Iran Fakes and Forgeries #4
Part of an ongoing series of articles on fakes and forgeries of Iran.
by Lee Coen

Inheriting a Stamp Collection
Helpful advice for those who have inherited a stamp collection.
by Michael Generali

FLYSPECKING OR A VARIETY?
SOR member Lee Cohen never spent much time looking at “little specks of ink” on his stamps, until he came across an interesting variation of Iran stamp Scott #86 in a retired APS circuit book.
by Lee Coen

Iran Fakes and Forgeries #1
Part of an ongoing series of articles on fakes and forgeries of Iran.
by Lee Coen

Iran Fakes and Forgeries #2
Part of an ongoing series on the fakes and forgeries of Iran.
by Lee Coen

Iran Fakes and Forgeries #3
Part of a series on the fakes and forgeries of Iran.
by Lee Coen

The OFFIcIEL handstamps of Iran 1887-1889
Part of an ongoing series of articles on fakes and forgeries of Iran.
by Lee Coen

Iran Fakes and Forgeries Iran Persia Scott# not listed
Part of an ongoing series of articles on the fakes and forgeries of Iran. This article addresses some non-Scott listed material.
by Lee Coen

How to Identify German 1945 AMG Occupation Issue Printings
Unfortunately, the Scott Catalog does a bad job providing information on how to identify these stamps. As a result collections are usually found with the stamps misidentified. So, the question remains, "How does one identify the basic printings of these stamps?"
by Michael Generali

Collecting Non-“FIRST DAY OF ISSUE” First Day Covers
There are several intriguing collecting themes for first day of issue covers that do not have the "official" FIRST DAY OF ISSUE cancellation.
by Steve Swain

Bringing Madness to the Order
Leon and Bunny Marti are at it again, as Leon chooses a collecting specialty a goes shopping for an album.
by Leon Lutje

Ken Boll’s Classic First Day of Issue Cachets
Going well beyond simply enhancing the cover by complementing the newly issued stamp, well-designed, attractive, colorful cachets are considered as a true art form by many people both in and outside of philately.
by Steve Swain

First Show, Bourse, PEX
Once again Leon gives a humorous spin on a sacred area of our hobby. Do you remember your first collector gathering? Perhaps some of the same thoughts went through your mind? In any event prepare yourself for a chuckle or two as Leon's great expectations turn first to disappointment and then to bliss.
by Leon Lutje

A Great Survivor - Part Three
The dramatic days of the 1930s and the Great Patriotic War are over, but have the next 25 years any surprises in store for the Goznak Head Artist?
by Ian Greenwood

Enhanced First Day of Issue Ceremony Program Collecting
Expand and enhance your first day of issue ceremony program collecting by identifying and acquiring appealing items that are associated with new postal releases.
by Steve Swain

Michel, Yvert, Gibbons and Scott
Stamps catalogues and valuations can be a mystery to the non-collector. This humorous dialogue between a collector and his skeptical wife gives a different perspective on the matter.
by Leon Lutje

A Great Survivor
A look at the stamp designs and career of Ivan Dubasov, for forty years Head Artist at Goznak, the company that produced postage stamps of the Soviet Union.
by Ian Greenwood

Pneumatic tubes for sending mail…and cats??
The interesting history of the pneumatic tube systems used for mail and more!
by Lisa Marcello Grant

A Great Survivor - Part Two
The postage stamps of the Great Patriotic War provide dramatic illustrations of scenes of terror, desperate bravery and finally glorious triumph. From a base far to the east of Moscow, Ivan Dubasov marshals his team in the production of some of the finest examples of World War Two propaganda.
by Ian Greenwood

Soyuz Flights to the International Space Station
With the launch of Soyuz TM-31 and the Expedition-1 crew on October 31, 2000, the International Space Station has been continuously manned. This article chronicles the program through 2008 as preserved in a series of philatelic artefacts.
by John Macco

The Many Faces of Stamp Collecting Merit Badges and Awards
In addition to the Boy Scouts of America, what other scouting, or scout-like youth organizations, provide their members an opportunity to earn a stamp collecting merit badge or a similar award?
by Steve Swain

A Dangerous and Startling Thing...
For the new stamp collector the online discussion board can seem a "dangerous and startling" thing. Fear not. This tongue-in-cheek romp will get you ready to jump in at the deep end and join the conversation.
by Leon Lutje

Update Soyuz Flights to the ISS
Details of Soyuz flights to the International Space Station (ISS) between 2009-2013, illustrated with space covers from the author's collection.
by John Macco

The Uniquely Colorful Stamps of the British Empire
On some level, the essential appeal of stamp collecting is simply visual. The brilliantly colored issues from British Empire territories are a delight to collect.
by Steve Swain

YOUR PACKAGE IS IN THE MAIL
Just couldn't resist having fun with this story, although at the time it was a very serious subject. A happy thought is that no small children were hurt by being mailed. Hope you enjoy!
by Frank Tonge

U.S. National Air Mail Week: May 15-21, 1938
Collecting National Air Mail Week covers with the many varieties of cachets, handstamps, postage and autographs is truly an enjoyable and rewarding endeavor.
by Steve Swain

Papua New Guinea 45 toea Bird of Paradise 1991-1994
An overview of the The Papua New Guinea 45 toea Bird of Paradise stamp and reprints to help collectors navigate the subtle changes.
by Brian Holmes

Scouting Founder Portrayed on Rare Error Stamp
In an effort to resolve a war related postage stamp shortage, the founder of the scouting movement became the focus of a rare stamp printing error.
by Steve Swain

StampoRama Review at Stamp Insider
This review of the Stamporama website originally appeared in the March / April 2014 issue of Stamp Insider in the Stamp In-Sites column.
by Steve Swain

The MAILOMAT – Self-Service Postage Technology
"The Mailomat is a coin-operated U.S. mailbox for people who have letters to mail and no stamps." - From a promotional piece by Pitney-Bowes.
by Steve Swain

Intercosmos Program
Illustrated with covers from the author's collection, tells the story of the Intercosmos program under which citizens of various nations participated in manned spaceflight on board Soviet Union space vehicles and space stations with Soviet cosmonauts between 1978 and 1982 in the spirit of cooperation in space exploration and the use of outer space for peaceful purposes.
by John Macco

Tax Tip: Does It Make a Difference If You Sell Stamps as a Hobby or For Profit?
Income tax advantages related your philatelic sales may not be allowed by the IRS.
by Steve Swain

American Civil War Adversity Covers
The saying, “Necessity is the Mother of Invention”, has never been more aptly used than when describing the multitude of solutions to the paper shortage the Confederate states encountered.
by Steve Swain

Vulcanus Experimental “Burn” Cancellation
One of the oddest postmarks ever used and the only one of its kind, the Dutch Vulcanus experiment was a complete failure.
by Steve Swain

Pioneer-11 Saturn Encounter
Pioneer-11 Saturn Encounter
by John Macco

French Navigation & Commerce Forgeries
A Brief discussion of the forgeries of french colony navigation and commerce issues.
by Jere Dutt

U.S. Three Cent Liberty “Rainbow” Essay Experiment
Can a rainbow colored stamp prevent removal of a cancellation and the illegal reuse of the stamp?
by Steve Swain

Hidden Datestamps, Cancellations and Embossed Images Revealed
An image discovery tool is available that may solve the mysteries of hard to see or hidden cancellations and other markings on stamps.
by Steve Swain

The Value of a Stamp Collection - An Opinion
What constitutes the "value" of a stamp collection? What misconceptions do many collectors share when placing a value on their stamps?
by Michael Generali

Yellow - A Significant, but Elusive, U.S. Stamp Color
In stark contrast to the prominent use of yellow with the multi-color designs for U.S. stamps, yellow as the single, primary tint for U.S. stamps is quite an elusive color.
by Steve Swain

CZECHS IN SIBERIA
Months after world War I was over a Czech Army Outpost was trying to return home via the Trans-Siberian Railway.
by Frank Tonge

Rare Stamps and Individual Retirement Accounts - Approved Investments?
Of the numerous IRS-approved Individual Retirement Account investment vehicles and strategies, collectible items such as certain coins and bullion are permitted. Are rare postage stamps included in the list?
by Steve Swain

MY LUCKY PENNY
How I acquired a surprising rarety
by Frank Tonge

20th Century U.S. Fancy Cancels – Some Philatelic Amusement
Fancy cancels with pictorial designs that were derived from the town’s name is the focus of a rather amusing topical collecting theme.
by Steve Swain

TURTLES IN THE POST OFFICE
Surprise display containing candies appeared just prior to Christmas in Canada Post outlets for $4.95 plus tax. Stamp has image of Nestles' Turtles which usually appear in time festive season. $1.29 stamp not listed in catalogue.
by Frank Tonge

Gold in the Pan Follow-Up
FOLLOW-UP to ARTICLE "GOLD IN THE PAN" by Bruce Dangermond
by Michael Springfield Sr.

Lenticular Motion Stamps - A Philatelic Novelty
Lenticular technology is used to create the appearance of animation on stamps that significantly enhances their appeal to philatelists and non-collectors.
by Steve Swain

The "Persian Rugs" - Extraordinary U.S. Revenue Stamps
The "Persian Rugs" are truly extraordinary stamps and have a well-deserved reputation as unparalled classics of U.S. revenue philately.
by Steve Swain

Collecting #1s
There are numerous avenues to take when collecting “#1s”, better known as first issues. The possibilities are almost endless.
by Steve Swain

Century of Progress
Century of Progress
by Kenneth Perry

U.S. C11:
An article about my favorite U.S. stamp and the reasons behind its creation and ultimate demise!
by Randall Kerr

The Naumburg Founder Statues on Stamps
The wonderful story of the founder statues found in Naumburg, captured on stamps
by Jan-simon Hoogschagen

The USS Texas
This article explores in pictures and postal history the story of the USS Texas, part of an evolutionary line in American naval design.
by David Teisler

Discovery of Planet Uranus Ring System
Uranus Ring Discovery
by John Macco

Viking Simulation Test Covers
Viking Simulation Test Covers
by John Macco

Mail in the Old West
The postal history of the Expressmen - private delivery companies that provided mail and freight service to the gold towns of America's westward expansion. There are some 1,870 different known expresses that carried on business in the west during the nineteenth century. Some were in business for only a few days while others provided a regular service for many years.
by John Edwards

US Fancy Cancels
US fancy cancels can only be understood by knowing some US postal history.
by Bruce Dangremond

Voyager Missions to the Outer Planets
Voyager Missions to the Outer Planets
by John Macco

Space Shuttle Enterprise (OV-101)
Space Shuttle Enterprise
by John Macco

Apollo-Soyuz Test Project Stamps
Here is the story of how the ASTP commemoratives were selected.
by John Macco

Flight Directors Autographed Photo
With the imminent retirement of the Space Shuttle, I wanted to do something special.
by John Macco

The Death of Alexander Boyd Esquire
This article is about a cover I purchased addressed to Alexander Boyd who was murdered by the KKK.
by Robert Parkin Jr.

Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd (Ret) POSTAGE STAMPS
Admiral Byrd
by Kenneth Perry

Flown SRB Parachute Test Cover
This is the story of a flown space cover.
by John Macco

Canadian Astronauts Autographed First day Cover
Showing what can be done with an ordinary first day cover.
by John Macco

Tied Omaha Home for Boys cover is forwarded
Addresses in the selvege of stamps can lead an envelope to unintended destination
by David Teisler

A Cover Story - HMCS Bonaventure
There is more to a cover than it's cachet. An examination of the HMCS Bonaventure decommissioning Event Cover demonstrates the wealth of information that can be extracted from a cover.
by Alyn Lunt

Discussion Board Overview
This is general introduction for new users to the Stamporama Discussion Board
by Tim Auld

Discussion Board Image Upload
It is now so easy to upload an image into your Stamporama Discussion Board message posting.
by Tim Auld

Discussion Board Membership Profile Enhancements
The new Stamporama Discussion Board has some extra features in the Membership Profile that make the discussion board easy and fun to use, such as a picture upload facility to easily upload your picture or avatar.
by Tim Auld

Israel and George G Kimball - Two graduates from Bowdoin College
Israel Kimball and George G. Kimball lived between 1812 and 1890. This is a story inspired by two covers, both using the Scott #25.
by Tim Auld

Estate Planning Tips for Stamp Collectors
Life’s uncertainties make it a necessity to properly plan one's estate. This helpful article will get you started on taking steps to ease the burden of those to whom the collection will be left.
by Michael Generali

Sir R.A. Peters, FRS
A Brief historical sketch of the lead scientist on many early biochemical breakthroughs. He led the team that discovered Anti-Lewesite.
by Alyn Lunt

MV Greenpeace
The MV Greenpeace replaced the Rainbow Warrior in the Green Peace fleet sailing the world for the causes of Green Peace. This is a short history of the vessel. This originally appeared on MyPhilately.com.
by Alyn Lunt

The Washington Bicentennial
Washington Bicentennial
by Kenneth Perry

Farley's Follies
The Farley Years
by Kenneth Perry

Military Aerogrammes used by Dutch Military Forces
Just after the end of WWII the Dutch Government could not bear to loose Netherlands Indië as a colony, not willing to end 400 years of joint history. However the Indonesian people wanted and deserved their freedom. This lead to a conflict and military army and navy units were sent overseas, resulting in a need for a postal service.
by Harry Julsing

1859 - Cover from Farnborough Station, Hampshire to York Town
I found this essay in an old auction lot. It would be a shame if the time someone put into this research would all be wasted.
by Harry Julsing

Stamps + Trains
Locomotives on stamps
by Kenneth Perry

Utramar overprint on 1900 Cape stamp?
Utramar is used on old Spanish Colonies stamps, such as early Cuban issues, The Cape Province has never been Spanish. Why this combination? Very confusing.
by Harry Julsing

La Légion des Volontaires Français contre le bolchevisme (LVF)
Stamps of a French Unit Fighting Under the Colors of the Wehrmacht; Stamporama article on LVF
by David Teisler

Eleanora and the General
The story of Eleanora E. Bliss and her husband General Tasker Howard Bliss who during 1917 was the Chief of Staff for the United States Army and went of to participate in the Versailles negotiations at the end of the First World War.
by Tim Auld

The Malta Scroll from FDR
The Malta Scroll
by Kenneth Perry

What to do when you inherit stamps
You have just learned that your great uncle Fred has just died and left you his stamp collection. What are you going to do with it? Are you rich? How do you find out? Bob Ingraham sets out some basic options that you have and how you might go about sorting it out.
by Bob Ingraham

The Stitch Watermark
The topic of ‘watermarks’ is quite a broad and detailed one. This particular article was generated from the finding of a stitch watermark on an otherwise normal Scott #65 owned by Carl and spotted by Jacques, members of the Stamporama Stamp Club.
by Daniel Cohen

CREATING A PERSONALIZED STAMP BOOK
Making of a personalized stamp book
by Kenneth Perry

The 13 Stamps of Nova Scotia
The 13 Stamps of Nova Scotia
by Kenneth Perry

An Interesting Cover to Miss LeDuc 1898
Here is a cover that grabbed my attention addressed to Miss LeDuc from Hastings, MN to Palmyra, NY in 1898.
by Tim Auld

FAMOUS AMERICANS
Famous Americans
by Kenneth Perry

Flame McGoon
How one stamp is especially significant.
by Bruce Dangremond

Did you know ... How the bid increment works in the Stamporama Auction?
In answer to a question in the discussion board, the webmaster has set out the values used in calculating the Stamporama Auction bid increments.
by Tim Auld

The US 3-cent Stamp of 1861
Perhaps the most collectable US postage stamp ever produced.
by Bruce Dangremond

Gold in the Pan
Have you found gold in the bottom of your philatelic pan? An expert may be required to find out.
by Bruce Dangremond

Simple Grid Cork Cancels of 19th Century USA
The simplest of all cork cancel designs is the grid. Here is a method of classifying and describing them.
by Bruce Dangremond

1869 PICTORIALS
Information on the 1869 Pictorials
by Kenneth Perry

IN THE BEGINNING...
Adhesive stamps in the U. S. A.
by Kenneth Perry

THE COLUMBIAN'S
The 1893 Columbian Issues
by Kenneth Perry

THE STORY BEYOND THE STORY - PART 3
The story beyond the story of the U. S. commemorative stamps from 1929-1930
by Kenneth Perry

The Pony Express
The Pony Express was an innovative mail carrier service whose life was short.
by Bruce Dangremond

THE STORY BEYOND THE STORY - PART 4
The story beyond the story of the U. S. commemorative stamps from 1931-1932
by Kenneth Perry

THE STORY BEYOND THE STORY - PART 1
The story beyond the story of the U. S. commemorative stamps from 1924-1926
by Kenneth Perry

THE STORY BEYOND THE STORY - PART 2
The story beyond the story of the U. S. commemorative stamps from 1927-1928
by Kenneth Perry

Apollo-Soyuz Test Project Tracking Station
The ASTP flight culminated 3 years of preparation between the United States and Soviet Union.
by John Macco

Did you know ... you can now mark the Auction Invoices as paid
Communication between the buyers and sellers in the Stamporama auction can at times be problematic. The new function to enable the buyer to mark an invoice as paid so that both parties can see that the payment is on it's way can only help.
by Tim Auld

Tips for Trading
Many Stamporama members trade stamps or want to trade stamps. Steve Davis is a long-time, advanced collector (over 40 years). and has some great tips.
by Steve Davis

Scanners and the Search for Varieties
A scanner can be a great deal more than a tool used to create pictures to e-mail to Aunt Nellie. It can be your own personal philatelic sleuth.
by Scott Gilmore

Jerry Abern, on himself
This autobiography was written by Jerry Abern, the founder of Stamporama, for the Stamporama web site in 2001.
by Jerry Abern

Autographs on Stamps
For 50 years, Stamporama member Richard Novick has been asking famous people to sign stamps which picture them or are otherwise related to their claim to fame. The story of Richard's unique collection was first featured in the November, 2003 issue of The American Philatelist, journal of the American Philatelic Society.
by Richard Novick

The Discovery of the Coelacanth
RSA celebrates the finding of the Coelacanths ("SEE-la-kanth"), an ancient species of fish that up until 1938 were thought to have become extinct.
by

Fun with Phosphor
Examining some of the special tagging Canada Post has used on their 2009 issues.
by Alyn Lunt

Stamps, Postmarks, Covers and History
Joel Grebin’s collection of cancellations serves as a springboard to understanding the past.
by Joel Grebin

Early Motorcycles and Perfin Stamps
In the late 1800 the Indian and Thor motor cycle companies were competing head to head. Their signitures were often used as perfins. Read more .....
by Cully Granger

Did You Know .... about how to View Your Open Auctions?
For a long while I struggled with not having detailed information on the bids that I had placed on the Stamporama Auctions. Using "View Your Open Auctions" I have that information at my finger tips.
by Tim Auld

German inflation 1923 - Stamps and Postal History
Postal historians are fascinated to some extent by covers showing enormous postal rates during periods of gross inflation. A number of historical examples are available - Austria 1922-25, Hungary 1946, South American countries off and on this entire century. One of the most famous of all, however, is Germany of 1923.
by Roy Lingen

Approach and Landing Test Flight Crews
ALT Flight Crews
by John Macco

Skylab Space Station
Skylab
by John Macco

Canadians in Space
Canadians in Space
by John Macco

In Commemoration of the Enforcement
of the Constitution of Japan
Souvenir Sheet commemorating the Commemoration of the Enforcement of the Constitution of Japan
by Kenneth Perry

Pioneer-Venus Parachute Tests
Pioneer-Venus Parachute Tests
by John Macco

U. S. Definitive Issues
An introduction to the world of collecting definitive (or regular) stamp issues.
by Kenneth Perry

Sometimes, it's what's inside that counts!
Sometimes a non-descript cover can hold vast historical treasure inside, just waiting for whoever takes the time to read it. This cover was found for C$10 (US$7.50) in a dealer's box at a recent stamp show.
by Roy Lingen

Pan Am Air System Test of 1946
Prior to November 1, 1946, airmail rates from the US to points south of Mexico varied from 25c to 40c per 1/2 ounce, depending on the destination country. On November 1, 1946 the US Post Office dropped all airmail rates to points in the Western Hemisphere (except Canada, Mexico and Cuba, which were already lower) to 10c per 1/2 oz.
by Roy Lingen

STS-5 First Operational Shuttle Mission
STS-5 First Operational; Shuttle Mission
by John Macco

The Vin Fiz Flyer Semi-official Air Post Stamp
In 1911 Calbraith Perry Rodgers completed the first United States cross country airplane journey. The trip took 84 days. Rodger’s wife privately issued the famous Vin Fiz 25c black stamp for the flight (named for a product of Rodger's sponsor). This stamp has become a US Air Post rarity with twelve copies known to exist.
by John Edwards

How To Add Images To Your SOR Articles
Dress up your SOR articles with images - it's easy once you know how.
by Ralph Heymsfeld

Writing for Stamporama
Stamporama is always looking for new articles to publish on our website. Sharing your philatelic knowledge and experience with others is a great gift that you can give your fellow members, and it is also a great way to expand your own enjoyment of the hobby.
by Ralph Heymsfeld

Space Collecting
An introduction to astrophilately.
by John Macco

Art Stamps from Aland
Art Stamps from Aland - a booklet containing four paintings, depicting the summer in Aland.
by Ann Mette Heindorff

Greenland Sled Dogs on Engraved Stamps
2003 stamp issue from Greenland. A set of three stamps depicting the Greenlandic sled dog.
by Ann Mette Heindorff

The Danish Literary Expedition to Greenland 1902-1904
The first stamps in a series about the big Danish expeditions to Greenland in the beginning of the 20th century.
by Ann Mette Heindorff

The Spanish Prisoner
I am sure that everyone in the world with an email address has received dozens, if not hundreds of "Nigerian Scam Letters". They are now spreading beyond Nigeria, and coming from e-mail addresses in other places, including Europe and the UK.
by Roy Lingen

Did You Know .... how to stop all those Discussion Board emails
Have you been swamped with emails from the Stamporama Discussion Board when you are not interested in the particular discussion? Is there a particular topic on the Stamporama Discussion Board that you would like to receive email notifications about? Do you know how to turn these emails on or off? Read on....
by Tim Auld

Philately & World Conflict
Human life, of course, comes to mean little in wartime, and this is reflected in wartime stamps to some degree. In 1943-44, the Soviet Union issued a gory stamp in red and brown showing as its primary image a Russian soldier bayoneting a Nazi soldier. In the background is a ghostly image of a Russian cavalryman of an earlier war - presumably the First World War - running down an enemy soldier.
by Bob Ingraham

India's Fight for Independence during WWII
The story in stamps of the charismatic Subhas Chandra Bose, one of the most controversial figures in Indian history who fought for independence and ultimately became president of the Indian National Congress.
by Ann Mette Heindorff

Saint George
Various depictions of the legandary St. George - Byzantine Martyr, Patron Saint of the Scouts and of Great Britain - in stamps and covers from Russia, Romania, Great Britain, and Italy.
by Ann Mette Heindorff

Roses on Stamps
A survey of roses on stamps and covers of New Zealand, China, Spain, Bulgaria, Canada, and the United States.
by Ann Mette Heindorff

Easter
Explores the origins of the humble Easter egg with some striking examples on stamps and maximum cards.
by Ann Mette Heindorff

Seven Wonders of the World
Here depicted in stamps are the most famous buildings and works of art of Ancient Times as described in a Hellenistic epigram by Antinatros of Sidon (c. 200 B.C.).
by Ann Mette Heindorff

The Many Faces of Mt. Fuji
A collector I know says that if he needs a magnifying glass to see a detail on a stamp, then it's not worth seeing in the first place. I think that he denies himself of a great deal of the pleasure that can be derived from close examination of stamps. Often, in fact, he may miss the fact that "duplicates" in his collection are entirely different stamps.
by Bob Ingraham

The U.S.S. Turner Joy and the Tonkin Gulf Incident
A free-franked commemorative cover, prepared on the American destroyer Turner Joy in late December, 1973, serves as an ironic reminder of that ship's role in the beginning of the Vietnam War.
by Bob Ingraham

The Rambler: Gone from your mailbox, but not gone
New Stamporama members may not have noticed, but the Rambler, the club's newsletter, is among the missing. It was last delivered to real and virtual mailboxes in September, 2002. It is unlikely that it will ever again exist in its previous form. Its demise is a longish story, its history worth telling.
by Bob Ingraham