Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2026 i Stamp Collector

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As Stamp Collector went to press, voting was taking place for this year’s PTS Awards. This year, the award categories are: Collaboration of the Year; Campaign of the Year; Publication of the Year; Trade Ambassador of the Year; and Philatelic Ambassador the Year. Voting will close on 29 December, with the winners announced on 30 December. To mark the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth, a collectors’ sheet was released by Royal Mail. As the first in a new series called Celebrating Britain, this sheet features Union Flag stamps alongside self-adhesive labels. The labels show Jane Austen’s House in Hampshire, now a museum, and some of the personal artefacts that can be seen there. On 30 December, PostNord in Denmark will deliver its last letters, and from 2026, unused PostNord…

A genius of European music was born 270 years ago in Salzburg, Austria – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. His full baptismal name was Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, recorded the day after his birth on 27 January 1756 at the cathedral of St Rupert in Salzburg. He was the seventh child of his parents, but tragically, only he and his sister Maria Anna Mozart (nicknamed ‘Nannerl’) survived infancy. Their father, Leopold Mozart, himself a musician and violin teacher, recognised Wolfgang’s extraordinary talent early on and began instructing him. Mozart’s childhood was nothing short of extraordinary: at the age of three he was already experimenting on the keyboard; by four he was playing violin; and by five he had begun composing his own music. Over the next years, he and his sister…

In an age in which many classical collecting fields struggle to assert themselves in an increasingly digital world, the international auction houses have demonstrated that enthusiasm, expertise and trust remain the pillars that support the market. The auction year 2025 shaped the philatelic and numismatic markets in noticeably different ways. And once again revealed the fascinating interplay between tradition and change that characterises these two collecting disciplines. In philately, 2025 was a year of differentiation. The beginning of the year was sluggish; political uncertainties across the globe and within Europe were echoed by marked restraint among buyers. Low sell-through rates persisted well into late spring before signs of recovery began to appear. By now, it has become clear that uncertainty has become the new normal. Anyone wishing to continue collecting…

How does one learn about the history, geography and just about everything else relating to the Bailiwick of Guernsey? The answer is quite simple. All you need to do is start a Guernsey stamp collection, and its study will provide you with extensive knowledge about Guernsey and the other British islands located off the coast of Normandy. Guernsey, the main island, has a total land area of 62km² and a population of 63,000. The Bailiwick of Guernsey comprises several other smaller Channel Islands, with St Peter Port as the capital. It is a rather curious self-governing British Crown Dependency. Today, financial services dominate the island’s economy, but tourism and horticulture are also important activities. In order to put Guernsey on the map, a 1d stamp issued in 1969 will be…

Tiny silver cases, hand-embroidered purses, waxed paper, specialised advertising giveaways…long before the invention of postage stamp booklets, people had devised their own, innovative ways of storing and carrying postage stamps. And, while the little cardboard wallets we know today may not be as decorative as their precursors, their history is every bit as colourful. PAT PENDING In 1870, the California State Telegraph Company became one of the first companies to make practical use of ‘stamp booklets’ when they issued their own book of telegraph stamps. Western Union did the same in 1871. Yet, it seems that no-one thought to adapt such a simple system to postage stamps. At least not until 1884. On 17 April of that year, it is recorded that a Mr Albert W Cooke of Boston, filed…

Happy new year and welcome to the first 2026 edition of Coin Collector. In this month’s magazine, we include details of the US Mint’s coin programme to celebrate the nation’s semiquincentennial, which marks the 250th anniversary of the country’s founding. The coins are the result of a survey conducted amongst the American public in the autumn of 2023 to find out the most popular thematic topics to celebrate the anniversary. These new designs are for one year only, with the designs reverting to their normal schedule in 2027. The designs that have been revealed include a new dime that features an image of Lady Liberty, who symbolises the country’s struggle to free itself from British rule. Five new quarters for the anniversary highlight key moments in the establishment of the…

The American Numismatic Society (ANS) – a nearly 170-year-old organisation dedicated to the public appreciation and research of coins, currency and medals and holding the most comprehensive collection of numismatic objects in the United States – has announced its strategic relocation from its current leased location at 75 Varick Street in New York City to Toledo, Ohio, where it will take up residence on the campus of the Toledo Museum of Art (TMA). This major relocation, taking place in the first half of 2028, will enable the ANS to better serve its American and international audiences, while developing a strong relationship with the local community in the former major industrial city now undergoing a cultural revival. The Numismatic Society of Ireland has announced that Our Own Coinage: The Political and Legal…

In early December 2025, I had the opportunity to visit the Bavarian State Mint in Munich – a routine appointment for a journalist like myself, yet one that unexpectedly offered a glimpse into the future of what awaits us collectors in 2026. In one of the halls stood pallets stacked with buckets filled with freshly struck silver coins. Christmas coins, beautifully designed and technically flawless – and yet without a future. They were ready to be transported to the melting furnace. The decision not to release these coins at all is a tough question. But, given the current legal framework, it is arguably unavoidable, as the Bundesbank cannot simply issue coins whose metal value exceeds their face value. The matter has been heatedly debated in online forums and Facebook groups,…

This article will explore the ‘right-grain’ gold mohur of the Bengal Presidency (an Australian Proclamation coin), giving a brief history of the Bengal Presidency itself, the design of the mohur and its weight standard, and investigating the mohur’s monetary power in England and Australia. Historical events and details will be kept succinct as an in-depth explanation is out of the scope of this write-up. Further, information was gathered from various works and, therefore, credit goes to several of my numismatic predecessors: Richard Doty, Fred Pridmore and John Sharples, as well as the most recent publications of Paul Stevens, who was partly aided in his work by the collector Robert Puddester. THE BENGAL PRESIDENCY The Bengal Presidency, officially the ‘Presidency of Fort William in Bengal’, was an administrative division of British…

Happy new year and welcome to the first 2026 edition of Stamp Collector. In this month’s magazine, we include details of some issues scheduled for release in 2026. Although not all postal administrators have made their stamp programmes known, there are events that are bound to elicit numerous stamp issues in 2026. The 100th anniversary of the birth of Queen Elizabeth II must surely result in stamp issues, not only in the UK but around the world. Another major event being marked this year is the 250th anniversary of the USA – various stamp issues have already appeared in the USA, but the anniversary is likely to be marked globally. Key international sporting events in 2026 include the Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Italy and this summer’s FIFA Football World…

GUERNSEY Island parishes Guernsey Post will release a set of six stamps celebrating the history, character and community spirit of Guernsey’s parishes on 11 February. The stamps present a modern reinterpretation of vintage travel-poster artwork, with each design capturing distinctive features that help define parish identity across the island. In Guernsey, the island has been divided into 10 historic parishes since the 12th century, when churches were built and Christian administration replaced the older feudal fiefs. Although parish boundaries have softened with development, parish identity remains a strong and enduring thread in island life. Featuring its natural harbours, sweeping coastline, L’Ancresse Common, Vale Church and Rousse Tower, the design for the parish of Vale (69p) reflects the parish’s blend of maritime heritage, open landscapes and historic fortifications. For the parish…

UNITED NATIONS Commemorative issues 23 January UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) 15 February United Nations Art Collections 20 March International Day of Forests 24 April Endangered Species 23 May National Costumes 14 August International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development 4 September UNESCO World Heritage 6 November UNICEF 80th Anniversary Special event sheets 12 January 80 Years of the United Nations Journal 16 January 2026 Lunar Calendar – Year of the Horse 25 May America 250 26 May UNPA New York 75th Anniversary 26 June MACAO 2026 23 October Celebrations 2 December United Nations Water Conference in United Arab Emirates CANADA In 2026, the new stamp programme from Canada Post features several milestones, people and cultural events that have helped define Canadian identity. Some highlights are the Black History…

Among the many curiosities of Afghan philately, few items embody quite so perfectly the intersection of history, intrigue and provenance as the 1876/77 (dated 1293) Sanar reprint from plate B, position 14 (Figure 1). At first glance, it is a modest, almost austere little stamp. Its deep black ink impressed onto a medium-thick, horizontally laid paper. Yet, behind this unassuming façade lies one of the most fascinating provenance trails of any classic issue, weaving together the names of Tapling, Ferrary, Appleton, Boggs and, more recently, Dietrich. It is that story, as much as the stamp itself, that grants this piece its almost mythical status. To understand the stamp, one must begin with Afghanistan’s early postal system under Amir Sher Ali. These circular issues, which are often described as ‘Tiger’ or…

BUY AND SELL ON DECAMPE, MORE THAN 80 MILLION COLLECTABLES ARE WAITING FOR YOU!…

In 1940, the New Zealand post office had something to celebrate – and not even a world war was going the stop them. They planned an issue of stamps that would serve as both a commemorative and a definitive set for the entire year. It would then be withdrawn and replaced by the existing pictorials. This would mean a long set – but with a different design for every stamp – a tall order at the best of times. Then came the war, but they decided to stick to their plans, except that the stamps would be replaced when stocks ran out and not all at once on 31 December. In the event, all values ran out during 1941, except for the ½d and 1½d values. The stamps were designed…

POSTCARDS Good eye needed The woman shown appears to have been out hiking in the mountains in a gorgeous, but impractical, outfit, writes Richard Stenlake. I at first thought it was a postcard by Alphonse Mucha, perhaps the most well-known artist of the genre known as art nouveau, but it’s by a little-known French illustrator, Elisabeth Sonrel. Mucha cards, very similar to this, sell for £50 to £100. After the sombre art, interiors and architecture of the late-Victorian era, a new movement swept across Europe. The artists, designers and architects involved were experimental and imaginative. Decades later, the labels art nouveau and art deco, the style that followed, were dubbed. Hence, the dilemma in categorising buildings and art from this period, which runs from the end of the 19th century…

Stack’s Bowers sold an example of the storied 1804 silver dollar in December for $6,000,000 (Figure 1). The rare coin was previously unknown to the numismatic community. For generations, numismatic experts thought there were exactly 15 examples known. Last year it was revealed that a 16th example of this popular rarity had been hidden away in a safety deposit box for decades. The coin was part of the illustrious James A Stack collection, which had been formed in the 1930s and 1940s. James A Stack died in 1951, but his coins had been bequeathed to his heirs, with instructions they only be sold for the benefit of his grandchildren when they turned 25. The first coins from this famous collection entered the market in 1975. Other coins were sold over…

A new 2026 £5 brilliant uncirculated coin from the Royal Mint features a modern reinterpretation by Italian sculptor Sandra Deiana of the historic angel coin, which was first introduced in 1465. Considered to be of cultural significance when it was in use, the original coin was used in touching ceremonies to protect the bearer from scrofula, also known as ‘the king’s evil’. The reverse of the coin was inspired by the famous passage from the New Testament that describes a battle between a heavenly army and the forces of darkness. It depicts the Archangel Michael as a powerful protector slaying Satan, who is represented as a dragon. This scene featured in many famous artworks, including Raphael’s Saint Michael Vanquishing Satan. In these depictions, St Michael is usually shown as a…

A new eight-stamp set of €1.20 values from Luxembourg, released on 25 November, illustrates the stained-glass windows of the Grand Ducal Palace. The Grand Ducal Palace can be found in the middle of the old town in the heart of Luxembourg City. It has been the official residence of the Grand Duke for over a century. During the summer months, the building is open to the public, and visitors can take a behind-the-scenes guided tour. In the middle of the 18th century, when the building still served as the city hall, the original building was extended. Here, the current Salle de Balance, where farmers previously had their goods publicly inspected and weighed, can be found. The highlight of this room is the elaborate stained-glass windows created in the 20th century.…

10 January – Garden City Auctions 811 Princess Avenue, Victoria, BC V8T 1K7, Canada gcpauctions.com 13–14 January – Lockdales 52 Barrack Square, Martlesham Heath, Ipswich, Suffolk IP5 3RF www.lockdales.com 14 January – Warwick & Warwick Chalon House, Scar Bank, Millers Road, Warwick CV34 5DB www.warwickandwarwick.com 17 January – AVH PO Box 569, Welwyn Garden City, Herts AL7 9NP www.avhstampauctions.co.uk 21–22, 28 January – Spink 67–69 Southampton Row, Bloomsbury. London WC1B 4ET www.spink.com 26 January – Spink RPSL, 15 Abchurch Lane, London EC4N 7BW www.spink.com 27 January – Philangles Carson House, 44 Legh Street, Warrington, Cheshire WA1 1UJ philangles.co.uk 30 January – Martello 4b Prospect Road, Hythe Kent CT21 5NN www.martelloauctions.com 7 February – Somerset Hill Farm, Hemyock, Cullompton EX15 3UZ www.somersetstampauctions.com 18 February – Tennants Harmby Road, Leyburn DL8 5SG…

Bells are among humanity’s oldest instruments for communicating meaning through sound. Their voices can be celebratory or solemn, communal or personal and sacred or secular. They accompany us from the quiet chime of small ornamental bells to the mighty thunder of bronze giants that ring in new year across continents. In philately, bells are a recurring and fascinating motif on stamps from dozens of countries. What follows is a wide-ranging exploration of how bells appear on stamps: as decorative symbols, as custodians of tradition, as voices of faith and freedom, as instruments of music and mechanics, and as technological companions to sailors, divers, travellers and messengers. DECORATIVE TRADITION AND ORNAMENTAL BEAUTY Festive mailings around the globe have long employed ornamented bells as emblems of joy and celebration. Liechtenstein, for instance,…

There is always fascination with royalty as wealth and history surround them. But the key fascination is with the power held by the head of a royal family. British kings and queens have amazing power with the ‘royal prerogative’, but the UK has no written constitution detailing this prerogative. It certainly includes the right to recognise foreign states, grant honours and being the authority over the armed forces. Since the 19th century, this prerogative has, by convention, followed the advice of the prime minister or cabinet. In other words, British royal power has been informally delegated to Parliament. Many other countries have a more direct role for their kings or queens. This is clearly shown in Italy with King Victor Emmanuel III (1869–1947), whose family originally just ruled Sardinia (Figure…

INCORPORATING COIN COLLECTOR ON SALE 13 FEBRUARY Celebrated Sets BELGIUM’S 1958 SET FOR THE INAUGURATION OF THE BRUSSELS INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION How to Collect Mexico WHERE TO START WITH A MEXICAN COLLECTION OF STAMPS Early Elizabethans PAINTINGS ON THE 1967 CHRISTMAS ISSUE A–Z of Coins X IS FOR X-RATED AVAILABLE IN ALL GOOD NEWSAGENTS OR DIRECT FROM https://ccgb.mymagazinesub.co.uk/…

14 January – St James’s InterContinental New York Barclay, 111 East 48th Street, New York, USA stjauctions.com 14 January – Tennants Harmby Road, Leyburn, North Yorkshire DL8 5SG www.tennants.co.uk 18 January – Chris Rudd PO Box 1500, Norwich NR10 5WS celticcoins.com 27 January – Noonans 16 Bolton Street, Mayfair, London W1J 8BQ www.noonans.co.uk 27–28 January – Lockdales 52 Barrack Square, Martlesham Heath, Ipswich IP5 3RF www.lockdales.com 10 February – Noonans 16 Bolton Street, Mayfair, London W1J 8BQ www.noonans.co.uk 18 February – Warwick & Warwick Chalon House, Scar Bank, Millers Road, Warwick CV34 5DB www.warwickandwarwick.com 23–27 February – Christoph Gärtner Steinbeisstraße 6+8, 74321 Bietigheim www.auktionen-gaertner.de 3 March – Noonans 16 Bolton Street, Mayfair, London W1J 8BQ www.noonans.co.uk 15 March – Chris Rudd PO Box 1500, Norwich NR10 5WS celticcoins.com 20 March…

The reign of Nicholas II as the last Tsar of Russia, which lasted from 1894 until 1917, occupies a distinctive place in the world of numismatics (Figure 1). His coinage represents both the apex of technical refinement in the Russian Empire and the final chapter of a centuries-old monetary tradition that ended abruptly with the revolution of 1917. For collectors, the coins of Nicholas II blend artistry, political symbolism, economic transition and historical tragedy. They enable us to explore the numismatic legacy of the last Romanov ruler, its historical context, design evolution, minting practices, rarities and enduring significance. For British collectors, it may be interesting that Nicholas II was a family member of Queen Victoria. On one side, they were distant cousins going back to their common ancestor King George…