Are you confused by all of the philatelic vocabulary associated with the Special Delivery Merit Badge? Have no fear the internet is here!!!
In all seriousness, there is a lot of vocabulary associated with stamp collecting (philately) and it can be overwhelming for new collectors. It is important to realize that stamp collecting is supposed to be fun. If you are stuck and not understanding the lingo, the first place I would look would be the US Postal System website (here). If you go about half-way down the page you will find an index of almost 100 words.
Now onto requirement #16 – Definitive vs. Commemoratives. The easy explanation is that definitive stamps are everyday stamps. They often have images of the flag and are produced in large quantities over an extended period of time. Commemoratives on the other hand are the “pretty” or special stamps that you can buy. These reflect holidays, people, places, events, etc. Want to learn more about definitive and commemorative stamps, check out the Mystic Stamp Company’s page (here). This short read provides all the answers to the questions associated with requirement #16.
Are you trying to complete the Special Delivery Merit Badge or looking for additional resources, checkout this additional badge helps:
- Requirement #1
- Requirement #7
- Requirement #8
- Requirement #12
- Requirement #16
- Requirement #18
- Requirement #20
- Requirement #21
NOTE: The requirements have been simplified here. Please be sure to read the full text in the Girl Handbook to make sure you fully understand the requirements.
