132:
74:
754:
267:
31:
92:
than 150 years later, the variety of designs on stamps is enormous, giving topical collectors plenty of scope to find stamps for their chosen theme. In fact, so many stamps have been issued that some popular themes, such as ships or birds, have become nearly impossible to complete, and topical collectors may specialize further, such as by looking for only square-rigged sailing ships, or only flightless birds.
652:
91:
The earliest stamps simply depicted busts of reigning monarchs, important figures, or coats of arms, but as time went on stamps started to have a wider range of designs. Bears appeared on provisional stamps of St. Louis in 1845, while the beaver was featured on the earliest stamps of Canada. More
64:
relating to a particular subject or concept. Topics can be almost anything, from stamps on stamps, birds, trains and poets on stamps, to famous physicians and scientists, along with historical people and events on stamps, which is often a standard theme for many stamp issuing countries.
140:
918:
873:
868:
1018:
1038:
1072:
1043:
923:
131:
973:
1047:
978:
893:
1108:
1023:
928:
213:
1003:
993:
913:
888:
855:
1297:
455:
120:
1232:
1175:
983:
948:
938:
933:
908:
898:
1033:
1008:
988:
968:
958:
863:
343:
1113:
1028:
1013:
963:
953:
943:
883:
878:
208:
998:
903:
475:
1170:
1082:
795:
732:
845:
198:
249:
800:
422:
840:
626:
612:
574:
560:
502:
1361:
1356:
1330:
1315:
820:
318:
100:
Since most types of stamp designs are commonly available and inexpensive, acquiring them is mostly a matter of poring over the
567:
Thematic and
Topical Stamp Collecting: A practical and comprehensive handbook for thematic, topical, and subject collectors
73:
1215:
1087:
634:
397:
1292:
725:
426:
105:
1320:
656:
522:
369:
1366:
1237:
1351:
1267:
479:
119:
Topical collecting is a recognized category for competitive exhibitions and has its own
Commission with the FIP (
193:
600:. British Philatelic Trust in conjunction with the National Philatelic Society, 1983. (Edited by Richard West)
294:
1310:
1242:
718:
203:
77:
700:
188:
1272:
1154:
1077:
238:
825:
377:
322:
298:
104:
looking for relevant types, and learning enough about the topic to recognize subtle connections. The
178:
30:
1262:
233:
430:
1133:
1051:
168:
779:
622:
608:
570:
556:
245:
183:
1325:
1211:
1196:
835:
271:
218:
81:
57:
43:
1191:
1149:
753:
706:
Paleontology (dinosaurs, prehistoric animals, fossils) stamps by country and by issue date
638:
223:
173:
153:
111:
Online marketplaces and trade platforms are the most common way of collecting new stamps.
135:
Teddy and his
Friends topical stamp display at London 2022 International Stamp Exhibition
1201:
1103:
157:
1345:
1206:
518:
101:
61:
705:
774:
631:
401:
555:. Limassol: Published by James Bendon for The British Thematic Association, 1994
139:
769:
830:
228:
27:
The collecting of postage stamps relating to a particular subject or concept
710:
651:
526:
593:
17:
451:
39:
662:
160:
stamp issue was the first stamp ever printed to feature a giraffe.
138:
130:
72:
35:
29:
695:
108:
and others have published handbooks and lists of larger topics.
714:
680:
667:
685:
523:"La Guerre civile et la RĂ©volution en Espagne (1936-1939)"
690:
244:
Stamps with an anarchist theme were issued during the
478:(in French). Increvables Anarchistes. Archived from
1285:
1255:
1225:
1184:
1163:
1142:
1126:
1096:
1065:
854:
813:
788:
762:
748:
525:(in French). Research on Anarchism. Archived from
214:Soviet space exploration history on Soviet stamps
370:"Pick your favorite topic and start collecting"
632:Handbooks of the American Topical Association.
400:. American Topical Association. Archived from
42:on stamps would want this 1929 issue from the
726:
476:"Les timbres édités par la CNT et par la FAI"
209:U.S. space exploration history on U.S. stamps
8:
583:. Tucson: American Topical Association, 1997
504:The Republican local war tax stamps, 1936-39
344:"Like stamps? You'll love stamps-on-stamps"
1160:
1093:
851:
785:
759:
752:
733:
719:
711:
1298:Fédération Internationale de Philatélie
579:Griffenhagen, George and Jerome Husak.
456:Fédération Internationale de Philatélie
286:
121:Fédération Internationale de Philatélie
691:Scouts on Stamps Society International
581:Adventures in Topical Stamp Collecting
7:
452:"FIP Thematic Philately Commission"
250:ConfederaciĂłn Nacional del Trabajo
25:
1316:Category — Topical postage stamps
1083:Territories of the United States
696:Stamps on Stamps Collectors Club
650:
607:. New York: Arco Pub. Co., 1975
588:A Handbook on Thematic Philately
265:
670:A resource for stamp collectors
598:Introducing Thematic Collecting
675:Websites for particular themes
553:Handbook of Thematic Philately
342:Baadke, Michael (2000-05-01).
295:"Glossary Of Philatelic Terms"
1:
507:. Spanish Philatelic Society.
1293:American Topical Association
663:American Topical Association
501:Gomez-Guillamon, F. (1977).
427:American Topical Association
106:American Topical Association
1321:Commons — Stamps by subject
1383:
319:"Topical Stamp Collecting"
1306:
619:Thematic Stamp Collecting
590:. Delhi: B.D. Gupta, 1989
569:. London: Batsford, 1980
1109:Soviet space exploration
874:Central African Republic
796:Butterflies of Australia
742:Topical stamp collecting
621:. London: Gibbons, 1977
605:Topical Stamp Collecting
1362:Philatelic terminology
1357:Topical postage stamps
1114:U.S. space exploration
701:Bird stamps by country
551:Bold, W.E.J. van den.
161:
136:
88:
47:
239:Mathematics on stamps
164:Some topics include:
142:
134:
76:
60:is the collecting of
33:
1238:Ice hockey in Canada
668:LearnAboutStamps.com
659:at Wikimedia Commons
529:on 30 September 2011
272:Philately portal
199:Presidents on stamps
156:value from the 1901
482:on 12 February 2009
350:. Linn's Stamp News
234:Chemistry on stamps
189:Dinosaurs on stamps
34:Both collectors of
1243:Olympics in Canada
1233:Commonwealth Games
1073:American Civil War
869:Canadian provinces
821:Queen Elizabeth II
801:Flora of Australia
681:Bicycles on stamps
637:2010-09-20 at the
617:Morris, Margaret.
169:Bicycles on stamps
162:
137:
89:
48:
1367:Stamp collections
1339:
1338:
1311:Category — Stamps
1281:
1280:
1251:
1250:
1122:
1121:
1061:
1060:
809:
808:
657:Stamps by subject
655:Media related to
378:Linn's Stamp News
368:Baadke, Michael.
323:Linn's Stamp News
299:Linn's Stamp News
274:
246:Spanish Civil War
184:Insects on stamps
16:(Redirected from
1374:
1352:Stamp collecting
1161:
1094:
852:
836:Salvador Allende
786:
760:
756:
735:
728:
721:
712:
654:
565:Branston, A. J.
539:
538:
536:
534:
515:
509:
508:
498:
492:
491:
489:
487:
472:
466:
465:
463:
462:
448:
442:
441:
439:
438:
429:. Archived from
423:"ATA Checklists"
419:
413:
412:
410:
409:
394:
388:
387:
385:
384:
374:Refresher Course
365:
359:
358:
356:
355:
348:Refresher Course
339:
333:
332:
330:
329:
315:
309:
308:
306:
305:
291:
270:
269:
268:
263:
219:Stamps on stamps
194:People on stamps
152:
151:
147:
58:stamp collecting
44:Falkland Islands
21:
1382:
1381:
1377:
1376:
1375:
1373:
1372:
1371:
1342:
1341:
1340:
1335:
1302:
1277:
1268:Crystallography
1247:
1221:
1180:
1159:
1138:
1118:
1092:
1057:
1019:Solomon Islands
850:
805:
784:
751:
750:
744:
739:
647:
639:Wayback Machine
548:
546:Further reading
543:
542:
532:
530:
517:
516:
512:
500:
499:
495:
485:
483:
474:
473:
469:
460:
458:
450:
449:
445:
436:
434:
421:
420:
416:
407:
405:
396:
395:
391:
382:
380:
367:
366:
362:
353:
351:
341:
340:
336:
327:
325:
317:
316:
312:
303:
301:
293:
292:
288:
283:
266:
264:
258:
224:Art Deco stamps
204:Ships on stamps
174:Birds on stamps
149:
145:
144:
129:
117:
98:
78:Ships on Stamps
71:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1380:
1378:
1370:
1369:
1364:
1359:
1354:
1344:
1343:
1337:
1336:
1334:
1333:
1328:
1323:
1318:
1313:
1307:
1304:
1303:
1301:
1300:
1295:
1289:
1287:
1283:
1282:
1279:
1278:
1276:
1275:
1270:
1265:
1259:
1257:
1253:
1252:
1249:
1248:
1246:
1245:
1240:
1235:
1229:
1227:
1223:
1222:
1220:
1219:
1209:
1204:
1199:
1194:
1188:
1186:
1182:
1181:
1179:
1178:
1173:
1167:
1165:
1158:
1157:
1152:
1146:
1144:
1140:
1139:
1137:
1136:
1130:
1128:
1124:
1123:
1120:
1119:
1117:
1116:
1111:
1106:
1104:Astrophilately
1100:
1098:
1091:
1090:
1085:
1080:
1075:
1069:
1067:
1063:
1062:
1059:
1058:
1056:
1055:
1041:
1039:United Kingdom
1036:
1031:
1026:
1021:
1016:
1011:
1006:
1001:
996:
991:
986:
981:
976:
971:
966:
961:
956:
951:
946:
941:
936:
931:
926:
921:
916:
911:
906:
901:
896:
891:
886:
881:
876:
871:
866:
860:
858:
849:
848:
843:
841:Queen Victoria
838:
833:
828:
823:
817:
815:
811:
810:
807:
806:
804:
803:
798:
792:
790:
783:
782:
777:
772:
766:
764:
757:
746:
745:
740:
738:
737:
730:
723:
715:
709:
708:
703:
698:
693:
688:
683:
672:
671:
665:
660:
646:
645:External links
643:
642:
641:
629:
615:
603:Martin, M. W.
601:
591:
584:
577:
563:
547:
544:
541:
540:
519:Creagh, Ronald
510:
493:
467:
443:
414:
389:
360:
334:
310:
285:
284:
282:
279:
278:
277:
257:
254:
242:
241:
236:
231:
226:
221:
216:
211:
206:
201:
196:
191:
186:
181:
179:Fish on stamps
176:
171:
158:Nyassa Company
128:
125:
116:
113:
97:
94:
70:
67:
62:postage stamps
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1379:
1368:
1365:
1363:
1360:
1358:
1355:
1353:
1350:
1349:
1347:
1332:
1329:
1327:
1324:
1322:
1319:
1317:
1314:
1312:
1309:
1308:
1305:
1299:
1296:
1294:
1291:
1290:
1288:
1286:Organizations
1284:
1274:
1271:
1269:
1266:
1264:
1261:
1260:
1258:
1254:
1244:
1241:
1239:
1236:
1234:
1231:
1230:
1228:
1224:
1217:
1213:
1210:
1208:
1205:
1203:
1200:
1198:
1195:
1193:
1190:
1189:
1187:
1183:
1177:
1176:United States
1174:
1172:
1169:
1168:
1166:
1162:
1156:
1153:
1151:
1148:
1147:
1145:
1141:
1135:
1132:
1131:
1129:
1125:
1115:
1112:
1110:
1107:
1105:
1102:
1101:
1099:
1095:
1089:
1086:
1084:
1081:
1079:
1076:
1074:
1071:
1070:
1068:
1064:
1053:
1049:
1045:
1044:United States
1042:
1040:
1037:
1035:
1032:
1030:
1027:
1025:
1022:
1020:
1017:
1015:
1012:
1010:
1007:
1005:
1002:
1000:
997:
995:
992:
990:
987:
985:
982:
980:
977:
975:
972:
970:
967:
965:
962:
960:
957:
955:
952:
950:
947:
945:
942:
940:
937:
935:
932:
930:
927:
925:
924:Faroe Islands
922:
920:
917:
915:
912:
910:
907:
905:
902:
900:
897:
895:
892:
890:
887:
885:
882:
880:
877:
875:
872:
870:
867:
865:
862:
861:
859:
857:
853:
847:
846:Psychologists
844:
842:
839:
837:
834:
832:
829:
827:
826:King George V
824:
822:
819:
818:
816:
812:
802:
799:
797:
794:
793:
791:
787:
781:
778:
776:
773:
771:
768:
767:
765:
761:
758:
755:
747:
743:
736:
731:
729:
724:
722:
717:
716:
713:
707:
704:
702:
699:
697:
694:
692:
689:
687:
684:
682:
679:
678:
677:
676:
669:
666:
664:
661:
658:
653:
649:
648:
644:
640:
636:
633:
630:
628:
627:0-85259-920-X
624:
620:
616:
614:
613:0-6680-3754-7
610:
606:
602:
599:
595:
592:
589:
585:
582:
578:
576:
575:0-7134-1974-1
572:
568:
564:
562:
561:996-357-970-1
558:
554:
550:
549:
545:
528:
524:
520:
514:
511:
506:
505:
497:
494:
481:
477:
471:
468:
457:
453:
447:
444:
433:on 2010-09-20
432:
428:
424:
418:
415:
404:on 2010-09-20
403:
399:
393:
390:
379:
375:
371:
364:
361:
349:
345:
338:
335:
324:
320:
314:
311:
300:
296:
290:
287:
280:
276:
275:
273:
260:
259:
255:
253:
251:
247:
240:
237:
235:
232:
230:
227:
225:
222:
220:
217:
215:
212:
210:
207:
205:
202:
200:
197:
195:
192:
190:
187:
185:
182:
180:
177:
175:
172:
170:
167:
166:
165:
159:
155:
141:
133:
126:
124:
122:
114:
112:
109:
107:
103:
102:stamp catalog
95:
93:
86:
85:
79:
75:
68:
66:
63:
59:
56:
52:
45:
41:
37:
32:
19:
1185:Celebrations
1171:Soviet Union
919:East Germany
741:
674:
673:
618:
604:
597:
587:
586:Gupta, V.K.
580:
566:
552:
531:. Retrieved
527:the original
513:
503:
496:
484:. Retrieved
480:the original
470:
459:. Retrieved
446:
435:. Retrieved
431:the original
417:
406:. Retrieved
402:the original
392:
381:. Retrieved
373:
363:
352:. Retrieved
347:
337:
326:. Retrieved
313:
302:. Retrieved
289:
262:
261:
243:
163:
118:
115:Competitions
110:
99:
90:
84:Constitution
83:
54:
50:
49:
1331:WikiProject
1273:Mathematics
1078:Puerto Rico
979:New Zealand
974:Netherlands
398:"Handbooks"
1346:Categories
1197:Coronation
1048:Presidents
894:Costa Rica
856:By country
789:By country
461:2017-04-24
437:2010-09-30
408:2010-01-24
383:2010-01-24
354:2019-03-12
328:2019-03-12
304:2019-03-12
281:References
96:Collecting
69:Background
1263:Chemistry
1212:Millenium
1192:Christmas
1127:Transport
1024:Sri Lanka
929:Hong Kong
686:Catstamps
594:Lee, Alma
229:Leniniana
18:Thematics
1207:Holidays
1202:Hanukkah
1164:Artworks
1150:Art Deco
1134:Bicycles
1088:Virginia
1004:Portugal
994:Pakistan
914:Djibouti
889:Colombia
635:Archived
256:See also
55:thematic
40:penguins
1256:Science
1143:Culture
1066:History
984:Nigeria
949:Ireland
939:Iceland
934:Hungary
909:Denmark
899:Croatia
780:Insects
749:Themes
533:22 July
486:22 July
248:by the
148:⁄
51:Topical
1326:Portal
1216:Canada
1155:Tintin
1034:Taiwan
1009:Russia
989:Norway
969:Mexico
959:Latvia
864:Canada
814:People
775:Coffee
763:Nature
625:
611:
573:
559:
143:This 2
127:Topics
80:: the
36:whales
1226:Sport
1097:Space
1052:Women
1029:Sudan
1014:Samoa
964:Malta
954:Japan
944:India
884:China
879:Chile
831:Lenin
770:Birds
999:Peru
904:Cuba
623:ISBN
609:ISBN
571:ISBN
557:ISBN
535:2011
488:2011
154:real
82:USS
38:and
1050:) (
123:).
53:or
1348::
596:.
521:.
454:.
425:.
376:.
372:.
346:.
321:.
297:.
252:.
1218:)
1214:(
1054:)
1046:(
734:e
727:t
720:v
537:.
490:.
464:.
440:.
411:.
386:.
357:.
331:.
307:.
150:2
146:1
87:.
46:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.