Introduction time.

Hi, my name is Paul, I'm 49 from Ireland. I love collecting USA, France, Monaco, GB (presentation packs) and of course Rep of Ireland.

 

Hi Molokai, I've been reading the forum for a few weeks and it's because of its friendly feel that I decided to take part. Chess on stamps, wow, so many wonderful ideas for collecting. That one sounds very interesting.

 

I'm sure you have this one, If not, one to look out for. Monaco 1967.

 

Thanks Makanudo. Really enjoying it. Already some great ideas for starting a themed collection. Looking forward to sticking around for a while.

 

God, I was only born in '67 so I'm trying to collect all of the sixties from the 5 countried I'm interested in. I'm very fond of engraved designs so I was thinking of picking one or two of my favourite engravers and collecting them as a theme. I did not know leaving stamps in glassine envelopes was a bad idea. I have some booklets I was using them to protect. I look for something else instead.

 

Thanks Don

 

Hi, Paul! Welcome! I have lived for two years in Ireland, in Charleville. I collect only MNH stamps from Latvia, Ireland and European UPU.

U.B.

 

Hi ubleo,
I hope your 2 years in the fair county Cork left you with a good impression of us. I recently bought a couple of Irish europa stamps for a person in Latvia, cost me considerably less than if I had bought them from an Irish dealer.

 

Tá an fáilte romhat Paul.
I am also in Ireland.
My main interest ... Ireland, northern regionals, propaganda issues and "joint issues". All of which can be obsessive.
But for fun...I collect anything that comes along.

I was at Stampa (the National Exhibition) last weekend. Not convinced about the new venue. And with the "Coin Fair" now separate (it takes place this coming weekend) there was not so much to see.

 

Hi Fjhorse,
Go raibh mile maith agat.
I did'nt go this year, bad timing, where there many dealers there or anything out of the ordinary?.
I only recently became aware of the wealth of stuff in the propaganda world. Facinating stuff. I only really started back collecting in the last year so I'm still trying to find the main stream stuff. But I'm looking forward to finding a good theme I can get my teeth into. I love the engraved stamps of the continent so I'm going to find the engravers I like most and start a sub collection of their work. Just for starters like.

 

Paul, I only came back to collecting after a 11 year break in 2012. So this was the fifth successive Stampa since then. Certainly the number of dealers has declined.
There were only (I think) eight dealers as well as An Post and two action houses.
Also a table for two Irish clubs (EPA and IPC).
If you had been there, you would have been one of the youngest.
The exhibitions were pretty good with an overall theme of 1916. One of the best known of the collectors is now 86 and a son of one of the combatants in GPO. His service medal being on display.
There is always a Stampa souvenir and postmark.
This year (Friday) themed for the Dogs issue earlier this year. And on Saturday and Sunday themed for Easter.
I dont usually buy the souvenirs but this year it seemed right. My souvenir sheet and postcard arrived thru post this morning.
Most of the propaganda stuff on the market is a bit "contrived" so its always better to find stuff that has been addressed and delivered rather than the unaddressed stuff for the "philatelic market".

 

Don Sellos,
Stamps and Mail have often been used for Propaganda purposes. In the context of Ireland, "stamps" were affixed to mail to promote Irish Independence before the State was officially established. I have one of these but they can be quite expensive.
During the Troubles in "Northern Ireland" and specifically in early 1970s overprints appeared on "northern Ireland" stamps to promote an illegal message. These show both sides of the conflict and although some were used on regular mail but are generally regarded as "philatelic". I have some of them.
Later in 1970s and 1980s an illegal organisation delivered local mail in Belfast and (later) Derry at Christmas as a rival to the regular Post. Usually delivery cost less than the "regular" mail and proceeds went to the funds of the illegal organisation. Some have specially produced "stamps" produced for the philatelic market and are usually available in unaddressed form. Others (addressed) were delivered and are postmarked in local (illegal) collection centres. I have several of these.
Postcards were also produced for propaganda purposes but dont always make it thru the regular post because the photo or hand-written message would be considered offensive....so there is a cat and mouse game trying to get stuff past the "censors". For example Margaret Thatcher was on a British stamp about two years ago and the temptation was too great for some.....getting past the censor often depends where the item is posted and a friendly censor. But several postcards with very offensive messages were delivered by British Post Office.
"Royal Postcards" which are typically sold to tourists in London also get the treatment... I have a "Royal Divorce" cover using Royal Wedding stamps. The sender carried the Wedding stamps around in his wallet for months and popped them into a letter box when the seperation was announced.
Likewise a member of the Royal Family remarried after a divorce in a low profile service and stamps from her previous wedding were used on covers.
Some other covers exist which are in very bad taste and I would draw the line at owning them.
I would not wish to post any pics of any propaganda issue here as clearly it would be offensive to some people and I would not wish to do that.

 

Em...What Fjhorse said covers it I think.

 

Hey Paul, Welcome to the forum! I hope to see you a lot in the forum.