New stamp tools to excite junior collectors

Philatelic Foreword by Jay Bigalke

Here in the Sidney, Ohio, office, there is quite a bit going on, and I wanted to share one item with you. In May, our product manager added a few new magnifiers and a microscope to our line.

“Countless times I have heard at shows that there is not enough being done to get the next generation interested in the hobby,” said Jake Utz, product manager for Amos Media Co. “Although this is one small step, it is something that can be shared from one generation to another. All of the tools resemble tools that one’s parent or grandparent would be using.”

My now 9-year-old son began collecting stamps in 2020, and he has stuck with it more than I anticipated. Recently, I showed him microprinting on U.S. stamps, and he was fascinated by it.

The new build-your-own cardboard microscope kit is one of the items I’m eyeing for a future birthday or holiday present. It can become a digital microscope by attaching the smartphone platform. This ability to use a mobile phone to capture pictures of microprinting or to look for a year date could make this a versatile tool for both young and the young at heart.

Another item in the new junior collector line is an extra-large magnifier (about 2 inches wide) with 4.5x power. The child in the nearby photo is using it; the adult is using a smaller magnifier for comparison.

To view the new products, visit Amos Advantage online.

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