Stamp Collector

Stamp Collector gives you all the information, news, expert advice, market insight and inspiration you need to build your stamp collection and get the most from your hobby. Every issue features the latest prices, expert collecting advice, in-depth guides giving you the lowdown on classic stamp sets, new stamps, postal history, first-day covers and much more. Our stamp stories shed light on intriguing stamps and why they were produced, and our stamp sidelines pages provide an insight into postmarks, first-day covers, Cinderellas, Post & Go and Europa stamps.

STAMP COLLECTOR INCORPORATING COIN COLLECTOR

Stamp Collector

Welcome to Stamp Collector • INCORPORATING COIN COLLECTOR

stamp update • THE LATEST NEWS FROM THE WORLD OF STAMP COLLECTING AND ORGANISED PHILATELY. SEND YOUR NEWS STORIES TO US BY EMAIL TO: alison.boyd@warnersgroup.co.uk

IN BRIEF

new stamps

IN BRIEF

More and Less Europe • Michael Burzan outlines the content of the Michel CEPT catalogue and the recent changes to its format.

150th Anniversary of the Birth of Sir Winston Churchill • Royal Mail’s new issue for Sir Winston Churchill, which was released on 30 November, celebrates the life and legacy of one of Britain’s most iconic figures.

The Colours of King George VI • The choice of stamp colour in the reign of King George VI presented some challenges reveals Richard West.

GB Quiz of 2024 • The past year has seen a variety of different stamp issues released by Royal Mail. To see how much you can remember about the commemorative issues from 2024, why not take part in our quiz? You’ll find the answers at the bottom of the page.

By Royal Appointment • After a visit to MonacoPhil, Bill Barrell shares his experience of the show and what he is going to be up to in early 2025.

auction update

DIARY DATES

Mexican astrophysics

price £ watch • YOUR QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE TO ONLINE SALES, IN ASSOCIATION WITH DELCAMPE.NET

Log-cabin Hero? • A stamp from the presidency of Andrew Jackson has caught the eye of Chris West this month.

Missing Matrix Codes • Germany’s first stamp issued with a matrix code was released in 2021. Michael Burzan outlines the printing errors that have now been discovered.

How to Collect Tonga • As Christer Brunström reveals, the stamps of the Kingdom of Tonga provide a varied range of issues for the collector.

American Firsts • Paula Hammond recounts how the earliest settlers to America relied on a postal service to share news with home.

‘Toombsiana’ for the World • Artist Jennifer Toombs designed stamps for numerous postal authorities, including the Commonwealth omnibus set to commemorate Sir Winston Churchill. Michael Burzan examines her extensive career.

A Messenger’s Pass of 1659 • After reading ‘Philatelic Firsts’ in the December issue of Stamp Collector, Alan Spencer got in touch to share the story of one of the items in his collection.

Moving Mail by Rail: in the 1996-2024 • Cyril RH Parsons, senior steward in the TPO carriages at the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre, concludes his history of the carriage of letter mail by rail in Britain over nearly 200 years.

Beneath the Clothes in a Suitcase • Described by postal historian Dane Garrod, a well-documented British military career together with postal cover survival serve to give an insight into the early-20th century.

How to Collect in the 21st Century • When Michael Kogan of www.paleophilatelie.eu returned to stamp collecting in 2010 after a long break, he was confronted with the impact of the internet on the hobby. Here, he recounts his experiences of using the internet to collect stamps.

£sd Commemoratives Used on Cover: Queen...