State of the World from NPR Encore: Childhood Stamp Collection Opened a Reporter’s Eyes to the World
Nov 27, 2025
Willem Marks, a foreign correspondent based in London, shares how his childhood stamp collection ignited his curiosity about world history and geography, shaping his career. He recounts clearing out his attic at his family's request, which leads him to explore the value of his old stamps. While visiting expert appraisers, he discovers that most of his collection has little financial worth but significant sentimental value. Ultimately, Willem decides to donate most of the stamps to schools, keeping just a few treasured pieces for his son.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Childhood Collection Sparks A Career
- Willem Marks recounts retrieving his childhood stamp collection from his parents while short on attic space in London.
- The collection sparked memories of curiosity that helped shape his career as a foreign correspondent.
Dealer's Quick Appraisal: Little Monetary Value
- At Stanley Gibbons, expert Oscar Young rapidly reviewed Marks's albums and identified mostly modern commemoratives and common issues.
- Young concluded the childhood collection had little monetary value, under about £50.
Stamps Mirror Shifts In Empire
- Stamps reflect geopolitical history and changing empires, with monarchs' faces appearing across the globe during British imperial reach.
- Marks and experts note collecting peaked in the 1950s as Britain's global role shifted and nostalgia grew.