Hobby philately stamps stamp collectibles. Prices for old brands. "Study of the polar lights"

People are very fond of collecting, and a wide variety of things. And it can be not only expensive paintings or antiques, but also the most common postage stamps. However, avid philatelists simply cannot call them "ordinary"!

The most expensive - what are they? And what is their collection value? This is what this article will be about.

Postage stamp - what is it?

As soon as serious postal services began to function in the world, their organizers immediately had a question: "How can you determine whether this or that postal service has been paid for?" So the postage stamp appeared - a special sign with its own being a fact of confirmation that a specific postal service was paid for.

A postage stamp is a small rectangular piece of paper with a specific (jagged) edging. It usually contains information about the denomination of the stamp itself, as well as the number of the postal service. Any brand also has a certain pattern with an inscription, thanks to which these products have become an object of interest for collectors.

Types of postage stamps

There are several main types of postage stamps:

• official (state-established);
• unofficial;
• private postage stamps.

Collecting stamps was quite fashionable and popular. And today, many philatelists collect postage stamps of this particular historical era. The most expensive brands of the USSR - what are they? We will talk about this further.

Collecting stamps

For this type of collecting there is a special term: "philately" (the word "atelia" is translated from Greek as "fees, duty").

For the sake of justice, it should be noted that the so-called philatelists are not limited to collecting stamps alone. They also collect envelopes and a variety of postcards. Well, philately was "born" in England, in the middle of the 19th century.

Many of the major philatelists of our time began collecting their first stamps in early childhood. Gradually, their collection grew, in the end, expensive brands of the USSR could well end up in the bins of such collectors.

Philately is not just a hobby

Philately is not a simple hobby, as many might think. After all, this hobby carries a huge cognitive potential that stimulates curiosity, interest in the history of their native country among young people and the younger generation. Philately is a historical and semantic phenomenon that still awaits its researchers in the future. But today a number of books and scientific works are devoted to it.

Besides, a postage stamp is not just a piece of paper. It is also a real work of art, albeit small in size. Postage stamps are a kind of "business cards" of the state, over the creation of which more than a dozen talented artists have worked.

Philately is not a cheap pleasure. A vivid proof of this - the most expensive brands of the USSR, the prices of which are sometimes comparable to the price of a one-room apartment or a brand new car! Therefore, not everyone can afford to purchase individual copies of stamps.

Expensive USSR stamps: the price of stamps

November 7 is a significant date for all domestic philatelists. It was on this day, in 1918, that the first ever postage stamp of the USSR was issued. The artist Richard Zarinsh worked on it.

Postage stamps (expensive) of the USSR have very different collection values. If one of them can be purchased for a thousand or two Russian rubles, then for individual copies you will have to pay several thousand American dollars! It all depends on the circulation of a particular postage stamp. Nevertheless, there are quite enough people willing to buy small "papers" for such huge money.

Expensive USSR brands: TOP-5

Each state has its own valuable postage stamps, which collectors hunt for in the literal sense of the word. Below we present to your attention the most famous, rare and, of course, expensive brands of the USSR.

1. "40 years is a stamp that never came out in circulation. The reason is quite interesting: the creators of the postage stamp could not decide in what year the Soviet circus was founded. Only one copy of this stamp was known, which was sold at an auction. for 13.8 million rubles.
2. "Kartonka" is a whole block of four stamps dedicated to the first philatelic exhibition. There is also only one such block left, which was recently sold for 776.25 thousand dollars.
3. "Consular fifty kopecks" is a postage stamp issued back in 1922 in a small circulation of 75 pieces. The price of one such brand is about 63 thousand dollars.
4. "Transcarpathian Ukraine" is another rare postage stamp of the USSR, only one of its copies is known. And it was he who was sold at auction for $ 29.9 thousand.
5. "250 years - the rarest Soviet stamp in 1959, with the release of which an interesting story is connected. It is known that the stamp issue was banned at the last moment due to Nikita Khrushchev's visit to Sweden. 15-20 thousand dollars.

Finally...

Perhaps, every avid philatelist dreams of getting valuable and expensive stamps of the USSR for his collection. Even though their cost can reach several thousand dollars. In addition, to find such specimens, you can spend a lot of energy and personal time.

Many of us have objects dear to our hearts that have no special material value. And some people collect such things as a keepsake.

One of the types of gathering is philately. This is a type of collecting that deals with the study of postal history and everything related to it.

Collections of philatelists can consist of postage stamps, postmarks, labels, stamps and cancellations on postage envelopes and postcards.

Historical excursion

The world's first postage stamp, created by the Englishman Rowland Hill, was published in 1840.

It was from this time that stamp collecting was born.

At that time, the mail was the only way of communication, so collectors very quickly replenished their collections with new items.

After just ten years, a specialized issue of beautiful, colorful stamps on various topics was established.

What is now called philately, originally had a different name - markomania (or timbromania, from tembre - postage stamp).

And only later the Frenchman Georges Erpen suggested calling stamp collecting philately.

The term "philately" means "love for the study of stamps."

Indeed, such a name was much better suited to this occupation, because at that time it was quite difficult to collect even the smallest collection of postage stamps.

This required painstaking work and extensive knowledge of the nuances in the topics of this area. In addition, the search for a rare specimen in the collection took a very long time.

Buying a new postage stamp for the collection, collectors were interested in the details of its release, the event depicted on it.

If any country was depicted on the stamp, collectors investigated its history and geography.

The world's first stamp collection was owned by the engraver Munsen from Paris.

By the way, even then there was a demand for vintage collections, so in 1855 the first collection of stamps was successfully sold.

The popularity of stamps rapidly developed, and already at the end of the 19th century, museums of postage stamps began to be created. The exposition of such museums, as a rule, contained collections of stamps of a particular state or stamps of a certain orientation.

At the same time, intensive development of both Russian and Ukrainian philately began. Types of stamp collections First, stamps were divided by content (air, hurry, simple).

Such brands differed from each other, both in purpose and cost. Secondly, the stamps were subdivided by size (miniature, giant, etc.) and by geometric shape (rectangular, triangular, square).

Some philatelists collect postage stamps on a regional basis, for example, a collection of postage stamps of a particular country or region. Other collectors like to collect stamps depicting animals, plants, birds, cultural development, architecture or the automotive industry.

Collections of stamps dedicated to certain memorable world events are called commemorative.

Today they include art collections of stamps. The most valuable are complete collections of a series of stamps and stamps with a small edition.

Achievements in philately From an innocent childhood hobby for many people, stamp collecting becomes a lifelong occupation. And there are a lot of such people.

For lovers of philately, exhibitions and auctions of world and national level are constantly held.

At such events, everyone can get the rarest copies of stamps.

The development of philately does not stop even in spite of the fact that the postal service today is close to disappearing, and, accordingly, the direct purpose of the postage stamp is depreciating.

Today all associations and national unions of philatelists in more than 80 countries of the world are headed by the International Federation of Philately, created at a congress in the capital of France back in 1926.

Among the regular participants at exhibitions and auctions dedicated to philately are our compatriots-philatelists.

They are also members of the International Association of Philatelists. In Russia, they publish catalogs with new postage stamps and rare copies of world significance, publish magazines and newspapers about philately.

The World Philatelic Exhibition awards the best philatelists with a gold medal. For a stamp collector, receiving this medal is commensurate with winning the Olympic Games, because only the most talented and diligent stamp collector, who has proven this through his efforts, can receive it.

Philately - a hobby or a profitable investment? Some postage stamps can generate more money than rare paintings or jewelry.

That is why for some people philately is not only a hobby, but also a way of investing money.

Investing in philately means making a super-profitable deal.

But for this the collector needs a very high level of professionalism.

If you managed to get a very rare copy of the stamp, you can sell it profitably for fabulous sums.

Auctions are organized in different parts of the world, where you can get several thousand dollars for a stamp, and for an exclusive collection - an amount that goes over the million mark in dollar equivalent.

Often, the search for one necessary stamp becomes the meaning of the whole life for many philatelists, because philately is not just a hobby of collecting stamps, it is the whole world, because a collector studies history, geography, world art and science.

It also provides an opportunity to communicate with a variety of interesting people, to establish contacts with family members and your child. And for some, this occupation becomes a profitable investment.

Collecting is a fun and interesting activity that involves both adults and children. One of the most popular types of collecting is philately, which is associated with the collection and study of postage stamps. These signs include: postage stamps, couplings, blocks, imprints of postmarks, stickers, etc. Stamp collecting is the most popular area of \u200b\u200bphilately. This activity, in addition to its fun, has another advantage - its low cost, since postage stamps, in comparison with the same coins, are not so expensive. Because of this, even a schoolchild can get involved in philately.

Album for collectible stamps

How to start collecting?

The person who collects postage marks is called a philatelist. How can you become a collector?

1) Getting started collecting stamps is easy, the main thing is to know how to get started. At the initial stage, you can get acquainted with the necessary information about the basics of philately - you can find the necessary information on specialized electronic resources, in particular, on thematic forums of collectors. At the initial stage of involvement in philately, it does not interfere with the purchase of several postage stamps, thereby starting collecting them. You can make a purchase from experienced collectors of postage stamps, and you should not focus on only one type or collection of stamps, it is advisable to buy different copies. It is easier and cheaper to buy stamps in series, but in this way you can buy a large number of similar items. If there is a desire to acquire brands at the initial stage, then they should be bought separately.

2) Buying stamp tongs is a mandatory step in getting involved in philately. This device is often confused with tweezers. Stamp tongs and tweezers are similar and function in the same way, but the special tongs do not damage the stamp paper: the design of the tongs allows you to easily grasp and lift the stamp even from a flat surface. You can find different models of stamp tweezers on sale - with sharp, hooked and rounded ends. Philatelists with extensive experience in collecting advise against buying tweezers with too sharp ends, as these can damage the paper from which most types of stamps are made. Is it possible to do without forceps at all - the answer to this question will be negative, since frequent contact of the marks with the skin of the hands will lead to contamination of the former.

Stamp tongs

3) No matter how many stamps a philatelist has, it is recommended to sort all collectible items according to some criterion. For example, this can be the country of manufacture or the year of manufacture. You can also sort stamps by images applied to them, and this type of collecting will be called thematic philately. For example, you can group stamps that only show airplanes or celebrities. Some philatelists sort specimens solely by color (size and shape).

4) Once the collector has collected a certain number of stamps, he should take care of how the collection will be stored. Incorrect storage of stamps will not only lead to their loss, but also to the loss of their attractive appearance, and, therefore, value. How to prevent this situation? If a collector has collected a small number of copies, then for the first time you can stock up on several envelopes that will fit certain types of stamps. However, this method of storing the collection has a significant disadvantage - if the philatelist has to remove only 1 copy from the envelope, then he will have to get all the contents of the envelope and look for the required stamp. Therefore, the most optimal way to store a collection is to place stamps in a special album.

You can find a large selection of different models of stamp albums on sale. They differ from each other not only in size and cost, but in the type of pages. However, all brand albums have a lot in common. For example, the sheets of all albums are made of soft cardboard.

Each page is covered with a transparent film, glued to the sheet according to the principle of a pocket: the film is attached on the side, and glued to the sheet from below. The cardboard itself plays the role of a background for stamps. It is available in black or white. Albums with black pages are more expensive than those with white sheets, but the former has an advantage. The main advantage of albums with black sheets is that the dark background favorably sets off the stamps, which are mostly printed on light paper.

Albums with pages made of Manila cardboard are popular with collectors. The sheets of these albums are equipped with individual pockets for inserting copies of the collection. Besides, albums of this type have an affordable price and excellent durability. However, this model also has disadvantages. In particular, one of them is that the lower part of the stamps is not visible on the pages of such an album.

5) For collecting, you will also have to buy other inventory. For example, a magnifying glass is a must-have for a stamp collector. On sale you can find magnifiers that differ from each other not only in diopters, but also in size, as well as in the presence of additional functions (for example, it can be a magnifier with illumination or a model equipped with a stand). You can also buy a photographic bath, a press, spare stamp albums, envelopes, etc.

Examining a mark with a magnifying glass

6) If a person has decided to engage in philately, then he must be prepared for the fact that he will often have to communicate with other collectors. For example, once a collector has sorted all the pieces, he will find that many of them are repeated. Throwing away or destroying such stamps is not an option, because perhaps other philatelists do not have these stamps in their collection. Stamp exchange is a common practice among philatelists, which allows not only getting rid of excess stamps, but also replenishing your collection with missing copies.

Determining brand value

The ability to determine the value of a brand is a mandatory skill for every philatelist. How to determine the value of instances:

1. The main criterion for the value of stamps is the year of their issue, however, determining it is not as easy as it might seem at first glance, because most stamps do not indicate the date of issue. You can determine the age of the specimen from the image. The thing is that the release of many types of stamps is dedicated to some event in the history or the anniversary of such. The stamps that are at least several decades old are made of rough paper.
2. To determine the city and country in which the stamp was issued, it is worth paying attention to the inscriptions shown on the copy. If it contains inscriptions in a foreign language, then they should be translated, which will allow you to “read” the history of the brand.
3. On high quality stamps, the image is placed on the canvas strictly symmetrically. To assess the symmetry, you can view the mark under a magnifying glass.
4. Also, to determine the value of the stamp, you can pay attention to the sticker, which is a strip of gummed paper that secures the copy on the envelope or postcard. The most valuable, from the point of view of philately, are the stamps that have preserved such a sticker, and if it has a peppermint flavor, then the value of such a specimen increases several times.
5. You can also evaluate the brand by the features of the perforation (perforation is done so that the specimens can be easily separated from each other). Thus, stamps with a small perforation of a rounded shape are considered old, which means they are the most valuable for collectors. You can measure the perforation using a special device called a tine meter.
6. The presence of a mark on a copy significantly reduces its value. And a stamp on which such a stamp is absent will become a welcome acquisition for many collectors.
7. Also considered valuable are those items that are collected in a collection according to such a criterion as subject matter. If brands from the same series are offered separately, their value decreases.
8. Unique stamps are considered valuable for many collectors. What is the uniqueness of the brand? To understand the essence of this criterion, you should know that the copies that went on sale in the last 60 years cannot be considered unique a priori, since they were produced in quantities equal to several tens of millions. But defective stamps (with incorrectly written dates, inaccurately applied images) are very much appreciated by philatelists, since there are very few such copies, which means that they are valuable.

There are brands that have zero value. First of all, this concerns specimens with perforation defects, as well as dented, torn, dirty and punctured marks.

Many novice philatelists are interested in the question of where to buy (sell, evaluate) stamps. In fact, this is not difficult, because on the Internet there are a huge number of thematic forums dedicated to philately. Here you can find those who buy and sell brands and offer them their services. With regard to the evaluation of specimens, then you can entrust this task to collectors or dealers with experience. The latter not only evaluate the brands, but also for a separate fee will find a buyer of his brand or a seller offering the desired collection item to the client.

Philately is an exciting activity for many collectors, which has not lost its popularity over the years. In addition, the hobby for collecting brings profit to people, which is also an advantage of this activity.

In Soviet times, it was fashionable and popular to collect rare and valuable stamps. After all, about twenty factories worked on the territory of the country, which regularly produced not only various brands, but also medals, orders, coins and other cultural values. In this regard, now you can find a large number of valuable items of that era.

But what is philately? Philately is a hobby for versatile people who are always striving for something new and different. As a rule, philatelists collect rare postage stamps, as it is profitable and interesting.

True connoisseurs will always be able to appreciate Soviet stamps at their true worth, since in those years a large number of different and rare copies were made. Drawing and rendering on a stamp requires the use of miniature drawing skills. And this is not as easy as it seems. Today, many people all over the world are fond of philately, who value the history of postal communication. Postage stamps of different states provide an opportunity to learn about world civilization as a whole. Philately stamps catalog prices are available online for every user.

For over 170 years people have been fond of collecting stamps. For many philatelists, this hobby has become the real meaning of life. Each stamp has its own drawing, decor, inscription - all elements serve as confirmation of payment for mail services. If the products are rare or rare, then on the market you can get a huge amount of money for them. There is an opportunity and a philately catalog of stamps prices to sell.

Reasons to become a professional philatelist

Collecting interesting and striking stamps attracts many people and here's why:

1. Collecting stamps is an interesting pastime.
2. Stamps by their appearance tell about the achievements or historical aspects of certain states. They broaden the range of interests.
3. A variety of products will never let you get bored. Images on stamps are history, culture, traditions and customs of the peoples of the world.
4. Your own stamp collection is a great investment. There are examples when people became millionaires overnight, having collected a complete collection of stamps.
5. Business qualities are developing.
6. Collecting fills ordinary life with new and vivid emotions.
7. Stamps can reflect the deep inner world of a person.
8. Today, over 200 million people are engaged in this business.
9. A unique collection of stamps can give an opportunity to become a member of the Philatelists' society.
10. You can always find new and rare specimens.
11. Today, everyone can be engaged in stamp collecting, since the cost of USSR products does not exceed 100 rubles. But valuable exhibits are much higher. For example, this type can be attributed to philately catalog of stamps prices space.

Successful collecting

To achieve high performance in stamp collecting, you need to understand the intricacies. The brands are divided into divided by themes and time periods:

1. Postage stamps are identified by time and country. Knowing all the information about the brands, you can sell the collection at auction for a lot of money. For example, there are stamps that are dedicated to certain topics: "Space", "Third Reich", "Fauna" and much more.
2. Of course, preference should be given to those brands that are more appreciated by collectors.
3. The rarest brands should be added to a separate group.
4. Parting with rare items expands the possibilities for collecting.
5. Collecting must be thorough in all aspects.
6. To find out the real cost, you must always use the philately catalog of stamps of the USSR price. The publication shows all stamps with photographs and information about them.
7. It is not recommended to sell fake brands at auctions or in stores, otherwise you can instantly lose credibility and trust.

The cost of stamps depends on the following factors:

1. Rarity, rarity, small circulation.
2. Year of issue.
3. Typos, manufacturing defects, misalignments, omissions and other errors.
4. Current trends.

So far, the value of stamps is also determined by the curiosity and passion of collectors. As long as there is a high demand for stamps, copies will be in price. It should be noted that prestigious brands were previously produced in Europe and the USA. So there are a lot of unique brands.

Sale of brands

As a rule, marks are assessed by an expert who can give a detailed and high-quality answer on a particular product. In most cases, the assessment is carried out free of charge, but when a specialist visits the site, you will need to pay for his time. This need arises when the assessment concerns a huge collection of cultural property.

But now modern technologies allow assessing remotely or remotely. In this case, the appraiser should be interested in a qualitative analysis of the marks.

1. Additionally, it is worth conducting an alternative assessment so as not to find yourself in a difficult position.
2. It is imperative to use a specialized catalog.
3. The assessment should be carried out by an expert.

To profitably sell a collection of rare stamps for yourself, you need to be able to bargain. During the transaction in front of you must keep a philately catalog of stamps cube prices to sell. It is worthwhile to determine in advance which brands are most interesting to buyers. And this is the only way to implement competently instances.

Do not be discouraged if specialists give a very low price for stamps. They can always be left as a souvenir or as a gift to relatives. Many people collect stamps not for sale or profit, but for their own satisfaction.

But if it was nevertheless decided to buy or sell philately, you need to carefully prepare for the deal. Now there are a large number of different forums where professional philatelists advise novice collectors. You can also find out from them a list of the best online stores that have proven themselves in the brand market. In any case, each collector of valuables decides for himself what to do with stamps and how much to sell them at auctions.

Philately -

collecting postage stamps.

Sometimes a postage stamp is bought not to stick it on a letter or postcard and send it by mail, but simply because you like it. This is how all stamp collections begin.

You have to understand that each brand from any collection in itself has no value - it's just a very small colored piece of paper. A brand has value only because someone else wants it and is willing to pay money for it. Therefore, the prices of brands depend on changes in the economy, fashion, people's moods, and so on.

There are catalogs to determine the value of stamps. Prices in catalogs are calculated by experts after analyzing the market and this is an approximate price, no more than which it is recommended to buy a brand.

There are also convenient Internet catalogs.

Much depends on the quality of the brand and its condition. If the stamp is not extinguished (without a stamp), and it has never been pasted (the glue on the reverse side is completely preserved), it has the correct geometric shape, all the teeth are in place, without scratches and wrinkles, then the cost of such a stamp is determined by the catalog.

As a rule, uncanceled stamps are more expensive than canceled ones, that is, those with a postmark.

quicklime

slaked

Each defect in the brand significantly reduces its value. A stamp with a lot of defects is a collector's trash! Although, if there is no duplicate, then it makes sense to leave it in the album until a better sample is found, this is called a space filler.

The most expensive brands in the world - defective stamps.These are "flip" stamps, in which the picture is located "upside down" in relation to the inscriptions, and stamps with a different typographic marriage. Such stamps went on sale only in the first circulation, then someone noticed a defect, the matrix was altered and the next circulation was already "normal". Therefore, only a few defective brands have survived to our time - so they are expensive!

Many have heard about the existence of the island of Mauritius. Worldwide fame for this small state was brought by two postage stamps issued in 1847. A gross semantic economic error was made on these stamps! The stamps should say "Post paid" and the "Mauritius" should say "Post office". Both stamps had a circulation of only 500 copies. Now in the collections there are only a few of these stamps, so the word "Mauritius" has become a symbol of the rarity of postage stamps. "Mauritius" simply does not have prices, because they are not for sale. It is known that one "Blue Mauritius" is insured for almost 100 million US dollars! And for "Pink Mauritius" the owner was recently offered $ 10 million!

And about this brand just right to shoot an adventure film! American collector Bill Gross since childhood collected a collection of postage stamps issued in the United States in the 19th century. His collection lacked only one stamp - a one-cent blue stamp with the image of President Franklin, called "Z Grill" - "Holy Grail" (named after the shape of the protective sign). There are only two Z Grill brands preserved in the world, but one of them has been kept in the New York Public Library since 1920. In 1998, when the only Z Grill stamp available to collectors was put up for auction, Gross tried to acquire it, but another famous philatelist named Sandman won the auction. Gross pleaded with Sandman to sell the stamp, but Sandman agreed only to exchange - he needed another rarity - a block of four stamps called "Jenny". How Gross managed to persuade Jenny's owners is unknown. But the fact is that in October 2005 he bought the same block for 2 million 970 thousand dollars - the highest price ever paid at auctions for stamps! "Jenny" Gross immediately traded with Sandman for the coveted "Z Grill". This is how Bill Gross became the owner of a unique complete collection postage stamps issued in the United States in the 19th century.

But collecting stamps is a lot of "millionaires"awesome philatelists. The Queen of Great Britain has interesting stamps, "Blue Mauritius", for example ...

In fact, stamps are a very poor investment. It is easy to buy stamps, but it is practically impossible to sell quickly at least at the same price. Therefore, the main thing for stamp collectors should always be the principle of interest and pleasure.

Remember: if you spend a lot of money on buying stamps, you need to be aware that this is a hobby. And do not dream that when you grow up, you will exchange your collection for an apartment!

Thematic collecting.

Very few collectors collect stamps from only one country or one historical period into specialized albums.

Most people like to collect stamps that feature an item of interest to them.
Children start with simple themed collections - cats, dogs, flowers, cars, airplanes, art on stamps.
Then the children grow up and their collections, although they do not change the subject, become more sophisticated: only birds or insects remain from the fauna, from history - the conquest of space, from the artists - only old masters.

Stamps are often collected on the topic of professional activities. This is how the actor collects everything about the theater, the scientist - about the achievements of science ... Often only one stamp out of several thousand issued by a particular country will interest such a collector.