Topical stamp collecting explained

Topical or thematic stamp collecting is the collecting of postage stamps relating to a particular subject or concept.^[1] Topics can be almost anything,^[2] from stamps on stamps,^[3] birds, trains and poets on stamps, to famous physicians and scientists, along with historical people and events on stamps, which is often a standard theme for many stamp issuing countries.

Background

The earliest stamps simply depicted busts of reigning monarchs, important figures, or coats of arms, but as time went on stamps started to have a wider range of designs. Bears appeared on provisional stamps of St. Louis in 1845, while the beaver was featured on the earliest stamps of Canada. More than 150 years later, the variety of designs on stamps is enormous, giving topical collectors plenty of scope to find stamps for their chosen theme.^[4] In fact, so many stamps have been issued that some popular themes, such as ships or birds, have become nearly impossible to complete, and topical collectors may specialize further, such as by looking for only square-rigged sailing ships, or only flightless birds.

Collecting

Since most types of stamp designs are commonly available and inexpensive, acquiring them is mostly a matter of poring over the stamp catalog looking for relevant types, and learning enough about the topic to recognize subtle connections. The American Topical Association and others have published handbooks and lists of larger topics.^{[5] [6]}

Online marketplaces and trade platforms are the most common way of collecting new stamps.

Competitions

Topical collecting is a recognized category for competitive exhibitions and has its own Commission with the FIP (Fédération Internationale de Philatélie).^[7]

Topics

Some topics include:

• Bicycles on stamps
• Birds on stamps
• Fish on stamps
• Insects on stamps
• Dinosaurs on stamps
• People on stamps
• Presidents on stamps
• Ships on stamps
• U.S. space exploration history on U.S. stamps
• Soviet space exploration history on Soviet stamps
• Stamps on stamps
• Art Deco stamps
• Leniniana
• Chemistry on stamps
• Mathematics on stamps

Stamps with an anarchist theme were issued during the Spanish Civil War by the Confederación Nacional del Trabajo.^{[8] [9] [10]}

See also

Further reading

• Bold, W.E.J. van den. Handbook of Thematic Philately. Limassol: Published by James Bendon for The British Thematic Association, 1994
• Branston, A. J. Thematic and Topical Stamp Collecting: A practical and comprehensive handbook for thematic, topical, and subject collectors. London: Batsford, 1980
• Griffenhagen, George and Jerome Husak. Adventures in Topical Stamp Collecting. Tucson: American Topical Association, 1997
• Gupta, V.K. A Handbook on Thematic Philately. Delhi: B.D. Gupta, 1989
• Lee, Alma. Introducing Thematic Collecting. British Philatelic Trust in conjunction with the National Philatelic Society, 1983. (Edited by Richard West)
• Martin, M. W. Topical Stamp Collecting. New York: Arco Pub. Co., 1975
• Morris, Margaret. Thematic Stamp Collecting. London: Gibbons, 1977
• Handbooks of the American Topical Association.

External links

• • American Topical Association
• LearnAboutStamps.com A resource for stamp collectors

Websites for particular themes

• Bicycles on stamps
• Catstamps
• Scouts on Stamps Society International
• Stamps on Stamps Collectors Club
  • Paleontology (dinosaurs, prehistoric animals, fossils) stamps by country and by issue date

Notes and References

1. Web site: Glossary Of Philatelic Terms . . 2019-03-12 .
2. Web site: Topical Stamp Collecting . . 2019-03-12 .
3. Web site: Like stamps? You'll love stamps-on-stamps . Linn's Stamp News . Refresher Course . 2019-03-12 . 2000-05-01 . Baadke . Michael .
4. Web site: Pick your favorite topic and start collecting . Refresher Course . . 2010-01-24 . Baadke . Michael .
5. Web site: Handbooks . American Topical Association . 2010-01-24 .
6. Web site: ATA Checklists . . 2010-09-30 .
7. Web site: FIP Thematic Philately Commission . . 2017-04-24 .
8. Web site: Les timbres édités par la CNT et par la FAI. Increvables Anarchistes. 22 July 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20090212114238/http://www.increvablesanarchistes.org/album_photo/timbres/3639_timbrcntfai.htm. 12 February 2009. French.
9. Book: Gomez-Guillamon, F.. The Republican local war tax stamps, 1936-39. Spanish Philatelic Society.
10. Web site: Creagh. Ronald. Ronald Creagh. La Guerre civile et la Révolution en Espagne (1936-1939). Research on Anarchism. 22 July 2011. French. 30 September 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110930091011/http://raforum.info/spip.php?article210. dead.