Janesville Stamp Club Jeff Magnus sits with a few select stamp albums for a portrait recently before the clubÃÛèÖÊÓƵ monthly meeting at Cargill United Methodist Church.
Janesville Stamp Club Jeff Magnus holds up a magnifying glass to a stamp from Finland while showing a few select stamp albums before the clubÃÛèÖÊÓƵ monthly meeting at Cargill United Methodist Church.
Janesville Stamp Club Jeff Magnus points to one of the triangular-shaped stamps from Estonia while sharing showing some albums from his extensive stamps collection.
Janesville Stamp Club Jeff Magnus sits with a few select stamp albums for a portrait recently before the clubÃÛèÖÊÓƵ monthly meeting at Cargill United Methodist Church.
Anthony Wahl
JANESVILLE — From iconic faces of historical figures to vibrant landscapes of faraway lands, every postage stamp of Jeff Magnus’ tells a story.
Over five decades of collecting, the Janesville Stamp Club member has done more than acquire bits of paper with adhesive backing.
Finding unique stamps has been a pathway to exploring history and culture.
“ItÃÛèÖÊÓƵ just like doing puzzles or crosswords,†he said. “ItÃÛèÖÊÓƵ a way of learning.â€
An interest formed in 1972, at the age of 10, turned into a lifelong hobby.
He enjoys learning about the history behind stamps, including significant moments such as the debut of the first U.S. postage stamp in 1847, featuring Benjamin Franklin.
The first woman on a U.S. stamp was Martha Washington in 1902 and the first Native American figure, Pocahontas, came in 1907.
Janesville Stamp Club Jeff Magnus holds up a magnifying glass to a stamp from Finland while showing a few select stamp albums before the clubÃÛèÖÊÓƵ monthly meeting at Cargill United Methodist Church.
Anthony Wahl
Magnus was introduced to the world of stamp collecting by his mother.
“I think she liked the pretty pictures,†he said.
Growing up in Chicago, she was a collector of U.S. and foreign stamps.
“She used to write to missionaries saying ‘I’ll send you money for your cause, if you send me back an envelope full of local stamps,’†Magnus recalls.
She took him to his first large stamp shows in 1976, first in Chicago and then in Milwaukee.
Janesville Stamp Club Jeff Magnus holds up a magnifying glass to a page of stamps from Finland from his collection.
Anthony Wahl
As his interest in the hobby grew, she introduced him to LinnÃÛèÖÊÓƵ Stamp ÃÛèÖÊÓƵ Magazine. About a decade ago, he learned about the Janesville Stamp Club from the magazine and has been involved ever since.
Magnus collects both mint and used stamps. Stamps that are over a century old tend to cost a lot of money, he said.
“Sometimes you kind of say, ‘should I buy this stamp or feed my family for the week?’†he chuckled. “You can pick up a mint stamp for a reasonable price, just because somebody on eBay or a club, or a stamp guy is willing to part ways with it at a reasonable price.â€
Stamps always include three things: a subject, the stamp of value, and the country of origin except for one country in the world, Great Britain. Because it invented the first modern postage stamp in 1840, Great Britain is exempt from that requirement.
He says a common predicament for collectors is how to organize mint stamps and use ones.
“What do you do? Do you do trade, or barter, or sell the use stamp or do you put it next to the mint stamp?†he said. He combines his stamps in binders, which can be traced back to his childhood.
Janesville Stamp Club Jeff Magnus points to one of the triangular-shaped stamps from Estonia while sharing showing some albums from his extensive stamps collection.
Anthony Wahl
“I don’t throw away or get rid of the U.S. stamps because they remind me of my mom,†Magnus said. He has albums with U.S. stamps and other binders filled with Middle Eastern and Europe stamps.
Magnus values being able to have close memories tied to his collection.
“ItÃÛèÖÊÓƵ nice to think about when my mom gave me one for my birthday or my aunt,†he said. “I remember when my grandmother took me to the stamp store in downtown Chicago at the Carson Pirie Scott department store and she picked out a stamp for me.â€
The first series of the U.S. airmail stamps is Magnus’ favorite out of his collection. HeÃÛèÖÊÓƵ always liked airplanes and appreciates the pretty, simplistic presentation of the red boarded stamp.
U.S. post offices tend to not carry every single stamp that comes out in a year, Magnus explained.
As an Elkhorn resident, Magnus has been a regular customer at the cityÃÛèÖÊÓƵ United States Postal Office at 102 E. Walworth St., for over two decades.
“The postmaster in Elkhorn works with me,†he said. “They have a very good stack of stuff and if they don’t have something, the postmaster will call around and get help from Delavan, East Troy, Waterford or Lake Geneva. He’ll find the stamps that I’m looking for.â€
Magnus said he enjoys admiring postage stamps alone, but finds a strong community in the hobby.
Being a member of the Janesville Stamp Club is about sharing knowledge, forging friendships and experiencing the joy of discovery together, he said.
The club held annual postage stamp exhibit on Feb. 10, at the Holiday Inn Express/Janesville Conference Center
Its regular meetings are every third Thursday of the month from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., September to June, at Cargill United Methodist Church, 2000 Wesley Ave., Janesville. A junior club for children 7 and up with an adult takes place from 5:30 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. Contact (608) 758-1354 for more information.
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