October 2018

Contents to Volume 49, Number 5

The latest news from around the philatelic world.

More reports from the nation’s Philatelic Societies.

Forthcoming fairs and auctions.

The latest reports from the auction rooms.

GSM reports from this year’s event at Gateshead.

In his latest column for new collectors, Richard West examines the King George VI definitives from a number of African states, before bidding a fond farewell to the Royal Mail Ship St Helena.

Royal Mail completes its long-running commemoration of World War I with an issue looking at the events of 1918.

Cyril R H Parsons examines relevant papers in Royal Mail Archives related to the two-tier postal system for inland letters which was introduced 50 years ago this month.

Edward Klempka looks at a little-known private organisation that provided valuable postal services in London in the late 1800s – The Court Bureau.

In this month’s column, John Deering looks at the opportunities for the collector offered by Royal Mail’s last issue commemorating World War I.

The latest supplement to the Stanley Gibbons Great Britain Specialised Catalogue.

From 1999 Trinidad and Tobago began a policy of surcharging old redundant stamp stock to meet operational demand. Edward Barrow invites you to take on the challenge of collecting this interesting field.

In 1935, Turkey released a set of surcharged values to both commemorate and finance the 12th Congress of the International Woman Suffrage Alliance (IWSA) in Istanbul. Christer Brunstrom takes a look at the reasons behind and the topic on front of this key Turkish issue.

In this retrospective review, Peter van Gelder looks back to see what Post Offices of the British Empire and Commonwealth were commemorating back in 1958.

Using a few choice examples, Jeff Dugdale highlights just some of the stamps that feature various gimmicks to increase their appeal.

Basil Herwald recounts his trip on HMS St Helena during her last visit to the isolated islands of Tristan da Cunha, where he met Tristan’s Postmistress, Iris Green.

Alan Wishart talks use through the set of provisional stamps produced in Berlin during the Franco-Prussian War which became the first stamps issued during the occupation of one country by another.

John Moody returns with another look at the philatelic legacy left behind by more ‘dead’ countries. This month, he investigates the issues of Tanganyika and the Independent State of the Congo.

More readers have their say, courtesy of the GSM postbag.

In this month’s look at the philatelic market, Nimrod highlights issues of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands to keep a collector’s eye out for.

A summary of recent and forthcoming issues.

Catch up with the latest issues from Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man.

Your chance to win a £50 Stanley Gibbons voucher.

Alison Boyd investigates the stories behind some of the latest stamp issues from around the world.

Get ready for more faux fun from the Hedley Adams Mobbs collection.

Hugh Jefferies offers more comments from the Catalogue Editor’s chair.

Your 16-page update to the Stanley Gibbons Catalogue.