Moving forth with last weeks post, here are some random notes and observations about stamps of modern day Algeria. Once again I unfortunately have more open questions than answers about these varieties.

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When it comes to general worldwide collecting, one of my pet peeves is that there are so many unanswered questions with less popular areas.  For example I recently moved all my Algerian and Tunisian stamps into a new stockbook, and while in the process I tried to re-study some of the varieties I had collected over the years.

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Have you ever wondered all those British stamps with bluish star or letter D on the back? Only recently did I learn that they come from rather shortlived experiment with discount stamp booklets and discount folders, and the backprint (or underprint as Stanley Gibbons calls it) was to ensure the discount stamps were not sold over the counter at full face value.

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Possibly the hardest and most fun part of of collecting worldwide stamps is perceiving the moving boundaries and definitions of the world in proper historical context. Fortunately modern technology has gifted us collectors with some very cool solutions, that provide tons of information in very easy-to-digest manner. Below are five YouTube-videos that every (worldwide) stamp collector (not to mention map-fanatics and history buffs) should watch.

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At times I am amazed how one can still learn new tidbits of stamps even after 30 years of collecting.  While I was browsing through a philatelic dictionary on hot summer day, my eyes spotted something I had noticed on stamps every now and then, but never knew the official term or meaning behind the practice.  I’m talking about the printmaker’s abbreviations, and after a quick read I was more than intrigued to dig out some examples from my collection.

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Summer has arrived also here up north, and as usual I’m taking a small break from blogging and the online world to enjoy the summer sun and hopefully warm weathers.

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They say stamps of Fiume are riddled with forgeries, and indeed if looking at the excessive and lengthy articles and studies on subject, it looks as area to beware. As my collection of Fiume stamps grew threefold (into whooping 17% completion, lol) last week, I now have some first hand experience on subject. Of the fifty stamps I checked, only two turned out be fakes and one is so-and-so. So that would average around four-to-six fakes per each 100 stamp. It’s way more than with many countries, but lot less than I dreaded (or maybe I was just lucky). So what did I found?

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One of the most important tools of every stamp blogger (and author) are stamp images. For example SCB features closer to 5,000 stamp images (and increasing) from my collection. Though modern technology has made digital imagining easy, unfortunately a lot of collectors still struggle to scan images that look both realistic and attractive. Like most things involving technology, it all comes down to understanding how things work, and knowing some tips and tricks to spice up things.

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Possibly one of the best (and worst) sides of being a stamp blogger is that you get to meet a lot of people.  Thus it should not come as surprise that I’ve learned to know a lot of folks in philatelic publishing: journalists, authors, editors and even few small publishers.  All in all I would consider these folks as one of the brightest minds when it comes to stamps and collecting. Unlike most of us collectors, these folks follow and study stamps and the industry around it for living, and can devote days and nights to their passion.

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As some might have noted from my comment few months ago, I received new Michel Southeast Asia catalogue into my hands while back. As I’ve now perused the entire volume while working with Stamp Gems project, it is good time to share some of my impressions.

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