Stamp Collector

We collectors are often the first to raise an eyebrow when Royal Mail’s stamp schedule for the year is revealed. Increasingly we see stamp subjects that only have a tenuous connection to Great Britain and its people, many aimed squarely at fans of a

The stamp market is being flooded with counterfeit Ukrainian stamps following the growing interest in the country’s recent issues, many of which make direct reference to the Russian invasion. The stamps of Ukrposhta, the national post office of Ukrai

The American Philatelic Society Board of Directors has elected renowned philatelist and former Smithsonian National Postal Museum curator Cheryl Ganz as president to replace Bob Zeigler, who recently stepped down. Cheryl Ganz, interviewed in the Octo

Royal Mail has revealed images of four new stamps that will be issued to mark the Coronation of Their Majesties King Charles and Queen Camilla at Westminster Abbey on 6 May 2023. The stamps illustrate the Coronation ceremony and the traditional stree

An Post, the post office of Ireland, is inviting suggestions for stamp topics in 2025 and beyond, before a shortlist is put forward to the government for approval. Significant anniversaries, and aspects of Irish history, culture, community, geography

New Zealand Post recently invited New Zealander pet owners the chance to have their cherished companions appear on a new stamp collection, which is set to be issued in August and titled ‘Pets of Aotearoa’. The contest invited pet owners to send in a

A new philatelic exhibition is set to open at the Spear Museum of Philatelic History at the Royal Philatelic Society London (RPSL) shedding light on the 1879 Anglo-Zulu War. ‘When British and Colonial forces invaded the Zulu Kingdom on 11 January 187

The Crest of Jersey is featured on six new Post & Go stamps which have been redesigned to include the official cypher of His Majesty King Charles III. The Crest of Jersey first appeared on a set of Jersey Post & Go stamps issued in 2016. Now the cres

An intriguing bit of Cold War history is commemorated in a new Faroese stamp showing the two alien-looking white domes that adorn the top of the Sornfelli mountain plateau on the island of Streymoy. During the Cold War, the Faroe Islands had a partic

The 1995 vintage of European postal community stamps already had the motto ‘Peace and Freedom’ as its theme, on the occasion of the 50th year since the end of the Second World War. At that time, 50 countries from Aland to the two postal administratio

Jersey Post has issued A History of Jersey’s Emergency Services, a new set of stamps celebrating the island’s emergency services, past and present. Designed by Martin Mörck, a renowned Norwegian stamp artist and engraver, the eight stamp set features

The centenary of Guernsey’s tiny Little Chapel – one of the smallest chapels in the world – is being commemorated by Guernsey Post, which will release four £1.50 stamps over the coming year, each depicting The Little Chapel from a different angle. At

Aland has issued two new postage stamps in the Europa 2023 stamp series with the theme of ‘Peace’. PostEurop took a last-minute decision to switch to the ‘peace’ at the suggestion of Ukraine Post. One of the two new Aland stamps shows the Europa stam

Each stamp in The ‘Legend of Robin Hood’ set, all 1st class, vividly depicts a key moment in a legend that has been told over and over, in stories and films. Together, they form the outline of the well-loved tale: Robin declared an outlaw; Robin meet

Spink recently sold this cover, which was flown from Baghdad to Dehra Dun, India in January 1920. The cover featured a British Occupation of Iraq 1918 ½a. on 10pa. and 1a. on 20pa., both tied by a ‘civil posts/aerial/iraq’ circular handstamp in viole

Flowers, the Royal Mail’s first Special Stamp issue to feature the silhouette of the newly crowned King Charles III was issued at the end of March (see Stamp Collector May 2023). Fittingly for a monarch whose love of nature and gardening is well-know

For most Great Britain collectors to define ‘high value definitives’ is easy. Before decimalisation it was the values from 2s 6d to £1. Following decimalisation there was a temporary reduction to 10p (2s), while the upper limit has increased to £5 (n

France, Definitive booklet Marianne of Luquet, curiosity: join print French Levant, French 30c International ‘coupon-réponse’ cancelled Constantinople-Pera 1907 Catsellorizo, 20pi on 5F Merson French Levant stamp overprinted ‘CASTELLORISO’ with ‘S’ i

Many enjoy researching the designs as they generally provide us with details about the geography, culture or economic activities of the territory. Many collectors focus on the engraved sets and one of the most attractive examples was released by Cypr

This issue from 1986 marked the 900th Anniversary of the Domesday book and this cover the centenary of Legal and General, so you could argue that this combination does sort of work. It has always been the hardest cover for this issue to find and it i

In the modern world we constantly have to jump through hoops to prove who we are. For this we can blame generations of fraudsters and charlatans who went before us, writes Richard Stenlake Born in Australia, James Campbell Besley went to the Yukon in

The Faroe Islands are a small archipelago to the north of the UK equidistant between Iceland and Norway, part of the Kingdom of Denmark, comprising some 18 volcanic islands, writes Stuart Leigh. The Faroe Islands are connected by a series of bridges,

Saarland is one of the smallest German states. It lies to the southwest of the country and is bordered by France’s Moselle District, the Rhineland Palatinate and Luxembourg. The territory was long coveted by French Kings and Emperors but was lost to

Chelmsford and District Philatelic Society were delighted to welcome Don Davies to their recent meeting for a talk entitled ‘Don Davies Entertains’. He began by displaying materials covering pre-1840 Penny Post and explained how postal charges were c

On Easter Sunday, 1722, Dutch explorer Jacob Roggeveen arrived at a small, and very remote, island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean (the nearest continental land was over 2,000 miles away). He was amazed to see giant stone statues lining the shore.

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Every century has produced great art masterpieces. Regardless of the subject matter, these canvases portrayed the world as seen through the artist’s eye. Over the years, there have been as many styles of art as there have been origins and tastes of t

The two month period over Christmas and the New Year of 1839-40 was one of intense change in postal services where the sending of correspondence based upon distance and the number of letter-sheets altered in two stages to a uniform payment of one pen

Vesuvius has a long and mythical status but has also been a magnet for generations of tourists. Consequently the volcano has a significant presence reflected in postal history, which enables a thematic collection to be acquired with relative ease and

The term 'tourist cachets’ refers to the private handstamps struck on mail posted in special boxes at tourist locations – what might be termed ‘Cinderella postmarks’! As you might expect, the vast majority appear on picture postcards – the first exam

CHAPTER THREE THE MYSTERIOUS CASE OF A DEATH IN CAIRO Doctor Grant suddenly stood squarely up from the desk, where Noella and Le Queux sat observing the surgeon’s reaction to their suggestion that King-Tenison may have been poisoned. The medical prac