Postal History | Discover Topical Stamp Collecting

Amortize: How Letters, Stamps and Time Pay Off What We Owe

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Some words feel modern, rooted in finance, spreadsheets, and loan statements. And yet, amortize is anything but new. According to Merriam-Webster, to amortize means to pay something off little by little over time, reducing a burden gradually rather than all at once. It’s a word of patience, rhythm, and endurance. When viewed through the lens of philately and postal history, amortize takes on a deeper, more human meaning. Because long before the word was used in accounting, people were already … Continue reading →

YEN: A Collector’s Desire

YEN: A Collector’s Desire Written in Ink and Postage Some words feel as though they were made for stamp collectors. Yen is one of them. According to Merriam-Webster, yen means a strong longing, craving, or desire, often for travel, adventure, or something just beyond reach. It’s not a fleeting wish. A yen carries emotion, curiosity, and movement. And if you think about it… isn’t that exactly what postage stamps and postal history represent? A World Fueled by Longing Long before … Continue reading →

Must-Have Books for Stamp Collectors and Postal Historians

Looking to deepen your philatelic knowledge or explore the fascinating world of postal history? These two must-have books is perfect for stamp collectors of all levels. From beginner guides to in-depth historical references, discover the essential reads to enrich your collecting journey.

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Aeolipile – The Steam Engine’s Role in Postal History

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Aeolipile: The Unexpected Connection Between Steam Power and Stamp Collecting When we think about stamp collecting, our minds often drift to the intricate designs, historical snapshots, and cultural narratives each tiny adhesive square contains. But today, let’s explore a surprising parallel between stamps and an ancient invention you may not know about—the aeolipile. What Is an Aeolipile? The aeolipile, or Hero’s engine, was an ancient steam-powered device invented by Hero of Alexandria in the first century AD. It’s considered the … Continue reading →

Collectable Covers & Postcards

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Collectable covers are a fascinating and important part of philately and postal history. Watch this exploration of different types of traditional and philatelic covers, as well as the interesting histories that they reveal. By the way…if never ever thought about using gloves, it seems like a good idea. 🙂 Enjoy!

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A buyer for the world’s oldest working post office?

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Will a buyer for the world’s oldest working post office be found before May 2020? The opportunity to be a part of postal history doesn’t come along very often and any new owner would be only the 17th person to run Sanquhar Post Office in over 300 years. ‘Dr Manzoor Alam and his wife Nazra have run the site in Sanquhar, Dumfries and Galloway, since 2015. They are retiring which means there is an opportunity a new owner to become … Continue reading →

St Kilda Mail Boat – Strathnaver Museum, Scotland

While visiting the Strathnaver Museum on the north coast of Scotland, I came across this very interesting piece of Scottish postal history. This St Kilda Mail Boat was washed ashore in Bettyhill. The people on St-Kilda would toss the mail boat in the water over the cliffs if help was needed. Where it came ashore was left to the flow of the tides. This boat was probably one of the commemorative boats which used to be thrown in every year … Continue reading →

Discover Topical Stamp Collecting With Catapulted Flights and Famous Aircrafts on Stamps & Covers

There was a time when airplanes could not fly non-stop across the oceans and consequently, mail was transported by catapulted aircrafts from a ship at sea. In the late 1920’s, experiments were undertaken from the deck of big passenger ships. The first in history was in 1928, aboard the French Ocean Liner “Ile de France” and was followed by others such as on the German Ocean liners, Bremen and Europa in 1929 and 1930. Even though the Ile de France could … Continue reading →

Discover How Mail Was Smuggled Out Of Prisons Inside Uniform Buttons During The American Civil War

Did you ever wonder how prisoners barred from communicating with persons in the outside world managed to smuggled letters out? If so, you will enjoy listening to the podcast (audio recording of => 04 Approaching the Philately from a Different Angle: How to Share a Country’s History) of the APS Stamp Talk radio show hosted by Nancy Clark in which she talks with Galen D. Harrisson, about how he managed to find samples of the uniform buttons used by prisoners at war to carry out mail and where he first read … Continue reading →

Traveling Through Time with Postal History and Postage Stamps

Ever wondered why stamps were invented? Watch this short animated video created by the Smithsonian National Postal Museum. It is a great introduction to postal history, which by definition “tells you the story of how mail has been handled, who has handled it, and why.” The history of postage stamps goes way back in time…. Postal history is a another example of how you can specialize your stamp collection to a particular subject inside the realm of philately. As mentioned on their … Continue reading →

A bridge between language, history, and collecting for Topical Stamp Collectors - Janice Dugas

Category Archives: Postal History