The value of most United States stamps have been falling over the last twenty years. And the CPI has been rising. Critics have claimed that the CPI overemphasizes increases in food, fuel and housing (until the last few years at least). We have not understood that price increases have been commodity driven and that many existing goods and non commodity […]
The Leaf Blower Index Read More »
Confederate States regular issues consist of fourteen Scott issued stamps that were issued over a period of four years during which the Civil War was fought. There are only two scarce stamps and both of these issues occurred when the Confederate States Post Office decided to change issues in 1863 . The new stamps were originally
“TEN” and The Frameline Read More »
Presidential topical collections in general are not very popular largely because there is so little philatelic material that has been issued for most Presidents (quick- name three stamps that have Garfield or the current Presidential flavor-Coolidge- on them or imagine any postal history with a Taft twist). The exceptions are Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, FDR and of
Kennedy Thematic Collecting Read More »
The kids today didn’t invent status symbols. Even nerdy stamp collectors have their hierarchies and when I was a young collector in the 1960’s status in collecting was acted out in the kind of stamp album that you had (or that your parents bought for you). We all had Harris albums in my stamp club. Scott albums
First Stamp Albums Read More »
There is one entire country under the United States collecting umbrella that has issued hundreds of stamps, which is popular on two continents and which is completable by even collectors of modest means. The country is the Ryukyu Islands which were captured during WWII by the United States at an enormous loss of life and
The reason you should buy your stamps from Apfelbaum is not our prices (which are very attractive) or our service and shipping (which is not only free, but is also the fastest). You should buy your stamps from Apfelbaum because we are the only stamp company that assures your complete satisfaction and safety to this degree: buy
The Apfelbaum Guarantee Read More »
No normal business can lose $5 billion and have the management stay intact and have no cohesive plan for turning things around. But then the United States Post Office is no normal business. Actually, despite being dressed up in capitalist cloth, it really isn’t a business at all. It is a government agency and as a
Post Office Loses $5Billion Read More »
There is probably no activity more of an antidote to ignorance than philately. Ignorance is more than stupidity or incuriousness. It is deliberately lacking respect for learning and understanding as being valuable activities in a complex world. With every hour with his stamps and covers, a philatelist is cultivating curiosity. Just yesterday I was working with
The Danger of Ignorance Read More »
The stamps of many Eastern European countries have gained tremendously in popularity and price in the last ten years and Hungary has been at the top of the second tier in this regard. Philatelically, the most active Eastern European country has been Russia. Even despite a pull back in the last few years, Soviet period