Stamp Collector

12 MAY 2020 www.stampandcoin.co.uk The global pandemic means many of us are staying inside, and whilst our health and safety is the clear priority, the unprecedented situation could give us more time to focus on our stamp collections. in this quick guide we pick out five websites to help you carry on collecting Get online and keep collecting Carry on collecting… • Sign up to the allaboutstamps.co.uk newsletter for updates • Read Stamp Collector by subscription or the digital edition • Keep updated at allaboutstamps.co.uk British Library Philatelic Collections www.bl.uk/subjects/philately The collections at London’s British Library are usually open to the public, whilst philatelists can book an appointment to aid their research at the reading room. But there’s plenty of reading on the website too, including a range of ‘collection guides’. of course, you can also keep up to date with the Collections with Stamp Collector , as we often feature articles from the curators. All About Stamps www.allaboutstamps.co.uk Of course we had to pick our very own website. Since we launched the allaboutstamps.co.uk site, we’ve enjoyed a consistent growth in numbers, with more and more collectors bookmarking the site and returning to pick up the latest news, buy and sell updates, stamp guides and expert advice. Be sure to sign up to the free email newsletter whilst on the site and we’ll send you a regular, friendly email with more updates and offers. The Postal Museum Archive catalogue.postalmuseum.org Whilst The Postal Museum is currently closed the online resources mean you can still explore the country’s postal past from your home. The online catalogue is fully searchable and includes records from holdings including The Royal Mail Archive, the official records kept by Royal Mail, the Post Office, and their predecessors from the 17th century onwards; the museum and philatelic collections; and the library of reference books, journals and other publications. The Smithsonian National Postal Museum postalmuseum.si.edu The Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum is dedicated to the preservation, study and presentation of postal history and philately, and the website reflects this goal very well. At the time of writing virtual exhibitions included ‘Women on Stamps’, ‘The Black Experience African-Americans on Postage Stamps’, and ‘Lincoln from Postmaster to President’. The website also offers a wide range of research articles and ‘Topical Reference ages’, and whilst the site is largely dedicated to American stamps and postal history, there are still many pages worthy of your time. Global Philatelic Library www.globalphilateliclibrary.org In 2010 the Royal Philatelic Society London (RPSL) embarked on an initiative to build the RPSL Catalogue, a single database giving details of all of the artefacts that it holds in its headquarters in London. Today the resource incorporates significant philatelic libraries from all over the world and is known as the ‘Global Philatelic Library’. Iran pays homage to medical workers Iran have issued the first postage stamp to directly reference the Covid-19 pandemic, with a single 18,000-rial value which pays tribute to the country’s health workers. The stamp design shows medical staff at work alongside what appears to be a soldier wearing a gas mask. The background depicts the virus itself and English text reads ‘National Heroes’. The stamp was recently unveiled by the country’s president as part of a cabinet meeting. At the time of writing, Iran has one of the highest rates of infection with over 2,600 deaths reported. Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani unveiled the stamp as part of a recent cabinet meeting