Philately what is it?

What philately?

Philately is art to collect the stamps. The collections are infinite: each philatelist can specialize and choose a set of themes, one period or a country. That you want to launch you in this activity or that you are a collector beginning or hardened, these some lines will allow you more on philately.

When philately did appear?

It is in 1864 that the term “philately” comes out. Gustave Herpin, large French collector which in particular specialized in the stamps, invents this word starting from two Greek words. Indeed, “philosophies” wants to say “friendly, amateur” and “ateleia” results in “exemption of tax”. This term thus comes to replace the “timbrology”. The activity is however former to 1864, the first postal stamp having come out in Great Britain in 1840: it is Penny Black. 

What collects the philatelists?

There does not exist any rule: each philatelist is free to collect what he wants and made according to his budget. The philatelists can first of all collect the postage stamps. Some prefer the new stamps which have more value and do not have any trace of hinge. Others prefer to choose the used stamps which served and have a history. The latter are also more accessible. As for the set of themes, it must inspire and justify the collector: it can be a question of an area of the world, a date of emission or of a topic like the landscapes or the animals. The philatelists can also collect the stamp-currency, the postage-due stamps, the entireties postal or the books of stamps. As for tax philately, it indicates art to collect the revenue stamps. 

Where to find the stamps?

Besides the researches undertaken in the family attic and of the stamps given by his entourage, the philatelist can find his happiness in the vacuum-attics. Certain private individuals sell to with it sometimes old collections which appear interesting. The collectors can also buy batches of stamps on Internet at advantageous prices and generally more accessible than the stamps sold with the detail. It is also possible to consult the philatelic announcements and of poster its own list. These announcements are used to put in contact the collectors so that the latter can exchange their stamps of collection.

The Councils and material essential to philately

The organization is this and watchword, at the beginning of a collection! Philately requires precision and rigor. A collector must thus take the practice to sort and classify its acquisitions. The stamps are small works of art which must be handled with care and precaution. Concerning the material for philately, a grip with stamps thus quickly appears essential, just as a magnifying glass for philatelist: the latter makes it possible to observe closely the details of each stamp. Lastly, a sorter or an album for stamps is ideal to present your collection while protecting your stamps. Side documentation, a catalog of stamps will help you with more on the stamps of a postal administration.