Gourt > Reference > Libraries > Subject Specific > Philately
Philately is the study of revenue or postage stamps. This includes the design, production and uses of stamps after they are issued by postal authorities. Although many equate it with stamp collecting, it is a distinct activity. For instance, philatelists will study extremely rare stamps without expecting to own copies of them, whether because of cost, or because the sole survivors are in museums. Conversely, a stamp collector may choose to acquire and arrange the little pictures without being much troubled about their origin or usage. In practice, a basic knowledge of philately will save the collector from spending a great deal of money on a stamp that is really almost worthless.
The coining of the word "philately" in its French form has been circumstantially attributed to Georges Herpin in the publication Le Collectioneur de timbres-postes, Vol. 1, November 15, 1864. It is formed from the Greek words philos (friend) and ateleia (exempt from charge, or "franked"), which is a stretch to relate to the study of stamps, but the alternatives of "timbrophily" & "timbrology" or "timbrologist" never caught on.
The origin of philately is in the observation that in a pile of stamps all appearing to be the same type, closer examination reveals different kinds of paper, different watermarks embedded in the paper, variations in color shades, different perforations, and other kinds of differences. Comparison with records of postal authorities may or may not show that the variations were intentional, which leads to further inquiry as to how the changes could have happened, and why. To make things more interesting, thousands of forgeries have been produced over the years, some of them very good, and only a thorough knowledge of philately gives any hope of detecting the fakes.
More on [ Philately ]
Stamps :: Collecting
Recreation and Sports :: Museums
RT @stamp_guy: #philately /http://tinyurl.com/yzuslwo / Slide show of United States stamps to be issued in 2010. #stamps
Stampsve (Stampsve.com) Tue, 05 Jan 2010 02:22:18 -0000
RT @stamp_guy: #philately /http://tinyurl.com/yzuslwo / Slide show of United States stamps to be issued in 2010. #stamps
@Shayna_Andrus yes. though i don't really consider this a hobby:) ...but just the typical stuff. reading. xbox. philately. ombusdmaning.
amosjheller (amos heller) Mon, 04 Jan 2010 23:39:23 -0000
@Shayna_Andrus yes. though i don't really consider this a hobby:) ...but just the typical stuff. reading. xbox. philately. ombusdmaning.
Auction News -: Bjorn Jarlvik Philately: Stamp Auction 51 http://bit.ly/6Xv8gX
A2Eauctions (Dave Langston) Mon, 04 Jan 2010 18:45:22 -0000
Auction News -: Bjorn Jarlvik Philately: Stamp Auction 51 http://bit.ly/6Xv8gX
#philately /http://tinyurl.com/yzuslwo / Slide show of United States stamps to be issued in 2010.
stamp_guy (Don Schilling) Mon, 04 Jan 2010 16:34:56 -0000
#philately /http://tinyurl.com/yzuslwo / Slide show of United States stamps to be issued in 2010.
Stamp skills - collectors share their philately skills base online http://www.myphilately.com/skl_view.php
myphilately (MyPhilately) Mon, 04 Jan 2010 11:31:56 -0000
Stamp skills - collectors share their philately skills base online http://www.myphilately.com/skl_view.php
@angelsouth Philately is fun, Josh.
philippa22 (Philippa W) Mon, 04 Jan 2010 11:22:40 -0000
@angelsouth Philately is fun, Josh.
American Philatelic Research Library - The largest public philatelic library in the United States, with many of philately's classic periodicals, catalogs, government documents, auction catalogs, and a variety of other materials.
American Philatelic Society - The largest public philatelic library in the United States, Its holdings include catalogues, government documents, auction catalogues, and a variety of other materials. Located in State College, Pennsylvania.
National Philatelic Society Library (NPSL) - A library with 1750 linear feet of shelving covering all aspects of stamp collecting from 1865 to date. It is very strong on periodicals of the world.
Rocky Mountain Philatelic Library - Houses over 5000 books on philately, issues of periodicals, auction catalogs for research purposes, a western history (postal history) and railroad collection, post office publications dating back to 1876, a collection of maps dating back to the 1870's, and an education program for children and beginning adult collectors. Denver, Colorado.
The British Library's Philatelic Collections - A collection of stamps, postal history and books, including the Tapling Collection. Over eight million items. The collections, together with philatelic books, photographs, general reference material, maps, newspapers and official publications elsewhere in the Library, make the British Library one of the world's prime philatelic research centres.
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The Canadian Postal Archives - Provides an overview of the philatelic collections preserved by the National Archives of Canada. Includes information about every postage stamp issued by Canada and British North America since 1851.
The Wineburgh Library - Philatelic research library at the University of Texas (Dallas) with books, periodical volumes, philatelic journals and a selection of post office publications and reports.
Western Philatelic Library - Located in Sunnyvale, California, the library has over 8,000 philatelic books and monographs available for public examination.
Meta Description: [ The Western Philatelic Library in Sunnyvale, Ca has over 8,000 philatelic books and monographs available for public examination ]
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