- The first postage stamp, the Penny Black, was issued by Britain in 1840. It pictured a young Queen Victoria, was produced without perforations (imperforate), and consequently had to be cut from the sheet with scissors in order to be used. While unused examples of the "Penny Black" are quite scarce, used examples are common, and may be purchased for $25 to $150, depending upon condition.
During the late 1800s many of those collectors, now adults, began to systematically study the available postage stamps and published research works on their production, plate flaws, etc.
It was not until the 1920s that publicity about valuable stamps encouraged a large increase in the number of stamp collectors. This rapid increase in postage stamp values was largely because very few of the older stamps were being saved in good condition. Especially difficult to find were pairs, triples, and large blocks of older stamps.
Because many U.S. stamp issues of the 1920s rose rapidly in value, during the 1930s many American collectors stockpiled mint U.S. stamps with the hopes of selling them for a sizeable profit in a few years' time. This never materialized. Even today, more than 60 years later, one can find many 1930s U.S. issues in mint condition for close to face value, and many stamp dealers and collectors still use stamps issued as far back as the 1930s for postage when mailing letters.
Most U.S. postage stamps issued since the 1930s are easy to obtain and have minimal value. Some high face value stamps, such as the $2.60 United States Graf Zeppelin issued in 1930, are worth substantial amounts of money. Other stamps issued since 1930 that are usually worth something are souvenir sheets from popular countries, hard to find plate number coils, and errors in printing.
Collecting specialties
Some of the more popular collecting areas include:
- Cinderellas - stamp-like labels that are not valid for postage
- Postage stamps - particular countries and/or time periods
- Definitive stamps - the most common type of stamps
- Commemorative stamps
- Pictorials - stamps printed with images of a country's scenery or lifestyle.
- Revenue stamps - stamps issued to pay tax in small amounts.
- Postal stationery - includes government-issued post cards, aerograms, air letter sheets
- Revenue stamps
- Miniature sheet
- Postage due stamps/labels
- Federal Duck stamps
- Souvenir sheets
- First day covers
- PHQ Cards
- Topical
- Philatelic literature
- Government issued material associated with postage stamps (e.g., envelopes)
- stamp-like labels
- non-stamp items picturing actual postage stamps
- non-stamp items picturing stamp-like labels
- counterfeit/forged postage stamps
- postmarks or postal markings in general
in: wikipedia
