Quick Take on Stamps: Early Adventures in Stamp Collecting

"The enthusiasm of collectors of rare postage stamps and the amount of money spent annually in the purchase of the little colored bits of paper will cause surprise when one remembers that stamps for postage first came into use in 1840. It seems impossible that the demand for rare stamps has become so great that men arm themselves like explorers and visit countries infested by highwaymen to secure specimens of the stamp-maker's art."

The New York Times, Sept 7, 1890: Postage Stamp Collectors -- Enthusiasts who spend much money and time on their hobby