You’d probably not be surprised to learn that when I was a kid, I had a stamp collection.

Yup, pretty nerdy, even back then.

It wasn’t a particularly impressive collection, but I had a proper stamp collecting album and I used to save up my pocket money and send off for little packets of stamps from Stanley Gibbons.

They were nothing fancy, just random stamps from around the world and I would spend hours sticking them into the album, using stamp hinges.

For some reason, the packets that Mr Gibbons sent me, often contained several Hungarian stamps. “Magya Posta”, I remember being printed on them. I ended up with far too many Hungarian stamps, but had no-one with whom to swap. That was the problem with being the only nerd in the village.

I don’t know what happened to my stamp collection… probably ended up at the tip.

But, I have started collecting again… with a difference.

Every so often, Royal Mail release a set of stamps to commemorate something or other. And, if it’s something I am interested in, I’ll buy them.

No faffing about with stamp hinges now though. These commemoration stamps come in a small presentation pack which folds neatly, to fit into a see-through plastic wallet.  Unfolded, there is usually a whole lot of blurb about whichever subject the stamps are celebrating.

Royal Mail also produce a nice imitation leather (plastic) binder with which to display your collection.

Although I’ve been collecting them for a few years, I haven’t bought that many – for instance, last year they brought out a set to commemorate the Spice Girls.

I didn’t buy those.

But I do have: Doctor Who; Star Trek; Dad’s Army; Only Fools & Horses; James Bond; Marvel; Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet; Black Adder; Paddington Bear and a lovely set depicting Weather Forecasting throughout the ages.

Oh, and a set of Penny Blacks, Reds and Blues… which would be worth a fortune, if they weren’t replicas.