• The Term Philately was coined by Georges Herpin of Paris. Herpin create the word as a suitable replacement for the hobby's previous pseudo-scientific name, the derogatory timbromanie, which means 'stamp madness'. Herpin is said to have first used the new word in a French Stamp collecting publication, Collectionneur de Timbre-Poste, issued November 3, 1864.

For many years the postal service in the U.K. had been a very expensive service for ordinary people to use. The costs were prohibitive, a single letter sometimes costing a working person's full day's wages. Postage before 1840 was expensive and unreliable. In Great Britain at this time, postage charges were exorbitant to say the least, to send a single small page letter cost four pence to a maximum 20 miles (32km), to send a letter 100 miles (160km) cost nine pence.

The condition of a stamp is a very important factor in determining its value and desirability. Philatelists classify different stamps in various categories depending on their condition.

Welcome to the fascinating world of stamp collecting, ‘The Hobby of Kings and The King of Hobbies!’ Stamp collecting, otherwise known as philately.

The 24 cent Jenny Stamp was created for delivery of mail by air - a new concept in 1918. This is a large sum compared to the 3 cents that it costs for ground delivery.

The rarest stamp in the world is the one cent black on magenta British Guiana stamp of 1856. In 1856 this colony was awaiting a supply of stamps from England but the postmaster could not wait for the delivery of stamps from England and asked the local newspaper to print some 1 and 4 cent stamps. It features a ship, printed in black ink on magenta colored paper, along with the Latin motto "Damus Petimus Que Vicissim" or, translated, "We give and expect in return".