Collector shares history through North Borneo stamps
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William Wang, a 67-year-old collector in Malaysia, gathers stamps and historical postal items from North Borneo, spanning 1883 to 1963.
Wang began collecting at age 10 with encouragement from his father and friends, and now focuses on pieces that reveal stories about the region’s past. He sees each stamp as a connection to the people who sent letters and the systems that linked North Borneo, now part of Malaysia, to the wider world.
Wang believes stamp collecting offers a welcome break from digital life, requiring focused study and curiosity. His collection details how mail moved throughout the region, noting that two-cent North Borneo stamps served letters within Sabah and to places like Singapore and Hong Kong from 1883 to 1891, while letters to the United Kingdom required stamps from the Straits Settlements.
Since 2013, Wang has exhibited his collection internationally, earning awards like a Large Gold Medal in Bangkok in 2023 and a Large Gold and Special Award in Uruguay, a first for a Malaysian collector recognised by the Fédération Internationale de Philatélie. He now shares his knowledge and collection online through the North Borneo Philately Facebook page, which has around 34,000 followers, hoping to inspire a new generation to appreciate the hobby.
