Philately: Fun with Philately

Sian Robertson: Corporate Image (2013) 10x10: Collage made from postage stamps, magazine clippings and vintage wallpaper.

Stamp collecting is a wonderful hobby all on its own, of course, but there's more fun to be had with philately, too! In the United States, all uncancelled stamps are valid postage at face value, so using vintage stamps to mail things to friends and family is a great way to have fun with philately. Just be sure to check current USPS postage rates and make sure that your stamps add up to the correct amount.

Cancelled stamps are also fun to use in a variety of art and craft projects such as collage, journaling, and jewelry making.

Lots of stamp collectors and snail mail enthusiasts also share photos of stamps on Instagram. Check out the following hashtags to discover new ways of interacting with philately: #philategram #philately #stamps #stampcollection #postagestamps 

"First Day Covers (FDC) are envelopes that bear a stamp cancelled on the first day it was issued. ... As FDCs became a popular collecting area, the Post Office Department began producing special First Day of Issue cancellations, and arranged for collectors to send in their covers to receive the FDOI cancel. Those early FDOI cancels did not bear an illustration; today, the cancellation incorporates a design that is related to the stamp subject." --Stamp News Now

First Day of Issue (FDOI) pictorial postmarks from the USPS are a fun and unique aspect of stamp collecting. Stamp News Now publishes an FDC ordering calendar and provides instructions on how to order.

Postcrossing is a fun project that allows anyone to send and receive postcards from all over the world! Create an account and, for each postcard you send, you will receive one back from another random participant from somewhere in the world. It's a fantastic way to support the use of snail mail and experience the postage stamps of other countries.