Articles

Stamps of Japan can often be observed at different stamp auctions all around the globe. Interestingly, this country has a variety of rare and valuable stamps; however, they do not always get high realization prices at philatelic events. This article will reveal the most expensive postal items of Japan sold at stamp auctions during the past years.

In this review, our readers will find the rarest stamps ever issued in Italy. Please note that, with the time, this list may require an update since stamps of this country are popular among collectors and new varieties are found quite often.

Stamps of France are valued by philatelists from various countries. In this article, you will find information about 10 rare stamps that have an interesting history of creation and will definitely be appreciated by any experienced collector.

In the south of the Arabian Peninsula, there is a federation of seven Arab states, which is currently called the United Arab Emirates (UAE). At the turn of the seventies of the 19th century, these small Arab principalities became the most famous countries in the world of philately.

Stamps of Great Britain and the UK are popular among collectors from various countries. In this review, you will find 10 rare and valuable stamps that have interesting provenance and will surely become the highlight of any philatelic collection.

Below you can find the most valuable stamps of China sold at various stamp auctions of the past years. Some of them are rare while some of the pieces became extremely expensive due to the printing error.

Stamps of India can frequently be met at various stamp auctions all over the world. Interestingly, there are only a few rare stamps issued in this country, which makes them quite valuable. In this review, you will find information about the most expensive stamps of India (single items) sold at philatelic auctions during the past years.

Attempts to create an efficient payment method for postal items were made by many people from various countries long before the nineteenth century. The aim of this article is to throw light on the most famous predecessors of postal stamps.

These stamps are considered some of the rarest stamps in the world. The rarity of the stamp with a nominal value of 2 cents is also indicated by the fact that it is one of the most popular topics when issuing postage stamps dedicated to philatelic rarities.

It was discovered many years ago in Ireland by a schoolboy, who saw this unusual stamp in his teacher’s collection. The piece attracted the attention of the boy, and he told a rich philatelist about it. The duke gave the boy $16 to purchase it from the teacher.

It is worth stressing that many researchers have repeatedly noted that philately, and stamps, in particular, are important not only as a resource that helps young people get acquainted with geography, history, art history, foreign languages, and so on but also as a subject of knowledge since postal stamps undoubtedly are objects that capture and display certain historical moments.

In 1846, the Governor of Mauritius issued a decree on the transportation and payment of postal items, according to which each letter, newspaper or any other item sent inside the colony (and paid with a stamp issued by the government) was sent without paying a postage fee.

This stamp showing the aircraft Curtis JN-4 was issued in the second decade of the 20th century. On seven sheets, the aircraft was imprinted upside down by mistake. Defective stamps were destroyed, but still, one such sheet went on sale and was divided into separate blocks and stamps. In the same year when issued, a collector named William T. Robey bought this sheet for as much as $24.

The Basler Taube is the philatelic rarity created and printed in the Swiss canton of Basel. It was issued on July 1, 1845, and this release became one of the first stamp series in the world.

It is known that due to the imperfections of the printing equipment, the stamps were created using paints of various thicknesses. This is how several variations of the first Brazilian stamp have appeared, which range from gray to black.

Belgium is a rather small country with a rich history in philately. Many collectors are glad to acquire the stamps of this country, which can significantly increase the value of their collections. However, one of the stamps is particularly valuable as it has been preserved only in small quantities.

October was rich in philatelic events and rare stamps sales. In this review, you will find the most valuable and remarkable stamps sold at philatelic auctions during the past month. Some of these pieces are considered the most significant items of international philately.

It should be noted that September has been a particularly productive and fruitful month for many stamp auctions. Some houses offered numerous rare stamps for sale.

One of the most important aspects in this matter is to differentiate between philatelic fakes and forgeries. In the first case, the stamp is genuine but it has been subjected to some modification. In the second case, the person/organization produces and distributes an item that imitates a genuine stamp.

It should be noted that initially, many people thought that only a particular type of printing error could be considered an offset; nevertheless, it was not entirely so. An offset can appear in several settings.