The holidays are the ideal time to start the little ones on their stamp collection and who knows — the hobby could last a lifetime. Stamp collecting has often been called “the hobby of kings and the king of hobbies.” Linn’s Stamp News estimates that more than 5 million individuals in the United States collect the small pieces of paper that indicate payment of postage. New products recently released are available now and are perfect for gift giving, holiday time, or anytime.
This 76-page hardcover book includes:
n 94 stamps from the 2012 collectible program, plus mounts.
n Fascinating information about each stamp subject.
n Placeholders to preserve the complete stamp program, including a new section for high-value stamps.
n Access to digital extras showcasing multimedia content.
This guide, in an easy-to-use, oversize format, is a “must-have” for collectors. This fully illustrated, four-color guide to U.S. stamps is the official publication providing the most comprehensive information available about the U.S. stamp program. Beginning with the first stamps issued in 1847, the guide covers more than 4,000 stamps issued up to the present.
The guide includes:
n An updated stamp series section that lists the stamps issued in each series, such as American Treasures, Black Heritage, and Scenic American Landscapes.
n Detailed listings for each stamp, with color illustrations, Scott catalog numbers, dates of issue, used and unused prices, quantities issued (when known), and separate listings for design variations.
n Advice on how to start your own stamp collection.
n A resource section, a glossary of terms, and much more.
Both publications, the 2012 Stamp Yearbook and The Postal Service Guide to U.S. Stamps, 39th Edition, can be previewed at www.stampproducts.com/2012yearbook.
There is a philatelic product for just about everyone. For baseball fans and stamp enthusiasts, “Play Ball! Great Moments in Major League Baseball History” is the perfect keepsake. The 8-1/2" x 11", 40-page softbound book is filled with the vivid paintings of artist Graig Kreindler, whose extraordinary work captures our national pastimes’ biggest icons in action. The issuances included in this book are: The 2001 Legendary Playing Fields, 2010 Negro Leagues Baseball, and the 2012 Major League Baseball All-Stars stamps. Item #469672 (Play Ball Book $24.95)
Historians and students of the Civil War will want to add the Civil War: 1862 Commemorative Folio to their collection. This extraordinary commemorative product captures a piece of Civil War history and features the second stamp issuance in the 5-year Civil War Sesquicentennial series. The product consists of a handsome tri-fold folio containing the Civil War: 1862 souvenir sheet of 12 stamps and a collectible card showcasing two affixed stamps and two official first-day-of-issue postmarks. Item #577071 (The Civil War: 1862 Commemorative Folio — $15.95)
Mother Earth never looked so captivating — and collectible — than on a 500-piece puzzle featuring 15 breathtaking images of America’s landscapes as seen from high above the planet’s surface. Sure to provide hours of entertainment for all ages, the 18x24-inch puzzle also makes a spectacular piece of art to frame or display once completed. It comes with a sheet of 15 Earthscapes Forever stamps. Item #470177 (Earthscapes Puzzle — $17.95)
