Stamp Collector

Following the recent holding of a virtual version of the event, Stampex, the UK’s largest stamp show, will take place in September offering a range of exciting activities and experiences across four days, including a late Thursday opening. With over

Michael Roberts FRPSL became President of the Royal Philatelic Society London at the Society’s recent Annual General Meeting. Michael thanked his predecessor, Peter Cockburn FRPSL, who, during his two years as President, had steered the Society back

The Isle of Man Post Office recently celebrated 50 years of postal independence with a series of activities and events, including a special exhibition at the Manx Museum’s Cabinet of Curiosity, the planting of fifty trees, and a ‘paint a post box com

Birmingham will host a European philatelic exhibition from 7 to 11 May 2025, marking the first time such a major international event has been held outside of London. EuroPhilEx Birmingham 2025, to be held at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC), will

Åland Post’s new contribution to the Sepac stamp series on the theme of traditional markets puts the spotlight on its Viking Market, which is one of the biggest in Europe. The spectacle of the summer market – one of Åland’s most popular – was capture

Tristan da Cunha is commemorating the 100th anniversary of St Mary’s Church with new stamp releases. On 8 July 1933, the Anglican Church was dedicted to St Mary the Virgin. After the arrival of the first priest sent to the island in 1853, building th

When George de Mestral saw little green balls – known as burrs – stuck to his trousers and his dog’s fur after a walking trip, he wondered if the sticky plant could be used for more practical purposes. The engineer turned to his microscope to figure

Jersey Post has issued 150 Years of the Société Jersiaise, a new set of eight stamps celebrating the 150th anniversary of the illustrious Societé Jersiaise. The Societé, which was founded in 1837, is dedicated to the study of Jersey’s archeology, his

Isle of Man Post Office is celebrating its milestone 50th anniversary with a set of seven commemorative stamps. The Isle of Man achieved postal independence in 1973, and the first six stamps in the set represent the history of Manx stamps by featurin

On 21 June 1948, MV Empire Windrush docked at Tilbury following a three-week voyage from Jamaica. The following day, 22 June, its passengers, amongst them 492 Caribbean migrants, first set foot on British soil. That ship and its passengers, each of w

‘One of the greatest gems of Japanese and Asian philately’ recently went under the hammer at David Feldman in Geneva. The 1874 20 sen reddish violet, was also described as ‘an “aristocrat” of worldwide rarities’ and featured a remarkably vivid colour

Botswana is home to the African elephant. An estimated 130,000 animals roam the huge Okavango Delta region of the African nation. Formerly known as [British] Bechuanaland Protectorate, the country was renamed Botswana when it became an independent re

Northern Rhodesia, Registered letter from Ndola Station 1904 to Mahua German East Africa via Landenburg Great Britain, Penny black on letter from Marazion May 13, 1840 Vatican, World Youth Day in Portugal ** 2023 issued May 16th but withdrawn May 17t

Since 1970 the UK has held an International Stamp Show every ten years, writes Brian Austin. In the three-year run up to both the 1980 and 1990 shows Royal Mail issued one miniature sheet per year to go towards the costs of holding the event. In 1988

Temperance societies had their origins in the 1830s. These first reformers had the consumption of alcohol in their sights as being responsible for various social ills and for generally dragging the nation down economically, but the enemy really was s

Stamp collecting is a global hobby. Whether you’re concerned with its appeal around the world or the practical nature of the postage stamp itself, it’s a simple fact that stamps reach every corner of our world. Of course, many of us choose to focus o

The first stamps issued by Japan appeared in the same year, 1871, that the Post Office and the postal service were created. The country was emerging from several centuries of self-imposed isolation and entering a period of rapid social and cultural c

Although the stamps of Denmark display many of the same characteristics as those of Great Britain – an attachment to definitives depicting the current monarch, increasing complexity (and quantity and cost) of recent releases, the sale of many stamps

On 1 January, 1913, nine US Parcel Post stamps, which had been made available to purchasers at Post Offices in December 1912, became valid for postage. The January date was the official start of the Post Office’s own parcel post service, in competiti

Falkland Islands stamps, whose designs cover all aspects of the history, wildlife and flora, economy, transport and visitors to the South Atlantic British colony, are perennially popular with collectors. This ‘stamp of approval’ has not grown solely

Stamps printed on cigarette paper, the world’s first octagonal stamp, stamps illustrating and promoting a special Hat Law, stamps to fund an airport, a bird-man jumping from the tallest tower in the country, a collection of views of almost every city

The existence of the Vatican City, an independent country with the Pope as its ruler, and the existence of the Vatican Posts and their stamp issues, is a consequence of the Lateran Pacts or Lateran Accords of 1928-1929. The Pacts were signed by Italy

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On 9 November, 1989 the government of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) announced that all GDR citizens could visit West Germany and West Berlin. This followed indirectly from widespread disgust at the falsification of the results of loca

The development of the mail service of Canada, with its challenges and innovations, has been one of the essential themes of Canadian history, as it is intricately bound up with all the major themes in the physical, economic and administrative growth

THE ADDRESS ONLY TO BE WRITTEN ON THIS SIDE. THE ADDRESS ONLY TO BE WRITTEN ON THIS SIDE Postcards were first introduced in 1870 and offered cheaper postage for short messages, but at first only the official postal stationery cards were allowed at th

When Imelda Romualdez was born in July 1929, her father told himself, ‘This child will be important.’ Many proud parents think that, of course, but Vincente Romualdez was right. The child grew into a woman of both great beauty and total ruthlessness.

CHAPTER THREE THE MYSTERIOUS CASE OF A DEATH IN CAIRO The hotel concierge called calmly for Noella to attend the reception desk. The envelope handed to her by the clerk had her name written in capitals in black ink across the front. The note containe