Stamp Column Archives

The Glassine Surfer Column Archive

This column originally appeared in the American Philatelic Society's monthly magazine, "The American Philatelist." Since then some of the information may be out-of-date depending on how far back you're reading.

April 2003

Depending on where you live, spring either came early or was late, which is sort of how things on the Web are. It could be new to you, but old hat to everyone else because millions of surfers, making millions of choices, create billions of Web experiences. But I'm hoping that many of the sites here are new to you and that your spring has arrived sunny and warm.

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US Philatelic Classics

If stamp collecting is the obsession to gather and display stamps, and if philately is the organized study of these small objects, then the US Philatelic Classics site is a club for philatelic forensic investigators.

In addition to the usual club business, the US Philatelic Classics site is laced with content and resource links that should satisfy anyone delving into these great stamp issues. They've divided the classics into 10 sections, such as the stampless period, 1847 period, and the 1869 period, where each classic period has a well done introduction, followed by indepth links for further reading.

That's followed up with a web directory of member websites, all or most of which are related directly to the classics, and rounded out with a solid set of general stamp resources on the Web.

Stop in and bookmark this site. You may not be a classics collector yet, but if you wander this site, you may wind up being a well-versed philatelist.

The US Philatelic Classics
http://www.uspcs.org/

You'll also find the Stamp & Cover Repository & Analysis Program here. SCRAP is an effort to get fakes, frauds, and forgeries off the market and making them available for reference. Right now they have over 5,600 scraps in the collection.

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US 2c Rev Stamped Paper

The full title reads as "United States Two-Cent Revenue Stamped Paper: The Civil War Designs," which is a tip off that comprehensive descriptions of the issues, and usages will follow. The site is straightforward and covers Type A through Type O in a long one-page list in a no frills, elegant manner, with links to large scans of varieties and explanations.

The Civil War Designs
http://www.rdhinstl.com/rn/rn.htm

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Vicksburg

In the same vein, "Civil War Postal History of Vicksburg, Mississippi" by William S. Parks is a great site to read with a cup of coffee at hand. This site merges stamps and history with a decided military leaning. Sections include the prewar setting, military history, CSA general issues, and mail during the siege.

There are many good illustrations and links to detailed information, and I wonder how many Civil War aficionados have started stamp collecting because of CSA stamps and sites like this one.

Civil War Postal History of Vicksburg, Mississippi
http://bellsouthpwp.net/p/a/parksvix/vixcwph.htm

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Flags on the Web

If you've ever wanted to brighten up your stamp website with some great-looking flags of the world, check out 3dflags. The site offers animated flags of the world in three sizes with three different backgrounds, and they are free for non-commercial use with a link back to the site.

The flags themselves are top quality and the royalty-free use license is very easy to understand. State postal history sites needn't be saddened either. The site offers the 50 state flags at the same terms.

3D Flags
http://www.3dflags.com/

For more flags and for more detailed vexillogy, "Flags Of The World" is a great resource. They have 18,000 pages of information on flags and displays of 32,000 flag images. The site covers national flags of as many historical periods as can be identified, and they also have a large selection of non-historical flags, such as pirate and signal flags, and flags from movies.

But the site is more than a graphics site. Each flag has details of the flag's history, its symbols, and known variations, etc. For example, Ireland's listings contain the presidential standard, the Irish Air Corp, the Starry Plough, and flags of city and county councils among 21 other Irish listings.

Flags of the World
http://flagspot.net/flags/