A Minute With Anna Taylor, HipStamp

1. How did you get into the hobby? 
I got in the hobby a little over 4 years ago, when I started working here at HipStamp. I had family who collected before that, but working here got me much more immersed into the community, where I was able to grow and find more of a passion for philately. 

2. What do you like about it? 
My favorite thing about the hobby is the way it connects people from all walks of life. There's something for everything in stamp collecting, no matter who you are or what your background is. In one day of my job, I can connect with members of the philatelic community in Australia, Singapore, Japan, France, and then with PTS in the UK. Stamps have a unique way of bringing people together and I appreciate that. 

3. Tell us your best stamp related memory / story? 
I got married in 2021 and had the best time purchasing stamps to use on the envelopes. I decided to get topical stamps to use on invitations that were hyper-specific to each guest being invited. It was a fun way to share philately with my friends and family and personalize our letters to them. For example, I have some cousins with younger children and I used Sesame Street and Disney stamps on their envelopes. I was told the kids absolutely loved them! 

4. What is your favourite thing about Stampex? 
Recently I had the pleasure of attending virtual Stampex. I really enjoyed the Roundtables hosted by various PTS members! The ability for everyone to gather and have stamp-related conversations in a virtual setting was great. Each person had a voice, and I appreciated the opportunities for conversations with people that I otherwise would not have had. I would love to see more of this in the future.

5.  Do you collect? If so what do you collect & what is your favourite piece? 
I do collect! I am mostly a topical collector, but I also dabble in some of the more Classic US stamps as well. My favorite piece changes over time, but I really love a new addition to my collection I got, a ballet topical stamp, from Prokofiev's "Romeo and Juliet," a MNH Sweden #1141 (1975). It's nothing particularly valuable or expensive, but it's such a beautiful stamp! 
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