COLLECTING STAMPS - THE VARIOUS TYPES Articles | Stamps

By: J.Morgan

Stamp collecting is something that more and more people are undertaking as a hobby these days.  However, whether stamp collecting is something that you are only just beginning, or whether you are someone who has been undertaking the hobby for years, you should already be aware of the fact that there are many different types of stamps to be collected.  If you happen to be a stamp collector, you may wish to learn about the various types of stamps that are available, and what they mean for collectors.

The most important thing that a collector should take into consideration is that your personality or personal taste can be reflected in the types of stamps that you choose to collect.   The beauty of stamp collecting means that you decide what you want and what you enjoy.  Rules and regulations of stamp collecting can be made up as you go along to form your own individual identity.

Listed below are some examples of the various types of stamps that are available:

•    Stamps for Airmail
•    Stamps in booklet form
•    Coil stamps
•    Stamps for commemorative purposes
•    Photo stamps
•    Revenue or tax stamps
•    Se-tenant stamps
•    Semi postal stamps
•    Stamped envelopes
•    Stamped postcards

The year 1869 was when the first commemorative stamp was issued in the United States in honor of Columbus discovering the New World.  Stamps were also released for holidays, certain presidents, and other important figures in American history.

However, commemorative stamps do not only exist in the United States.  Other countries also have stamps to commemorate important people in their cultures or special events and holidays.  Airmail stamps are those that are used for the purposes of packages and letters that are sent via air mail. 

Se-tenant stamps refer to those that are issued as part of a set which are printed together.  Coil stamps are those that are available in a roll, hence being called coiled stamps because they are coiled into long strips.  Booklet stamps are probably the most popular that people use today when purchasing for their own use.

Semi postal stamps are those that are surcharged, taxed or overprinted, and to date these have only been used twice in the United States.  One of these occasions was in 1996 for breast cancer awareness and in 2001 for the Heroes, which raised funds for victims of 9-11.

Stamped envelopes and stamped postcards are printed with the postage already on them.  These assist you with your postage in one quick and easy step.  The stamp portion of stamped envelopes and postcards is not removable.

So, in conclusion, you can see that there are numerous varieties of stamps for collectors to select from.  Of course, as well as the different varieties of stamps that are available, there are those in different designs and styles that have been produced over the years and that are available today.