Stamp Collecting Ideas – Machins
Continuing with my theme of Stamp Collecting Ideas where I talk about ideas for collections that are relatively inexpensive to start with and yet interesting enough to keep you busy hunting for elusive stamps. I talk about Machins. The Machin (pronounced MAY-chin) series of postage stamps is the main definitive stamp series in the United Kingdom, used since 5 June...Read more
Stamp Collecting Ideas – Precancels
A lot of times new collectors ask me questions about how can they start a stamp collection, what should they collect, what's valuable and so on. I recently posted my advice to new collectors. In my blog theme "Stamp Collecting Ideas", I will share some themes for new collectors that are relatively inexpensive to start with and yet interesting enough...Read more
Keep Calm and Collect Stamps
October is Stamp Collecting month. Many times new collectors ask me advice on whether to buy an expensive item they are being offered. Most of the time I have seen the item is over-priced and usually not as described. Sometimes new collectors ask what's the value of their stamps, are mint stamps more valuable and so on. My sincere advice...Read more
Dead Letter Office
I recently acquired a DLO postcard. This particular post card was posted from Ahmednagar City on 12 Feb 1897, destination Bombay. I am not sure how DLO works because I see another Ahmednagar postmark that overlaps the DLO slip pasted on the postcard. Not sure if they actually sent the letter back to the destination city even as the return...Read more
Errors/Oddities in modern India stamps – India-Iran Joint Issue
Color variations in modern stamps are relatively common. Here's a "teardrop"/"extra flag" error in one of the recent Indian stamps. India Post issued a set of 2 stamps on February 17, 2018 in the denominations of Rs 5 and Rs 25 as India Iran Joint Issue. In Rs 5 stamp an extra flag in red is found on the smaller...Read more
Errors/oddities in modern Indian stamps – MLV stamp 2018
After a long wait for the post offices to upgrade their systems during which time sale of stamps from philatelic counters had dried up, I finally managed to get the M L Vasathakumari stamp from the Delhi philatelic bureau. I seem to have laid my hands on what seems to be a printing plate flaw on the lot. The error...Read more
