i collect stamps. i love soaking the stamps in water and watching and letting them float. even a non collector should just collect about 20 or so stamps and just watch them. it is almost enough to make you want to collect stamps

Today is May 6, and on this date in history, in 1840, the British Government issued the first adhesive postage stamp for use on mail.  This was the start of the modern postal system as well as the hobby of stamp collecting.

The first stamp was the Penny Black and is still widely available today.  

I checked on EBay today and this stamp is going for around $200-300.  That is cheap really for such a historical item although millions of them must still be available.  I have seen Penny Blacks in relatively poor shape going for a few dollars.

Relatively inexpensive and fun to collect.

This would have to be the most well known things that people collect. Besides stamps can be interesting.