A commemorative stamp is a postage stamp issued to honor or commemorate a place, event or person. Most postal services of the world issue several of these each year, often holding first day of issue ceremonies at locations connected with the subjects. Commemorative stamps are usually used alongside ordinary or regular-issue stamps of the time, although in some cases their use has been obligatory. A selection of Hong Kong postal stamps A postage stamp is evidence of pre-paying a fee for postal services. ... Postbox redirects here. ... First Day Cover for the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer, issued 22nd July 1981. ...

There are several candidates for the title of first commemorative. The United States 15-cent black stamp of 1866 depicts Abraham Lincoln, and was the first stamp issued after his assassination in 1865, but it was not officially declared as a memorial to him. The US issued stamped envelopes for the Centennial Exposition in 1876, although technically these are postal stationery and not stamps. The UK's Jubilee Issue of 1887 may be thought of as commemorative of the 50 years' reign, although there are no special inscriptions on the stamps, and they were intended as regular stamps. 1866 (MDCCCLXVI) is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865), sometimes called Abe Lincoln and nicknamed Honest Abe, the Rail Splitter, and the Great Emancipator, was the 16th President of the United States (1861 to 1865), and the first president from the Republican Party. ... 1865 (MDCCCLXV) is a common year starting on Sunday. ... Postal stationery: Postcard of 1895 A piece of postal stationery is an envelope, letter sheet, or postal card with an amount of postage preprinted on it, at the postcard rate for postcards, and (usually) at the domestic first-class rate for letter sheets and envelopes. ... The Centennial International Exhibition of 1876, the first official worlds fair in the United States, was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia. ... 1876 (MDCCCLXXVI) is a leap year starting on Saturday. ... Postal stationery: Postcard of 1895 A piece of postal stationery is an envelope, letter sheet, or postal card with an amount of postage preprinted on it, at the postcard rate for postcards, and (usually) at the domestic first-class rate for letter sheets and envelopes. ... Categories: Stub | Postage stamps ... 1887 (MDCCCLXXXVII) is a common year starting on Saturday (click on link for calendar). ...

1888 1p of New South Wales, one of the first commemoratives in the world

The first undoubtedly commemorative stamps were issued by New South Wales in 1888 to mark its 100th anniversary; the six types all include the inscription "ONE HUNDRED YEARS". Commemoratives followed in 1891 for Hong Kong and Romania, then in 1892 and 1893 a half-dozen nations of America issued commemoratives for the 400th anniversary of the discovery by Christopher Columbus. Image File history File linksMetadata Stamp_New_South_Wales_1888_1p. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Stamp_New_South_Wales_1888_1p. ... Motto: Orta Recens Quam Pura Nites (Newly Risen, How Brightly You Shine) Nickname: First State, Premier State Other Australian states and territories Capital Sydney Government Governor Premier Const. ... 1888 (MDCCCLXXXVIII) is a leap year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. ... 1892 (MDCCCXCII) was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... 1893 (MDCCCXCIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Christopher Columbus (October 30, 1451? – 20 May 1506) was an explorer and trader, who crossed the Atlantic Ocean and reached the Americas on October 12, 1492 under the flag of Castile. ...

The appearance of commemoratives caused a backlash among some stamp collectors, who balked at the prospect of laying out ever-larger sums to acquire the stamps of the world, and they formed the Society for the Suppression of Speculative Stamps around 1894 to blacklist what they deemed to be excessive stamps. However, it had very little effect, and today the early commemoratives are prized by collectors. Stamp collecting is the collecting of postage stamps and related objects, such as envelopes (cover)s. ... 1894 (MDCCCXCIV) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... A blacklist is a list or register of entities who, for one reason or another, are being denied a particular privilege, service, or mobility. ...

Today, commemorative stamp collection remains one of the most popular collection hobbies in the world.

See also

• List of Great Britain commemorative stamps
• Stamps
• List of people on stamps
• Stamp collecting
• Stanley Gibbons
• List of philatelic bureaus
• Definitive stamp

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... A stamp is a distinctive mark or impression made upon an object, for instance those made on a piece of paper and used to indicate the prepayment of a fee or tax. ... Since 1840, when the Penny Black featured a profile of Queen Victoria, it has been a tradition worldwide for nations to honor individuals on their postage stamps. ... Stamp collecting is the collecting of postage stamps and related objects, such as covers (envelopes or packages with stamps on them). ... Stanley Gibbons Ltd is a London, UK based company specialising in trading postage stamps and related products. ... This a list of philatelic bureaus across the world. ... A definitive postage stamp is a regular issue stamp that is part of a definitive issue or definitive series consisting of a range of denominations sufficient to cover all postal rates usefully. ...

External links

• Stanley Gibbons stamps shops homepage
• All World Stamps