Worlds largest ball of stamps
Unearthing Treasures: Boys Town's Journey into the World of Valuable Stamps and Collecting
The History of the Boys Town Stamp Collection
Did you know Boys Town has the Largest Ball of Stamps in the world?
It's true. And it came about because Boys Town founder Father Edward J. Flanagan saw stamp-collecting as a wholesome, educational hobby for the boys in his care.
Boys Town kids started collecting and trading stamps in the 1930s, and the hobby grew in popularity over the next few decades. That led to the creation of the Leon Myers Stamp Center, a museum and office located in the Boys Town Visitors Center. (Today, the Stamp Center continues to encourage stamp-collecting among youth and adults and supports Boys Town programs by selling donated stamps).
The Ball of Stamps was started in 1953 by D.O. Barrett, the first curator of the Boys Town Imprint Center, and youngsters who were members of the Boys Town Stamp Collecting Club. The team started with a core (legend has it that it's a golf ball) and began licking and sticking non-valuable stamps around it. Whether the endeavor sprang from a brilliant idea or just out of boredom, the ball got bigger and
World’s Largest Ball of Stamps: world record in Boys Town, Nebraska
Boys Town, Nebraska, United States--A giant Ball of Stamps, constructed by theBoys Town Stamp Collecting Club, is located in the Leon Myers Stamp Center inside theBoys Town Visitors Center; the huge collection consists of 4,655,000 stamps from all over the world, it weighs in at a whopping 600 pounds and measures 32 inches in diameter, setting the world record for theWorld’s Largest Ball of Stamps, according to the WORLD RECORD ACADEMY.
"There’s still nothing quite like looking at a giant ball of the sticky postage in front of a framed sunburst mural (also made of stamps) to really get a stamp collector’s blood pumping. The gigantic ball measures at 32 inches in diameter, weighs about 600 pounds, and is estimated to have over four million canceled stamps," theAtlas Obscurasays.
"The origins of this quirky anomaly date back to 1953, when a group known as the Boys Town Stamp Collecting Club started to consolidate the less-valuable stamps using a golf ball as a base.
"The motivation behind the activity is unknown, but Mary Haurd, manager of the Boys Town Visitor Ce
World's Largest Ball of Stamps
Boys Town, Nebraska
To people of a certain advanced age, the phrase "Boys Town" may call to mind Spencer Tracy in vestments and towheaded lads kneeling in prayer. Others may remember an overblown Hollies song based on the Boys Town motto, "He ain't heavy, Father, he's m'brother."
But even the most pop-culture-savvy Boomer may not know that this 900-acre child care facility has its own philatelic museum, and that within it resides the World's Largest Ball of Stamps.
The ball is a relic from a time when people had more hobbies and less show. And people mailed things to each other affixed with postal stamps. The sphere is 32 inches in diameter, weighs 600 pounds, and contains a reported 4,655,000 canceled stamps. It was stuck together, layer upon layer, by the sticky tongues and fingers of the Boys Town Stamp Collecting Club starting in 1953.
Why did they do it? Mary Huard, a Visitors Center manager, speculated that "It must have been an exceptionally cool winter." Mary also volunteered that the Ball was originally idea to have been started around a pencil stub, but is now believed to have been wrapped around the core of a golf b
If you’re a fan of roadside oddities, quirky history, or just love stumbling upon something totally unexpected, this stop is for you! On this adventure, Simba 🐾 and I visited one of Nebraska’s most unique attractions — The World’s Largest Ball of Stamps in Boys Town, NE.
📍 Location & First Impressions
Nestled in the charming community of Boys Town, Nebraska, this colossal creation is made entirely of canceled postage stamps. As soon as you step inside the display area, the colorful, textured surface of the ball draws you in — thousands upon thousands of tiny stamps, layered over decades, forming a sphere that’s become a magnet for curious travelers.
📜 History & Entertainment Facts
The ball began as a creative project and quickly became a record-breaking roadside marvel. Over the years, visitors from around the world have come to marvel at this massive stamp-covered sphere — and yes, it’s officially recognized as the world’s largest of its kind. The sheer amount of postal history in one place is mind-boggling, and you can even notice stamps from different countries if you look closely.
🎥 Highlights from Our Visit
RWorld's Largest Ball of Stamps
Boy's Town, Nebraska
Featured on the World's Largest Things T-Shirt!
Built in the 1950s by the Stamp Collecting Club at Boy's Town, the World's Largest Ball of Stamps is very impressive. Unfortunately, there's not much more informaiton available - no one I talked to knew more than what's printed in the brochure:
The Leon Myers Stamp Center features displays on the history of postage stamps, a collector's corner, and the famous 600-pound ball of stamps. Made in the initial 1950s by the boys, this stamp ball was featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not. You'll also see the four cent Father Flanagan stamp, issued by the U.S. Potal Service in 1986.
The best part of the display is the little sign that reads: Don't Stick Stamps on Ball.
World's Largest Ball of Stamps Stats
From the Ripley's Believe It or Not sign:
SOLID BALL
32 inches in diameter weighing 600 600 pounds
and consisting solely of 4,655,000 POSTAGE STAMPS
1950s.
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