Millenary of the birth of Saint Stephen, first king of Hungary๐ญ๐บ Hungary, 3Ft | Scott #2033 | Issued August 19, 1970 There are those in our hobby who believe that stamp collectors merely accumulate and organize old postage stamps, whereas philatelists use stamps to better understand global history and cultures. Assuming that distinction has any... Continue Reading →
What is your hometownโs claim to fame? Most of us could name at least a couple interesting things about our towns: City of Brotherly Love, largest ball of twine, highest point in the state, sister city to Edinburgh, Scotland, the only town in the country named โEarthโ, etc. Everywhere has a couple monikers and at... Continue Reading →
Small cover sent from Hungary to U.S.; canceled in Vรกsรกrosnamรฉny June 16, 1912; received in the U.S. on June 28, 1912๐ญ๐บ Hungary, 10f | Issued 1908โ1913 Earlier this year, I purchased a small cover sent from Hungary with the express purpose of researching its postage due markings. At the time, I took little note of... Continue Reading →
Every year since 2017, my sister and I have taken a โsister tripโ to one of Americaโs beautiful national parks. This spring, we visited a park in the Southeast that Iโm sure many have never heard of, let alone visited: Congaree National Park. Located right outside of Columbia, South Carolina, itโs hard to imagine a... Continue Reading →
Closeup of the sunโs corona, taken during the April 20, 2023 total solar eclipse from Exmouth, Australia. Photo by Phil Hart. America is once again rampant with eclipse fever! The April 8, 2024 total solar eclipse will be drawing millions of eyes toward the sky.ย I wonโt be as close to the path of totality... Continue Reading →
Turul bird issue with a Szigetvรกr hand stamp cancellation (1/24/1900)๐ญ๐บ Hungary, 30f | Issued January 1, 1900 | SG 75 Okay, letโs get right to it. Did this particular stamp single-handedly save Western civilization? Absolutely not. โฆ Probably. But it was canceled at a spot that did. At least, according to the villain of The... Continue Reading →
Portrait of Sรกndor Petลfi by รgost Egervรกry Potemkin, date unknown (SOURCE) โFreedom and love my creed! These are the two I need. For love I'll freely sacrifice My earthly spell, For freedom, I will sacrifice My love as well.โ โSรกndor Petลfi Two centuries ago, a baby boy born ten miles from the Danube would begin... Continue Reading →
โWeymouth Bayโ by John Constable, 1816, Courtesy Victoria and Albert Museum, London. The dark skies were inspired by the โYear without Summerโ. If youโre familiar with the Butterfly Effect, youโve heard the metaphor that when a butterfly flaps its wings, it could ultimately cause a tornado on the other side of the earth. The merits... Continue Reading →
Views of Our Planets: Earth ๐บ๐ธ United States, 47ยข | Issued May 31, 2016 | Scott 5071 Many โfirstsโ in postal history are well known. The first postage stamp was the Penny Black. The first postmaster general of the fledgling United States was Benjamin Franklin. The first Christmas stamps were issued by Hungary. But who... Continue Reading →
Biltmore House by Richard Morris Hunt ๐บ๐ธ United States, 18ยข | Issued August 28, 1981 | Scott 1929 We all know that postage stamps were invented as proof of postage paid. But philatelists understand that stamps have a greater value: They are an incredible conduit for travel across space and time! Long before the wonders... Continue Reading →
Armchair Philately 