The tradition of issuing special Christmas postage stamps is one that has been embraced by countries worldwide, though its precise beginning is a subject of friendly philatelic debate. Many credit the two-cent Canadian stamp of 1898—which featured a map of the world and the text “XMAS 1898″—as the first, despite it being primarily issued to mark the Imperial Penny Postage rate. A popular, though possibly apocryphal, story claims the Christmas inscription was a quick-witted recovery by a postal official after Queen Victoria asked, “What prince?” in response to his suggestion of issuing the stamp to honor the Prince of Wales, to which he swiftly replied, “The Prince of Peace.” It wasn’t until 1937 that Austria issued two stamps specifically for Christmas greetings, and the United States didn’t release its first official Christmas stamp, featuring a wreath and candles, until 1962.
🎁 Collecting Holiday Rarities
For collectors, or philatelists, the world of Christmas stamps offers a vast and accessible area of focus, as most modern issues are printed in huge quantities and remain low-value. However, certain stamps stand out as desirable collectibles. Early issues, like the aforementioned 1898 Canadian “Map” stamp and the first U.S. stamp from 1962, hold historical significance. Errors and variants are particularly valuable, such as the few known examples of a 1988 UK Christmas stamp that accidentally retained an outdated 13p denomination instead of being replaced in commemorative yearbooks—these rare slips can be worth thousands to a lucky finder. Collecting also extends to unique themes, like older U.S. stamps featuring Old Master paintings of the Madonna and Child or certain international issues featuring popular characters like Disney at Christmas, adding both historical and aesthetic appeal to any holiday collection.
Tagged: blog, christmas, Christmas stamps, marketing, real estate, realtor, social media
Realty Ideas Per Day 
You must be logged in to post a comment.