Poking around the family archives, I happened to come across a bundle of philatelic material- waiting, perhaps, for my attention. I am carried on by whatever little stuff it is.
From my younger days,I took to ‘stamp collecting’. I have been a casual collector, accumulating stamps for sheer enjoyment knowing a little philatelic detail.I am the master of what I display and there is none to dispute. Commemorative stamps depicting events, anniversaries, etc. -on sale for a limited time –remain my passion.
Many collectors, however, choose topical stamp collecting to organize their philatelic collection on the theme of the stamps, covers, or postmarks. Postage stamps are often collected for their historical value and geographical aspects and also for the many subjects depicted on them; designs that appeal to the individuals.
Postage stamp collecting began, perhaps, at the same time that stamps were first issued. It has been one of the world’s most popular hobbies since the late nineteenth century.
- Philately is the study of postage stamps, stamped envelopes, postmarks, postcards, and other materials relating to postal delivery. That may also denote the study or collecting of such items as:-
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- Federal Duck Stamps-Among the most successful conservation tools ever created to protect habitat for birds and other wildlife. Anyone can support bird habitat conservation by buying Federal Duck Stamps.
- Postal stationery – includes government-issued postal cards, aerograms, letter cards, wrappers, envelopes, etc., that usually have an imprinted stamp.
- Sheet lets –Smaller sheets with fewer stamps may incorporate part of the stamp design or theme.
- Souvenir sheets –Stamps in a format that looks like a sheet with a big picture; various parts of the picture can be torn out and used as postage stamps.
- Souvenir cards -with one or more commemorative postage stamps or reproductions, with an inscription to mark a philatelic or historical event. They are usually not valid for postage.
- Miniature sheets – are very similar to a souvenir sheet, being in a sheetlet with a single or several stamps embedded in it.
- Corner blocks or plate blocks – compose a block of stamps from one of the four corners of the stamp sheet.
- Revenue stamps – stamps issued to pay taxes.
- First-day covers (FDCs) – envelopes with stamps attached and canceled on the first day that the stamp was issued. Most modern FDCs bear designs called “cachets”, related to the theme of the stamp issued.
- Maximum cards –NOT postage. They are picture postcards, with a postage stamp and a postmark, both on the picture side of the postcard.
- Souvenir pages – Both the stamps and the entire sheet are valid for mailing, although they are almost always sold above face value and kept in mint collection by collectors.
- Cinderella stamps – stamp-like labels that are not valid for postage.
- The most sought-after stamps are those that are fresh, have no hidden faults like hidden creases, tears, and thins; do not have any repairs. These have no lightened cancellations and no damaged perforations. Stamp values are heavily twisted to quality. An album is a convenient way to store stamps; to avoid damage. Stamp tongs help to handle stamps safely, a magnifying glass helps in viewing fine details. Stamps should be stored away from light, heat, and moisture or they will be damaged. Using acid-free paper provides better long-term stamp protection.
- There are thousands of organizations for collectors: local stamp clubs, special-interest groups, and national organizations. Stamp clubs and philatelic societies can add a social aspect to stamp collecting and provide a forum where beginners can meet seniors.
- Rare stamps are often old and many have interesting stories attached to them. Some stamps, such as the triangular issues of the Cape of Good Hope, have become legendary. Early stamps of the United States are known as classics.
- Stamp pricing is also based on the look of the stamp; fault-free and genuine in all respects will sell well. The stamp list is set in various catalogs. Today, the associations of collectors online are not limited by geographical distance. Online stamp collector clubs often contain a platform for selling and trading. Among collectors, it is common to exchange spare philatelic items as goodwill. Stamps can be sold or traded, but I have no such experience. Stamp catalogs are the primary tools used by serious collectors to organize their collections and for the identification and valuation of stamps.
- A postcard is a souvenir that not only preserves your memories of a trip but simultaneously captures a moment in history. I have fond memories of Ice ‘Palace of Jungfraujoch’, from where, in 1997, I posted a picture postcard back home to my wife, Bua Rani.
Prof. (Er.) Chander P Mahajan is an art critic & a free lance journalist. The Environmentalist stays in Shimla and Dalhousie, Himachal Pradesh, India.
