Jack Minkus; Made Stamp Collecting Popular

Jack Minkus, 94, a Polish-born entrepreneur credited with making stamp collecting popular in the United States. Minkus immigrated to America in 1929 and was publishing and selling miniature dictionaries with his brother when a stamp dealer showed them a stamp album from England. Realizing that they could manufacture album sets for less and sell more of them, the brothers hustled their clients into stocking the stamp books and accompanying bags of stamps. The new hobby item quickly caught on. When the partnership dissolved, Minkus took his share in stamps. Starting in 1931 with a stand in Gimbels department store in New York City, he eventually built up a stamp vending operation that included outlets in 45 department stores nationwide. On Tuesday in New York City.