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 Since then some of the information may be out-of-date depending on how far back you're reading.

July 2002

Silver Jubilee

The 1935 Silver Jubilee of George V was one of the last glittering moments of the British Empire, and one that was preserved with a huge omnibus issue of 250 stamps issued by six   countries, 44 Crown Colonies, and nine other postal entities. And of these, the Crown Colonies issued common design sets.

Such a massive 1935 philatelic undertaking deserves its own equally impressive Web site, and thanks to Neil Donen, King George V is well represented in the world of e-philatley.

As of this writing the KGV site has 250 live pages. Not only are all issues covered in detail, but varieties and errors are covered in some detail.

This is a serious philatelic research Web site, and my advice would be to first read the pages in the "Information" section for guidance because there are many pages and sections within the simple navigation bar at top.

You'll find sections for information, stamps, postal history, auctions, and a study circle, among others, and there's also a very helpful "Help" page that'll show you how to get around the site like a pro.

The KGV site is a well executed site on a choice philatelic topic, and if you need a break from the dreary work-a-day world, surf on over.

Silver Jubilee of George V  
http://www.philatel2.com/jubilee/

King George was also collected stamps and added a tremendous volume of issues to the royal collection, one which Queen Elizabeth still maintains.

The Marshall Islands

Dirk H.R. Spennemann's Marshall Island Web site covers more ground than the Marshalls themselves. These islands are the tiny group of Pacific islands that were administered as the Carolines by Germany, by the Japanese after WW I, and by the USA from WW II to 1989.

Spennemann's site contains a hefty amount of scans, especially in relation to known forgeries, and a wealth of information of all the postal periods from pre-philately to 1989. But what is unique about this stamp site is that it is just one part of a larger site titled "The Marshall Islands: An Electronic Library and Archive," which helps put all this postal history in context.

The Marshall Island site covers stamps, culture and society, European history, literature and art, public health, and many others. Though the in depth section of stamps and covers is exactly what we're looking for, it's obvious that there's something more going on at this site.

Spennemann's plan is to create and maintain an online Marshall Island archive, and he's collected articles and permissions for many articles and studies that generally only specialists would have been aware of.

In the stamps section there's a good set of pages on the Hialeah forgeries, which are forgeries of German Marshall Islands and other Pacific islands currently seen on eBay. Spenneman handles the pre-colonial and German colonial period (1885-1914) well, and the study ends with the Trust Territory period (1945-1989).

But the site's current project is a 17 chapter history and catalogue of stamps and postal history of the German Marshall Islands by Spenneman.

Postal historians will appreciate the scope and depth of the non-philatelic material in helping to place postal material in their proper context and solve some of those usage and routing problems that always seem to vex cover collectors.

Marshall Islands Postal History
http://marshall.csu.edu.au/index.html

Then click on "Stamps."