Stamps -> Topical-and-Specialty -> Famous People

The Marilyn Monroe stamp was released on June 1, 1995, on what would have been Marilyn’s 69th birthday. It joined the ranks of what the United States Postal Service calls “blockbuster” stamps, like the Elvis stamp, and some commemorative stamps like those honoring Civil War veterans. 400 million stamps were printed (almost as many as Elvis’ 500 million stamp print run), and while they’re popular with collectors, the value is generally no more than the face value of the stamp.

A stamp collector might enjoy owning a sheet of these stamps, or a single Monroe stamp, because they’re boldly colored, with Marilyn’s platinum hair, bright red lipstick and glitzy dress. And because they represent one of the most famous pin-up and movie stars of all time. But a Marilyn Monroe buff and collector will surely want these stamps in their collection because they’re just one more way to show that America never could get enough of Marilyn, and even over 30 years after her death they still feel the need to immortalize her beauty.
While Marilyn was a bonafide bombshell and movie star, maybe her humble beginnings and her struggle once she became popular help keep her an object of obsession and interest, one worthy of being honored with a Monroe stamp, after all these years. Born Norma Jean Baker, she started out in a way that few would associate with later fame. Childhood sexual abuse and poverty were just some of the tragedies of her early life. She lived in a series of foster homes and orphanages because her mother suffered from breakdowns that left her institutionalized.

She married at 16 to escape such a life, and soon began posing for pin-ups after her picture was taking while working in a factory. She didn’t get the name Marilyn Monroe until she was signed with RKO pictures, dyed her hair blonde and began appearing in small parts in films. Nude calendar photos in Playboy and a few starring roles shot her to fame in the early 1950s, and less than 10 years later she was dead of a sleeping pill overdose. Few stars are with us so short a time and then memorialized in ways like the Monroe stamp, but Marilyn captured the national consciousness and made people take notice.

A Marilyn fan and collector can find the Marilyn Monroe stamp on eBay or almost anywhere Marilyn memorabilia is sold. Chances are that a person wanting the stamp because it features Marilyn Monroe will care less about the stamp quality than the picture. So cancelled stamps, degummed stamps and other things that make it less desirable for a stamp collector are easy to find, and are relatively cheap.

But for those who want the stamp because it’s part of US stamp history, you’ll want to find a sheet of uncut stamps in excellent condition on eBay or elsewhere. Though given the date of its release, a Monroe stamp with a first day cancellation can be a great part of your collection.

Originally posted 2008-12-24 14:00:41. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Stamps -> WorldWide

The first Cuba stamps were made available in April of 1855, 15 years after the first postage stamps were printed in Great Britain. Before the advent of the postage stamp in Cuba, letters were often delivered to the addressee requiring him or her to pay the postage. Even though stamps were not yet used, in the early 1800s letters were often marked with a postmark, an ink stamp signifying they had been through the postal system. Many collectors enjoy collecting envelopes and letters marked with these early postmarks as much as they enjoy collecting the stamps.

Some of the postmarks used before and after Cuba stamps were also used could read Mantanza, Esperanza, Puerto Principe, Batabano, Guines and Habana. International mail during the 1830s can often be identified by things like slits in the front of envelope that were placed there so that the letter could be fumigated. Cholera was rampant at the time and no one knew exactly how it was spread—many believed it to be airborne. So letters were taken to disinfectant stations before their departure where either slitting and fumigation, soaking in vinegar or other crude methods were used that were believed to kill dangerous germs.

The earliest Cuba stamps were sometimes placed at the bottom left-hand corner of the envelopes, rather than the upper right as we place stamps today. The stamps and markings decreased on most envelopes shortly after the advent of postage stamps because all postage was prepaid, so there was no need for postage due stamps and markings. Many letters that made it to different countries without postage stamps did so because they were given directly to captains of ships to take with them on their travels.

Collecting Cuba stamps was difficult during the 20th century because of the US embargo against all things Cuban that was put in place in 1963. Cigars, stamps and every product from the island of Cuba could not be imported legally into the United States, because that would mean Cuba profited from the sale, and the US at the time was interested in stripping power from Cuba on the world stage.

It wasn’t until 2001 when the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, or OFAC, declared that used and cancelled Cuba stamps were informational materials and began allowing them to be imported and sold. OFAC also agreed to grant certain licenses to collectors to import new and unused stamps from Cuba as long as they were for personal use and not for resale.

Soon after, used Cuba stamps began being sold and traded among stamp collectors, but because of the long embargo, many collectors have few if any stamps from Cuba. The stamps show the country’s history, and sometimes its rebellion against US power in the world, and can provide an insight to Cuban events and culture. Auctions like eBay are a great place to find Cuban stamps. Most will be cancelled, so ask about the gumming on the back and the general condition of the stamp.

Originally posted 2008-12-12 05:00:51. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Stamps -> United-States -> Postage

Collecting US Airmail stamps has become such a popular hobby, by both those who collect all sorts of stamps and those who are just interesting in United States airmail stamps, that there are clubs and associations based on just that hobby. The American Air Mail Society was established in 1923 as a place for people interested in these stamps to come together, talk stamps, make exchanges and enjoy their unique hobby.

If you want to collect US Air Mail stamps, you should learn a little bit of the history of this stamp so you’ll know what to look for, and you’ll be able to tell which stamps are the ones you want to collect and which aren’t really worth the purchase price. If you shop for these stamps in online auctions like those found on eBay, which is an excellent way to find a variety of stamps, then you’ll want to know which stamps would make a great part of your collection.

Sellers on eBay will almost always use the words “rare,” “vintage,” “antique,” and “hard to find” in their auctions, if even the item is readily available and not really worth anything. These words make their items come up in a searches for rare and vintage items, and increase their chances of selling at a good price. Knowing a little of the history of US Airmail stamps will help you distinguish between stamps that are a little more valuable and ones that they’re only saying are rare and highly collectible.

The first US Airmail stamps were created in 1918 at a value of 24 cents, because airmail postage was established at 24 cents per ounce. This stamp is known as the Curtis Jenny issue, and is number as the Scott C3. There are two other stamps from this “series” but the C3 24 cent Curtis Jenny was the first. A few months after this stamp was created, the airmail rate was actually reduced to 16 cents, so the 16 cent Curtis Jenny was released (these are known as the Scott C2) and then about 6 months later the price dropped again to 6 cents, necessitating the Scott C1 issue in that amount.

These early releases are distinguishable by color. The C3, the earliest stamp, came in rose and blue, while the 16 cent stamps were green and the 6 cent stamps were orange. All featured an airplane and look similar aside from their color and denomination. These are probably the most valuable US Airmail stamps because they were the first. Later stamps showed a US map, different types of airplanes, and some stamps were long thin stamps while others were tall.

The American Air Mail Society has pictures of almost every US Airmail stamp all the way back to those first Curtis Jenny stamps, and is a valuable resource when you’re searching for stamps online. Stamps rarely bear the date, so comparing the stamps with the pictures at this website will ensure that you’ll purchase the exact stamps you want.

Originally posted 2008-11-15 12:35:19. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Stamps -> Europe -> Germany & Area

A stamp booklet is now a popular way for countries to sell postage stamps because they’re smaller and easier to handle that a sheet of stamps or loose stamps. In the United States however, the booklet has given way to a folded sheet with stamps on each side, or a single sheet with stamps on each side, though they’re still commonly called “a book of stamps.”

The first stamp booklet, though not postage stamps, was issued in the United States, with the California State Telegraph Company’s booklets of telegraph stamps being issued in 1870. Western Union followed suit and issued stamps for its services in 1871 and in 1884 the postage stamp booklet was actually patented by A. W. Cooke of Boston.

But the first country to ever actually issue a postage stamp booklet was Luxembourg, turning out their first booklets in 1895. Sweden was the next country to try this new way of issuing stamps with their first stamp booklets appearing in 1898. The idea caught on worldwide and became commonly used across the world in the first half of the 20th century.

A stamp booklet typically consists of 10 to 20 stamps on a pane that’s folded and secured inside a cardboard cover. The first booklets were made by hand, by cutting sheets of stamps into smaller pieces and binding those within the cardboard. Later, they printed the panes separately onto large sheets then cut them individually, perforating only the edges between the panes. These booklets have stamp panes that feature 1 to 3 straight edges, though some do have middle stamps that are perforated all the way around because of the way they were designed.

For collectors, finding an intact early stamp booklet is almost impossible. The stamps were seen as purely utilitarian at the time and not viewed as anything possibly collectible or worth saving, so most stamp booklets were merely used and discarded when the stamps were gone. Empty stamp booklets, or just the covers, are worth little. Though if they are very old, they may be worth something to a collector who specializes in old stamp booklet covers and enjoys collecting them just to see how early stamp booklets were bound, or to see the different cover designs.

Many stamp collectors specialize in the stamp booklet because the variety is astounding. There are organizations, clubs and collector swap meets that all focus on stamp booklets over individual stamps. Generally, if a stamp has any value at all, a stamp booklet of that particular stamp is worth well more than the total worth of the individual stamps. The condition of the covers themselves figure into the value as well, with a perfect condition booklet of valuable stamps calling for a much higher price than a booklet of valuable stamps that has been creased, torn or stained.

Online auctions are an excellent place to acquire stamps from all over the world. The photo should show the stamp booklet both closed and opened. Ask about the condition of parts not visible in any photograph.

Photo Credits: jurvetson

Originally posted 2008-10-24 05:00:39. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Stamps -> Europe -> Greece

Stamp collectors who collect world stamps usually have a fondness for the stamps of Greece, with the bold designs, and the history they represent. The first stamps of Greece are called Hermes head stamps, because they feature a profile of the Greek god Hermes center within a decorative frame. The first stamps produced were the large Hermes heads, in 1861. The stamps came in 7 different denominations from 1 to 80 lepta, with larger denominations introduced later in 1876.

In the mid-1800s, the plates for these first stamps of Greece were showing wear and causing problems and irregularities with the stamps. So in 1886, the small Hermes head stamps were introduced, showing Hermes in profile again, but smaller with a different helmet, These were produced in more denominations and were printed until 1900.

The first commemorative stamps of Greece were printed to celebrate the 1896 Summer Olympics, which are considered our first modern Olympics. A commemorative 1906 Olympic stamp is also popular among collectors, but the 1896 stamps are the ones most popular among stamp enthusiasts today, especially the stamps in denominations of drachmas, because of their rarity. Another of the first early stamps of Greece is the Flying Mercury, so named for the Greek god gracing its face, that followed the Hermes-head stamps.

To distinguish between the early stamps of Greece, look at the Hermes head stamps carefully. The large Hermes head stamps are straight edged and numbered on the back. But the small Hermes head stamps were originally imperforate, then in 1891 some versions were printed with perforations.

One of the more interesting Hermes head stamps of Greece is the overprint from 1900 and 1901, known as A. M. stamps that were used chiefly for packages and international mail. They were printed over with black or red and new values, with the initials AM on them. This stood for the Greek words that basically meant “value in gold.” So these stamps had values based on the gold standard at the time. They cost more, while the Greek drachma actually fell in value. These overprints were replaced with actual AM stamps in 1902, during the same time the Flying Mercury stamps were released.

Other stamps of Greece include regular issue stamps, provisional stamps, and those used to commemorate special dates, like the 1913 issue of a stamp to commemorate Crete’s annexation to Greece. These were only used in Crete, and so have special significance as a limited circulation stamp.

When collecting stamps of Greece, online auctions like eBay are a good place to find a variety of stamps and even learn a little about the stamps with which you might be unfamiliar. You can often find mixed lots, to quickly build a collection. But if you’re looking for a particular stamp, you should be able to find it, or find a dealer who might have it at a later time. Be sure the seller provides a great picture of the stamps, and ask about any imperfections or damage.

Originally posted 2008-11-12 05:00:58. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Many people come by the idea of setting up a postage stamp collection in different ways. Some people come across a single stamp that inspires them while others fall in love with the hobby after someone they know exposes them to it. No matter how you came by the concept of setting up a postage stamp of your very own, the end result is the same: You need to know what it takes to get started in this hobby so that you can participate to the fullest.

Just like if you were starting any type of activity, when it comes to setting up a postage stamp collection, you are going to need to have access to the right tools and the right materials. The following are things that you are going to need when it comes to getting started in setting up a postage stamp collection:

• The stamps that you are collecting,
• A stock book or a stamp album,
• A magnifying glass,
• A glass vessel that you can soak your stamps in,
• Plain, white paper towels,
• A book for drying your stamps,
• A thermometer,
• Heavy books for weighing down your stamps.

All of the materials that are needed for setting up a postage stamp collection can be found at a local post office, a DIY store or online in a stamp collector store. There are other materials that you may want to keep handy such as a watermark detector, but if you are just getting started in setting up a postage stamp collection, then this item really is not necessary yet.

Now briefly, here are the rest of the steps to setting up a postage stamp collection:

1 - Get some stamps, especially if you are beginning with no postage stamps. Buy stamps wherever you can to build up a collection.

2 – Sort the stamps, this way you can break them into categories for the storing process. You should also sort them based on their background color and whether or not they have rubber stamp ink on them.

3 – Trim the stamps, trim any paper around the stamps, careful not to cut the perforations of the stamps.

4 – Soak the stamps, rather than simply trying to peel the paper away from the stamps. Soap the temperature in 30-35 degree Celsius water, 8 to 10 stamps at a time, for 15 minutes each.

5 – Dry the stamps, laying them face up on a white paper towel. Place another on top to blot out any excess moisture. Take extra care to ensure that the stamps are kept from tearing.

6 – Store the stamps, either in a stock album or a stamp album or in some other way that allows you to store them and view them on display.

Photo Credits: abbey*christine

Originally posted 2009-08-29 05:27:13. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Stamps -> Europe -> Switzerland

Some people, even those who have been collecting stamps for years, may never have heard of Swiss soldier stamps. That’s because these stamps weren’t actually postage stamps for use at large, they were created for the Swiss soldiers who were activated to full duty to protect Switzerland’s borders during WWI. They were good only at the soldiers’ field posts.

The first of these Swiss soldier stamps were designed in 1915 with two different motifs, and were really intended just to be souvenirs for the soldiers. Then in 1916, stamps that were cancelled on envelopes were sold to provide money to help support Swiss soldiers and their families who were in a financial crisis over the long period of time the soldiers were on alert for invasion. Swiss stamp dealers recognized the value in these small circulation stamps, and profited from them.

Because Swiss soldier stamps were issued by the regiment or individual company and not good for mail in general, they were then classified as charity stamps. In 1939, many Swiss units began issuing soldier stamps, with many of them being overprints of the original WWI stamps. They had official approval to print stamps, and even though the Swiss mail had to approve each issuance, they didn’t recognize them as valid postage outside of military use.

Very quickly, though, stamp collectors and dealers recognized how dangerous the unlimited printing of these stamps could be, and the Swiss army had to set rules allowing only one print runoff Swiss soldier stamps and one stamp design per unit. Plates were supposed to be destroyed after this time to prevent unlimited printing and overflooding the market for the stamps, as well as making it impossible for collectors to acquire every stamp.

By the time these rules were in place, though, collectors weren’t interested in Swiss soldier stamps anymore, so few were printed. Today they’re a collectible stamp and can add interest to any stamp collection. Whether it’s a world stamp collection, a European collection or a collection of stamps aside from official postage, Swiss soldier stamps are an interesting addition to even the largest collection.

Because so many different types were printed in the early 20th century, though, it’s all but impossible to achieve a complete collection of the stamps. It’s difficult to even manage a comprehensive collection. A better aim might be to attempt to collect certain types of Swiss soldier stamps from one year, or even just choose stamps from a particular period, like the first ones issued during WWI or those issued during WWII.

Online auctions like eBay are a great place to look for Swiss soldier stamps, because the variety is usually much larger than you can typically find through a stamp dealer or a local shop. Do try to purchase from sellers who are knowledgeable about the stamps and can answer any questions you have about the stamp’s origin and how its condition would be classified—uncirculated, mint, circulated, and other stamp-collecting terms should be right in the auction description.

Originally posted 2008-12-13 14:00:51. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Starting a stamp collecting hobby can be popular and rewarding if you like the idea of stamps. If you are just getting started with your own stamp collecting hobby and you are trying to figure out where you need to get started, the following tips should prove to be helpful.

First and foremost, it is said that the first rule of a stamp collecting hobby is to determine what type of stamp you would like to collect. You need to take care of your collection as well, as part of your stamp collecting hobby. When it comes to choosing a type of stamp to collect for your stamp collecting hobby, some of the options that are available are to choose a specific type of location, a specific type of design or a specific period of time. You can just as easily choose a historical period to collect, a specific country, an animal that you fancy or a holiday or special occasion, because there are a multitude of different stamps out there to choose from.

Some people with a stamp collecting hobby like to collect one issue of a certain stamp within a volume, one type of stamp only, or some collect as many different stamps as they can. Once you have decided what variety of stamp collector that you would like to be and what type of stamps you most want to collect, the next step in the process is going to be for you to learn how to care for your stamps properly and completely.

The first thing that you should know is that when handling your stamps you should always be using stamp tongs. While stamp tongs are similar to tweezers, they are not like tweezers because their ends are not pointy. You should never substitute tweezers for actual stamp tongs, otherwise you may end up severely damaging your stamps. Stamp tongs are vital because you should never touch the stamps with your fingers, otherwise the oils in your skin may damage the stamps. When you view stamps, they should always be laid out across a clean sheet of paper in order to minimize the amount of contamination that they experience.

The basic necessary types of tools and supplies that you are going to need for your stamp collecting hobby will require stamp tongs, an envelope for storage, a storage box for the envelopes to be stored in, and anything else you need to get the full enjoyment out of your stamps. As your collection grows, so should your arsenal of stamp collecting hobby tools, including glassine envelopes and nice books for you to store your stamps in. The more that you invest in your stamp collecting hobby, the better the results will be because your stamps will be better cared for and will last a lot longer as a result.

Photo Credits: architekt2

Originally posted 2009-08-18 05:51:18. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Collecting old stamps, especially vintage postage stamps can bring great value. Collecting old stamps can be fun and educational, it can be affordable, and it can bring about understanding of history, art, travel and many other areas of culture as well. Here is an explanation of why collecting old stamps can be beneficial to you.

1 – Stamps are enjoyable. Collecting old stamps is something that is personal, and as a result it can be really enjoyable. You can collect any type of old stamps that you want and you can collect them in any way that you like. There is no right way or wrong way for you to collect stamps, and the only time that it matters what you collect is when you intend to sell your stamps. If you are collecting purely as a hobby, then what you collect and how you collect is completely up to you.

2 – Stamps are affordable. Collecting old stamps can be really affordable if you know where to buy your stamps and how to value the stamps that you buy. You can easily come across 100+ year old postage stamps for as little as $1.25. Even extremely old stamps can be affordable, especially if they are in postal condition which means that they have been used. Collectors looking to sell their stamps won’t be interested in these used stamps, but why can’t you purchase them if you are collecting purely for your own personal enjoyment?

3 – Stamps are Cultural. Every time you open up your stamp album, the stamps you have collected are you going to take you to different places historically, geographically and culturally as well. You can collect stamps from American history, World history, wars, different geographical locations around the world, art periods, renaissance periods and anything else that you like. If you have a particular passion in your life, there are more than likely going to be old stamps that correspond with it. Are you a music buff? Choose historic music stamps. Do you love animals? There are plenty of old stamps that feature state animals, endangered animals and so on. Stamps are very culturally diverse, and there are thousands upon thousands of different directions to take your stamp collection in.

4 – Stamps are Valuable. You can come across old stamps that are extremely valuable. Stamps can easily be worth thousands of dollars because of different things such as rarity or because of a tiny error in printing. If you care about the value of your collection, then rare old stamps are a good way for you to go.

5 – Stamps are important. Stamps, new and old, allow us to communicate through writing letters. The way that mail was sent was revolutionized by the first adhesive stamp in the world, which was invented in England.

Photo Credits: kevindooley

Originally posted 2009-08-12 05:41:18. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Often people ask me for advice on what to do with their newly inherited or given stamp collection, usually with a bent on selling it. These are a few pointers I have slapped together. Number one: do not get your hopes up. Most people see albums or boxes full of old stamps and they think “eureka!” The boring reality is that the greater parts of the majority of stamps are fairly common, and are therefore worth next to nothing, even the really old ones. Another fact is that most collectors do so for personal enjoyment, and not for an investment.

That said, there are a few exceptions and certain collections could be worth quite a bit. How would you get an idea of the worth of a collection? Easiest method is to find records left by the original collector that details the contents of it and its value. Should the collection have been insured, the total of the insurance taken out can also be an indicator. You do need to be aware though, that collectors value all of their stamps at retail, meaning what it would cost you to buy the stamps from dealers. You also need to figure in a collector’s natural tendency to exaggerate the value a bit. If you do go and sell the collection, do not be surprised if the offers you get are only in the neighborhood of 10% to 20% of the claimed value, possibly less.

If you are unable to get an approximate value of your collection due to lack of records and such, you do have several other methods by which you could approach the problem.

Do the footwork yourself. This method will involve a lot of time as well as effort, but in the end it will be the best way to obtain an accurate idea of what all is in the collection, as well as what it really is worth. Basically, the process goes as follows. Buy a Scott Postage Stamp Catalog, which can be had in many a public library. The catalogs come in six different volumes, each of which contain listings, and pictures, and are organized by country.

You should locate each stamp you have and the catalog will have its value. This “catalog” value is, theoretically, the price you would have to pay to buy this stamp through a retail stamp dealer. Really, this value also tends to be rather inflated, and you will be able to buy stamps from a dealer for a lot less than that value. You should expect to actually get a lot less than this when selling.

Contract an appraiser. You can pay an appraiser who will then examine the entire collection and provide you with a written estimate for its value. The appraiser is not someone who is interested in buying your collection, and so has no personal motivations to value your collection too low in the hopes that they could get a good deal, in case you were worried about that. You pay an appraiser a fee, and this fee should always definitely be agreed upon ahead of time to prevent any issues.

Photo credits: Le Petit Poulailler

Originally posted 2009-12-09 03:19:50. Republished by Blog Post Promoter