When stamp collectors gathered in Zagreb, Croatia late in the summer of 1943, the country was a puppet of Nazi Germany.  But the Croatian Philatelic Society staged an exhibition in Zagreb and released two stamps to commemorate the occasion.

The semi-postal depicted St. Mary’s Church and Zagreb’s Cistercian Cloister as they appeared in 1650.  Two stamps were released, with the same design printed in different colors.

To see more stamps of the early 1940s from Croatia, visit my stamp store.

1933 was a fine year for stamp collecting but not a particularly good year for Brazil.  The nation suffered from poor political leadership.  But Brazil was a favorite for stamp collectors.  Stamps such as this first airmail issue were colorful and interesting.

On June 7, 1933, Brazil issued its first airmail stamp.  For baseball fans, this is the birth date of the accomplished Cleveland Indians pitcher Herb Score.

This stamp was the first of three issues.  Later releases using the same design but with different watermarks were release in 1937 and 1940.

Brazil issued more than a hundred air mail stamps.  The last was released in 1966.

Stamp collecting doesn’t have to be dull and serious.  And countries such as Liechtenstein, which takes its stamps seriously, understands this.

Issued in 1992, this Liechtenstein stamp passes along congratulations, wishes us luck, and generally brightens the day with a message that is cheerful and graphics that are crisp and clean.

Stamp collectors who enjoy Andorra collect the stamps of one country that has two governments.  Spain and France each release stamps for this principality, which is the sixth-smallest country in Europe.

Wedged between France and Spain on the southern slope of the Pyrenees, Andorra is home to 30,000 Europeans whose heritage is linked to France, Spain or both. Collectors easily notice the graphic influence of Spain and France on the respective administration’s stamps.

Little of historical significance has ever taken place in this co-principality of less than 200 square miles, which presents the expected challenges for the postal administrations. Andorra was something of a gateway for barbarians heading south from Gaul following the collapse of the Roman Empire, was populated by Moors and conquered by Charlemagne.

Andorra’s Spanish Administration issued the co-principality’s first stamps in 1928. This was a set of overprints using the Spanish regular issues of the twenties. Original designs debuted in the fall of 1929, both with and without control numbers printed on the gum, and depicting local scenes. This series of stamps was replaced in 1948.

Spanish Andorra’s first Europa release came in 1972 using the common design. The first air mail stamp was released in 1951. There have been no semi-postals.

For the past thirty years Andorra’s Spanish stamps have followed a relatively conservative release policy. Subject matter has ranged from mushrooms and architecture to Christmas and the Olympics.

The French Administration’s first stamps were issued in June, 1931, overprints of French regular issues dating back to 1900. A long, fifty plus issue set of pictorials was released starting in 1932 and it wasn’t until the sixties that commemoratives began to appear with regularity.

If you would like to add some of these to your collection, take a look at the Andorra stamps in my store.

These have tended to be fine, well produced stamps, very similar to those of France, celebrating a number of themes but rooted in arts and culture.

Visitors to Andorra enjoy outstanding skiing, highlighted in a 1993 set, and a relaxing, leisurely lifestyle.  And there is no shortage of visitors… tourism drives 80% of the nation’s economy.

Liechtenstein issued a gorgeous sheet of 16 stamps in 2008 to commemorate the EURO 2008 Football Tournament.  The games were hosted by Liechtenstein’s neighbors, Austria and Switzerland, and they were played in June, 2008.

The challenge for the designers of Liechtenstein’s stamps… there were three stamps in the set, and sixteen positions for stamps in the sheet.

Because of the awkward math, two of the stamps appear six times in the sheet and one stamp appears just four times.

An interesting aspect of this arrangement… when collectors ordered individual sets of the singles, not sheets, from the Liechtenstein Post Office, there were not an equal number of stamps in a sheet to distribute.  This meant more sheets needed to be broken to complete the sets, leaving fewer complete sheets.

As a result, this Liechtenstein sheet is particularly desirable for collectors of the principality’s stamps.  It is also an unusual item for collectors of the sports and football topics.  I keep a limited number of these sheets in stock, which you can see in my store.

But stamp collectors in Greece may not be too excited about this Liechtenstein EURO 2008 sheet.  Greece came into the tournament as the reigning champion, and finished last.  In the EURO 2008 final, Spain beat Germany 1-0.

Some collectors call these French stamps the Sage series.  Others call them the Peace and Commerce series.

The two names refer to the same stamps, a fascinating series issued by France during the last quarter of the 19th century.  During these remarkable Belle Epoque years, the stamps designed by the winner of a contest represented France and her colonies with an allegorical depiction of Peace and Commerce straddling the globe.

The designer, Jules-Auguste Sage, won a contest sponsored by the French Ministry of Finance.  The Ministry was responding to political calls for a new stamp design that would replace the Ceres stamps, which dated back to the first French stamps of 1849.  We don’t know much of Monsieur Sage, but he may have been on the staff of the Bank of Paris or the Ministry of Finance.

The losing designs… apparently there were just a handful, one of which was the Champlain design later used for the pneumatic post.

The Sage stamps were released for 24 years.  Collectors assign them to one of three different groups.  The first Sage issues debuted March 27, 1876.  Type II was first issued on July 20, 1876 and Type III, which is actually a reprise of Type I, was released between February, 1898, and July, 1900.

Specialists who focus on the differences between these three groups begin by looking at the type at the bottom of the stamp.  Below “Republique Francaise” are the words JA SAGE INV.

The positioning of this text, and how it aligns, determines the group the series falls in.  Where the “N” in “INV” is aligned below the “B” in “Republique” the stamp belongs to Type I and when the N is below the U it is a member of Type II.

Along with the actual Sage stamps and imperforates produced for the colonies were thirteen pieces of postal stationery.

For 24 of the most glittering years France has ever enjoyed, the Sage stamps carried the mail.  When Van Gogh wrote to Gauguin and urged him to visit Arles, chances are one of them was affixed to the envelope.

When visitors sent mail from the 1889 World’s Fair in Paris, where the sparkling new Eiffel Tower served as the entrance arch, it was the Sage stamps they used.

And they were also in use when the Gare d’Orsay, now home to the Musee d’Orsay in Paris, was under construction.

These were peaceful and prosperous years for France, and, in retrospect, the Peace and Commerce allegory turns out to be highly prophetic and appropriate.

Collectors who pay close attention to the Sage stamps have much to consider.  For instance, there was no 40 centime stamp issued in 1876… this denomination did not appear until 1878, so it is fruitful to hunt for the lone survivors of the Ceres series issued and used during these years.

And later,  in 1925, when American expats including F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway called Paris home, a tribute was paid to the fabled design.

A Five Franc Sage stamp was issued in conjunction with the International Philatelic Exposition in Paris.  This Type II issue exists as a regular, perforated stamp, as a commemorative block, and as an imperforate.

My thanks to the knowledgeable Napoleon, the nom de Plume for a well-versed collector of France stamps, for his help in researching this information.

The 1950s are a decade wedged into obscurity by many stamp collectors.

The fans of big, bright, colorful stamps don’t find fifties stamps sufficiently attractive.  Topical stamp collectors, for the most part, find the subject matter somewhat limited.  And other collectors see an outpouring of dull, commonplace and poorly produced stamps from Latin America and an ever accelerating explosion of questionable material from the Iron Curtain countries.

But the fifties are a fascinating decade for tracking dramatic changes in design and production over a single ten year span.

Naturally, one of the joys of stamp collecting is the search.  And the search for good, interesting fifties material leads us along many a fascinating path.   One of the better known paths leads to Germany, actually both Germanys, where limited printings, a disheveled domestic collecting community and erratic distribution combined to create some highly desirable stamps.

The GDR began the decade with politicized releases, with topics such as a “Fight for Peace” campaign and the country’s links with the People’s Republic of China.  By the end of the fifties the GDR was in a somewhat different topical focus, commemorating wildlife protection, native birds and glassware.  In many instances, the lower values of these sets are more difficult to obtain than the higher values.

Some countries seemed to give their philatelic programs a breather during the fifties.  Mexico released one definitive set with a reprint and about fifty other stamps, including airmails.  By comparison, Mexico released more stamps between 1940-42 than the entire decade of the fifties. For former French and British colonies the fifties were also relatively quiet.

The arrival of Queen Elizabeth II brought the usual releases of fresh definitive sets and omnibus issues for the Coronation, Royal Visits and for appropriate colonies, the West Indies Federation.

The French Community had six omnibus issues.  The Europa stamp series was launched in 1956 with seven nations participating. There were no Europa releases in 1957 and 1958 was the only year Saar participated. By the end of the sixties there were 26 nations releasing Europa stamps.

Looking back we can see clues suggesting the shape of things to come. Japan, for example, released an art stamp based on a woodcut in 1955 that could easily have been a stamp of the late eighties.  We see the bold, graphic breakthroughs of Israel.

We see Spanish Andorra getting using definitives issued in 1948 that would continue in use through 1963.  And we see the last gasp of the Belgian Congo, where it seems as if the government knew its time was at hand, and rushed to release all it could before the arrival of democracy in 1960.

And then, in the sixties, in stamp collecting as in most other aspects of life, came swift, dramatic change.

As a stamp dealer, and as a stamp collector, I wonder why is it that when we compare a stamp of 1956 with 1966, the difference seems so much more pronounced than the difference between a stamp of 1996 and 2006?

As with all stamps, the value of U.S. postage stamps is determined by supply, demand, and condition.

Almost every stamp dealer in the United States has had something like this happen.   There is a phone call from somebody who has inherited a collection of US stamps.   These stamps are in full sheets, well protected, and in great condition.

Some of these stamps go back to the 1940s.   It is not unreasonable for the non-collector who has inherited these stamps to believe the stamps are worth a lot of money.

In most instances they are not, and a dealer won’t even pay the face value of these stamps, meaning the value the stamps were purchased for from the post office when they were new.

How could this be?

U.S. stamp prices are driven by the laws of supply and demand.   The supply of these stamps, because of the massive quantities printed and the large number “tucked away for a rainy day” by collectors over the years, means that supply exceeds demand.   This only has one result..  a relatively low price for these promising looking postage stamps.

But there are exceptions.   Higher value stamps can command a premium price, such as certain airmail stamps.   By all means take these stamps to an accredited, reputable dealer and see what he or she has to say… there may be some pleasant surprises.

As a rule of thumb,  don’t get your hopes up… US postage stamp prices for stamps of the past sixty years have not appreciated much in value.

But what if your stamps are older?   If they are on envelopes, they could be quite valuable.

To find out more about U.S. postage stamp prices, take your stamps to a nearby, reputable dealer.   Stamp dealers who are members of the American Stamp Dealers Association are bound to a strict code of  conduct.  You can find an ASDA member here.

Welcome… stamp collecting has been called “the hobby of kings and the king of hobbies.”   If you’re interested in learning a bit about stamp collecting for beginners, a good place to start is with this thought.

You collect whatever stamps you want.   Stamp collecting for beginners starts off as whatever you want.

If you want to collect blue-colored stamps from countries of the northern hemisphere, that’s great.   If you want to collect Hong Kong stamps issued under the reign of Queen Victoria, fine.

Some people collect stamps from Norway because of their family heritage.

Some people collect stamps from France because they have visited the country and want to get to know it better.  Some people collect stamps which have pictures of cats because they are cat lovers.

You define the boundaries of your collection, and you expand or shrink these boundaries whenever you wish.   You collect the stamps that interest you, you protect them as best you can, display them how you want and you learn all that you care to learn about these stamps.

So what’s the best way to get started with stamp collecting when you’re new?  How much money should you spend?  Where do you find stamps to buy?  How should you store and display your stamps?

A great place to get information on stamp collecting is from the American Philatelic Society, which serves more than 50,000 members.

Their site has all sorts of information.  One of the things you will learn is that there is no formal structure, no firm laws about how to collect.

We collect stamps for all sorts of different reasons.   And we share a common bond.   We are fascinated with these little bits of paper that come our way from all over the world.

Postage stamps have been around since 1840, and stamp collecting has been around almost as long.

If you are new to stamp collecting, you are embarking on a hobby that can challenge, intrigue, and comfort you for decades, if not for the rest of your life.   Those of us who have been fortunate enough to collect stamps for quite a few years welcome you, and hope you enjoy stamp collecting as much as we have.

Was Sir Edward Bacon really the greatest stamp collector of all time?  Any list of our hobby’s top five philatelists would probably include his name.

Even if Sir Edward’s status as a great collector is disputed, the collection he assembled is unquestionably in a league of its own.  Bacon was the first curator for the Philatelic Collections of the British Library, and earned his stripes working on the collection of Thomas Keay Tapling, MP.

The collection was launched in 1865.  Twenty-two years later it was acclaimed as the world’s greatest stamp collection, surpassing the Ferrary collection.

The Ferrary collection was seized by the French Government following World War One and was sold off for reparations in 14 auctions between 1921-26.  When Tapling died of pleurisy at the age of 35 in 1891, Bacon kept working on the collection, which emerged as the cornerstone of the
British Library holdings.

The Tapling stamp collection is the only collection we know of put together in the nineteenth century that is still intact.  It is remarkable, containing virtually every stamp and piece of postal stationery issue during our hobby’s first fifty years.

When the collection was first exhibited in 1903, the material was mounted on 4,500 pages.   The list of rarities could roll on forever.  The highlights are stunning:

• Gold Coast: 1883 (May) 1d on 4d magenta

• Great Britain: 1858-79 1d red, plate 77

• Hawaii: 1851-52 2 cents to 13 cents (both types), the “Missionaries”:

• India: 1854 4 anns blue and pale red, error head inverted, two copies used on cover

• Mauritius: 1847 1d red used on cover and 2d blue, the “Post Office” issue

• Spain: 1851 2 reals, color error

• Switzerland: Zurich: 1843 4 rappen, unsevered horizontal strip of five

• Uruguay: 1858 120 centavos blue and 180 centavos green, in tête beche pairs

• Western Australian: 1854-55 4d blue, error frame inverted

Some collectors lean toward used stamps… Tapling had a penchant for mint issues.   There are endless varieties, all sorts of shades, dizzying multiples and a solid lineup of essays and proofs.   As for Sir Edward Bacon, he left us not only the definitive collection of nineteenth century stamps, but a number of indispensable books and writings philatelic researchers continue to prize.