What is Philately?
[[File:Stamp of Russia 2012 No 1636 National costume of Russia.jpg|thumb|240px|<small>A Russian stamp, national costume of Russia, 2012</small>]] '''Philately''' is the study and collection of [[postage stamp]]s and postal history. == Types of Philately == * [[Thematic philately]], also known as topical philately, is the study of art shown on stamps. This can be pictures of many things on a stamp, like people, animals, boats, insects, and vehicles. Interesting parts of thematic philately also include mistakes in the art of a stamp. For example, the removal of cigarettes from United States stamps. * [[Postal history]] studies the history of how mail and stamps were [[Process|processed]]. This relates to [[Post office|post offices]], [[Postmark|postmarks]], and how [[mail]] is taken from place to place. * [[Aerophilately]] studies airmail (mail that travels on planes). * [[Astrophilately]] studies stamps that are related to [[outer space]], and objects like the Moon. == Organizations == ;In the United Kingdom * [http://www.ukphilately.org.uk/nps/ National Philatelic Society UK] * [http://www.philatelic-traders-society.co.uk/ Philatelic Traders Society (London)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090225061423/http://philatelic-traders-society.co.uk/ |date=2009-02-25 }} * [http://www.rpsl.org.uk/ Royal Philatelic Society London] * [http://www.wps.wales.org/ Welsh Philatelic Society] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080503174406/http://www.wps.wales.org/ |date=2008-05-03 }} ;In the United States * [http://www.afdcs.org/ American First Day Cover Society] * [http://stamps.org/ American Philatelic Society] * [http://www.revenuer.org/ American Revenue Association] * [[American Topical Association]] * [[National Postal Museum]] (USA) * [http://precancels.com/ Precancel Stamp Society] * [http://www.owasu.org Old World Archaeological Study Unit] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090216155643/http://owasu.org/ |date=2009-02-16 }} ;Other places * [[Académie Européenne de Philatélie]