Semi-Postals

I collect Germany almost exclusively. They have produced hundreds of semi's. I know the U.S. doesn't issue semi's, but how about other countries around the world?

Semipostals, as you know, are stamps which are sold at a premium above face value, with the excess being used for a nonpostal purpose, usually to support charitable causes.

Until recently, the United States Postal Service had a long standing policy against issuing semipostal stamps. This changed with the authorization of the Breast Cancer Awareness stamp, which is a US semi-postal and is listed in the catalog as Scott #B1. It has been on sale since July 29, 1998. The price of these stamps has changed over the years as the first-class letter rate has increased. Currently it sells for 55c = 41c postage + 14c donation for breast cancer research.



Many other countries have issued semipostals over the years. For example, tights24 recently posted this one from Japan,



Japan #B1 1937 2 sen + 2 sen semipostal, rose carmine, Douglas Plane over Japan Alps. The additional 2 sen was a donation to the Patriotic Aviation Fund to build civil airports in Japan.

Thanks t360 - I was aware of the Breast Cancer issue but had forgotten. I just haven't spent enough time looking at worldwide stamp programs to know if they use semi's as much as the Germans do.

hundreds of semipostal stamps have been issued in Belgium and the Netherlands as well.

The practice of separating semipostals from normal stamps, as done in Scott, is very confusing, I think. Especially because there are series that include both types and that means they will get separate listings.

Jan...Welcome to the forum... France is another European country
which issues tons of semi-postals...

The United States issued the Heros of 2001 SC B2 in 2002

Thanks!
France is a country I am not interested in, but you are right.

BTW: first name is Jan-Simon

Jan-Simon

Welcome to the forum, Please post pictures of your collection so we can see what your interests are

Thanks rick,
where should I post such pictures? Not here I suppose.

My interests are varied, from Canada, USA, Australia, New Zealand to Scandinavian countries, Netherlands and Belgium to Latin America, Nepal, Japan and Egypt... And more.

Hi Jan-Simon I stopped collecting the Netherlands seriously around 1990..i used to send the PTT twenty dollars twice a year..but the flood of First Day Covers with Souvineer sheets etc became too much..its a shame..i guess they could not stay the way things were in the 1950s (with stamps that is)

Jan-simon, good morning
To this,The most enjoyable site.
This is the first of four sets that were produced to support
The 21st Olympic Games,held in Montreal 1976.

Like most Semi postal stamps,they are scarcer used Than mint.
DJD

To quote my buddy, Phil... "...at last, stamps I remember!"

These were the popular stamps when I started collecting.

David

I was just wondering today, when I looked up some new stamps that I have coming from Germany. Semi-postal is a strange term to me. Thanks, again, Laswabbie, for elightening me!

I am interested in Germany, too!

Australia:
Pre Federation : New South Wales.

Arguably the centrepiece stamp that all New South Wales collections
revolve around.

Semi Postal, the stamp prepaid postage to the extent of
2.5 pence, the remaining 2 shillings and thruppence halfpenny,
went to support the charity donations to a home for
consumptives in Sydney.

Flowers represented : The Flannel Flower and Waratah.
(The Flannel flower shares a family with turnips, fennel and celery)



Quantity printed : 10,000

Allegory of Charity

Watermark 17
Perf 11

CV : $400 muh $300 used.

Here's the other one in the set Rod. Picked up at a bargain price recently :)

Nice one Jubilee,
I was bidding on one of those about 10 minutes ago on ebay,
it was $2
It jumped to $15 in about 40 seconds

So I shall just watch, cash in pocket, it has 6 days to go.

Yours has a curious pmk,
or is that part of a large "R" registration.

BTW: for the record, Quantity printed : 40,000
PS: first time I have seen her up close, the Southern Cross is a nice touch.
PPS : If all the examples survived, there is one of your stamps
for every 600 people in Australia :)