Our Stamps
16 OF OUR SUPER STAMPS
INTRODUCTION
We’ve got a pretty impressive stamp collection (even if we do say so ourselves).
But we didn’t just stumble upon it. Our collection here at stamp-search.com has been painstakingly built up over years of scouring the globe for the best kept, most unusual, most interesting and most beautifully designed stamps in existence. Stamp collecting is a past-time with a long heritage and we’re now a part of that history. Here, we’ll look at how that history developed and then we’ll reveal the top 16 stamps in our collection that we’re so proud of we’ve nick-named them ‘super stamps’. In fact, we’d encourage you to give your favorite stamps names too because that’s how special they are!
Stamp collecting came about after the introduction of the first postage stamp in 1840 by the British Postal Service.
BACKGROUND
Stamp collecting is a noble art and as such has earned the title of "the hobby of kings” thatnsk to the large number of rulers who have collected stamps. As the “world’s greatest hobby”, its popularity is partly explained by being cheap and easy to start your own collection and low maintenance!
THE SUPRISING HISTORY OF STAMP COLLECTING
Stamp collecting came about after the introduction of the first postage stamp in 1840 by the British Postal Service. "Philately" is the official name given to stamp collecting, and stamp collectors are known as "Philatelists."
John Edward Gray the English zoologist holds the honor of being the first ever stamp collector. He even bought a few of the "Penny Black" stamps which were the first adhesive postage stamp series to be released. Did you know that he bought up a batch of the stamps on the same day they were first sold because he wanted to ‘save them’.
Since that first collection, stamp collecting has become increasingly popular and is one of the largest hobby’s across the world.
The popularity of stamp collecting- easily reaching 16 million collectors in the USA alone, is a reflection of the value and accessibility of the hobby. The beauty of a stamp and the information it transmits make it both a cultural icon and artistic piece it its own right. Each stamp is a little ‘picture’ of the particular time, culture and peoples from where they originate. Examining a stamp’s ‘provenance’, then, in the same way as for French wines and cuisine, will reveal the unique place and cultural setting that gave rise to its characteristics- the look, feel, size, image and so on.
Are we’re so proud to be a part of this nostalgic ‘analogue’ and low-tech movement that’s rich in history and tradition.
PROFILE OF OUR 16 SUPER STAMPS
If Stamp-Search had a starting line up in a competition against other stamp collections, then this would be our 16-stamp starting line up!
The table tells a bit about each stamp in our wonderful collection.
As a fun way to get to know the stamps better, we’ve given each one a special nickname that’s just for that one.
Some are ancient, others modern. Some were normal postage stamps while others are special ‘souvenir’ varieties. Some are from far flung parts of the world and others closer to home. All in all, this collection provides a tiny snapshot of cultures around the world from over 150 years.
| # | STAMP PICTURE | NICK NAME | COUNTRY | DATE | DESIGN | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Wings of Steel | USA | 1957 | The design uses graphic, iconic imagery. | The eagle is a traditional symbol for the power of the USA and the steel industry in the 50’s helped power the economy. |
| 2 |  | Bulgar Leone | Bulgaria | 1879 | Cyrillic inscription at the top of the oval reads "Bulgarian Postage". | The lion crest is a traditional symbol of the Bulgarian coat imperial of arms. |
| 3 |  | Pope Pius At 40. | Vatican | 1934 | Displays the image of Pope Pius XI | This re-valued definitive stamp was issued in 1934 with the new stamp value written ontop of the old one. |
| 4 |  | El Presidente | USA | 1875 | Beautifully framed portrait with wide margins. | This 90c stamp is a classic we love with it’s red color and intricate design. |
| 5 |  | Lord Alex | Albania | 1913 | Profile portrait in an exquisite frame. | This unusual stamp is featuring a profile of George Castriot (1405-1468) the Albanian aristocrat who was compared to a modern Alexander The Great in leading a Christian revole against their Ottoman overlords. |
| 6 |  | Wag On | South Africa | 1933-48 | Ox wagon image commemorates the dutch-South Africa Voortrekkers. | The Ox Wagon is a symbol of independence and pioneering spirit of the Afrikaaner peoples. They used the ox wagon as a vehicle to move into the interior to settle there from the coast of South Africa. The majority moved to escape British oppression in the Cape colonies. |
| 7 |  | Hyper5 | Germany | 1923 | This stamp was valued at 200 marks in the beginning of 1923, but had been inflated to cost 500 million marks later that same year! | Due to hyper inflation the value of German currency in the 1920’s plummeted and this stamp was over-laid with a ridiculously higher nominal amount. |
| 8 |  | Crystal Swan | Austria | 2004 | This souvenir stamp set is printed with miniature Swarovski crystals embedded in a special process! | The crystals printed onto the stamps help to promote the company in a wonderfully creative way. |
| 9 |  | Pinesent | Polynesia | 2005 | French Polynesia produced this pineapple-scented postage stamp. | There are no better ways to celebrate tropical fruit than a scented stamp of one of the queens of the fruit species: the pineapple. |
| 10 |  | TinTin | Bolivia | 1988 | This may be the only stamp printed on tinfoil! | The stamp celebrates the Bolivian team at the Winter Olympics, which took place in Calgary in 1988: |
| 11 |  | Beatlemania | UK | 2007 | This stamp is part of a series of Beatles Album cover stamps. | Beatles fans could enjoy sending mail with such stamps which we modern classics. |
| 12 |  | Yoda Am I | USA | 2015 | Lucasfilm’s top artist Malcolm Tween, used special illustration for these instant classic new releases. | The UK’s Royal Mail commissioned a series. No Stamp collection would be complete without one and this is an exemplary one. Stamp a good this one is hmm! |
| 13 |  | Mobi-Stamp | Zambia | 1974 | A lovely picture of a mobile post office in rural Zambia. | This quaint scene is a micro vignette of daily life captured on a stamp sized canvass. We love that the stamp features a mobile post office- how appropriate! |
| 14 |  | MnM | USA | 1995 | A ‘retro’ style illustration of Hollywood’s most iconic and enduring glam girl, Marylyn Munroe. The error on the right hand stamp is called ‘colour shift’ and is caused by a misaligned printing plate. The error makes this especially interesting. | This stamp was released in 1995 as part of the ‘Legends of Hollywood’ series printed by Stamp Venturers. This stamp is bound to add a sparkle even the most mundane collection 😉 |
| 15 |  | Trophy Wife In A Mail-Order Bride | Russia | 2015 | This souvenir stamp sheet is a stunning design football trophy theme. | Issued in anticipation of the 2018 Fifa World Cup in Russia, this stamp is a special collector’s item for all soccer fans. |
| 16 |  | Stampson | USA | 2009 | Matt Groening- The Simpsons creator- commented in characteristic good humour “This is the biggest and most adhesive honor The Simpsons have ever received, . | As BIG Simpsons fans as well as avid stamp collectors, this is perhaps our favorite stamp in our collection (although, like kids, we’re not allowed to have favorites in case the other stamps get jealous!). |
So that’s a quick introduction to 16 of our favourite stamps. We hope it’s inspired you to grow or start your own collection, or even to submit yours for our valuation service.
These days, in an age of increasing technological development, the need to post letters and use stamps is becoming at least partially eroded. However, stamps have an enduring value to collectors across the world and to us in particular. Even if stamps stop getting used for sending postage, stamps will continue to be collected and they’ll continue to be valued. They’ll always be a part of our history, our culture. An inspection of a good stamp collection can be a nostalgic symbol of a bygone era; and a small piece of history now frozen in time like a time capsule bearing a message for future generations to decifer. What a great way to connect grandkids and grandparents over a shared stamp collection!
