“Most importantly, don’t start collecting until you understand and appreciate them. It’s a hobby requiring knowledge and interest — not just about making profit. However, once you get started, you will find it a very fulfilling hobby as you can learn a lot from it.”

Ong encouraged the public wanting to learn more about philately and numismatics to join the Philatelic Society of Kuching Sarawak Facebook Group.

He also informed that there will be a Stamp Fair at CityOne Megamall from June 25 to 29.

“This is an annual event open to the public. We will have dealers’ sale booths as well as an exhibition of our members’ private collections. The public can come and learn more,” he said.