Very few things in our world are the same as they were 85 years ago. Perhaps that’s one of the appeals of philately-collecting – patterns rarely change and the goals a collector sets out for himself can continue throughout his lifetime. Regularity and fulfilled expectations are human needs, and on this level our hobby is very satisfying.
I recently came across a 1930 Scott catalog, the catalog my great grandfather used to collect his worldwide stamps. It is remarkable, how little has changed in 85 years. The current Scott catalog would be completely recognizable to my great grandfather, and he could pick it up and use it without missing a beat. How many other aspects of our life could you say that about.
I picked a country at random: British Guiana. Look how the catalog entries from the 1930 catalog and the 2016 catalog are virtually identical.
