What is in a Stamp Collecting Merit Badge that Makes It So Special?It must
have been a confusing part for people who are not so much involved with
stamp collection. When some people acquiring their first sets of stamps
during their scouting years, they tried to gain some merit badges.
Every merit badge that is given to a particular boy scout includes a leaflet or a booklet that entails all the information regarding the merit badge as well as the requirements for that particular award. For example, a member of the Boy Scouts of America can obtain some badges in order to achieve the ?highest rank? in the organization, like the Eagle Scout. Consequently, among the many subject areas, which are included in the long list of merit badges the stamp collection is also one activity. The stamp collecting merit badge was created in 1932 and has continuously been updated from time to time. In fact, it was in January 1, 2001 that this particular merit badge was updated. In the updated edition of the stamp collecting merit badge, most of the changes were focused on the requirements stipulated in the merit badge. Some of the notable changes are purely textual in nature. For a general idea of the requirements stipulated in the stamp collecting merit badge, here is a list, which is not full details, just to give you an idea what stamp collecting merit badge is all about. 1. Stamp collecting merit badge requires a scout to explain the history, people, geography, etc. for better understanding of the stamp collection. It was also required by the merit badge that the scout should be able to know the development of the U.S. postal system as well as its difference with that of the other countries. 2. They were asked to describe the concept of ?topical stamp collections? and the different classifications of stamp collections. 3. Scouts are required to present some examples of the different kinds of stamps like the perforated stamps, coil stamps, etc. 4. Scouts were required to prove the link between the ?catalog value? and the equivalent market value of the stamps. They were also asked to give details on the definition of the word ?condition? when associated or linked with the stamps. 5. In order to gain stamp collecting merit badge, scouts were also required to show ?at least three? of the given ?stamp collector?s tool? like the stamp tongs, envelopes, hinges, and magnifier. 6. Certain activities were also required to be performed by the scouts such as the proper way of mounting stamps in a stamp album. Then, they were required to talk about ways on how to contribute in the preservation of the stamps and the accessories that go with it. 7. Scouts were also required to perform any two of the given actions stipulated in the merit badge such as writing a review on a particular article from a magazine, book, or a newspaper about stamp collection or learn to plan a stamp. 8. Lastly, scouts were asked to ?mount and show? any of the given requirements in order to complete the task such as ?a collection of 250 or more dissimilar stamps? taken from not less than 15 countries. Once the scouts were able to finish all of these tasks, they will be awarded with the stamp collecting merit badge, in which they can brag about. The bottom line of that stamp collecting merit badge, just like the other merit badges, were created to entice the scouts to explore and learn more on the area of their interest in the same way that they learn to value each skill that they learn in the ?Scout craft.? One of
the best things about these merit badges is that these become the trigger
and the lures for scouts to engage in a particular interest and eventually
make them a lifetime hobby.
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