World Stamps

A tour of groundbreaking stamps: Inside Linn’s

Jul 12, 2019, 8 AM
In the July 29 issue, William B. Hughes takes you on a tour of stamp firsts. Among these pioneering issues are the first war tax stamps, which Spain issued in 1874 during the Third Carlist War of 1872-76.

By Charles Snee

The July 29 issue of Linn’s Stamp News just landed on the presses and goes in the mail to subscribers Monday, July 15. And if you subscribe to Linn’s digital edition, you’re at the head of the line with early access Saturday, July 13. Here are three stories sure to please.

Breaking new ground during the early years of stamp use

For almost 180 years, the postage stamp has been an indispensable mover of mail and facilitator of communication. In a richly detailed and illustrated feature article, William B. Hughes reveals how stamps were created to fulfill myriad other services. Among these fascinating issues are postage due stamps, newspaper stamps, semipostal stamps and military stamps. Be sure to save Hughes’ piece for future reference.

When did you last peruse Linn’s weekly auction calendar?

Linn’s strives to report regularly on upcoming auction sales in the United States and in locales around the world. But we can’t cover them all, and it can be a challenge to keep up with upcoming sales. Our weekly auction calendar gives you all the pertinent information on philatelic auctions: the auction firm, dates of sale, a general description of the sale and contact information. You'll want to check this reference regularly.

Kitchen Table Philately: stamps issued from 1915 to 2015

In each weekly issue of Linn’s, either E. Rawolik VI or E. Rawolik VII dissects the contents of a stamp mixture offered to collectors. E. Rawolik is a pseudonym that is also the word “kiloware” (a stamp mixture) spelled backward. This week, E. Rawolik VI sings the praises of a packet of 45 stamps with issue dates spanning a century, from 1915 to 2015. Enjoy the full review in this issue.

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