Dubai-based stamp collector makes 'historical collection'

Dubai: If there's one thing Sajid Ahmad likes, it is stamps. So much, in fact, that he has collected hundreds, even thousands, over the last 12 years.

What differentiates his collection however, is not the age of the stamps, the country they're from or the price - but what they depict.

His collection is a complete history of several theories about the birth of the world. From the beginning of time to the evolution of the human species, he has collected stamps depicting the theoretical developing stages of the world.

"I started collecting when I was 16. Most people collect the same subjects, like sports and I wanted to have a collection that was different from others. At last I decided to make a historical collection," Ahmad said.

Dealers

The 32-year-old came to Dubai two years ago from his home in the Calicut district [Kozhikode] in Kerala, South India, where he was a member of a philately club.

All the stamps in his collection have been bought, some from collector Mohammad Koia, whom he calls an 'expert philatelist'. The others, comprising the collection, were bought from stamp dealers in Mumbai.

While the collections are not categorised by countries or continents, he has stamps from the UK to Australia, the Solomon Islands, Africa, New Zealand, Canada, the US and Korea.

There are two main types of stamps, Ahmad explains - commemorative and definitive. Commemorative are produced for collectors only, and cannot be used in any postal service, while definitive can be used to send letters and parcels.

Ahmad is interested in the history of the world - and all the theories that go hand-in-hand with this.

The stamps show images of two theories of creation - the Big Bang theory, and the steady state theory [that matter is continuously created at the rate of a few hundred atoms a year].

Solar system

His collection reveals the dualistic and monotheistic theories of the origins and evolution of the solar system. "It's a whole history of the earth," he said, "starting with evolution, water, the solar system, plants, the first sources of life and the first animals. It covers everything from the first stages during pre-historic life and the evolution of man."

Although Ahmad's collection doesn't focus on which countries the stamps have come from, he has a small collection of Middle Eastern and UAE stamps.

These depict ancient pottery and scenes of life in the region from ages past.

Ahmad is currently looking for stamp collecting [philately] clubs in Dubai, so he can share his huge collection with other enthusiasts.

The Emirates Philatelic Association

The EPA was established in 1996 after a Ministerial Decree and currently has 215 members. It aims to bring together Philatelists in the UAE, to exchange ideas and stamps.

The club meets in a room at the Riqa Post Office in Dubai, which was allocated by the General Postal Authority.

The EPA meets on Saturday, Monday and Wednesday from 7.30-10pm.

For more information, go to: www.epa.ae