Railway and Reader’s Digest Stamps: Specialized Philately on the Move

Not all stamps were born equal—and not all were meant to travel through post offices. Some travelled through railway stations, and others through subscription magazines. Among the most fascinating corners of philately are the stamps that carried letters by train, freighted parcels via railroads, or graced reply mail from mail-order…

Newspaper and Newspaper Tax Stamps: The Postal and Political Power of the Printed Word

Stamps are often seen as miniature messengers of history—and nowhere is this more evident than in the world of newspaper-related philately. Both Newspaper Stamps and Newspaper Tax Stamps represent a fascinating intersection between postal innovation, publishing, and politics. Whether used to prepay postage on periodicals or to enforce a tax…

Printed Matter: The Backbone of Bulk Mail in Philately

When most people think of postage, they imagine personal letters or parcels but for businesses, publishers, and nonprofits, the real workhorse of the postal system has always been printed matter. This class of mail, used to transmit circulars, catalogs, newspapers, samples, and other commercial papers, has played a vital role…