Philately - history

One of the world's most popular hobbies, philately is the study and collection of stamps. Many hobbyists collect regular postage stamps, others collect special-use issues—some of which are unrelated to postal service. National postal administrations or smaller political entities and their lawful competitors issue stamps. So too do local posts, express companies, and even forgers.

While hobbyists organize their collections around personal interests, they frequently enjoy the philatelic pursuits of other collectors. Consequently, philately has fostered local clubs, national societies, major annual exhibitions, and innumerable publications since its rather obscure origins in nineteenth-century England.