The unimaginable has begun to happen. After growing at rates approaching 100% per year the last few years, the market for better People’s Republic of China stamps has cooled, and prices are down as much as 30% in the last few months. There are several reasons for this. First, the Chinese economy has definitely slowed […]
Can China Retain its Philatelic Growth? Read More »
Postally speaking, the United Nations is an invention
The Stamps of the United Nations Read More »
Considering their rarity and value, Stradivarius violins seem to be the most carelessly handled items in the world. There are about 600 of them, and in the last three years, one was left in a cab and two on trains (the latest story of lost and found is here). The stories follow a pattern
Postal stationary has always languished in popularity. In the earliest years of our hobby most albums had spaces for Cut Squares (the stamp portion of a mint entire envelope cut away from the envelope and collected on its own). But with the exception of US and German Area philately there are few postal stationery collectors
Cut Squares and Entires Read More »
There is no country that is collected in a more specialized way than are the stamps of Austria. Most specialists of other countries seek cancels and covers and blocks and all kinds of specialty items. But Austrian specialists go far further. Austrian specialty catalogs list paper varieties along with varieties listed by thickness as measured by a micrometer.
The stamps of China need no promotion. Over the last twenty years the increases in prices and popularity has been astounding. Prices have risen geometrically and the number of China collectors both here and around the world has grown dramatically as well. I recently worked on a wonderful China consignment and it rekindled my interest.
The Stamps of China Read More »
Stamp collecting has always been an International hobby, and there is no better example of this than the issue of measuring perforations. Europeans and Americans differ on how they take temperature (Celsius versus Fahrenheit) and distance (miles versus kilometers). But collectors all around the world use the same types of perforation gauges and count perfs
Stamp Perforations Read More »
Stamp Exhibitions began in the United States in 1888 when a small exhibit of stamps was included in the Boston meeting of the American Philatelic Association. Before that, stamp meetings were largely trading events with no formal displays. In 1889, J Walter Scott (of the catalog fame) organized the first major stamp exhibition at the
Plan to Visit New York International 2016 Read More »
The Althing is the parliament of Iceland and is considered to be the oldest Parliament in the world (though whether this is “continuous” or not is subject to some dispute). But the Icelanders are rightfully proud of their Parliament’s longevity and have publicized it on two 1930 sets which commemorated the one thousandth anniversary of
A Set Worth Buying Read More »