About

Philately is the study of postage stamps, stamped envelopes, postmarks, postcards, and other materials relating to postal delivery. The term philately also refer to the collecting of these items. The term was coined in 1864 by a Frenchman, Georges Herpin, who invented it from the Greek philos, “love,” and ateleia, “that which is tax-free”; the postage stamp permitted the letter to come free of charge to the recipient, rendering it untaxed.

Traditional philately is the study of the technical aspects of stamp production and stamp identification:-

  • The stamp design process (essays, proofs, pre-production materials etc.)
  • Printing method (typography, lithography, photogravure etc.)
  • The paper used (wove, laid etc.)
  • Gum (arabic, PVA, PVADextrin etc.)
  • Perforation (line, roulette etc.)
  • Watermark
  • Colour/shades
  • Additional features (phosphor bands, underprint, overprint etc.)
  • Genuine errors as a result of stamp production process
  • Forgeries