Identifying The Pictured Item-Resources?

Hi, folks. I'm new here; what's a good resource or reference for identifying exactly what's shown on a stamp? I was wondering if each issuing country had its own records, or if there were "artist's statements" like with museum exhibits. Is there a stamps wiki somewhere that describes the subjects?

For example, I ran across some mineral-themed stamps from Guinea-Bissau that unfortunately don't identify which minerals are being shown. All they give is the year (2003).

There are some websites that, normally, describe the stamp image as paper catalogues do. But they appear to have given up on the wallpapers issued by Stamperija.

After a quick Googling I found that these images were 'stolen' from mineral photo gallery compiled by Mr. John Betts. Here's the exact image from his gallery, Azurite from Tsumeb Mine, Otavi-Bergland District, Oshikoto, Namibia, which is used in the first stamp.

I reckon you can find all of the original images !!!

http://www.johnbetts-fineminerals.c...php?id=13650

Hironobu

When you posted in my thread for identifying things on stamps, you got ignored entirely. I wonder what's so different about this post that people have now decided to reply. I did not reply myself because I know nothing about minerals.

Thanks for the image gallery link, this is interesting! I appreciate your help.