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Requirements June 1972 January 1975

1. Show the use of the Standard Postage Stamp Catalog; or show the use of a special catalog for your collection in No. 6. Find at least five items picked by the counselor.

2. Explain the meaning of good condition of a stamp. Show one stamp that fully meets this term.

3. Show you can do the following:

(a) Use a perforation gauge to figure the perforation measurement. Do this on a stamp picked by your counselor.

(b) Use a magnifying glass. Study design and condition.

(c) Use the waterwork detector. Show how it may help identify a stamp.

(d) Use tongs and hinges. Mount a stamp in an album.

4. Show stamps to illustrate the following: perforation, imperforate, roulette, cancellation, cover, mint stamp, coil stamp, overprint, surcharge, engraving, and printing process other than engraving.

5. Show one stamp in each of the following classifications. Explain the purpose of each: regular postage, commemorative, semipostal, airmail, postage due, envelope, special delivery, precancel, and revenue.

6. Mount and show in an album ONE of the following:

(a) A collection of 750 or more different stamps from at least 30 countries.

(b) A collection of 150 or more different stamps from a single country or closely related countries.

(c) A collection of 75  or more different stamps on some special subject.

(d) A collection of 200 or more different special items. Use things as precanceled stamps, postage meters, revenue stamps, covers, and postal stationery.

Requirements January 1975 until May 1990

1. Discuss how you bettered your understanding of persons, places, institutions, history, and geography in your own country and in the world, because of your collecting stamps. (Be able to discuss several of each.)

2. Explain something of the growth and development, problems, and history of the U.S. postal system. Explain how our postal system is different from those of some other countries.

3. Demonstrate the use of one of the standard catalogs. Show what you look for. Explain why market prices vary so much from catalog prices for both mint and used stamps.

4. Explain the meaning of "good condition" of a stamp. Show one stamp that is well centered, fully perforated, clearly canceled, clean, and undamaged by tears or thin spots. Tell how this affects the stamp value. Tell what country's stamps you consider especially attractive. Why?

5. Demonstrate a knowledge of albums and how to mount stamps with or without hinges. Show the use of a perforation gauge, watermark detector, magnifying glass, and stamp tongs.

6. Display stamps that show the following: perforation, imperforate, roulette, cancellation, cover, mint, coil stamp, overprint, surcharge, engraving, and types printed by other methods including photogravure, offset lithography, typography, and letterpress.

7. Prepare a page showing ingenuity in displaying one or more stamps. Use clippings, drawing, or any other means to emphasize the story behind the stamp or stamps.

8. Show one stamp in each of the following classifications. Explain the purpose of each: regular postage, commemorative, semipostal, airmail, postage due, envelope, special delivery, precancel, revenue, postage meter labels, and airletter sheets.

9. Explain various types of stamp collections, including topical collections.

10. Mount and show in a commercial album or an album of your own making ONE of the following:

(a) A collection of 750 or more different stamps from at least 30 countries

(b) A collection of 150 or more different stamps from a single country or a group of closely related countries.

(c) A collection of 75 or more different birds, trees, great men, music, aviation, Scouts on stamps, etc. (Stamps may be from any number of countries.)

(d) A collection of 20 or more different special items such as precanceled stamps, postage meters, revenue stamps, covers, postal stationery, etc.