Commemorative stamps are special edition stamps issued to commemorate a person, event, or cause. They are issued by postal services worldwide and withdrawn after one year, creating a limited supply. Philatelists collect them alongside rare and vintage stamps. The first commemorative stamp emerged around 1860, with a design commissioned specifically for the stamp. Examples of things commemorated include famous people, historic events, and causes. Stamps are issued on a staggered timeline, with special unveiling ceremonies arranged. Serious collectors can order special sheets of commemorative stamps, while others can purchase standard issue stamps or keep used ones in a book.
Commemorative stamps are stamps issued as a special edition to commemorate a cause, person, event or place. Such stamps are issued by many postal services around the world each year, with some postal services issuing hundreds of commemorative stamps a year. Typically, after one year of circulation, stamps are withdrawn, creating a limited supply. Many philatelists, or stamp collectors, enjoy collecting commemorative stamps alongside rare and vintage stamps.
Several nations have claimed credit for the first commemorative stamp, and the practice appears to have emerged around 1860. Such stamps usually feature a design that was commissioned specifically for the stamp. The design is often done by an artist who is a citizen of the country where the stamp is issued and can be done in a variety of styles. Typically, commemorative stamps are good for first-class mailing in the nation in which they are issued, and when people buy stamps, they have a choice between standard first-class stamps and a variety of commemorative options.
Some examples of things that may be commemorated include: former heads of state, incomings to the state, historic events, historic sites, famous people, native flora and fauna, and causes such as awareness of rare medical conditions. According to statistics maintained by the United States Postal Service, the most popular commemorative stamp ever issued in America was a 1993 Elvis commemorative stamp, with an estimated 124 million copies of the stamp dispersed throughout stamp collections.
Many postal services issue a press release early in the year listing the commemorative stamps scheduled for release that year. Stamps are issued on a staggered timeline, with stamps often being issued when they seem especially timely; for example, a centennial commemorative stamp would be issued on the anniversary of the day the event occurred. Special unveiling ceremonies may also be arranged, with the stamps being displayed to the public at a post office in a region connected to the stamp.
Serious stamp collectors can order special sheets of commemorative stamps through their Postal Service or Post Office. People who are more peripherally interested can purchase standard issue stamps at the Post Office or resort to the time-honored tradition of removing stamps from their mail and keeping them in a book. Some people like to look at the cancellation marks on stamps and envelopes, making used stamps an interesting collector’s item.
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