At the age of 80 I have just dusted off my thematic collection of horse stamps after looking at your excellent video! I look forward to seeing more of your videos on UA-cam! Thank you!
I'm not a collector but I happened upon your videos. I just wanted to say that your video production quality is fantastic. The little animations and all of the other nice touches are very impressive. Well done!
I’ve been collecting stamps for 50+ years everything worldwide but have noticed over the years many topics in addition to all the great ones you mentioned, such as; horses, elephants, rodents, zoo animals, fish, shells, any type of sea life, movie and music personalities and Royalty (kings, queens). Sports of all kinds as well. Really, the list is endless and that’s one of the very many reasons that makes the hobby so Enjoyable and Addictive.
This is so interesting! I really love the extra little stories and tidbits of info you include :) so far with topical collections, we have space, dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures, and Saints in our growing collection 😁🥰
We had a lecturer a few years back who collected stamps and covers that contain the Concorde airplane. It was a very good lecture by a visitor to our local club. Topical lectures are fun and interesting. Just like the video
I’m new to stamp collecting and I’ve just bought a Mozart 1941 with a nice flower vase Wien Germany post mark. your videos has helped tremendously on my new hobby. Very interesting indeed . Thanks!
frogs, penguins, castles, coins, erupting volcanoes, one of every country, #1 of every country, stamp centenaries, ladies, one of each type of stamp (airmail, parcel post, etc. 83 of them), polar bears, pandas, peacocks, Da Vinci, Gandhi, Princess Di, Richard Feynman, etc. and always the category of miscellaneous too cool not too keep!
Great video! I've been collecting for almost 50 years, worked with youth for 20 years, and was still surprised at your top 10 topical stamp themes. Well done!
Your video production just keeps setting new standards of excellence, Graham. Love this. I have several active topics I collect: fiction writers and books, classical music, Volkswagen Beetles (my first car). As my mother was German and my father was Polish, I grew up listening to a lot of accordion music, and even took lessons as a kid. Now I collect accordions (and related instruments) on stamps, and it has been quite the learning experience, discovering all the countries that have incorporated this instrument into their music culture.
Thank you Ted! It is fascinating to hear about the different topics that collectors focus on, especially hearing about Beetles and Accordions (I'm always surprised by how many countries incorporate topics like these, its excellent!) But I really love hearing about why collectors pick a topic, your first car and childhood memories of an instrument are unique and make it even more special. Thanks for watching Ted.
Very interesting and nice work. My son is devastated that dinosaurs did not make the list. But I spied an assortment of prehistoric animal stamps for him, so life is good again. Keep the episodes coming.
Ah dinosaurs!! That would be a fun one to collect. I actually just got a really nice mini-sheet from Hungary featuring Dinosaurs.. Nice work promoting the hobby within the family ;)
Wonderful!! I just checked the ATA’s website, and they currently count 5264 stamps been issued around the world that feature at least 1 horse. That’s a topic that can keep anyone busy!
I collect stamps that I've soaked from mail sent to me from friends, family, businesses, physicians, etc. But I do like stamps depicting dogs, historical events, airmail, food, and places in the world. For me, it's the stamps with postmarks that I especially like to hold onto. Itsthe case of sentimental value being more important to me than an unused stamp that has greater retail value.
Very nice video. Your channel is really entertaining. You certainly know a lot about the subject. I was wondering what topics or countries you collect yourself. Do you have a video on that?
Very nice video. My personal top 10 topics would be :- 1. Architecture / Buildings 2. Aviation 3. Wildlife / WWF 4. Military 5. Sport 6. Trains 7. UNESCO World Heritage Sites 8. Maps 9. Bridges 10. Joint Issues by diff countries
All of these could be excellent topics to collect, interesting that just 3 on your list showed up in this video, it shows how vast the topical space is. Great list and thanks for sharing :)
I absolutely loved this count down series you did!! I love topical philately and I personal collect a few. I collect British monarch and royal family members, also specifically Queen Victoria, polar bears, stamps on stamps, and landscapes to name a few. I do not strictly collect these types of stamps but they are my favourite and I always have an eye out for them!
I have never collected a topic before but after watching this film last month I have now finally picked a topic of 'Birds of Prey'. Already I have a set from 14 different countries. My tweezers are back in action. Thank you for the inspiration, lovely film.
That is really cool to hear! I think that is a very interesting topic to collect, and I am sure that there are some beautiful stamps that have been issued featuring 'Birds of Prey' . So glad to hear that you enjoyed the video, thanks for watching Mark :D
Cool topic. My favorite Bird of Prey is a Golden Eagle. To my knowledge the only US stamp made of a Golden Eagle was an 85c stamp in 2012. Wish I owned it, but I don't.
I find heraldry interesting, depictions of coats of arms of regions or nations. The surprise for me is that aerophilately doesn't go into the top 10 though.
An earlier set of ship stamps (than Bermuda) was issued by British New Guinea (later Papua) on 1 July 1901 featuring their iconic Lakatoi, an ocean-going trading vessel.
Topical collecting can be a lot of fun and finding very affordable old stamps these days is so easy because prices have gone way down since the days I started collecting back in the 1980s
Very interesting, and I'm surprised to see dogs and flowers didn't make top ten. Currently for a themed album I collect elephants! (my main collection is GB classics). I have a strong affinity for elephants, but I am still trying to piece together a strong narrative purpose. Thank you for producing such an informative channel.
Me too! Dogs, flowers and aviation was a surprise. There must be some really great elephant stamps out there, I’ve been considering the topic of Rhinos and I know there are some epic ones out there. Thanks for watching Paul 😃
Topically I collect mostly transportation, such as motorcycles, rail, aviation, motorsports and automotive and space. I also really like revenue stamps. Interestingly, things like flowers, animals, insects etc., are generally some of my least favourites.
I am a commercial fisherman and I found a stamp with a boat just like the one that I work on. I haven't looked back since! Animal stamps, and insect stamps are probably ones that I will collect next.
Love it! A collection inspired by your profession :D I like the idea of animals especially, I might do the same and find a particular animal to collect.
Christmas stamps will always be on the first place of my list. But I keep an example of most stamps that I get... unless I know someone who would be really happy with them.
For Christmas, I tend to go with the cute ones for kids. Drawings of Santa, Reindeer, toys etc... maybe that should be a deliberate topical collection of mine... hmmm.. :)
I collect a lot of the ones listed in your video plus Christmas, Comics/cartoons/anime (including Disney), US statehood (including territories, first state settlers, etc.) and seashells.
Latest topical craze for me has actually been going after postmarks of Iowa. I mail envelopes within envelopes to different post offices in Iowa in an attempt to get unique postmarks. Did you know Iowa, despite being average size and low population ranks 10th in the US for states with most post offices. I learned that from the PMCC/post mark collectors club
Good question... I would think the list probably does change from region to region... I am sure sports, and people probably rise in the ranks with some countries, but the core topics of trains, butterflies and ships will always be present I'm sure.
Peter Conrad is right...the intro was brilliant, with simple effects used briefly and cleverly (because briefly is cleverly)! The topic I enjoy most is bridges, because EVERYbody likes them. I don't care if you live in a swamp or the tundra, under a brutal dictator or a beloved monarch...nobody wants to slip and slide down the ravine, wade through a (YOUR FEAR HERE-)infested river, then crawl up a cliff to bring home the bacon. Bridge=Civilization, and there are scores of different kinds to collect. Pick a subject you like and hop on in!
Thank you Fred! You must have enjoyed the 2018 Europa stamps featuring bridges, what I like about them is that they also serve symbolic purposes, connecting places, people and cultures. Thanks for watching :)
I am a topical collector of space stamps. Didn't expect it to rank so high on the Top 10 list. Anyway, do you have a Patron site where I could make a monetary contribution to your channel? Would love to give you a small reward every month for making such wonderful and informative videos and keep you going. Thanks.
Thank you Desmond. I also did not expect that, it's just such a cool area to collect in. I do not yet have a Patron site, I haven't thought too much about it... but its a possibility that I will get one in the near future. Thank you for expressing interest, and of course for watching and interacting with the channel :)
I thought space might have been number 1. It was very popular when I was a boy during the Space race. It is a major historical series of events ehich have been happening during a time when stamps were quite advanced and popular.
I received my stamp collecting merit badge also and I still have my book too but it has a different cover as it was issued much later than the one you have. As for topics I love Mr Zip on the selvage of a lot of stamps.
Great video. I love how the rocket flys off the stamp. I don't collect topics, however your previous video of the ZEPPELIN stamp kind of got me thinking collecting Zeps, and airplanes. I do like ships also. So much to choose in the world of philately .
Zepps are a great topic, over a thousand to collect!.. and planes, well there are tons of those as well. You could even get specific with the types of Zepp or plane stamps to collect, as you said there is so much to choose from in the world of philately :D Thanks for watching!!
Nice video! So far, my favorite ones are: - dinosaurs - prehistoric animals And I'm planning to add further: - national series (like" "Beekeeping of Ukraine", Flora and fauna of National parks) - chemistry (minerals / gemstones / glassware)
I have some thematic collections. One is Eva Peron for which I won a prize for exhibiting it at our local club. In fact, it came first in the Open Philately class. However, there is one piece missing. I'm looking for a postcard posted on the SS Eva Peron with the ship's cachet, preferably posted to somebody. Another theme is The Soviet Space Programme. I exhibited 50 pages at the BSRP meeting 2019. This includes covers signed by Gagarin and Tereshkova among others. Other themes; Jugoslavia Chainbreakers, Esperanto, Music, Musical Instruments, .... Thanks for your videos, pity I've only recently found them.
Nice to see Esperanto here. I have a small and eclectic collection of Esperanto philately - stamps, postmarks, postcards with printed stamps, early postcards from Malta with messages written in Esperanto
I find a lot of the 'religious' themed stamps interesting. Not just Christmas or Easter, but also issues that commemorate papal visits, saints etc. Many Vatican issues are well designed.
That would make an interesting topic! It could also expand to places and buildings such as churches/cathedrals. I'm not familiar with Vatican stamps so I will check them out. Thanks!
Very interesting. I collect everything, I don't separate my stamps by topic but by country. I have to say that one topic that I really like is Flowers and Sports and surprisingly they were not in the top 10.
Hey, it is me again. I collect China and Hong-Kong. In China, I collect doctor Sun Ya-Tsen and in Hong-Kong, which is a very hard country to collect, I collect whatever comes. Very interesting video. David Barban
That's very interesting David, I am unfamiliar with Chinese stamps, but I can imagine that Sun Yat-sen is a popular topic to be displayed on stamps there...Very cool! Thanks for watching David :)
I' ll be looking for more videos. I also do Hong Kong stamps.....since both of the countries got back together in 1997.. There are lw prices stamps, and there are very high prices stamps. Until next time.
Many compliments from an Italian collector! Love the videos!! the best ones from me remains Olympics ( Host Country of each year the base) even if the Arabian stamps from 1968-1972 are orrible with the sport contest. Also WW2 is my favorite ones I've all German stamps and obiviously all USA. Collections starts from the period 1939-1945 - second part Celebration from 1946-1995 third part from 1995 to today. The Russian stamps are a lot! I like very much the Canadian folders stamps from 90's for WW2. Good work keep on doing!!
While I don't think they were ever officially used by postal organizations (I could be wrong) rocket mail was often used to launch mail across rivers and other such natural barriers. I do not know much of their history, but this is an area one interested in space and rocketry. For aerospace the topic of ballooning and aeronauts is another. I have always been partial to gemstones myself.
Interesting! I did not know this, perhaps a video topic to explore in the future. Although the FAA may not approve of me firing rockets of letters to friends ;) Thanks for sharing Jason!
Currently there are 1109 stamps with Elephants on them, this is according to the ATA...sooo you might just drive yourself crazy afterall ;) Great topic!!
#4 is the most surprising......and a subject that I have never even considered. #2 was the most obvious to me but I'm very surprised that aviation didn't make the list.
Very interesting video! As mentioned in a recent comment on another video I'm a newbie astrophilatelist myself, and I share your love for the USSR space stamps! I also have a (so far not very big) topical collection of stamps related to chess. There are stamps depicting chess pieces, players, championships, events, history... There are even stamps showing how each chess piece moves, so you could actually learn the basics of chess just from looking at stamps! Pretty neat. Also the history of chess is quite interesting, and full of fascinating personalities. Other topics I hope to collect in the future include: lighthouses, castles, trains, ships, computers/computer history ... and of course I need all the Moomin stamps from Finland! Maybe also the ones from Japan. If you've never heard of the Moomins: it's a series of beautiful children's books by Finnish author Tove Jansson, they are highly enjoyable for adults as well, and feature wonderful drawings by the author. The stamps are also really really really nice!
Those are all excellent topics to collect, I find the chess topic really fascinating and I did an episode on it: ua-cam.com/video/7sYNBgePLTc/v-deo.html I also did one on lighthouses which are a favorite of mine.
Hi Graham! I like your channel very much but this is my first comment. If I'm not mistaken, according to FIP, "aerophilately" and "astrophilately" are classes just like thematic philately and refer to: stamps which have been transported by special flights (like the Zeppelin mail that you discuss in another video or by airlines which were "premiering" their flights or in other special conditions) or flown to the outer space by astronauts/cosmonauts respectively. As such, they don't always have to do with the motif on the stamp and they are more like offshoots of postal history. As for myself, my topics are very specialized: handball (in some English-speaking countries the word might be misunderstood; I mean team handball or Olympic handball), Papal visits,, UNESCO Intangible Heritage elements... I finished a 1-frame exhibit on international sports events hosted by my country, I'm looking for ways to...well, exhibit it, I might end up doing it online.
Hello! Yes you are absolutely right, by definition the aero and astro philately worlds are thematic, and include a much broader interest to the postal history associated with flights. I should explore these definitions in an episode this season, the way the words are used vs how they are defined are conflicting and will make for an interesting discussion :) SUCH an interesting list of topics that you collect, the UNESCO intangibles had me looking through the list and are quite fascinating. I highly encourage you to exhibit online, the more people that you can share with, the better! Thank you for watching
I love your videos - entertaining and informative at the same time and so well produced. I was a stamp collector as a child and then for decades saved stamps in baggies and envelopes until the pandemic hit. I sorted through thousands of stamps and made two albums - UK and world stamps, after a three year hiatus while living on a sailboat, I am now putting together a US album. I am learning philatelic terms but also the importance of having the best quality in each stamp, rather than just examples of as many stamps as possible. I'm moving towards topical collections - US flag stamps are fascinating to me in their variety for what would seem a limited topic, also love Christmas, nature and landscape stamps. I wonder how many stamps you have in your collection? Do you keep records of the value of your stamps and the Scott catalog number for each one?
I couldn't do topical collecting, I'm into too many things. The only way I've managed to narrow down my collecting is only collecting anything to do with Britain, as that's where I'm from. Stamps from the British Isles, Irish stamps, channel Islands, and empire and commonwealth. I can't go less than that lol
I have a small number of topical collections: kangaroos, black cockatoos, wolves, ravens, and Marianne (of France). I also collect a geographic region as a topical - the Island of New Guinea, including Papua New Guinea, and the western end currently under Indonesian occupation.
All very interesting topics, I'm always fascinated in how many stamps have been issued about a particular topic. According to ATA, 202 Kangaroos (although its grouped with wallabies) and 252 wolves for example. Your regional topic is also very interesting. Thanks for sharing Hans.
Ie am brand new and I have started by collecting Christmas/Holiday stamps. I would also like to collect our beautiful US flag, US history, all the US states, parks, and one from each country to help my great nephew learn some day. :) also maybe another topical or two like children. Finally, I like the yearly collections esp. 1960 on for my memories. So easy to buy. I like the idea of topical lists. I wasn’t aware of them..
i just recently subscribe to your channel. my favourite topics for stamps collecting are Royal families, Cats (yes its in the list) and any postal related (ie UPU, stamps day, letter writing day, mailboxes...) but i do collect any FDC...especially if they have a leaflet inside, i would read them because normally it doesnt only gives information on the stamps but also the history of its issue. :-)
1- OLIMPICS AND SPORTS 2- MUSICIANS AND COMPOSERS 3- GUNS AND ARMS 4- CELEBRITIES 5- INDEPENDENCE DAYS 6- ANNIVERSARIES 7- LEADERS AND PRIME MINISTERS 8- SCIENTISTS AND HEALERS 9- TOURISM 10- RELIGION
Where I can find the information about stamps, like the first cat in stamp and the first stamp with 3 colors mentioned in the video? Like first stuff in stamps?
I search through various places for the info. Articles from the American Philatelist, Linn’s etc. Also I purchase lists from the American Topical Association that groups all stamps known that include a particular topic, such as cats or windmills for example. As a member of APS, I also reach out to the APRL (library) for assistance with research. There are a number of books and articles that assist with gaining more info. I hope this helps :)
Thanks for sharing and making the stamp series so interesting and educational...(it is to me) and I enjoy them very much. my collection mainly China and Hong Kong stamps. Also collect topics in Aviation, mushroom, stamp in stamp. collecting stamp in stamp teaching me what are rare stamps and can not afford to own the original but i can afford the stamp on stamp 😂
Glad you like the series :) I'm the same with stamp on stamps, I can't afford the original stamp but I can afford a stamp on stamp version and collect it there :) Thanks for watching, sounds like you have an interesting collection!
This is awesome! I can see myself doing this, start collecting a specific topic and finding interest in a larger geography/topic. Thank you for sharing William :)
Great video. I don't 'actively' collect any specific topics in your video, though I do pull any extra trains and European castles I find. The topic I do collect is Christmas stamps and covers, especially any from Christkindl, Austria. I'm very surprised Christmas did not make the list OR the honorable mentions.
Good video. I did not confine myself to one theme, rather I collect all stamps - from aviation to animals to trains, cars etc. This way I get to enjoy the beauty of various themes of stamps (Do not know if this is strange, but I do not have a fascination for collecting old stamps, rather I collect stamps that are issued after 1960
Really love it. But I must say, there are many more interesting subjects for philatelists. You can often make more episodes exploring new interesting themes like Flags, Horology/ Clock, Cancer as a disease, Football, Cricket as a sport and it is almost endless. Best wishes.
Yes! And that’s exactly what I do on my channel. Check out my video on cricket stamps for example: ua-cam.com/video/N9SnrMrcX3s/v-deo.html thanks for watching! 😊
My new collection I'll made it will be with series (one) from all the state of the World: Yugoslavia, Transnistria, Cehoslovacia, URSS, Vatican, Somalia, Gagauzia, Osetia... ...
New subscriber. Thanks for these vids. What do you think about digital (NFT) stamps? Seems like they will at a minimum renew some interest in physical stamps. Do you think the digital versions (essentially reprints) will catch on? At least with younger collectors?
That's an interesting topic! A culinary adventure through the world of stamps, That's also a great way to learn about different cuisines from different geographies/cultures.
great video as always. I will definitely be checking out that website for the american topical dudes. Thanx for sharing. I myself have a smallish topical collection also.. I collect motorcycles and "windPompe" ( windmills for pumping out of borehole's) Must be honest i would have thought flowers would be ranked number one... O.o .
Windmills would be a good topic, but windpumps is even more specific... I Love that idea. I see that even the US has issued a few. You might be the only windPomp Philatelist in the world :D Thanks for watching!!
Thanks for the lepidopterophobia warning. Yuck! Great video and surprising topics. Precious stones are making it into my thematics album at the moment. Concorde has always been in, including postal history. And I've found a few stamps featuring cheese recently so have created a page for those - may need to create a second page for cheese and wine together in one stamp.
Cheese and wine stamps, what a pairing!! Topical pairings could be a new trend thanks to you. Popcorn and Movie stamps, Baseball and peanuts, milk and cookies... hmmm :)
That's great thanks I have been looking at some RMS Titanic stamps from 1912, King George V Reign that would be a good starting point regarding ships and monarchy but then RMS Titanic work started in 1909 or in the reign of Edward V11 whom also played a role in the modernisation of steam turbine and the British Home Fleet but then died before the RMS Titanic sailed. However the combination of some thing like the RMS Titanic along side the monarch from that same time period would be suitable enough for a history project as no stamps of the RMS Titanic with the monarch from that time period are available.
This video was very informative... Thank you so much! My favorite stamp collection is wreaths, flowers and ships! I'm from Rio de Janeiro and i have lots of stamps fŕom 1800's. I'd like sell it.
At the age of 80 I have just dusted off my thematic collection of horse stamps after looking at your excellent video! I look forward to seeing more of your videos on UA-cam! Thank you!
I have collected Domestic Poultry on stamps for over 30 years now.
I'm not a collector but I happened upon your videos. I just wanted to say that your video production quality is fantastic. The little animations and all of the other nice touches are very impressive. Well done!
Thank you Ronald! It means a lot coming from a non collector, I appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment :)
I’ve been collecting stamps for 50+ years everything worldwide but have noticed over the years many topics in addition to all the great ones you mentioned, such as; horses, elephants, rodents, zoo animals, fish, shells, any type of sea life, movie and music personalities and Royalty (kings, queens). Sports of all kinds as well. Really, the list is endless and that’s one of the very many reasons that makes the hobby so Enjoyable and Addictive.
This is so interesting! I really love the extra little stories and tidbits of info you include :) so far with topical collections, we have space, dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures, and Saints in our growing collection 😁🥰
We had a lecturer a few years back who collected stamps and covers that contain the Concorde airplane. It was a very good lecture by a visitor to our local club. Topical lectures are fun and interesting. Just like the video
A concorde collection must be fun one to explore, over 400 stamps have been issued according to the ATA!
I’m new to stamp collecting and I’ve just bought a Mozart 1941 with a nice flower vase Wien Germany post mark. your videos has helped tremendously on my new hobby. Very interesting indeed . Thanks!
Wonderful! That is a beautiful stamp. Thanks so much for watching, glad you are enjoying the videos.
frogs, penguins, castles, coins, erupting volcanoes, one of every country, #1 of every country, stamp centenaries, ladies, one of each type of stamp (airmail, parcel post, etc. 83 of them), polar bears, pandas, peacocks, Da Vinci, Gandhi, Princess Di, Richard Feynman, etc. and always the category of miscellaneous too cool not too keep!
Great video! I've been collecting for almost 50 years, worked with youth for 20 years, and was still surprised at your top 10 topical stamp themes. Well done!
Thank you Carol! The list surprised me as well. Glad you enjoyed the video :)
Your video production just keeps setting new standards of excellence, Graham. Love this.
I have several active topics I collect: fiction writers and books, classical music, Volkswagen
Beetles (my first car). As my mother was German and my father was Polish, I grew up listening to a lot of accordion music, and even took lessons as a kid. Now I collect accordions (and related instruments) on stamps, and it has been quite the learning experience, discovering all the countries that have incorporated this instrument into their music culture.
Thank you Ted! It is fascinating to hear about the different topics that collectors focus on, especially hearing about Beetles and Accordions (I'm always surprised by how many countries incorporate topics like these, its excellent!) But I really love hearing about why collectors pick a topic, your first car and childhood memories of an instrument are unique and make it even more special. Thanks for watching Ted.
Ted’s “Bats on Stamps” collection (video) is dynamic and an amazing topical display!
I was looking for such a list for a long time. "Exploring Stamps" it is. You have got an amazing collection.
Thank you! Glad I could help :)
Love this channel. I collect mathematical stamps and International Women’s day stamps.
Very interesting and nice work. My son is devastated that dinosaurs did not make the list. But I spied an assortment of prehistoric animal stamps for him, so life is good again. Keep the episodes coming.
Ah dinosaurs!! That would be a fun one to collect. I actually just got a really nice mini-sheet from Hungary featuring Dinosaurs.. Nice work promoting the hobby within the family ;)
I inherited my grandfather's horse stamp collection many years ago and have been adding to it ever since. Its size is now very impressive!
Wonderful!! I just checked the ATA’s website, and they currently count 5264 stamps been issued around the world that feature at least 1 horse. That’s a topic that can keep anyone busy!
I collect stamps that I've soaked from mail sent to me from friends, family, businesses, physicians, etc. But I do like stamps depicting dogs, historical events, airmail, food, and places in the world. For me, it's the stamps with postmarks that I especially like to hold onto. Itsthe case of sentimental value being more important to me than an unused stamp that has greater retail value.
Very informative video. I think collecting flags on stamps and stamps on stamps are really interesting.
...and dictators.
Yes,dictators too
Yes, stamps on stamps is popular. I was surprised that flags on stamps was not part of the top 10...
Stamps with flags abound plentifully in my collection though stamps on stamps not so much
Very nice video. Your channel is really entertaining. You certainly know a lot about the subject. I was wondering what topics or countries you collect yourself. Do you have a video on that?
A commendable work,you're reviving philately with your beautiful talks,please continue doing so ,may almighty give you enough strength.
Very nice video. My personal top 10 topics would be :-
1. Architecture / Buildings
2. Aviation
3. Wildlife / WWF
4. Military
5. Sport
6. Trains
7. UNESCO World Heritage Sites
8. Maps
9. Bridges
10. Joint Issues by diff countries
All of these could be excellent topics to collect, interesting that just 3 on your list showed up in this video, it shows how vast the topical space is. Great list and thanks for sharing :)
Joint issues by different countries sounds so cool! I never even thought about that!
I absolutely loved this count down series you did!! I love topical philately and I personal collect a few. I collect British monarch and royal family members, also specifically Queen Victoria, polar bears, stamps on stamps, and landscapes to name a few. I do not strictly collect these types of stamps but they are my favourite and I always have an eye out for them!
Glad you enjoyed it Sarah 🤗. I also enjoy collecting Queen Victoria and love landscapes on stamps. Polar bears is an interesting one 🤔 🐻❄️
Not surprised at the topics, but the rankings are surprising. Great research, and you've upped the editing game yet again. Excellent video.
Thank you Tom, agreed the rankings are definitely surprising. Thanks for watching :)
Agreed......and the editing makes the issue covered fun to watch.
I have never collected a topic before but after watching this film last month I have now finally picked a topic of 'Birds of Prey'. Already I have a set from 14 different countries. My tweezers are back in action. Thank you for the inspiration, lovely film.
That is really cool to hear! I think that is a very interesting topic to collect, and I am sure that there are some beautiful stamps that have been issued featuring 'Birds of Prey' . So glad to hear that you enjoyed the video, thanks for watching Mark :D
Cool topic. My favorite Bird of Prey is a Golden Eagle. To my knowledge the only US stamp made of a Golden Eagle was an 85c stamp in 2012. Wish I owned it, but I don't.
personalities, celebrities, politicians, scientists, writers etc.
Historycal events, ethnography, monuments, comunist propaganda (or capitalism manipulation), fiscal stamps... And why not... ugly or fake stamps.
I forgot about a few glassines I'd squirreled away of cacti on stamps, now I need to sort them 😁
I find heraldry interesting, depictions of coats of arms of regions or nations. The surprise for me is that aerophilately doesn't go into the top 10 though.
So relaxing, I will start to collect stamps. Thank you for your video.
An earlier set of ship stamps (than Bermuda) was issued by British New Guinea (later Papua) on 1 July 1901 featuring their iconic Lakatoi, an ocean-going trading vessel.
Basically I collect artists, authors, and astronauts (but only if I actually like the design of the stamp).
Authors are a great one! Totally agree on the design, pick and choose the better ones. We are the curators of our own collection :)
Wait 'til you get to "B"!
This was interesting! Loved the intro especially. Surprised that flowers was not part of the top 10.
Glad you enjoyed it, I was also surprised by flowers not being in the top 10... Thanks for watching.
Sunflower and Roses 🙂
Loved this!!! I really do want to do a topical collection on the side, but I got to put some thought into it first.
Glad you enjoyed it Erica. Good luck with choosing a topic, I am still trying to refine mine :)
Topical collecting can be a lot of fun and finding very affordable old stamps these days is so easy because prices have gone way down since the days I started collecting back in the 1980s
Stamps which commemorate the European Union also is a good topic.
I was surprised that LIGHTHOUSES did not make the top-10. Thanks for sharing.
Very interesting, and I'm surprised to see dogs and flowers didn't make top ten. Currently for a themed album I collect elephants! (my main collection is GB classics). I have a strong affinity for elephants, but I am still trying to piece together a strong narrative purpose. Thank you for producing such an informative channel.
Me too! Dogs, flowers and aviation was a surprise. There must be some really great elephant stamps out there, I’ve been considering the topic of Rhinos and I know there are some epic ones out there. Thanks for watching Paul 😃
Topically I collect mostly transportation, such as motorcycles, rail, aviation, motorsports and automotive and space. I also really like revenue stamps.
Interestingly, things like flowers, animals, insects etc., are generally some of my least favourites.
Another great video as usual. Thank you.
You are very welcome, thank you for watching :)
I collect ship and boat stamps mostly. But now that I've seen this, I might broaden my horizons.
Ooo, I wonder what else you are considering. I love the idea of collecting ship stamps, there are some really great ones out there.
I am a commercial fisherman and I found a stamp with a boat just like the one that I work on. I haven't looked back since! Animal stamps, and insect stamps are probably ones that I will collect next.
Love it! A collection inspired by your profession :D I like the idea of animals especially, I might do the same and find a particular animal to collect.
Christmas stamps will always be on the first place of my list. But I keep an example of most stamps that I get... unless I know someone who would be really happy with them.
For Christmas, I tend to go with the cute ones for kids. Drawings of Santa, Reindeer, toys etc... maybe that should be a deliberate topical collection of mine... hmmm.. :)
English Royal stamps would be one mega crazy collection
Lol, good luck with that Tsuki... Even just stamps featuring QEII would be a mega crazy collection :)
@@ExploringStamps Agreed its hard since they had land in all corners of the globe
Another excellent episode!
I collect a lot of the ones listed in your video plus Christmas, Comics/cartoons/anime (including Disney), US statehood (including territories, first state settlers, etc.) and seashells.
Latest topical craze for me has actually been going after postmarks of Iowa. I mail envelopes within envelopes to different post offices in Iowa in an attempt to get unique postmarks. Did you know Iowa, despite being average size and low population ranks 10th in the US for states with most post offices. I learned that from the PMCC/post mark collectors club
I also collect postmarks and cancellations but mine are from the different provinces and territories in Canada. It is just a fun avenue of philately!
Surprised militaria didn't make it! Especially World War II.
I am surprised as well... and there certainly is no shortage of military personnel, equipment, artillery on stamps.
I wonder if this stays the same with collectors from other countries (not ATA members)...
Oh yeah, amazed as well..
Good question... I would think the list probably does change from region to region... I am sure sports, and people probably rise in the ranks with some countries, but the core topics of trains, butterflies and ships will always be present I'm sure.
my topic：battles，uniform，weapons，generals (who led soldiers into battles)
Peter Conrad is right...the intro was brilliant, with simple effects used briefly and cleverly (because briefly is cleverly)! The topic I enjoy most is bridges, because EVERYbody likes them. I don't care if you live in a swamp or the tundra, under a brutal dictator or a beloved monarch...nobody wants to slip and slide down the ravine, wade through a (YOUR FEAR HERE-)infested river, then crawl up a cliff to bring home the bacon. Bridge=Civilization, and there are scores of different kinds to collect. Pick a subject you like and hop on in!
Thank you Fred! You must have enjoyed the 2018 Europa stamps featuring bridges, what I like about them is that they also serve symbolic purposes, connecting places, people and cultures. Thanks for watching :)
I am a topical collector of space stamps. Didn't expect it to rank so high on the Top 10 list. Anyway, do you have a Patron site where I could make a monetary contribution to your channel? Would love to give you a small reward every month for making such wonderful and informative videos and keep you going. Thanks.
Thank you Desmond. I also did not expect that, it's just such a cool area to collect in. I do not yet have a Patron site, I haven't thought too much about it... but its a possibility that I will get one in the near future. Thank you for expressing interest, and of course for watching and interacting with the channel :)
@@ExploringStampsyo tengo estás estampas
I thought space might have been number 1. It was very popular when I was a boy during the Space race. It is a major historical series of events ehich have been happening during a time when stamps were quite advanced and popular.
I received my stamp collecting merit badge also and I still have my book too but it has a different cover as it was issued much later than the one you have. As for topics I love Mr Zip on the selvage of a lot of stamps.
That must be a fun one to collect, Mr. Zip on the selvage...Love it!!
Great video. I love how the rocket flys off the stamp. I don't collect topics, however your previous video of the ZEPPELIN stamp kind of got me thinking collecting Zeps, and airplanes. I do like ships also. So much to choose in the world of philately .
Zepps are a great topic, over a thousand to collect!.. and planes, well there are tons of those as well. You could even get specific with the types of Zepp or plane stamps to collect, as you said there is so much to choose from in the world of philately :D Thanks for watching!!
1-Weightlifting #1
Not Undressed woman
2- Well Dressed Woman
3- Cars , Trucks , Camper
4- Well dress men Myself and Honorary Mention You too!!!!!!!!
Nice video! So far, my favorite ones are:
- dinosaurs
- prehistoric animals
And I'm planning to add further:
- national series (like" "Beekeeping of Ukraine", Flora and fauna of National parks)
- chemistry (minerals / gemstones / glassware)
thedigitalphilatelist.com/thematic-paleontology/
Most informative video about stamps. Thank you very much.
You are very welcome, thanks for watching :)
I have some thematic collections. One is Eva Peron for which I won a prize for exhibiting it at our local club. In fact, it came first in the Open Philately class. However, there is one piece missing. I'm looking for a postcard posted on the SS Eva Peron with the ship's cachet, preferably posted to somebody. Another theme is The Soviet Space Programme. I exhibited 50 pages at the BSRP meeting 2019. This includes covers signed by Gagarin and Tereshkova among others.
Other themes; Jugoslavia Chainbreakers, Esperanto, Music, Musical Instruments, ....
Thanks for your videos, pity I've only recently found them.
Nice to see Esperanto here. I have a small and eclectic collection of Esperanto philately - stamps, postmarks, postcards with printed stamps, early postcards from Malta with messages written in Esperanto
I have a collection of Rabbits on stamps. Easter, Chinese Zodiac, pets lots of options to find them.
I find a lot of the 'religious' themed stamps interesting. Not just Christmas or Easter, but also issues that commemorate papal visits, saints etc. Many Vatican issues are well designed.
That would make an interesting topic! It could also expand to places and buildings such as churches/cathedrals. I'm not familiar with Vatican stamps so I will check them out. Thanks!
Very interesting. I collect everything, I don't separate my stamps by topic but by country. I have to say that one topic that I really like is Flowers and Sports and surprisingly they were not in the top 10.
thedigitalphilatelist.com/thematic-botany/
Hey, it is me again. I collect China and Hong-Kong. In China, I collect doctor Sun Ya-Tsen and in Hong-Kong, which is a very hard country to collect, I collect whatever comes. Very interesting video. David Barban
That's very interesting David, I am unfamiliar with Chinese stamps, but I can imagine that Sun Yat-sen is a popular topic to be displayed on stamps there...Very cool! Thanks for watching David :)
I' ll be looking for more videos. I also do Hong Kong stamps.....since both of the countries got back together in 1997.. There are lw prices stamps, and there are very high prices stamps. Until next time.
My main collection is Birds! Loved the video!
Many compliments from an Italian collector! Love the videos!! the best ones from me remains Olympics ( Host Country of each year the base) even if the Arabian stamps from 1968-1972 are orrible with the sport contest. Also WW2 is my favorite ones I've all German stamps and obiviously all USA. Collections starts from the period 1939-1945 - second part Celebration from 1946-1995 third part from 1995 to today. The Russian stamps are a lot! I like very much the Canadian folders stamps from 90's for WW2. Good work keep on doing!!
While I don't think they were ever officially used by postal organizations (I could be wrong) rocket mail was often used to launch mail across rivers and other such natural barriers. I do not know much of their history, but this is an area one interested in space and rocketry.
For aerospace the topic of ballooning and aeronauts is another.
I have always been partial to gemstones myself.
Interesting! I did not know this, perhaps a video topic to explore in the future. Although the FAA may not approve of me firing rockets of letters to friends ;) Thanks for sharing Jason!
wow what a great channel ! i have been rediscobering the stamp collection and I got stamp fever... great channerl!
Fantastic presentation n collection too
Another great video.My interest of collection is solar eclipse.I collect philatelic materials related to solar eclipse.
Everybody has their favorites in Topical I’m doing elephants just to drive myself crazy lol!
Currently there are 1109 stamps with Elephants on them, this is according to the ATA...sooo you might just drive yourself crazy afterall ;) Great topic!!
#4 is the most surprising......and a subject that I have never even considered.
#2 was the most obvious to me but I'm very surprised that aviation didn't make the list.
Very interesting video! As mentioned in a recent comment on another video I'm a newbie astrophilatelist myself, and I share your love for the USSR space stamps!
I also have a (so far not very big) topical collection of stamps related to chess. There are stamps depicting chess pieces, players, championships, events, history... There are even stamps showing how each chess piece moves, so you could actually learn the basics of chess just from looking at stamps! Pretty neat. Also the history of chess is quite interesting, and full of fascinating personalities.
Other topics I hope to collect in the future include: lighthouses, castles, trains, ships, computers/computer history ... and of course I need all the Moomin stamps from Finland! Maybe also the ones from Japan. If you've never heard of the Moomins: it's a series of beautiful children's books by Finnish author Tove Jansson, they are highly enjoyable for adults as well, and feature wonderful drawings by the author. The stamps are also really really really nice!
Those are all excellent topics to collect, I find the chess topic really fascinating and I did an episode on it: ua-cam.com/video/7sYNBgePLTc/v-deo.html I also did one on lighthouses which are a favorite of mine.
Hi Graham! I like your channel very much but this is my first comment. If I'm not mistaken, according to FIP, "aerophilately" and "astrophilately" are classes just like thematic philately and refer to: stamps which have been transported by special flights (like the Zeppelin mail that you discuss in another video or by airlines which were "premiering" their flights or in other special conditions) or flown to the outer space by astronauts/cosmonauts respectively. As such, they don't always have to do with the motif on the stamp and they are more like offshoots of postal history. As for myself, my topics are very specialized: handball (in some English-speaking countries the word might be misunderstood; I mean team handball or Olympic handball), Papal visits,, UNESCO Intangible Heritage elements... I finished a 1-frame exhibit on international sports events hosted by my country, I'm looking for ways to...well, exhibit it, I might end up doing it online.
Hello! Yes you are absolutely right, by definition the aero and astro philately worlds are thematic, and include a much broader interest to the postal history associated with flights. I should explore these definitions in an episode this season, the way the words are used vs how they are defined are conflicting and will make for an interesting discussion :) SUCH an interesting list of topics that you collect, the UNESCO intangibles had me looking through the list and are quite fascinating. I highly encourage you to exhibit online, the more people that you can share with, the better! Thank you for watching
Maluko Selantan, Lundy, and several other stamp's from "bogus" countries, are one of my collections. Regards from 🇩🇰
Now thats interesting! Collecting the bogus world, that alone deserves its own video. Thanks for watching :)
It is Maluku Selatan - in English, South Moluccas.
Gonna start collecting COVID stamps lol
Bophuthatswanana.....Man thats a mouth full
Say it three times fast... Go!! :)
@@ExploringStamps Cant even do it once :P
LOL! I will have to do a video just on stamps from Bophuthatswana
Even worse when you add an extra syllable. How do you stop yourself when saying banananananana ????
I love your videos - entertaining and informative at the same time and so well produced.
I was a stamp collector as a child and then for decades saved stamps in baggies and envelopes until the pandemic hit. I sorted through thousands of stamps and made two albums - UK and world stamps, after a three year hiatus while living on a sailboat, I am now putting together a US album. I am learning philatelic terms but also the importance of having the best quality in each stamp, rather than just examples of as many stamps as possible. I'm moving towards topical collections - US flag stamps are fascinating to me in their variety for what would seem a limited topic, also love Christmas, nature and landscape stamps.
I wonder how many stamps you have in your collection? Do you keep records of the value of your stamps and the Scott catalog number for each one?
I couldn't do topical collecting, I'm into too many things. The only way I've managed to narrow down my collecting is only collecting anything to do with Britain, as that's where I'm from. Stamps from the British Isles, Irish stamps, channel Islands, and empire and commonwealth. I can't go less than that lol
I have a small number of topical collections: kangaroos, black cockatoos, wolves, ravens, and Marianne (of France). I also collect a geographic region as a topical - the Island of New Guinea, including Papua New Guinea, and the western end currently under Indonesian occupation.
All very interesting topics, I'm always fascinated in how many stamps have been issued about a particular topic. According to ATA, 202 Kangaroos (although its grouped with wallabies) and 252 wolves for example. Your regional topic is also very interesting. Thanks for sharing Hans.
My favourite topics: archaeology and chess on stamps....
Ie am brand new and I have started by collecting Christmas/Holiday stamps. I would also like to collect our beautiful US flag, US history, all the US states, parks, and one from each country to help my great nephew learn some day. :) also maybe another topical or two like children. Finally, I like the yearly collections esp. 1960 on for my memories. So easy to buy. I like the idea of topical lists. I wasn’t aware of them..
just got into stamps, this is the perfecr video for me. im thinking about collecting formula 1 themed stamps
Excellent!! That should be a fun topic to collect 🏎💨
i just recently subscribe to your channel. my favourite topics for stamps collecting are Royal families, Cats (yes its in the list) and any postal related (ie UPU, stamps day, letter writing day, mailboxes...) but i do collect any FDC...especially if they have a leaflet inside, i would read them because normally it doesnt only gives information on the stamps but also the history of its issue. :-)
thedigitalphilatelist.com/thematic-felinology/
I’m collecting those on birds, horses and Disney characters. Now, I try to add more fdc to my collection
1- OLIMPICS AND SPORTS
2- MUSICIANS AND COMPOSERS
3- GUNS AND ARMS
4- CELEBRITIES
5- INDEPENDENCE DAYS
6- ANNIVERSARIES
7- LEADERS AND PRIME MINISTERS
8- SCIENTISTS AND HEALERS
9- TOURISM
10- RELIGION
Thanks for sharing 😌 I'm from Sri Lanka(Ceylon)
Where I can find the information about stamps, like the first cat in stamp and the first stamp with 3 colors mentioned in the video? Like first stuff in stamps?
I search through various places for the info. Articles from the American Philatelist, Linn’s etc. Also I purchase lists from the American Topical Association that groups all stamps known that include a particular topic, such as cats or windmills for example. As a member of APS, I also reach out to the APRL (library) for assistance with research. There are a number of books and articles that assist with gaining more info. I hope this helps :)
thedigitalphilatelist.com/thematic-felinology/
“The Guinness Book of Stamps, Facts and Feats” by James A. MacKay is an excellent resource…
Thanks for sharing and making the stamp series so interesting and educational...(it is to me) and I enjoy them very much. my collection mainly China and Hong Kong stamps. Also collect topics in Aviation, mushroom, stamp in stamp. collecting stamp in stamp teaching me what are rare stamps and can not afford to own the original but i can afford the stamp on stamp 😂
Glad you like the series :) I'm the same with stamp on stamps, I can't afford the original stamp but I can afford a stamp on stamp version and collect it there :) Thanks for watching, sounds like you have an interesting collection!
I was going to collect just Mutiny on the Bounty related stamps but I just took it a step further and collect all of Pitcairn Island stamps.
This is awesome! I can see myself doing this, start collecting a specific topic and finding interest in a larger geography/topic. Thank you for sharing William :)
Great video. I don't 'actively' collect any specific topics in your video, though I do pull any extra trains and European castles I find. The topic I do collect is Christmas stamps and covers, especially any from Christkindl, Austria. I'm very surprised Christmas did not make the list OR the honorable mentions.
thedigitalphilatelist.com/thematic-christmas/
I am surprised that buildings or castles were not in the list (or in the honourable mentions)
Good video. I did not confine myself to one theme, rather I collect all stamps - from aviation to animals to trains, cars etc. This way I get to enjoy the beauty of various themes of stamps (Do not know if this is strange, but I do not have a fascination for collecting old stamps, rather I collect stamps that are issued after 1960
An odd Topic is the Science Fiction of UFOs and aliens. Separate from sci-fi television shows and motion pictures.
thedigitalphilatelist.com/thematic-ufology/
Really love it. But I must say, there are many more interesting subjects for philatelists. You can often make more episodes exploring new interesting themes like Flags, Horology/ Clock, Cancer as a disease, Football, Cricket as a sport and it is almost endless. Best wishes.
Yes! And that’s exactly what I do on my channel. Check out my video on cricket stamps for example: ua-cam.com/video/N9SnrMrcX3s/v-deo.html thanks for watching! 😊
Liberia issued a series honoring the American moon missions. I find them better than the US moon stamps.
My new collection I'll made it will be with series (one) from all the state of the World:
Yugoslavia, Transnistria, Cehoslovacia, URSS, Vatican, Somalia, Gagauzia, Osetia... ...
New subscriber. Thanks for these vids. What do you think about digital (NFT) stamps? Seems like they will at a minimum renew some interest in physical stamps. Do you think the digital versions (essentially reprints) will catch on? At least with younger collectors?
I am a little surprised that stamps on famous personalities didn't make it in the list.
Are there stamps around paranormal topics?
Try: thedigitalphilatelist.com/thematic-cryptozoology/
Or: thedigitalphilatelist.com/thematic-ufology/
I'm a bit surprised Sports didn't make it to the list!
I collect Gastronomy on stamps: FOOD. There are beautiful stamps featuring foods of different countries.
That's an interesting topic! A culinary adventure through the world of stamps, That's also a great way to learn about different cuisines from different geographies/cultures.
That's a topical I never would have thought about.....I'm always thinking in the topical arena of trains, planes, architecture, and similar themes.
great video as always. I will definitely be checking out that website for the american topical dudes. Thanx for sharing. I myself have a smallish topical collection also.. I collect motorcycles and "windPompe" ( windmills for pumping out of borehole's) Must be honest i would have thought flowers would be ranked number one... O.o .
Windmills would be a good topic, but windpumps is even more specific... I Love that idea. I see that even the US has issued a few. You might be the only windPomp Philatelist in the world :D Thanks for watching!!
Thanks for the lepidopterophobia warning. Yuck! Great video and surprising topics. Precious stones are making it into my thematics album at the moment. Concorde has always been in, including postal history. And I've found a few stamps featuring cheese recently so have created a page for those - may need to create a second page for cheese and wine together in one stamp.
Cheese and wine stamps, what a pairing!! Topical pairings could be a new trend thanks to you. Popcorn and Movie stamps, Baseball and peanuts, milk and cookies... hmmm :)
Hi, quick question.. is there a British version of the A.T.A?
There is the British Thematics Association... I’m not sure if they do checklists however: www.britishthematic.org.uk
Amazing topic!
I have my stamp collecting merit badge!
I collect mushrooms , marathon runners and flags on stamps.
On interesting and moderately popular topic is pictures of stamps on stamps.
That's great thanks I have been looking at some RMS Titanic stamps from 1912, King George V Reign that would be a good starting point regarding ships and monarchy but then RMS Titanic work started in 1909 or in the reign of Edward V11 whom also played a role in the modernisation of steam turbine and the British Home Fleet but then died before the RMS Titanic sailed. However the combination of some thing like the RMS Titanic along side the monarch from that same time period would be suitable enough for a history project as no stamps of the RMS Titanic with the monarch from that time period are available.
This video was very informative... Thank you so much! My favorite stamp collection is wreaths, flowers and ships! I'm from Rio de Janeiro and i have lots of stamps fŕom 1800's. I'd like sell it.