Coins Collecting

I think after book reading and stamp collecting, collecting coins is one of the most liked and loved hobby around the world. The hobby not only entails collecting rare and precious coins, but also its trading as well as it is also has its own monetary value.  Normally people erroneously relate coin collecting with Numismatics. Although related with coins, Numismatics basically deals with systematic study of currency, which may also include coins. Thus a Numismatist may not necessarily be a coin collector. The differentiation between a coin collector and a numismatist has therefore clarified right here in the opening, so that no ambiguity persists in a reader’s mind about the two terminologies.

Coins have always attracted the attention of the people, collectors and the numismatics since time immemorial, mainly for the reason that paper money is the invention of a much later period of history. Since coins were the first to appear to replace the barter system, the clamouring and shinning attracted all and sundry.  But its collection initially meant as wealth and not a hobby or for the fun of collecting it. We have often seen kings throwing away small cloth sacks full of gold coins to a joker or anyone who made the king laugh or made him wiser in the films and old paintings.

However, the coin collecting as hobby came much later when people started to count on the rare coins they had in their vaults. It was then the face value of the coins also started to rise. Some claim the trend of really collecting stamps came somewhere in the 14^th century. It started off with the royalty and the nobility who started collecting rare and ancient coins to impress upon others their prized treasure. It was for this reason, the coin collecting became to be known as the Hobby of the Kings, not the King of the Hobbies as some put it to elevate this hobby over others.

However as time passed, the middle class also joined in the game and started collecting coins as a hobby and pastime. This came about generally in the 18^th century and also prompted the systematic approach to study the coin history and other attributes associated with it. Thus Numismatics was born and has since then been wrongly associated with the hobby co collecting stamps. By 19^th century, the scope of coins collecting had expanded and markets and vendors appeared in every country trading the coins and also earning money out of it.

The recognition to coin collecting as a hobby came in 1962, when the first international convention for coin collectors was held in Detroit, USA. The convention was sponsored by the numismatic associations of USA and Canada.

I will add more to coin collecting in my subsequent posts.

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Type of Hobbies – Scale Modeling

We were five brothers (we lost our elder brother February this year), each with distinct taste and hobbies. One of us had a flare for making models and replicas of various objects with cardboard. He would make life size models of guns and we would wear army uniforms of a deceased uncle and fight each other by making piquets in our rooms. This is how he started something that was later to become his profession and earning his bread and butter.

As time passed, his abilities became more polished and refined. He then started making small models of homes with card boards and would decorate these with furniture and other household. He would do it so precisely that when seen under a magnifying glass, one could see details of nuts and bolts. He was inching forward to something which at that time very few people could do. Although he studied product designing from the prestigious National College of Arts (NCA), Lahore, his orientation remained towards making models. After his graduation from NCA, he took up scale modeling, his hobby since childhood, as his profession. I remember he made a room sized scale model of a woolen factory which had dozens of spindles and machines looking exactly the same as original. He continues to do so till date. A cousin of mine, Ibrar Bhatti, also a graduate from NCA has also made his hobby of scale modeling into a thriving business and his models are a treat to watch. Seeing the photographs of his models, one can hardly guess these to be models.

The introduction was to introduce to you another type of hobbies – the scale modeling. Scale modeling is in fact exact replicas in a smaller scale of huge structures, buildings, machines and other structures to test the architectural details and introduce the would-be project to customers so that one gets to know what is about to come up on ground.

Similar to scale modeling is another field known as model engineering. The model engineering refers to making exact replicas of machines and their moving parts in metal to show as how the machine is going to work. The model engineered replicas can also be used for training and research purposes as well. We often see the car engine models which show each function of the car engine in motion. This is what model engineering is all about. Model engineering started as a branch of study in 19^th century, but it had more to do with hobbying rather than learning something from a school or a technical school.  

Scale modeling gained fame after the WW-II when industrialization got a boom. Hobbyists found a way of earning by demonstrating their skills in making scale models of everything that could be manufactured or constructed. Most of the models are now made of plastic and alloys which make it easier to give the required angle and rounded edges.

With the advent of computer graphics like Auto CAD, the trend to rely more on computer generated models is gaining popularity rather than the scale models. However, major infrastructures and building owners still prefer to have a life size scaled down model of their structure placed at the entrance of the show room to attract customers. These models are augmented by full screen projection systems to allow a 3-D viewing. The computer based graphic software provides accuracy up to 1000^th of an inch, which provides much finer details.

While computer graphics have overtaken manual scale and model engineering and modeling, there are still enthusiasts who like to make scaled down structures with their own hands, giving them the same satisfaction as an architect feels when a structure actually comes on ground. It is the hobby that matters most, not the advancement in technologies and techniques.

Photos Scale Models Courtesy: Ibrar Bhatti

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Type of hobbies – Reading

Reading is perhaps the most widely adopted hobby the world over. One may find people in waiting at airport or bus/railway terminals reading books or newspapers. The hobby is equally popular in school children when the start o read smaller books, and from here their love for reading takes a start. As one grows in age, the habit of reading also matures and from romantic novels, one turns to serious reading.

I remember my school days when reading the famous Readers’ Digest was our passion and within a couple of days of its arrival, we would have completely read it from one end to the other. Besides Readers’ Digest, comics and classics were our favourite pastime. I still remember the poor Sad Sack and his brute Serge, the Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse, Pluto, Goofy, Little Lotta, Archie, Richie Rich and many others that abounded our bookracks. Since in those days TV had not come to our part of the world, our entire leisure was comics based.

When I grew up, James Hadley Chase, Harold Robins and Sidney Sheldon became my regular reading and I read almost every book of these authors that was available. Good days of reading and enjoying. AS life went on, newspapers, magazines and tabloids were added to my reading list. Thorn Birds and Alchemist became my favourite readings. Once as a young man, I was posted at Skasar, an isolated hilltop station near Sargodha. While on duty, I used to confined to a dark room with big radar screens for eight hours, the beauty of my duty was that every third day was a complete day off. Since there wasn’t much to move about, I would visit the small library and take as many books as I could. I read a lot of Agatha Christie and James Hadley Chase stuff there for three months and I really enjoyed reading.

Reading as a pastime introduces one to the history, the world of literature and art and a world of romance. It goes by you and follows your shadows in many forms as I discussed above.  Reading is perhaps the best pastime readily available at all times and anywhere. One doesn’t have to specially get ready to read – it is just the matter of picking anything and reading. Reading the same subject written by different authors gives us an insight as how the same matter can be presented in a different way and in different words. And this also helps us to shape and reshape our own thought process and perception of life and existence.

The paperbacks are very common as these are cheaper and lighter to carry. One would often see tourists and passengers carrying paperbacks and enjoying their reading and thus passing the travel time which may otherwise become hard to kill. Even when one is on vacation, a favourite book in a candle light out in wilderness is a treat and delight long not to be forgotten.

Internet provides a much wider, easily accessible and perhaps the cheapest source of reading. Internet is loaded with so much of knowledge and information that keeps a large number of people glued to their screens and find whatever they are looking for. From trash and junk to science, technology, art and literature, there is a sea of knowledge hidden in this tiny iron box – waiting to be explored and made use of.

Libraries and internet provide a basic source of reading. But roadside stalls also sell second hand books for those who cannot buy new books or do not have access to libraries or internet. But whatever source one may explore, reading has its own fun and joy. It is not wrong when people say that book is a man’s best friend.

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Autograph Collecting

In the previous posts, I have discussed two type of “collecting” hobbies; philately and pullimeny. An autograph collecting is also a collecting type of hobby, liked and loved by a lot of people of all ages. The sight of a celebrity makes one look for a pen and a paper to have the celebrity autographed. That is another thing that giving autographs can be fatal too as in case of the legendry singer John Lennon who was shot seconds after he gave his autograph to his would be assassin.

My love in autographs was associated as one of my elder brother in our school and college days thought of collecting autographs of the then famous people. As we did not have direct access to the celebrities and leaders of the time, we thought of writing letter to them requesting for autographs. And in doing so, we got the autographs of the then president Muhammad Ayub Khan (who would sign M A Khan), President Nixon of the USA (which came through the US Embassy in Pakistan), and many cricketers and hockey players of the time.

One day my elder brother was standing near the Lahore Museum while studying in the Government College and there he found Sadequain, the famous muralist and calligrapher, strolling outside the museum. In those days Sadequain was working on a roof of the museum ornamenting it with great artistic taste. My brother that day did not carry a pen or a paper, as it happens more often than not that one has a celebrity standing so close but no means to get his autographs. So he ran to the Anarkali paper market, bought a pen and a drawing sheet and asked for Sadequain’s autograph. When Sadequain knew of my brother’s interest in art, he invited him inside the museum and showed him his masterpieces. From then on my brother, later joined by another brother of mine, was part of Sadequain’s team to assist him in completing his paintings. I also got to sit with brothers and watch Sadequain at work and was lucky to have his autograph as shown above. I will write about more about days with Sadequain some other time.

Autographs can be taken on anything that is readily available. Beside proper autograph books, nay paper, book, record jacket, post card or even tennis balls are used for autographs. We often see tennis fans getting autographs of tennis stars on big tennis balls. Same goes for autographs on cricket bats and footballs.

Autographs are a reflection of a person’s personality, his level of education, passions, and dominance or otherwise, taste artistic qualities and much more. Those who have a flare for handwriting analysis can easily decipher celebrities’ hidden talents by mere looking at their autographs. Thus autograph collecting is fun, treasure and education.

Related Reading: Autograph (Wikipedia)

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Phillumeny – the love of Matchboxes

For many, Phillumeny would be a new word. But for those who love collecting match boxes and their labels, this word would mean a lot to them. Almost sounding like Philately, which is the hobby of collecting stamps; Phillumeny is the hobby of collecting matchboxes, matchbox labels, match covers and matchbooks.

I first across this word and the hobby of matchbox colleting some three four decades ago in 1972. Till then majority of matchboxes were produced in the East Pakistan. However with the creation of Bangladesh in December 1971, the supply of matchboxes to Pakistan ceased. One of the famous matchbox was Flower Basket, which had sticks made of something other than the normal wood. Another was Three Stars and a Rooster.

In order to make up the deficiency of the matchboxes, these started to be imported till factories in Pakistan were established to manufacture matchboxes indigenously. And thus came the onslaught of beautiful match boxes from across the globe. We saw some very aesthetically manufactured matchboxes with a wide variety of covers, themes and photos. One of my brothers started collecting these and soon he had a big wooden box full of these match boxes. I still remember a series of matchboxes, probably made in Poland, with 52 playing cards covers. We collected around 35 of the series, but could not complete the remaining. Then there were matchboxes with flags of various countries.

While the love of philately is fast diminishing due to more use of e-mails and SMSs, the Phillumeny continues to flourish as it is undeterred by advances in technology, though somewhat marred by use of electric and liquid gas cigarette lighters. Teiichi Yoshizawa of Japan is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for holding a record maximum of matchboxes and related material.

The matchbox collecting hobby geared up after the WW-II and continued to expand and saw its peak between 1960-80. Like I said before in one of my earlier posts, the trend of hobbies is rather on the decline as internet provides one place where one can have all of ones likes at one place. However, unlike Philately, Phillumeny is still “in” and there are lot of matchbox lovers still around the globe.

Related Reading: A beginner’s guide to Phillumeny

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How do people start collecting stamps

Stamp collecting is perhaps the number one hobby around the world today (despite its diminishing trend due to more reliance on e-mail and SMSs). Normally one becomes a stamp collector early in one’s age when photos fascinate and quest for knowing different countries is high. 

To begin with, normally a potential stamp collector goes for stamps with pictures of choice. That is if one has inclination for animals and pets, one goes for stamps bearing photos of domesticated pets like cats and dogs. Some would like to collect stamps of personalities they admire or want to have a dictionary of presidents, queens, kings, pop stars, models or even astronauts. Mostly in early ages, pop starts and singers are majority’s choice. This is called theme collection, based on a particular line of approach.

As one grows, the scope of the collection broadens and one starts collecting stamps of one’s own country and then gets out of the border and start including other countries as well.

Stamp collecting is a source of very valuable information for those who start collecting stamps in their early ages. One soon learns about geography and history of various countries. Stamps also tell favourite games of a particular country or the personalities. Which flowers are grown in Holland or which birds fly in Russia?

The source of stamps varies, but main source is always the letters coming in one’s place. Then friends come in for exchanging duplicate stamps. And last is buying – I remember buying stamps from my meager pocket money and used to be so excited when adding the newly bought stamps. I can still point out stamps that I bought decades ago.

Initially, note books are used as a jump start. But then one starts buying specially made albums for storing stamps, though these are a bit expensive. Sorting stamps theme wise or country wise are the main types of arranging stamps, but it all depends on personal likings. Some add country information print outs at the beginning of each country or details of the selected theme.

No matter how people get started, philately as a hobby is very interesting, informative, exciting and a lifelong friend. Those who love philately would second me in saying so. It is sad to see this once very popular hobby dying as kids and others rely more on e-mails and SMSs rather than writing letters. And obviously no letters, no stamps…

PS: This post was first published in My Philatelic World

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Types of Hobbies – Collecting

When talking of hobbies, these are of many types. Here in this post, I shall be discussing about “Collecting.”  Collecting various things is one of the most popular hobbies that hobbyists love doing. And there are lots of things that people collect. One could keep talking of small objects which for many may not cause an attention, but for those who love that particular object, it may be an instant eye catcher.

When talking of collecting, many things instantly come to mind like stamps, match boxes, train/bus/airline tickets and brochures, post cards, photographs, medals, and even books. While a lot many people love to read, there are also many who love to collect books to decorate their home libraries. They may not read, but collecting rare and exclusive books is one of the most expensive hobbies. Like stamps, coins are also favourites. Coins not only talk of history, they are also fortunes as these cost in many digits depending upon their rarity and vintage minting date.

I know many people who would like to display multi-volume encyclopedias in their homes. And when I took a small survey, I found that none of them has ever consulted this volumetric source of information.  With the internet coming to most of the houses, the use of books even as reference object is dwindling.

People also love to collect cars – vintage as well as modern. Recently there was a car rally of vintage cars in Pakistan from Karachi to Islamabad to collect donations for the flood victims of the country, which affected some 20 million. And I was amazed to see cars of 50s and 60s rolling on the roads. I will talk more about these cars and collecting vintage cars some other time.

I for myself collected stamps for quite a long time and have a pretty heavy collection of stamps, some dating even the start of the 20^th century. I share my collection in my blog My Philatelic World. I will share pages from my stamp album here too for those who love to collect stamps.

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