I’m gradually working my way through 2021’s stamps. It’s been interesting seeing themes crop up and with analyzing the distinctive styles countries use. Having primarily collected Canadian and pre-1950 stamps, I had acquired a bad case of tunnel vision when it came to philately. 

What has surprised me the most was the sheer number of ways to present stamps. I was aware of Maxi cards and pre-stamped postcards, but Canada traditionally doesn’t do much with them. Oh yes, there are pre-stamped postcards, but they are treated as separate from the general stamp collecting venues.  My deep dive into the information sheets and presentation packets many countries use makes me envious. The addition of detailed information sheets offers a lot of useful information about artists and subject matter. 

Also of note is the variety of postmarks. Japan’s staggeringly beautiful array could keep a collector busy an entire lifetime. Canadian cancels are wonderful but talked about as an afterthought. Canada Post doesn’t do a good job in presenting them to the public. I said in a previous article Canada Post could do so much better. 

How many 2021’s stamps are here?

Each week, I go through the current list and see if there are any updates. When a country list is updated or I find information about the subject or artists, I make a note in red.  The list now stands at 26 countries. Hopefully to go up to 27 by the end of the day over 40 countries now.  If there’s a country I haven’t listed yet, drop me a message and I’ll put it to the top of the list. 

I’ve expanded the lists to include special issue covers and information sheets when available. 

As well, don’t forget to subscribe! 

It takes quite a while to pull the information together. English versions of some of the Post Office sites are geared more towards businesses rather than collectors. I’ve gotten in the habit of using the original language page and relying on Google translate. If you can supply a better translation or correction to anything I’ve posted, don’t hesitate to leave a comment. 

How you can help

If you want to keep up to date with all the changes, sign up for my newsletter. The box is to the right, in the sidebar. Currently, newsletters are sent Friday mornings and focus solely on philately. Eventually a second newsletter will be added that will cover all the categories. You’ll be given the opportunity to opt in to that one when it’s ready to roll. 

Pulling together stamp articles is a labour of love but is time consuming. If you enjoy the content and would like to contribute to keeping it going, consider a donation. You can either buy me a coffee, using the coffee cup icon in the bottom left, or donation via Donate (paypal.com). If you’d like a mention, include that in your donation. I’d be thrilled to mention you. Currently, I’m not posting names because I prefer to protect people’s privacy. Without a donor’s express permission, I’ll continue to keep names private. 

I’m thinking of creating a special donation category where someone can become a patron for a country page. Let me know what you think of this idea? I’ll be fleshing it out over the next couple of days and input would be appreciated. 

Cheers for now

catpaw