"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," the Atlas Obscura says.

"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 Center, suspects that the origin of the project is not all that mysterious: The stamp collectors were probably just bored."

"The ball is a relic from a time when people had more hobbies and less entertainment. 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," the Roadside America says..

"Why did they do it? Mary Huard, a Visitors Center manager, speculated that "It must have been an exceptionally cold winter." Mary also volunteered that the Ball was originally thought to have been started around a pencil stub, but is now believed to have been wrapped around the core of a golf ball.

"By July 1955 the Ball had just about reached its current size, and it was featured in the syndicated newspaper column of Ripley's Believe It Or Not."

"Boys Town in Omaha is one of Nebraska’s most iconic historic locations. Founded in 1917 by Father Edward Flanagan as a facility to care for troubled boys, Boys Town was immortalized in a 1938 movie. It has grown from a single group home for troubled boys into a large residential care facility offering at-risk boys and girls world-class care," the Only In Your State says.

"The World's Largest Ball of Stamps is located here, in the Leon Myers Stamp Center inside the Boys 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.

"The ball was constructed by the Boys Town Stamp Collecting Club starting in 1953. There are three conflicting stories regarding the ball's core. Some say that at the center is a wad of balled-up stamps; others say that the ball was built around a pencil stub. But the most popular theory is that a golf ball sits at the very center of the orb."

"This gift shop houses the largest ball of stamps. All 4.6+ million of them. That was a lot of licking," the Road Trippers says.

"The Leon Myers Stamp Center is a museum and office located in the Boys Town Visitors Center. The Stamp Center promotes stamp collecting among youth and adults, and supports Boys Town programs by selling donated stamps."

"It’s been awhile since I first visited the World’s Largest Ball of Stamps in Boys Town, Nebraska, but that doesn’t make it any less cool. Tucked away in the Village of Boys Town Visitors Center, you’ll find a roadside attraction with more than Nebraska’s stamp of approval," the Olio In Iowa says..

"The World’s Largest Ball of Stamps weighs in at 600 pounds and was constructed over the course of three years, beginning in 1953, by the Boys Town Stamp Collecting Club. With a golfball as its core, the Ball is comprised of an estimated 4.65 million canceled stamps.

"If you visit you’re more than welcome to touch and closely examine the World’s Largest Ball of Stamps—just don’t try to make any additions of your own. Adding stamps to the Ball is strictly prohibited, especially since it could interfere with its “World’s Largest” title."

"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 World's Largest Things says.

"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 early 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."

"Boys Town is a village in Douglas County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 410 at the 2020 census. Boys Town is an enclave and a suburb of Omaha.

"The village of Boys Town was established in 1917 as the headquarters of Father Flanagan's Boys' Home (Boys Town), founded by Father Edward J. Flanagan. The village houses the national headquarters of Boys Town, homes for the youth served and the families that care for them, a church, a museum, a school, and other buildings. The village is a National Historic Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

"According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 1.36 square miles (3.52 km2), of which 1.32 square miles (3.42 km2) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) is water." (Wikipedia)

"You have to give it a five. As balls of stamps go it is the world's known largest."

"We saw the world’s largest ball of stamps in the rear of the VIsitor’s Center at Boy’s Town. The woman who worked there told us it was solid stamps not just a ball covered with stamps. Amazing!"

"It’s nice that there is a roadside attraction to bring people to this important charitable landmark, which recognizes Father Flanagan‘s contributions. You can also see the commemorative stamp that was released as part of the Important Americans stamps."

"Really huge ball of stamps. Not large displays, but excellent ones of baseball cards, monies & stamps."

"I don’t know why anyone would want to make a big ball of stamps but here it is. It even made the Guinness Book of World Records."

"This is located in the visitors center of Boys Town. The story behind the ball is very endearing. Go to see the ball but stay and see Boys Town also. Your time will be well rewarded."