Introduction to Postmark and Cancellation Collecting
Collecting stamps by their postmarks and cancellations is a captivating way to explore the historical journey of mail. While traditional philately often focuses on pristine, unused issues, focusing on the markings left behind during mail carriage offers a direct connection to postal history. According to the American Philatelic Society, stamp collecting encompasses the accumulation of all materials related to the payment of postage and the carriage of mail. This includes not only traditional postage stamps but also envelopes that carried mail, known as covers, as well as various markings, labels, and postage meters applied to correspondence. This flexibility makes the hobby suitable for collectors of all ages and backgrounds.
The Advantages of Collecting Used Stamps
Focusing your collection on cancellations naturally leads to collecting used stamps, which offers several practical advantages for both beginners and experienced philatelists. Used stamps have served their intended postal purpose, and they generally cost less than their mint counterparts, though exceptions do exist. A major benefit of used stamps is that you do not have to worry about preserving original gum. This allows you to use inexpensive stamp hinges to mount your specimens safely onto album pages without fear of devaluing the stamp. For many collectors, the cancellation itself is the primary point of interest, transforming a common stamp into a unique historical artifact that tells a story of travel and communication.
Types of Postal Markings to Explore
A cancellation collection can take many creative directions depending on your personal interests. Some collectors look for special postmarks that relate directly to a specific topic, such as sports, space, or animals. Others collect first day covers or postal stationery to capture complete, undisturbed markings. You can also look for postage meters, labels, or even specialized markings applied to mail. Some collectors choose highly specific themes, such as building a collection of cancellations numbered sequentially from one to one million, or seeking out postmarks from specific dates, such as their own birthday. The sheer variety of postal markings ensures that your collection can be entirely unique.
Essential Tools for Examining Cancellations Safely
To study and organize postal markings safely, you must use the correct philatelic tools to avoid damaging fragile paper. The Smithsonian National Postal Museum identifies a simple pair of stamp tongs, an album, and a general reference book as sufficient starting tools. Tongs with smooth ends are essential for picking up loose stamps without direct finger contact, protecting them from skin oils and physical tears. A magnifying glass is another invaluable tool, helping you reveal small design details within a faint or complex postmark. For advanced study, a perforation gauge, watermark detector, and color guide can help you fully analyze the stamp carrying the mark, ensuring you do not overlook rare varieties.
Researching and Verifying Your Markings
When you discover an unusual cancellation or postal marking, careful research is required to understand its origin. Physical observations should always be compared with reliable reference materials rather than treated as conclusive on their own. Standard stamp catalogs record critical details such as issue dates and printing methods, which can help you verify if a postmark matches the active period of the stamp. While digital tools like StampSnap can help you organize your collection and suggest a likely identification for the underlying stamp, verifying a rare or highly specialized cancellation requires methodical comparison with specialized postal history references. This step-by-step verification process prevents misidentification and enhances your philatelic knowledge.
Organizing and Displaying Your Collection
There is no right or wrong way to organize a collection of postmarks and cancellations. The American Philatelic Society emphasizes that personal enjoyment is the most important aspect of the hobby, rather than the monetary value of the collection. You can arrange your stamps in stock books or albums by country, chronological order, or thematic topic. If you are collecting covers or entire envelopes, ensure they are stored in archival-safe pockets without removing the stamps from their original paper. Keeping the stamp on its original cover preserves the entire postmark and provides invaluable context for postal historians, making it a highly recommended practice.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a postmark and a cancellation?
A postmark is a postal marking indicating the date and location where an item of mail was processed. A cancellation is a specific mark applied over a postage stamp to deface it and prevent its reuse. While they often appear together as a single marking, they serve different administrative purposes.
Can I use stamp hinges to mount stamps with cancellations?
Yes. One of the advantages of collecting used stamps with cancellations is that you do not need to preserve original gum. This allows you to safely use inexpensive stamp hinges to mount them onto your album pages.
Should I remove a stamp from an envelope to collect its postmark?
Generally, it is best to keep the stamp on its original envelope, known as a cover. Keeping the stamp on the cover preserves the entire postmark, the address, and other postal markings, which provides valuable historical context that is lost if the stamp is soaked off.
What tools do I need to study stamp cancellations?
According to the Smithsonian National Postal Museum, essential starting tools include stamp tongs with smooth ends to handle stamps safely, an album for storage, and a general reference book. A magnifying glass is also highly useful for studying the fine details of a cancellation.