Did you know Milwaukee is home to one of the oldest stamp clubs in the country?
The Milwaukee Philatelic Society is nearly 130 years old, and its club members meet regularly every month.
Collectors say stamps are art and history in miniature form, and it’s a fairly inexpensive hobby to get into.
Lake Effect’s Xcaret Nuñez spoke with Rob Henak, historian for the Milwaukee Philatelic Society, and Blayne Kirsch, the president of the Milwaukee Philatelic Society.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Xcaret Nuñez: Can you tell me when and how the stamp collecting club first started?
Rob Henak: Well, in the 1800s, people mostly thought of stamp collecting as something the kids did. There was not really an organized nationwide stamp collecting group until 1886 when the American Philatelic Association started. Milwaukee wasn't long after that. In November of 1899, a group of six men… met in downtown Milwaukee, and they formed the Milwaukee Philatelic Society. It's been going on ever since then.
Nuñez: What do you think has kept the Milwaukee Philatelic Society alive and running for so many years?
Henak: People who just want to get together and share time with others who share their passion. And it's something that you can keep doing for your entire life. You can start as a kid, you can go away from it for a while, and it's something that you can come back to when you have more free time. It's something that you can come back to that kind of ties you to something you did and you loved when you were young. It's something that just kind of connects your whole life together.
Nuñez: What do you think needs to happen to keep this club going for 126 more years?
Blayne Kirsch: Bringing in younger members. We have a wide age range — I would say we have new members who joined within the last six months, and we have some members with 50 years in the club. We're trying to get kids involved; we have an outreach at our shows where kids can go and get free stamps. Also, there's trading and selling of stamps. As people come and go, some are downsizing their collections, and club members get to buy those at the different auctions. So it's just an interest — and getting people involved at a younger age, like empty nesters. Their children move on, and you need something to fill the time. That's kind of where I am now.4o
Nuñez: Why would you encourage someone to start collecting stamps?
Henak: Because I think they would find enjoyment. I found a lot of enjoyment in collecting stamps, teaching about stamps, exhibiting and judging [stamps] over the last 35 years that I've been involved. There's something for everybody. It's a way to learn, it's a way to keep your mind active, and it's a way to meet some really great people. And you can do it without spending a lot of money. The one thing I would not suggest to people is that you start collecting stamps as an investment. That is the silliest thing to do with stamp collecting. You get the enjoyment, the satisfaction of filling a page in your album or seeing the faces of someone as you're discussing your particular interest — that's where the value comes in.
You can visit the Milwaukee Philatelic Society website to learn more about the historic stamp club.
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