What Are Stamp Perforations?

Stamp perforations are the tiny holes punched between rows and columns of stamps. They make separation much more manageable. Before we had perforations, postal workers would have to cut stamps out by hand, often leading to mistakes. Depending on the severity of the mistake (for example, cutting through the design), some stamps wouldn’t even be… Read More »

History of the US Post Office

In modern-day times it’s easy to take for granted how instantly we can communicate with each other. It’s crazy to think that less than 200 years ago, even telephones didn’t exist. All communication was done either in person or through letters in the mail. People certainly didn’t have the luxury of overnight shipping, either. The… Read More »

Do Stamps Expire?

For over a century and a half, postage stamps have been required to send mail. Before postage stamps were an option, however, postal services operated on a COD (cash on delivery) basis. As you can imagine, this wasn’t a sustainable business strategy. A significant amount of shipments were never paid for, and to cover these… Read More »

Who Invented the Stamp?

British schoolteacher Rowland Hill sought to create a more efficient system for the postal service. He explored a variety of methods starting in 1826, and a year later he released a pamphlet called Post Office reform: Its Importance and Practicability. Within the pamphlet he recommended using a form of prepayment described as, “A bit of… Read More »

27 Different Types of Stamps (Master List)

Stamps have come in all different types, shapes, sizes, colors, and features. Stamp Collectors may specialize in one kind of stamp, or collect stamps from all sorts of categories. Not all stamps are alike, and they serve various purposes. The different types of stamps include: “Regular Issues” Commemorative Airmail Precancels Perfins Official Postage Dues Semi-Postal… Read More »

USPS Collection Boxes (Blue Box)

With over 153,000 locations nationwide, United States Postal Service (USPS) Collection Boxes can be an extremely convenient way to ship letters and packages. However, before you ship, it’s important to understand the USPS Collection Box rules and regulations to ensure that your package gets to its destination successfully.  What is a USPS Collection Box? USPS… Read More »

Different Types of Stamps – What to Know

The urge to collect things is part of human nature. If you’re interested in starting a stamp collection, you aren’t alone! About twenty years after the introduction of the first postage stamp (known as the “Penny Black”), the first significant group of stamp collectors emerged. By 1860, thousands of people across the globe called themselves… Read More »

How to Start Stamp Collecting

In 1840, the first postage stamp was introduced in Britain. At that time, nobody could have predicted that postage stamps would create one of the world’s most fascinating collectors’ hobbies. Nowadays, there are over five million individuals in the United States that participate in stamp collecting. If you are looking to become a philatelist, then… Read More »

What is a PO Box?

Millions of people around the world rely on PO boxes for their postage needs every day. However, despite their prevalence, there are plenty of others who haven’t heard of them yet (or know how they work). If you are someone who sends and receives a lot of mail, continue reading as PO boxes might just… Read More »