What Countries Are The Best?

no wait a moment - I am objective... I just chose not to give an objective answer... if I have to be honest about it I would say early US, early Canada, and Early Australian.... I really like the flow of the art work and the amount of obvious work that went into printing them..

sorry for the smart answer above ..its Friday and I am feeing a little more Facetious than normal.

How can one choose?! I'll have to say all of them are favorites for me! My mind changes everytime I see one I like :) Old and engraved is the best I can offer as far as narrowing anything down goes...

Apples and oranges, my friends. Apples and oranges.
Personally I love the look of a nice classic engraving.
Early Canada or USA (the focus of my collection).
Or the Art Nouveau designs of early Austria.
But also mid century Costa Rica or Nicaragua or Ecuador. Who else could make a cocoa bean look so good?

I must admit that is one beautiful stamp ....

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EDIT: Ask a thousand collectors and get a thousand answers.

Ditto.

I also like Russ enjoy US classics, just beautiful engravings. I also like the pre 1940 Latin America countries as most of these were created by the same engravers.

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Sharjah and Ajman

Just keep stirring that pot.

Has to be early commonwealth (Canada and Caribbean), US and early Germany.

Dave.

Ras Al Khaima, Eynhallow.

I'm fairly new to stamp collecting (I only began the hobby 3 years ago), so I haven't seen many stamps from other countries. I collect modern issues, and so far my favourite 3 countries are Canada, Australia and Sweden.

Wow 2 pages and no gloves off-- Glad to see everyone took their meds this week.
Of all the world I had and sold, (and miss) the ones I would take back Papua and pitcairn Isl.
Engraving is the best from whichever country - Can't imagine the work that must have gone into some. Imagine the ooops factor and how many engraving blocks got thrown across a room.

I don't think you can answer this by country, but more by era. The 1890-1920 period worldwide produced beautiful engraved stamps, many bicolor, that will never be equaled. So whether you are talking about countries as geographically diverse as Rhodesia with the doubleheads and the admirals, argentina, ecuador, costa rica, uruguay, canada, north borneo and labaun, the US,chile, peru,guatelmala, you really can have a field day. To me, the British Commonwealth stamps of that era are more appealing than those of the mother country themselves.

would it be possible (if not cool) that, for us newer folks to the hobby, we could see a few pix?? of course I ask with out the ability to produce but I am so interested in seeing what many of you are describing......

It really is sad to see the number of people that have been duped into thinking they own stamps. Unless you have a US Scott 17, 24, 25, 35, 38, 39, 73 or any from the 1869 Pictorials you really don't have stamps. I guess that puts me in the Russ department. Arguing and conniptions will not be tolerated. Those of you that would like to convert will be welcomed. Those heathens that wish to continue down the path of sorrow and despair will be stricken from the BOOK OF COLLECTORS. The time has come for conversion or condemnation. (I do like Iranian stamps that have their edges colored. ----- Oh Jeff you blasphemer!! Alright anyone wants me I will be in the confessional til this afternoon).

If I have them all, does that mean I have nothing left to collect?

Have to give it to the US pictorials. Not a whole lot of other countries from same date range that can be easily compared. Now when it comes to heads of state theres a few US classics that leave a bit to be desired (yes I said it). Not that queen vic didn't have her good days and bad (she just looks miserable on the Widow weed series).