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Philately is a rigorous science. It isn’t just stamp collecting – we cover all communication between humans going back to Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics. Stamps only came about in 1840, so they’re very recent in terms of the history of humanity.
I collect a lot of covers, too – that’s the complete envelope with markings on. It’s the story that is so interesting to me, not the fact that they are worth a lot of money. And it’s not just me. In general, fewer collectors are focused on money these days, although, as postage stamps truly are mini works of art, the price that other pieces of art sell for makes the value of a stamp look ridiculously low.
People pay £40 million for something that is 2ft x 2ft, but even the most expensive stamps, at 1in x 1in, rarely get beyond £100,000.
I was president of the Royal Philatelic Society London from 2021 to 2023. We are lucky to have had the patronage of every king and queen since George V, who was a keen stamp collector – although at the moment, we’re waiting for King Charles to agree his patronages.
It would take me a long time to count how many stamps I have. I’m always being asked which one is the rarest or most valuable, but it’s hard to answer. The most famous stamp in the world is arguably the Penny Black, Britain’s first adhesive postage stamp, designed in 1840.
Even though more than 60 million were printed they are very rare because the vast majority were thrown away at the time – stamp collecting as a hobby did not yet exist. But often, with the stamps I collect, only 2,000 were ever printed. In terms of rarity, it’s more interesting.
I hope the new barcoded stamps revive an interest in collecting among the younger generation. The ability to view a video or read a digital message (which you can now do by scanning the code on the Royal Mail app) isn’t a bad addition – it could add to the joy of receiving a letter.
Do you collect stamps? Tell us about your collection in the comments section below
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