Scout Phonecard Catalog: Meet Scoutmaster Tom Wolf [tomwolf]

Scouting is a worldwide youth movement and you can find young scouts all around the world. It is thus no wonder that scout themed phone cards are available from many different countries. Tom Wolf [tomwolf] has decided to create an extensive Scout Phonecard Catalog on Colnect. This impressive catalog now contains 660 different phone cards from 41 countries.

You are welcome to learn a bit about the man behind the catalog and join our greeting for taking such an endeavor.




"
My full name is Tom Wolf, I am 65 years old and I live in Sydney, Australia.
I was born in Budapest, Hungary and migrated with my family at the time of the revolution in 1956, arriving as an 11 year old child to Australia. I was educated here and went to the University of Sydney where I graduated with a Law Degree.
I still speak and write fluent Hungarian and I have now almost totally retired from work so as to enjoy traveling around the world. I am married with 3 grown up sons, sadly none of them are collectors.
I have many interests and somehow find time to enjoy all of them, I have a very advanced phonecard collection but I limit my collection to Australia and its near neighbour New Zealand as well as some European countries and Israel.
My late father was a stamp collector (mainly Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Luxembourg - the "classical collection") and I find collecting to be a method of training the mind to be very organised, an asset I found useful in my profession. Apart from phonecards I also collect just about everything like cigarette cards and even matchbox labels but my real interest is phonecards.
Other than the Scout Phonecard Catalog I have been a regular contributor to Colnect, I am the original author of the Australian Catalog but unfortunately the collection of phonecards has almost disappeared here (just like in other countries).
Even at my age I remain an active Scout although I only got interested in this past-time in my mid 30's, but I still enjoy the outdoor and active way of life.
I am limited by ill health with coronary arterial problems (I have had a 4x bipass and a 2x bipass over the past 18 years).
Somehow, in addition to all the collecting I also find time to build and fly radio control model airplanes, I sail radio control sail boats, I build plank-on-plank model square-rig sailing ships and I mould from metal and then paint 25mm tin soldiers of the Battle of Waterloo, I have more than 800 infantry, 350 cavalry and 100 artillery pieces.
I guess all this explains why I stopped working about 3 years ago, it also means I get little sleep because in addition to all this I also try to keep all my contacts with friends and family all over the world on the internet, by email and Skype.
"



Thank you Tom for this lovely contribution to Colnect :)

30,003 Collectors Colnecting and Climbing!

The numbers are in, and the rapidly expanding archives at Colnect can now thank over
30,003 collectors for their contributions to the exciting site about all things collecting!



Though the world is filled with conscientious historians and just plain old fun loving collectors, there have been few outlets to bring together these people with similar interests. It is true that many purchase and sell their rare artifacts on various sites, but the digital auction house lacks the innovation that Colnect works hard to perfect: the connection.

Colnect has hundreds of thousands of stamps and other beautiful collectibles on a database that automatically translates languages from across the earth and allows people to exchange information about and trade their collections. There are often links to the items that can be found on eBay as well.

30,003 is a landmark number (as Colnect had 10,000 members in March of 2010), because you, the fans of collecting, have gathered here at Colnect to meet and expand the vast online catalog of collectible treasures in order to help each other to further enjoy the thrill of collecting. As you continue to upload the prestigious post cards, tea bags, beer coasters, coins, and more onto Colnect, a world-wide treasure map is being composed for all of its inhabitants to see and enjoy. It is also the people who help to make the catalogs better that deserve to take a bow. Thank you!

January 27 Celebrates the Birth of Austrian Composer Mozart - Today in History Through Collectibles

Many of the items that collectors on Colnect collect are in fact associated with certain historical events that have taken place over time. This applies especially to Stamps, Phone Cards, Coins and Banknotes. To commemorate these special historical events, countries release special issues of these items that depict images and information relevant to these events.

Through our “Today in History Through Collectibles” Blog we will highlight special events in history by featuring Collectible items from our Colnect Catalogs that are associated with historical events that took place on specific days in history.

January 27, 1756 was one of the most pivotal days in the history of humankind, as perhaps the world's greatest musical composer Wolfgang Mozart was born into our beautiful earth.



Amongst the many historical treasures that Colnect's collectors feature are actual artifacts into the past. Here we have a 1931 Austrian silver piece coin that was issued on January 27, 1931 to mark the 175th anniversary of Mozart's birth.

Coins have long been collectible because they are in fact monies with inherent value, and the precious metals used to craft them often rise in value with age. This gorgeous silver piece comes from Mozart's birthplace of Austria and details the key dates 1756-1931.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was one of the most influential and innovative classical music composers of the Classical Era. His art is treasured today, and this two schilling (Mozart) coin is a valuable homage to the man whose head is detailed on the shining silver surface.

Colnect culminates history and rarities to make up a great catalog of collectibles that are welcome in the hearts of collectors.

January 23 Marks the Birth of Film Legend Humphrey Bogart - Today in History Through Collectibles

Many of the items that collectors on Colnect collect are in fact associated with certain historical events that have taken place over time. This applies especially to Stamps, Phone Cards, Coins and Banknotes. To commemorate these special historical events, countries release special issues of these items that depict images and information relevant to these events.

Through our “Today in History Through Collectibles” Blog we will highlight special events in history by featuring Collectible items from our Colnect Catalogs that are associated with historical events that took place on specific days in history.

Casablanca is widely considered to be one of the greatest films ever made, and on January 23, 1899 Humphrey Bogart - the lead man in the historic movie - was born.



Colnect proudly features a gorgeous stamp in its gargantuan collection that the Republic of Equatorial Guinea released in tribute to Bogart and in Homage to the great film Casablanca.

Though there is some controversy surrounding Bogart's actual date of birth, it most likely fell on the twenty third of January. Many believed it to be December 25, 1899 until it was alleged that this was a Hollywood ploy by Warner Brothers studio to romanticize the star. His birth certificate is not on record.

The stamp itself was good for a value of 100 FCFA, or Central African CFA Franc, and its amazing detail cannot be overlooked. The impactful scene of Bogart's former love requesting a song from the piano man is true to the black and white film and is outlined in blue.

Bogart is center stage in the stamp, as he was in films such as the Maltese Falcon and The African Queen, which are also held in high regard by movie enthusiasts of all ages. Colnect's catalogs contain numerous treasures to behold, and this is a prime example.

Postcard Recalls the First British Parliament Meeting of January 20 - Today in History Through Collectibles

Many of the items that collectors on Colnect collect are in fact associated with certain historical events that have taken place over time. This applies especially to Stamps, Phone Cards, Coins and Banknotes. To commemorate these special historical events, countries release special issues of these items that depict images and information relevant to these events.

Through our “Today in History Through Collectibles” Blog we will highlight special events in history by featuring Collectible items from our Colnect Catalogs that are associated with historical events that took place on specific days in history.

On January 20, 1265, the very first Parliament met in England's tremendous Palace of Westminster, as the people of the nation began to vie with the monarch for representation. The eighth Earl of Leicester, Simon de Montfort, called a meeting labeled "Parliament" to negotiate peace terms with the king, Henry III, who had lost a war to Montfort.



Colnect and its many collectors harbor many treasures of history in its vaults of iconic collectibles, and the gorgeous British post card of Parliament Square is no exception.

This iconic date, January twentieth, is seen as the first mention of the word "Parliament" and also the first semblance of what would become the modern government House of Parliament, as there were representatives from each county and burgesses from the cities and towns.

The postcard captures the amazing architecture of the buildings making up the Palace of Westminster - that are now also known as the Houses of Parliament or the Parliament building - that were to become home to Parliament from this date in 1265 up to the present day.

Note the unique and regal buttresses and the great tower featuring the Big Ben clock that was added on in the nineteenth century. The rich color and detail of the photograph that is used really emanates warmth and the glory of the locale in London.

There are myriad postcards featured on Colnect's vast catalog, and this is a prime example of a rare beauty that can culminate history, tourism, politics, and artwork in one special item.

January 16 Stamp Commerates "Superman" Comic Strip Debut - Today in History Through Collectibles

Many of the items that collectors on Colnect collect are in fact associated with certain historical events that have taken place over time. This applies especially to Stamps, Phone Cards, Coins and Banknotes. To commemorate these special historical events, countries release special issues of these items that depict images and information relevant to these events.

Through our “Today in History Through Collectibles” Blog we will highlight special events in history by featuring Collectible items from our Colnect Catalogs that are associated with historical events that took place on specific days in history.

On January 16, 1939, with the "Action Comics" comic book hero Superman's popularity steadily gaining, artist Joe Shuster and writer Jerry Siegel began the amazingly successful daily newspaper comic strip Superman to introduce broad audiences to the famous character.



Colnect features this iconic collectible in the Superman comic strip stamp. Though it is seventy three years after the Man of Steel began gracing newspapers nationwide, Superman is still one of the premier super heroes in popular culture worldwide. This strip was featured in over three hundred newspapers in the United States, and at its height boasted a readership of over twenty million.

In the early 1930's Siegel and Shuster changed their character to be more legendary and, in short, to make him a super hero. His costume was then crafted to be eye catching, as the Red "S" and the yellow and blue suit made Superman larger than life. They helped to invent the super hero genre of story-telling.

The actual stamp is one of Colnect's vast collectible catalog, and is a gorgeous reproduction of Clark Kent tearing open his disguise to become Superman in the strip. His face is dead-set on righting a wrong and helping those in need. January 16 was the start of a magical transformation of Superman becoming an icon known by nearly every household in the US. Be sure to look for other treasured rarities on Colnect.

January 13 Marks Simon Bolivar as El Libertador - Today in History Through Collectibles

Many of the items that collectors on Colnect collect are in fact associated with certain historical events that have taken place over time. This applies especially to Stamps, Phone Cards, Coins and Banknotes. To commemorate these special historical events, countries release special issues of these items that depict images and information relevant to these events.

Through our “Today in History Through Collectibles” Blog we will highlight special events in history by featuring Collectible items from our Colnect Catalogs that are associated with historical events that took place on specific days in history.

Latin America's chief liberator, Simon Bolivar, successfully administered political and military leadership in order to free the nations that would become Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Panama from the rule of the Spanish Empire by January of 1825, and the beautiful depiction of El Libertador's legend is immortalized on the Angel Zeballos Simon Bolivar postcard.



Colnect's vast array of collectibles features this gorgeous Venezuelan postcard that reproduces the artist Angel Zeballos's famous portrait of Simon Bolivar. He is often shown with the sword, as he fought alongside soldiers in Ecuador, Bolivia, Colombia and Venezuela against the Spaniards on his way to uniting the region, albeit for a short time, in the Pan-American Republic of Colombia.

The actual man was not just a military strategist, but also a fierce politician who used his intellect and belief to instill democratic ideologies and free the heart of Latin America from the colonial power of Spain, which is why he is also depicted in the postcard's portrait as writing at a desk.



Bolivar's letters are widely considered to be insights into his thoughts of republican values, including the "Carta de Jamaica" letter, and his adept use of the Spanish language marked him as a military hero that was also a learned man of education.

Though the united region of the Republic of Colombia disintegrated after Bolivar's resignation of the presidency on January 29, 1830, the legacy of El Libertador who instilled Latin American pride and freedom in the people of the Americas is a highly regarded one to this day. This postcard is one of numerous highlights that grace the Colnect Catalogs.

January 8 Celebration of "with The Beatles" Stamp - Today in History Through Collectibles

Many of the items that collectors on Colnect collect are in fact associated with certain historical events that have taken place over time. This applies especially to Stamps, Phone Cards, Coins and Banknotes. To commemorate these special historical events, countries release special issues of these items that depict images and information relevant to these events.

Through our “Today in History Through Collectibles” Blog we will highlight special events in history by featuring Collectible items from our Colnect Catalogs that are associated with historical events that took place on specific days in history.

On the 8th of January in 1966 the Beatles single "We Can Work it Out" went Number One on the pop charts, and forty one years later Great Britain issued a British penny stamp titled "with The Beatles" to commemorate one of the greatest musical outfits of the twentieth century in print.



Colnect's rare catalog of collectibles features the January 7, 1997 issued British Beatles stamp in all of its historic glory. The band's single remained atop the charts for another three weeks beyond January 8, but the legend that came to surround the brilliant quartet, beginning with their early work, would capture their genius and project them as timeless.

The stamp itself is highly decorative and unusual in its uneven perforation that gives the effect of there being a stack of infamous Beatles records. The top album is an early one in black and white, but there is a gorgeous smattering of color above and behind the record, and these others are perfect representations of the LPs that changed the world.

The Beatles continue to influence and shape the musical universe in the twenty first century, and their history of sensuous melodies and innovative ventures is surely a welcome addition to any collection. This stamp captures a moment in time, and there are myriad moments of similar fortitude that grace Colnect's collectibles.

Belgium's January 5th Transportation Telecard - Today in History Through Collectibles

Many of the items that collectors on Colnect collect are in fact associated with certain historical events that have taken place over time. This applies especially to Stamps, Phone Cards, Coins and Banknotes. To commemorate these special historical events, countries release special issues of these items that depict images and information relevant to these events.

Through our “Today in History Through Collectibles” Blog we will highlight special events in history by featuring Collectible items from our Colnect Catalogs that are associated with historical events that took place on specific days in history.

Seventeen years after this gorgeous Bastogne Transportation Ticket was issued in Belgium, the date of the rare collectible reflects back, as an exciting piece of history where nearly one hundred years ago the Austria-Hungary army attacked the Balkan state of Montenegro on January 5, 1916.



In 1995, this Belgium parking permit sold for twenty five Euro, but at Colnect the Euro-based item is immortalized as a European symbol of unification that was lacking in the winter of 1916. Less than two years prior to the attack on the Montenegro region, the Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated by Serbian nationalists setting off the powder-keg that would become World War I.



The royal red, blue, and gold mark the Bastogne ticket as a artistic right of passage and parking in the Belgium state.

The German states, like the Belgium region, allied themselves with Austrian forces and formed much of the Central Powers during the Great War that would cause strife across all of Europe, ripping the continent apart.

This rare piece, featuring a crowned crest and shield was good for up to fifty hours of parking in Belgium on January 5, 1995, and it is also one of Colnect's many collectibles that can be viewed through the massive catalog.