click>> What is Philately? > @Pos > History > First Day Cover >>

What is Philately?

Philately can be described as the collecting and arranging of postal material i.e. postage stamps, postal routes, letters, covers and other material. This collection, be it stamps, covers etc. are usually documented to trace major historical events and other events.

It cannot be established when philately first started as a hobby as there is no known documentation. However, it can be ascertained that philately only started after the introduction of the postage stamp in 1840.

Collection of stamps adapted an approach with the introduction of stamps album. The first album was produced in England in 1852. Thus, when more postage stamps became available, the hobby of collecting stamps became quite common. More people began to take an interest in stamp collecting and philately began to develop. Many serious collectors emerged and one of the world's largest and oldest stamp collections is owned by the Queen of England. DYTM Raja Muda of Selangor is also reputed to have a good collection.

The word "philately" is said to have been coined in France in 1864 by Georges Herpin. It is from two Greek words: "philos" meaning loving and "llateleiall" meaning free of payment. Originally philately was more confined to the study of labels, representing payment for postal services. From here its area was widened to include the study of the systematic collection of postage stamps, postcards, postal covers, postmarks and other postal material.

Top

Philately @ Pos

The Philatelic Bureau in Malaysia was established with the sole purpose of instilling interests in the public to collect stamps not only as a hobby but as a very valuable activity.

The Bureau also actively promotes this special leisure pursuit to school children by visiting them at schools, educating the children about the value of stamps and instilling interest to collect stamps as well as by inviting them to visit the Stamp Gallery.

The Bureau also, without fail, introduces more than 10 themes of collector stamps and philatelic items every year to meet the demand of today collectors who comes from all sections of society.

Philatelic Items

• Stamps 

• First Day Covers

• Miniature Sheet

• Folder 

• Presentation Pack 

• Stamp booklet

• Commemorative cover

• Annual Albums

•  Special Albums
  =

The Philatelic Bureau actively participates in exhibitions in Malaysia as well as international stamps exhibitions. In the international arena, stamps play an important role as ambassadors of the country.

The Philatelic Bureau with the cooperation of the Philatelic Society of Malaysia, regularly meets to exchange ideas with stamps collectors on philately during stamp exhibitions, stamp fairs, stamp seminars held periodically throughout the country.

Top

A Brief History On Stamp And Stamp Collecting

Stamp collecting has existed as a hobby for almost as long as stamps themselves have existed. The word philately used to describe stamp collecting first appeared in 1864-where there were only about a thousand stamp in circulation. It comes from the Greek word philo meaning "a lover of" and ateleia, meaning "free of payment".

The world first adhesive postage stamp was the famous One Penny Black issued by Great Britain on 6th May 1840 which featured a portrait of Queen Victoria. At that time the post office called the "label" rather than stamps and the gum on the back was known as "cement".

Stamps have a fascination which is difficult to explain to someone who is not a collector, but those bitten by the stamp 'bug' are usually addicted to them for life. It's a hobby which delights, excites and is often profitable. It's one of the most interesting ways to learn about other countries - their people, their scenery, their wildlife, pictures of famous men, events of recent past, sports and etc. many stamps are exciting of art on a small scale.

There are three basic ways of stamp collecting:-

[1] A general collection -collecting stamps of all countries and periods, in other words saving stamps that come your way.

[2] Country collecting - collecting the stamps of one or a few countries, sometimes specializing in the stamps of a particular period.

[3] Thematic collecting - collecting stamps of all countries that have a certain design subject - e.g.. railways, birds, animals, flowers, trees, automobiles and many others.

Top