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What is Stamp Collecting?

Stamp collecting involves the gathering and study of postage stamps, postal history, and related items. It offers a unique blend of history, geography, and artistry, making it one of the most popular hobbies worldwide.

Why Collect Stamps?

  • Educational Value: Stamps are miniature gateways to the world’s vast cultures, historical events, and notable figures.
  • Artistic Beauty: Each stamp is a work of art, showcasing intricate designs and themes.
  • Investment: Rare stamps can appreciate in value, making them valuable assets.

Essential Tools for Every Philatelist

To embark on your stamp collecting journey, you’ll need a few essential tools:

  • Stamp Albums: Protect and organize your collection with specialized albums.
  • Stamp Tongs: Handle your stamps without damaging them using gentle tongs.
  • Magnifying Glass: Admire the fine details of each stamp with a magnifying glass.
  • Stamp Catalogs: Identify and value your stamps with comprehensive catalogs from renowned publishers like Michel, Stanley Gibbons, Scott, Yvert, and Unificato.
Stamp Album

Stamp tongs

Magnifying glass

The Premier Stamp Catalogues

When it comes to stamp catalogues, several names stand out:

  • Michel (German)
  • Stanley Gibbons (British)
  • Scott (America)
  • Yvert (French)
  • Unificato (Italian)

These catalogues are invaluable resources for collectors, offering detailed information on stamp issues from around the globe.

Popularity of Stamp Catalogue Publishers

Popularity of Stamp Catalogue Publishers

The graph above illustrates the popularity index of major stamp catalogue publishers, reflecting their influence and utility in the philatelic community.

The Rise in Stamp Collecting Interest

Stamp collecting has seen a significant resurgence in interest over the years, as depicted in the graph below:

Annual Growth in Stamp Collecting Interest

This growth highlights the enduring appeal of stamp collecting as a hobby that transcends age and geography.

Video: What is Stamp Collecting?

For a deeper dive into the world of stamp collecting and the essential tools needed, watch the video below:

Click on the image to watch the video.

What is Stamp Collecting

Conclusion

Stamp collecting is a hobby that offers endless opportunities for learning, appreciation, and even investment. With the right tools and resources, anyone can embark on this fascinating journey through history, culture, and art.

Whether you’re a seasoned philatelist or new to the hobby, the world of stamp collecting welcomes you with open arms and countless stamps to discover.

For more insights into stamp collecting and to explore a wide range of stamp catalogues, visit www.worldstampcatalogues.com, your premier destination for all things philately.

Remember to replace the placeholders with your own images and the video thumbnail to bring this article to life. Happy collecting!

Latest added Stamp catalogues

Monaco – 150th ANNIVERSARY OF THE BIRTH OF COLETTE

Born in 1873 in Saint-Sauveur-en-Puisaye (Yonne), Sidonie Gabrielle Colette lived there until her marriage in 1893 to Henri Gauthier-Villars, dit Willy. It was he who encouraged her to write the series of four Claudine (1900-1904). Divorced in 1906, she became a mime while continuing to write — novels or memories: Les Vrilles de la vigne, La Vagabonde, Dialogues de Bétes, La Retraite sentimentale or L ‘Envers du music-hall. She contributed articles to Le Matin, where she married the editor-in-chief, Henri de Jouvenel, in 1912. Member of the Royal Academy of Belgium (1936) and of the Goncourt Academy (1 944), she died in Paris in 1954. her style and the scope of her work, she ranks among the best writers of the 20th century. Colette frequented the Cöte d’Azur a lot and in particular Monaco, which she said in 1950 that it was the “only country whose borders are flowers”.

Åland – Garden Berries

Åland Post issues a new series of self-adhesive franking labels on 4 January 2023. The theme is garden berries, and Finnish artist Mari Oksanen illustrates her first postal labels showing delicate berries that are grown in Åland gardens. 

 The four berry varieties shown on the franking labels are black currants (Ribes nigrum), raspberries (Rubus idaeus), gooseberries (Ribes uva-crispa) and strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa). 

The issue marks Mari’s debut as a stamp artist, and she immediately fell for the illustration assignment: 

“Creating something for the small space was a challenge; to make the motifs appear rich in detail yet simple enough to strike the viewer’s eye. I really enjoy working with flora and fauna related objects and design organic forms, so the garden berries were well within my comfort zone. The idea of giving the berries different moods and personalities came to me almost immediately, and I appreciated being encouraged to create playful and colourful labels rather than realistic images. The black currants look a bit mischievous and secretive, the raspberries are wild rascals, while the gooseberries are the gentle sweethearts among thorns. The strawberry is the juicy one, basking in sunlight,” Mari explains. 

With the self-adhesive franking labels, the customer chooses the denomination, and you can purchase the labels by mail order from Stamps or at the post offices in Mariehamn or Sviby.