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Stamp Condition
The value of a postage stamp in the stamp collecting market depends on various features of its condition. Among the features assessed are centering, margins, and gum. Centering and margins The following grades convey how well centered the stamp is and the width of the stamp's margins. *Superb is sometimes used for a perfect stamp. *Extra fine (EF) or extremely fine (XF) is a perfectly centered stamp with wide margins. *Very fine (VF) is a well centered stamp with ample margins. *Fine (F) is a stamp that is significantly offset but still has four margins. *Average (Avg.) is a stamp that has no margin on at least one side with a portion of the design trimmed off or cut into by perforations. Except for rare or very old stamps average stamps are not collected or sold except as space-fillers or reference copies. Heavy cancellations which obliterate the design can also be considered. *Poor is a stamp which is heavily canceled, soiled, cut to shape. Only great rarities such as the British ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Postage Stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper issued by a post office, postal administration, or other authorized vendors to customers who pay postage (the cost involved in moving, insuring, or registering mail), who then affix the stamp to the face or address-side of any item of mail—an envelope or other postal cover (e.g., packet, box, mailing cylinder)—that they wish to send. The item is then processed by the postal system, where a postmark or cancellation mark—in modern usage indicating date and point of origin of mailing—is applied to the stamp and its left and right sides to prevent its reuse. The item is then delivered to its addressee. Always featuring the name of the issuing nation (with the exception of the United Kingdom), a denomination of its value, and often an illustration of persons, events, institutions, or natural realities that symbolize the nation's traditions and values, every stamp is printed on a piece of usually rectangular, but sometimes triangular ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Stamp Collecting
Stamp collecting is the collecting of postage stamps and related objects. It is an area of philately, which is the study (or combined study and collection) of stamps. It has been one of the world's most popular hobbies since the late nineteenth century with the rapid growth of the postal service, as a never-ending stream of new stamps was produced by countries that sought to advertise their distinctiveness through their stamps. Collecting Stamp collecting is generally accepted as one of the areas that make up the wider subject of philately, which is the study of stamps. A philatelist may, but does not have to, collect stamps. It is not uncommon for the term ''philatelist'' to be used to mean a stamp collector. Many casual stamp collectors accumulate stamps for sheer enjoyment and relaxation without worrying about the tiny details. The creation of a large or comprehensive collection, however, generally requires some philatelic knowledge and will usually contain areas of philate ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Postage Stamp Gum
In philately, gum is the substance applied to the back of a stamp to enable it to adhere to a letter or other mailed item. The term is generic, and applies both to traditional types such as gum arabic and to synthetic modern formulations. Gum is a matter of high importance in philately. History Before postage stamps existed, people receiving letters would have to pay for them. The payment was based on how many papers were in the envelope and how far the letter had traveled. Rowland Hill came up with a solution of prepayment. This led to his invention of stamp gum in 1837. The world's first adhesive postage stamp was called the Penny Black. Many early stamps were not gummed, however, and some have been unable to be gummed due to shortage (for instance, the typewritten Uganda Cowry stamps of 1895). Extreme tropical climates were also a problem for Curaçao and Suriname. Some stamps, intended only for sale to stamp collectors, have been issued without gum, for instance the United St ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Postage Stamp Separation
For postage stamps, separation is the means by which individual stamps are made easily detachable from each other. Methods of separation include: # perforation: cutting rows and columns of small holes # rouletting: small horizontal and vertical cuts # diecutting: cut paper to shape using a metal die—used for self-adhesive stamps. Early years In the early years, from 1840 until 1850, all stamps were issued imperforate, and had to be cut from the sheet with scissors or knife. This was time-consuming and error-prone (as mangled stamps of the era attest). Once reliable separation equipment became available, nations switched rapidly. Imperforate stamps have been issued occasionally since then, either because separation equipment was temporarily unavailable (in newborn nations for instance), to makers of automatic stamp vending equipment (the United States did this in the 1900s and 1910s), as novelties for stamp collectors (particularly when stamps are issued in souvenir ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
British Guiana 1c Magenta
The British Guiana 1c magenta is regarded by many philatelists as the world's most famous rare stamp. It was issued in limited numbers in British Guiana (now Guyana) in 1856, and only one specimen is now known to exist. It is the only major postage stamp ever issued that is not represented in Britain's Royal Philatelic Collection. It is imperforate, printed in black on magenta paper, and it features a sailing ship along with the colony's Latin motto ''"Damus Petimus Que Vicissim"'' (We give and expect in return) in the middle. Four thin lines frame the ship. The stamp's country of issue and value in small black upper case lettering in turn surround the frame. With its US$9,480,000 sale on 17 June 2014 to Stuart Weitzman, this item broke the world record for a single stamp auction price each of the last four times it has been sold. The stamp was auctioned again on 8 June 2021 for the price of $8,307,000. Beginning November 8, 2021, individuals are able to purchase fractional ow ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Philatelic Expertisation
Philatelic expertisation is the process whereby an authority is asked to give an opinion whether a philatelic item is genuine and whether it has been repaired or altered in any way. Forging and faking, regumming and reperforating of stamps is common in the philatelic marketplace, and increasingly buyers demand an expert certificate before buying a valuable item. Some items are so often faked or altered that they may be almost unsaleable without a certificate. The process of expertisation Experts may be individuals or committees but they will all follow a similar process to determine whether an item is genuine. The opinions of experts differ and have evolved over time. Conflicting expert opinions, such as on colour shade or whether a stamp has been reperforated, can have a huge effect on a stamp's value.''A Sharp Eye on collecting US Classics'' (Sharp Photography Publications, 2021) ASIN B091MBTGJ7 (read online) Stamps Experts will attempt to determine whether a questioned s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mint Stamp
In philately, a mint stamp is one which is in its original state of issue, is unused, has never been mounted and has full gum, if issued with gum. Mackay, James. ''Stamp Collecting: Philatelic Terms Illustrated''. 4th edition. London: Stanley Gibbons, 2003, p.88. Youngblood, Wayne L. ''All about Stamps''. Iola WI: Krause Publications, 2000, p.109. The term applies equally to postage stamps and revenue stamps. In practice, the term is used within philately to refer to any stamp that appears to be unused, including those without gum, or previously hinged. Unlike other collectibles, a mint stamp may be in poor condition but still be regarded as being in ''mint state'' as long as it is apparently unused. Variations Variations of the term ''mint'' include: *Mint hinged (MH) – the stamp is unused but has been previously hinged. Remains of the hinge or gum disturbance are visible. *Mounted mint (MM) – the same as Mint hinged. *Mint no gum (MNG) – the stamp appears to be unused ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Stamp Hinge
In philately, stamp hinges, or mounts, are small, folded, transparent, rectangular pieces of paper coated with a mild gum. They are used by stamp collectors to affix postage stamps onto the pages of a stamp album. Mackay, James. ''Stamp Collecting: Philatelic Terms Illustrated''. 4th edition. London: Stanley Gibbons, 2003, p.68. Use The short end is moistened and affixed to the stamp, the long end is likewise affixed to the page. The hinge keeps the stamp on the page while still allowing it to be lifted to examine the back, for instance to see the watermark or expert marks. Abbreviation Collectors categorise their stamps as follows: * MUH/MNH - Mint Unhinged/Never Hinged * H - Hinged * LH - Lightly Hinged * HH - Heavily Hinged * HR - Hinge Remnant (portion of the hinge could not be removed and remains on the stamp) Risks The best stamp hinges are designed to be “peelable”, meaning that the stamp may be removed from the page, and the hinge from the stamp, without damag ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Stanley Gibbons
The Stanley Gibbons Group plc is a company quoted on the London Stock Exchange specialising in the retailing of collectable postage stamps and similar products. The group is incorporated in London. The company is a major stamp dealer and philatelic publisher. The company's philatelic subsidiary, Stanley Gibbons Limited, has a royal warrant of appointment from Queen Elizabeth II. History The company has a long corporate history, having started as a sole trader business owned by Edward Stanley Gibbons in 1856 and now being a quoted company with a number of subsidiaries. Before 1900 The business started when, employed as an assistant in his father's pharmacy shop in Plymouth, Gibbons set up a counter selling stamps. In 1863 he was fortunate enough to purchase from two sailors a sackful of rare Cape of Good Hope triangular stamps. In 1874 Gibbons moved to a house near Clapham Common in South London and in 1876 he moved again to Gower Street in Bloomsbury near the British Mu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Soviet Bloc
The Eastern Bloc, also known as the Communist Bloc and the Soviet Bloc, was the group of socialist states of Central and Eastern Europe, East Asia, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America under the influence of the Soviet Union that existed during the Cold War (1947–1991). These states followed the ideology of Marxism–Leninism, in opposition to the Capitalism, capitalist Western Bloc. The Eastern Bloc was often called the Second World, whereas the term "First World" referred to the Western Bloc and "Third World" referred to the Non-Aligned Movement, non-aligned countries that were mainly in Africa, Asia, and Latin America but notably also included former Tito–Stalin split, pre-1948 Soviet ally SFR Yugoslavia, which was located in Europe. In Western Europe, the term Eastern Bloc generally referred to the USSR and Central and Eastern European countries in the Comecon (East Germany, Polish People's Republic, Poland, Czechoslovak Socialist Republic, Czechoslovakia, Hungarian ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Philatelic Terminology
Philately (; ) is the study of postage stamps and postal history. It also refers to the collection and appreciation of stamps and other philatelic products. Philately involves more than just stamp collecting or the study of postage; it is possible to be a philatelist without owning any stamps. For instance, the stamps being studied may be very rare or reside only in museums. Etymology The word "philately" is the English transliteration of the French "", coined by Georges Herpin in 1864. Herpin stated that stamps had been collected and studied for the previous six or seven years and a better name was required for the new hobby than ''timbromanie'' (roughly "stamp quest"), which was disliked.Williams, L.N. & M. ''Fundamentals of Philately''. State College: The American Philatelic Society, 1971, p.20. The alternative terms "timbromania", "timbrophily", and "timbrology" gradually fell out of use as ''philately'' gained acceptance during the 1860s. Herpin took the Greek root word ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
