Our past time hobby of Stamps collecting

Stamp collecting began soon after the first postage stamp was issued, and by 1900 it had become one of the world’s most popular pastimes. More than a hobby, philately offered a quiet way to explore history, geography, culture, and memory

The book referenced here was purchased during my visit to the Singapore Philatelic Museum at Coleman Street. The museum was dedicated to stamps and postal history, showcasing Singapore’s heritage through philately. Its collection featured rare stamps, first-day covers, and thoughtfully curated exhibitions that connected stamps with history, culture, and storytelling.

Unfortunately, as interest in stamp collecting gradually diminished and funding became more limited, the museum closed in March 2019 for major redevelopment. It has since been transformed into the Children’s Museum Singapore, marking the end of an era for local philatelists.

Here is some snippet from the book

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Fun facts from the book

Page 6 – Historical Figures (Thematic Collection)
Under thematic collections based on history, Singapore features stamps depicting historical figures. However, it is notably difficult to find a stamp from local post featuring one of our founding fathers, Lee Kuan Yew.

An exception was made in 2017 during the 50th anniversary of National Service (NS50), when a commemorative set was issued featuring Mr Lee Kuan Yew and Dr Goh Keng Swee, honoring their pivotal roles in introducing and shaping National Service in Singapore.

Page 33 – Carnivorous Plants (Thematic Collection)
In the section on carnivorous plants, Dr Tan mentions Nepenthes rafflesiana, which was discovered by William Jack and named after Stamford Raffles.

Dr Tan questioned should there be a commemorative issue based on our native Nepenthes by Singapore Post. The book was published in year 2002 and the year now is 2026. I have checked through the Singapore philatelic collection, there is not a single issues on Singapore collection of Nepenthes.

For those interested, the list of Singapore philatelic issues can be found through CS Philatelic Agency – Stamps of Singapore, a long-time supporter of the Singapore Philatelic Museum and the local philatelic community.