More About "Exploring Stamps" on YouTube

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the YouTube videos "Exploring Stamps." I attended StampShow (the US national stamp show) in Columbus, Ohio earlier this month and had the opportunity to attend a seminar given by the creator of the videos, Graham Beck.

Graham is from South Africa and has been in the US since 2000. One day a few years ago, he got a bag of stamps, pulled out a French definitive featuring Marianne*, hit the internet on his phone, and was amazed at what he learned in just a few minutes. (It probably helped a bit that Marianne always wears the Phrygian Cap of Liberty that also appears on the flag of the state of New Jersey where he lives.)

He got very excited about collecting stamps and wanted to share his enthusiasm. He chose YouTube videos and set about learning how to do them. As we can plainly see by the results, he learned well.

He admitted that it takes a lot of effort to make the videos - travel, research, buying stamps, and recording and producing each episode. It takes him a minimum of 30 hours work to make each video, with some taking over 100. In case you are wondering who shoots the videos, it is his wife Laura.

He gets about 300 views per day on weekdays and 400 on weekends. His viewership is international, with about 21% in the US. The good news (for us) is that his viewers are young; the biggest group is 25-34 years old. Second is 55-64 years. 

I can't think of anyone who puts as much time and effort into promoting philately at considerable personal expense of time and money. (And yes, he does have a full-time job not related to philately.)

If you haven't yet done so, you should view at least a few of his videos. I linked to his visit to The Postal Museum in my previous post. If you don't mind mutilated Machins, here's his video about stamp art (mostly using Machins) at Stampex.

--Larry

* I know it would be a better story for us if he had pulled out a Machin, but I'm sticking with the truth.