Hi !
While surfing on Net I came across a beautiful stamp featuring ‘Rainbow’ issued by Nepal Post on ‘Balanced Environment’. This stamp has appeared on Indian Stamp Ghar. I shall be highly thankful if anyone could help me in getting this beautiful stamp as this is from my favouite theme “ Rainbow ”. I shall be pleased to send mint stamps in exchange. In this post please read an article on stamp collecting by Mr Mainak Kathiara of Ahmedabad and news on pictorial cancellations from Germany. This is all for Today..… More in Next Post….Till Then Have a Great Time !……...
Club News
New Pictorial Cancellations on fauna from Germany
Norderney
Date of Issue : 1 April 2012
Jackdaw
Date of Issue : 26 May 2012
During a philatelic exhibition in Kaltennordheim on May 26th 2012 ,Germany, will be available a new pictorial cancellation featuring the JACKDAW (Corvus monedula), BIRD OF THE YEAR 2012 in Germany.
Interested philatelists in the above cancellations may contact Mr Wolfgang Beyer, Vice Chairman of the German Collector Group ArGe ZOOLOGIE. Mail: Wolfgang.Beyer1@polizei.sachsen.de Postage rates are 0,75 Euro AIRMAIL or 2,80 Euro REGISTERED AIRMAIL
Articles
I am pleased to share here an article by renowned philatelist of Ahmedabad Mr Mainak Kathiara. This article was published in Phila Post in 2008. some images have been changed in this article . Mr Mainak Kathiara may be contacted at email : mainak61@yahoo.com
Learning Philately
Stamp collecting or ‘Philately’ is one of those timeless hobbies that might have been enjoyed by your grandfather and could be a past time for your grandchildren. Stamp collecting is far more compelling than just the removal of the paper from the back of the stamp.
The postage stamp permitted the letter to be delivered free of charge to the recipient, thus rendering it as untaxed. The introduction of the postage stamp and its popularity gave rise to an interest in philately and birth of the Philatelist. The history of philately is as old as the history of the postage stamp itself.
- Mainak Kathiara, Ahmedabad
A world of opportunity opens up when you start to learn about a stamp. Philately is one of the more interesting and educational hobbies as it teaches us about history, geography, politics, art & culture, all inside the borders of a postage stamp.It trains our power of observation, improves our perception, broadens our views and adds to our knowledge of many fields of learning.
Stamp collecting or ‘Philately’ is one of those timeless hobbies that might have been enjoyed by your grandfather and could be a past time for your grandchildren. Stamp collecting is far more compelling than just the removal of the paper from the back of the
stamp. Philately is a way of engaging in the past through pictorial imagery and preserving it for the future.
Definition of Philately:
The oxford dictionary defines the word ‘Philately’ as the ‘collection and study of stamps’. The term ‘Philately’ was coined in 1865 by a Frenchman, Mr. George Herpin, who combined the Greek words ‘PHILOS + TELEIN’, where Philos means ‘love’ and Telein means ‘exemption from the payment of tax’. The postage stamp permitted the letter to be delivered free of charge to the recipient, thus rendering it as untaxed. The introduction of the postage stamp and its popularity gave rise to an interest in philately and birth of the Philatelist. The history of philately is as old as the history of the postage stamp itself.
Stamp collecting today is the world’s oldest and most widely followed hobby. It is also one of the very few hobbies which has acquired authentic status and enjoys extensive government support.
A Few Generalised Tips for the Collectors:
Be a regular visitor at the post office philatelic bureau. The advantages are many:
a) By opening a philatelic deposit account, you are secured about your supply of Mint Stamps, First Day Covers, Brochures and postal stationery etc.
b) You get the material delivered to your address without extra cost.
c) You get the stamps from the post office at face value, which is a parallel currency and hence you are never a loser.
d) You can get 25p Meghdoot Post Cards. Lot of slogans, information on social issues are to be seen on them and they will be a good source for Thematic collection.
e) The brochure of any stamp is worth reading. It will help to learn the details of the particular
stamp. It is also a collectable item.
f) You get a chance to meet fellow philatelists of your area and it gives you chance to
exchange views.
The department is carrying out all these activities to promote philately. You can take advantage of them. So what are you waiting for? Go and open a philatelic account.
• Be in touch with senior philatelists - they have learnt philately the hard way and their experience will help you a lot.
• Refer to the many Internet auction sites on philately.• Try to get a few good catalogues, reference books, auction lists, magazine, articles written by senior philatelists, and postal information from time to time from post offices.
• Go for quality material even if it is a bit more costly. It will be more worthy in the long run.
• Buy good stationery items to preserve your philatelic material in good condition.
• Visit National and International exhibitions, which will broaden your vision for collecting.
• Become a member of a local philatelic society where you can interact with philatelists of your area.
• Never speculate on stamps unless you are guided by the specialist of that subject.
Hexagonal stamps of the ‘Aldabra Giant Tortoise’ issue
Be Innovative:
Innovation will take you a step ahead of your fellow collectors. Shown below are hexagonal stamps of the ‘Aldabra Giant Tortoise’ issue. Different attractive combinations can be made which gives a beautiful look.
Try to be creative - it does not cost much and it is a pleasure to look at. The department is carrying out all these activities to promote philately. You can take advantage of them. So
what are you waiting for? Go and open a philatelic account.
• Be in touch with senior philatelists - they have learnt philately the hard way and their experience will help you a lot.
Also shown below are two covers which were made by a philatelist to commemorate the ‘World Aids Day’. These types of innovative/creative ideas will give birth to exclusive items for the future and will enhance your collection.
To commemorate World Aids Day on 1st December, Cover was cancelled with Date
Stamp, as no special cancellation was available.
A private First Day Cover commemorating the release of Aids Stamp on 1st December 2006. The cover shows ‘Tata Steels’ initiative for prevention of HIV Aids.
Educate Yourself :
You have to ask a few questions of yourself if you want to be an expert of philately.
a) Do you want to lead your fellow philatelists, rather than being ignored by them? Then educate yourself and share what you know with others.
b) Do you want to get goodies that busy and lazy dealers over look for cheap prices? Then......READ.
c) Do you want to make fruitful investment in stamps? Then the answer is, READ as much as you can.
You have seen them. They are usually quiet. They sit at a dealers table and sift through everything within their speciality. What are they looking for? Dozens of things: cancellations, the rare shade, different perforations, die variety, rare rate, rare destinations and many more things. Don’t ask these experts; they are professionals
at what they do and they won’t tell you the secrets. They took the time to READ the books. They are experts and if you know what they know, you would get in line or ahead of them, wouldn’t you? So keep reading !
These days, stamps are considered as an alternative investment. Stamps possess considerable aesthetic qualities and there is also psychological appeal of something tangible, rather than the figures in the bank pass book or demat accounts. The beauty of investing in stamps is that there is such an enormous range and diversity of material available to suit every pocketbook. With the present surge of interest in philately as an alternative investment, the future looks very bright.
The next time when you pass by a post office in any city pay attention to how they are using their philately to promote the country, cater to the tourist, or commemorate moments of significance. My appeal to young professionals, doctors, lawyers, chartered accountants is to have a peep at the philatelic bureau wherever they go. I am sure they will find something or the other that is interesting to take home as a collectible or to gift someone as a memento.
- Phila Post 2008
