My favorite stamps
Lawrence Block wrote recently in his column (at Linns) about his favorite countries to collect. It got me thinking about my collection, and my personal favorites. Unlike Mr. Block, I don’t have a list of countries I prefer over another. Instead I have a list of different kind of arguments.
I confess that I prefer old stamps. Not because of their value, but because of the quality of handcrafts. Engraved stamp designs do have that “something”. And the colors; they are so soft and vivid.
1911 Bavaria - 25th anniversary of regime of Luitpold, prince regent of Bavaria. These are definitely one of my personal favorite stamps.
I prefer stamps that I can associate to. Stamps with topics such as comic book figures, stamps (on stamps), nature / wildlife, history etc are to my eye much more attractive than those showing a somewhat dull face of some (dead) politician.
These Austrian definitives combine two essential features: a good choise of colors and attractive designs.
Propaganda on stamps is something I’m quite keen with. To large degree I think it is because of powerful designs, but I think that also my love for history shows trough as well.
1965 North Korea - 2nd Asian–African Conference. The conference's stated aims were to promote Afro-Asian economic and cultural cooperation and to oppose colonialism or neocolonialism by the United States, the Soviet Union, or any other imperialistic nations.
Also anything unusual or untraditional is bound to attract me… For example I love collecting “Dune states”, Mongolia and perfins simply because they all are to large extend unexplored areas to collect. Sometimes finding “proper information” about the issue at hand can be much more difficult than obtaining the item itself.
1972 Ajman - Military uniforms, CTO-cancelled. I think that everybody notices the blacked out stamp design in first row. I'd definitely like to find out why it was mistreated this way... In addition all the stamps are slightly misperforated (causing stamps to read JMAN STATE instead of AJMAN state).
But enough of me… Do you have any favourite countries / topics / stamps? And why?
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Hello Keijo
My preferences tend toward engraved stamps due to the craftsman ship and to a topic that I have yet to pull together but is a thought: “deco on stamps”. When I think of the latter, I think about stamps like Netherlands Scott C6-8.
I started collecting stamps in the late 50’s as a child. My grandfather was my mentor. I inherited his collection when he died in the early 90’s, although I did not really start in to the collection until around the year 2000. I found that the collection was really just an accumulation. Many stamps were sorted, but few mounted/cataloged etc.
I thought I would spend a couple of years sorting through the accumulation. Well, you guessed it, not done as yet, although I think I should get through the accumulation in approximately 2-3 more years. In the meantime, I acquired a (quite) used set of Scott international albums relatively complete through 1976 (8 binders)in which I mount the stamps as I sort the accumulation. I have also acquired a much nicer Scott International binder vol I (through 1939).
I also acquired a number of separate country albums and looseleaf binder pages.
So I am having a blast with it…. I plan to continue to swap with you in an organized fashion also.
Have a great weekend.
Regards
Dell from California
Hi Dell,
Deco on stamps sounds like a great topic IMHO. Especially Europe should have plenty of matching stamps.
I’ll definitely try to have great weekend.
I love engraved stamps, too. Being from USA (Michigan), I have listed Scott numbers. My most familiar faves are…
4¢ “Breezing Up” (1207) brings back memories of sailing with my father on the San Francisco Bay in his sloop.
5¢ Columbia Jays (1241 and the 20¢ C71) because I am a bird lover and I used to enjoy paging through a large book of Audubon’s illustrations.
6¢ Angel Gabriel from “The Annunciation” (1363) because it is the prettiest US Christmas stamp I can think of to use during the holidays.
20¢ Desert Plants (1942-1945) because of the stamps’ unusual dimensions. Deserts are very exotic to me and I find their spaciousness and extremes appealing.
23¢ Mary Cassatt (2181) I love her hat and her incredible artistic talent for painting mothers and young children.
Pan-American Inverts – Reprints (3505). I don’t have them in front of me right now, but I would guess that the inverts on 3505 are not truly engraved. These are so much fun to use on mail to other collectors.
Hi Carol,
nice list… I think I’ve got most of those (with the exception of Pan-American reprints I think).
I seem to be attracted to Train stamps from other parts of the world. I’m in the US near Seattle. It’s like a little vacation by train in a foreign country, from my desk … or something!
Hi Ken,
Trains are good for the soul (and the climate), and they do make nice stamp topics as well.
I travel most of the time by train as it allows me to work at the same time, read, listen music etc. Even today I’m leaving to Turku (on west coast of Finland) by train for 3 days.
I would get in/out of stamps collecting over the years.
What I sometimes think as I look at the several albums on my shelf is “when should it stop?”
Have you ever thought what is the point of the collection?
I know I can’t collect all the stamps of the world. So I collect in my case spanish-1950s Philippines stamps. But I would sometimes see something on ebay that is not part of the theme and I would buy it and thus start another era.
I always say someday my son or grandson would sell this and retire but I know that will never happen because values of stamps are never what you expect them.
After saying all those, I still find that investing in stamps beat the stock market anyday.
If you buy a 1940s stamp at 5c and you could sell it today for $1 then you have made a 7% annually for a total of 9000%.
Hi Arturo,
Yes, I’ve thought about the point of my collection… It’s simply having fun & being happy while sorting stuff. The day I stop having fun with stamps, will be the day I will stop collecting.
As for financial expectations… Here’s something I fear very few will realize… If I didn’t put my money on stamps, then I’d still spent in on something else like daily visit to Starbucks (or similar). With stamps at least some portions of the original “investment” holds up it’s value. With cup of coffee it’s gone the minute you have drinked it… So in that sense buying stamps is never a bad investment. LOL.
Cheers to everyone.
It may be out of topic but does anyone know if there is a lifespan for unused stamps?
Can I affix on mail envelopes unused stamps bought 5-10 years ago and send them as mail?
I purchased some nice design stamps several years ago and I am now into cover exchanges with fellow collectors.
I usually affix some old stamps with new ones.
I ask this because, some covers never reach the supposed recipient.
Hi Jason,
Re your question… It depends on the country you are living in.
For example in US pretty much everything issued within the 150+ years is still valid for postage.
In UK I think the divider is decimalisation (in 1971) of currency.
In most Euro-countries the divider is the joining to Euro-currency (though in some countries, like Finland, stamps having old national currencies have “extended lifespan”).
As for lost covers… Some countries are more prone to “lost mail” than others. I think this Wikipedia article makes a interesting read.
My favorite stamps are stamps that look well like stamps.
Most of the new releases now looks like pop art. I want stamps that came before the use of computer designs. I think you call it engraving or offset methods.
Most stamps now were designed with the collectors in mind. Most of them also are released straight to collectors. Bring back the designs pre-microsoft era.
I personally collect country stamps for countries I have a historical interest in. At the moment, that is Japan. I love that I can own something that people from the time and place I am reading about saw, used and knew. I feel it really connects me to the time and place.
I think this is connected to collecting what you can ‘associate’ with as you mention in your post. It makes it about more than just wanting or feeling compelled to collect and give purpose to a collection.
I also like climbing, but have never been one for ‘bagging’ peaks, I’d much rather enjoy the climb! I think it’s the same felling…right?
It’s great to read about what people like and why!
Love your write up alot… Your blog is definitely very very informative for new and even veteran philatelist. Ive to agree old stamps definitely have that special edge. LOL.
As for me, I’m a thematic collector of Birds of Prey, pigeons/doves and also churches. Besides this, I also venture into Definitives birds of my country with much focus on varieties. However, Im sure the study of definitives is almost a never ending story.
Love classic bird stamps especially basel dove and 1869 us eagle but financially not there yet. hahaha.
Anyway, as a thematic collector, modern stamps do play a vital role in building a good collection but nevertheless engraved stamps do ROCK BIG TIME…
regards,
Ronny,
Malaysia
@Jankensan… I definitely do know what you mean.
@Ronny… Varieties on Malaysian bird definitives? Now you got me interested as well… I agree, it would be really cool to own a “Basel dove” (even a cheap fake). LOL
My very favorite stamp is one that took me about ten years to find, I have a nice collection of Albert Schweitzer on stamps that includes a lot of countries but this one stamp I would have paid well over it’s value to acquire. It’s an overprint used (I prefer used) of Dahomey, at the moment I can’t recall the stamp #, but it should be in my brain forever seeing that it took so long to find, Thanks to Delcampe auction site they have stamps that you can’t find in the U.S.A., now all that is left for me to buy of the Schweitzer stamps are all the Cinderella’s being printed, not sure if I want to acquire all the Cinderellas tho !
Wow Jayne – I would have never guessed a Dahomey / Benin stamp…. I’m sure it feels great to have one part of collection accomplished
This is very Good Collection
Thanks Jatin
for me, the topic of astronomy is number one on my list of favorites … and of all the astronomy stamps, i would have to say my favorite(s) are the 1942 set from Mexico commemorating the dedication of the observatory at Tonanzintla and the Astrophysics Congress held there. although they are not engraved they do possess a quality that i am particularly drawn to on an aesthetic level. i have been attempting research to find more info about these stamps beyond the perfunctory info (face values, colors, perf spacing, etc.) but have had very little success. perhaps you, keijo (or someone out there) can help me out or point me in the right direction … some points i am seeking to reconcile are:
1. was it indeed the first “set” to be wholly dedicated to astronomy in philately?
2. was it indeed the first use of actual “photographic” image sources of astronomical objects in philately?
3. what was the source of the images?
i have many more questions but these are the top of the list.
furthermore, i find that astronomy has opened the floodgates to a plethora of tangential topics and subjects that compete regularly for my attentions … constellations, planets, comets, astronomers, telescopes, observatories, physics, archaeology, mythology … and the list just keeps growing.
isn’t stamp collecting fun!
mike
Hi Mike,
Re, the Mexican 1942 set… I’ve got nothing special on them. Michel does list print numbers (ranging from 2 million copies down to 50,000 copies)
1. was it indeed the first “set” to be wholly dedicated to astronomy in philately?
Likely… Poland did however commemorate Copernikus on 1920s, but I’m not sure if this can be counted as a set.
2. was it indeed the first use of actual “photographic” image sources of astronomical objects in philately?
Very likely. At least I can’t come up with anything earlier .
3. what was the source of the images?
No idea what so ever… Have you tried contacting the folks at Mexican Postal museum?
isn’t stamp collecting fun!
yep
thanks keijo …
3. what was the source of the images?
No idea what so ever… Have you tried contacting the folks at Mexican Postal museum?
i have tried but never got a response, it has been some time though … perhaps it time to try again.
Although not a stamp collector, I agree with Mike; the “Tonanzintla” set have an almost surreal beauty. Ive been fascinated by them since moving to the village of Santa Maria Tonantzintla (note the extra t!) in 1994 to work at “the observatory”, now known as INAOE or the National Institute of Astrophysics, Optics and Electronics. You´ll get more info on the observatory and the stamps if you google the modern spelling of the village. Note though that the spelling on the stamps matched the official version of 70 years ago. The images were borrowed from a US institute, as of course the observatory at Tona wasnt up and running yet! for more info see http://www.ianridpath.com/stamps/1942mexico.htm
and do pop in for a visit if you ever make it to Tona!
Thanks Dave.
Especially the link you gave was very highly useful. That site has tons of useful information to anyone interested of stamps & and their backgrounds