My hobby
Good evening fellow members and guests, take a look at this little coin
in my hand. This is a 50 cent Malaysian coin of 1977. Believe it or not, this
coin may worth more than 10 thousand ringgits? Ok, this is not a magic show.
Let me tell you this.
On 19th October, a new record for the most expensive Malaysia
circulation coins sold in auction, was broken when a 1969 50 cent milled edge
coin was sold for RM10,253. Now you can check your pocket to see if you are
lucky enough to own one of this coin.
How did you get started?
Fellow members and guests, I’m a collector. Collecting is my hobby. I
started collecting since I was 9 years old, after my cousin showed me his
stamps collection albums. I can still remember it vividly that how amazed I was
to see the many different types of stamps from countries of all over the world.
So I pleaded my father to buy me a stamp album. To start collecting stamps, I
cut used stamps from envelopes. I bought mint stamps, or new unused stamps with
pocket moneys. I exchanged stamps with my classmates. And, I stole.
What do you collect?
Collecting is a slow hobby. Patience is developed when I look for new
treasures. I learn how to care, store and organize my collections.
For the past 20 years, I’ve tried to collect collectibles like stamps,
first day covers, postcards, coins, phone cards, bus tickets, bank notes,
books, magazines, posters, models, bottle caps, tissue paper and the list goes
on. However I gave up most of them. Nowadays, I collect philatelic
collectibles, coins and bank notes.
How do you do it now?
From a novice collector, I have learned and grown so much to be an
intermediate collector. I buy new stamps from post office and I buy old stamps and coins from flea markets.
Whenever I have a chance to travel to another country, I look for post office
and flea market. In KL, I go to Amcorp Mall in PJ. The flea market which
operates only on weekends is a haven for collectors.
In this era of technology advancement, communication has made simple and
more efficient. Email has gradually replaced snail mail. Writing a post mail
has become a hobby. For me, I write become it is the most economical way to
obtain stamps and cards from other countries. So, I joined an internet based
philatelic campaign called Postcrossing. Postcrossing is a project to allow
people to send and receive postcards from all over the world. The main idea is that: if you send a
postcard, you will receive one back from a random Postcrosser from
somewhere in the world. Isn’t it interesting? For every postcard that I sent
out, I really look forward to the arrival of the little piece of surprise from
the other part of the world.
I have a group of friends who share the same hobby like me. Whenever
there is a new stamp issue, we notify each other. We help each other to buy new
stamps and we exchange.
Why do you collect?
I have a dream. I hope that when I reach the age of retirement, I’ve
collected well enough to allow me to set up a stall in a flea market, selling
my collectibles to the next generation.
So my dear friends, get interested in something. Shake yourself awake.
Develop a hobby like collecting. Remember, a hobby can be hugely rewarding.
Thank you. Back to you, TME.
