Are Duck Stamps Considered A Philatelic Product?

They are neither issued by the USPS nor valid for postage. Yet, they are listed in most stamp catalogues (even in USPS' own catalogue for sale). Just curious as to the history of how duck stamps became associated with stamp collecting.

I've been collecting duck stamps for many years, solely for their sheer beauty in design and printing. But I wonder how wide-spread they are being collected. Their values don't seen to fluctuate much over the years.

*** Moved by Staff to a more appropriate forum. ***

people who like them, like them and as long as people do they will be worth something

They pay a fee for hunting licenses with the money going for wildlife habitat conservation. They are considered revenue stamps, and are in that area of the catalog.

I hope so. I only have six more MNH to go for completion! RW1 to RW6. I even have the two 2015 issues (RW82 & RW82A). Its awful that it now costs %50- per year just to keep current. The whole scene regarding contemporary stamps in general is obscene. I wish the USPS would be more philadelically sensitive. I only buy them to stay current. That's the only reason.

Jack Kelley

Jack....check out my store.
Make you some great deals....

But the sticky ones started in 1998. Don't you want them complete also?

Riderontherain,

I am complete RW7 to RW82A. Only need 6 more to go.

Jack Kelley

Of course they are philatelic. They pay a fee for a government service, just as postage stamps do. What service? The migratory waterfowl stamp also pays the annual fee for entrance into many national parks, wildlife refuges, and of course, they also pay the annual fee for hunting migratory waterfowl.

Ron Lesher

The government charges myriad fees for myriad services it provides. We don't usually consider all of those fees associated with philately.

The Oxford English Dictionary defines philately as:

"The pursuit of collecting, arranging, and studying the stamped envelopes or covers, adhesive labels or 'postage-stamps', postcards, and other devices employed in different countries and at different times, in effecting the prepayment of letters or packets sent by post; stamp-collecting."

 

OK. I thought your post suggested you had only the 2015 sticky duck.

My collection is missing RW1 to RW10. I've been dragging my feet to acquire those, as it would cost me a small fortune.

If we confine the definition to "effecting the prepayment of letters or packets sent by mail" I would think that we would be excluding postage due stamps. The migratory bird stamps and some other revenue stamps have traditionally been sold at the post office. For example, I remember purchasing documentary stamps at the local post office.

By broadening the definition to stamp collecting we sweep in lots of other fascinating material. in the broader sense of paying a tax or fee for government service, postage stamps become a subset of the larger revenue stamps. When we include stamps and markings and get rid of the prefix pre-, we add postage due, tax exempt stamps, and free franks. I like the broadening of the definition