Philately is the study and collection of stamps, including those used for tax purposes. It dates back to the first postage stamps issued in England in 1840 and has grown to include any type of postal memorabilia. Philatelists can specialize in specific designs, types, or histories of stamps.
A philatelist is a person who studies or collects stamps. The term is most often used to refer to postage stamp collectors, but can refer to anyone interested in the field of stamps, including stamps used for tax purposes and other than postage purposes. Philately dates back to the first postage stamps, issued in England in 1840; the term “philatelist” was coined in the 1860s. Many philatelists specialize in stamps of a specific design, type or history.
Postage stamps were introduced by the British government in 1840. Prior to that, most postal systems required the person receiving the letter to pay for its delivery, a process that was inefficient for everyone involved. If the recipient couldn’t or wouldn’t pay for a letter, it would be returned, causing a loss to the postal service that had already invested time and shipping costs in its delivery. Stamps placed the responsibility for delivery costs on the sender and ensured that postal services would be paid for their efforts.
The first philatelist may have been British Museum officer John Edward Gray, who saved early British stamps for their historical significance. Most stamps featured specialized artwork and often included historical details about the issuing country, soon attracting amateurs with interests in art, history or government. The field of philately has grown to include virtually any type of postal memorabilia. In 1996, the US Postal Service estimated that there were over half a million dedicated stamp collectors in the United States alone.
A philatelist cannot always fit into potentially preconceived notions about stamp collectors. For example, a historian or archivist who studies stamps for a museum or postal service is also a philatelist. Some philatelists specialize in postcards, stamps, stationery or non-postal stamps that look like stamps, called “Cinderella stamps” by philatelists. Still others collect or study the stamps used by non-postal authorities, such as tobacco products or government licenses.
Thousands of stamps are issued each year by governments around the world. Rather than trying to collect them all, a philatelist can focus on one topic of special interest. For example, polar philatelists collect stamps issued or stamped in the polar regions of the world. Other philatelists focus on stamps from specific countries or periods, or that depict certain subjects, such as animals or famous writers. Pitcairn Island, a small British territory on a remote island in the South Pacific, forms a substantial part of its annual budget of philatelists who want its rare stamps.
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