World's Smallest / Largest Postage Stamps?
Scott Gray
I was just wondering if anyone knows what the world's smallest & largest
stamps were. I'm talking actually-used-as-postage stamps, not "special"
issues just designed to break a world record or something. Also, I'm talking
about individual stamps, not a comm. sheet of four imperfs. all together.
As an example, the smallest stamp I currently have in my collection is a half
penny stamp from Victoria (the Aussie state pre. Commonwealth) that measures
1/2 inch x 7/8 inch (width x height). It's pretty small, but I'm betting
there was a smaller issued & used somewhere, somewhen. I'd just be curious to
know what & when.
If anyone has any info on this, please post it. I think it'd be interesting.
Thanks in advance,
Scott Gray
University of Missouri - Columbia
Dept. of Computer Science
Rick Turner
South Africa had a 'bantam' stamp issue during the Second World War that
measured something like 8mm by 20mm (roughly 3/8" by 3/4") or so, and I've
seen some Italian stamps about the same size. I can measure them up tonight
if you want exact sizes.
Rick
Rainer Fuchs
I think the smallest stamp was issued by a colombian state.... will check
tonight.
--
Rainer Fuchs
Email: r.f...@euromail.com
Web Site: http://stampmarket.com/fuchs.html
Rick Turner <turn...@logica.com> schrieb im Beitrag
Greg Ioannou
In article <01bc5abf$b265ca40$aceb36c2@fuchs>, "Rainer Fuchs" <r.f...@euromail.com> wrote:
>I think the smallest stamp was issued by a colombian state.... will check
>tonight.
From a book called "Get Started Stamp Collecting" by Elizabeth Macleod (Kids
Can Press, 1996 -- yes, a new childrens book on stamp collecting!):
"The world's smallest stamp was issuedin 1856 by the German state of
Mecklenberg-Schwerin (9x9mm) ... Most experts agree that the world's biggest
stamp was ... the Chinese express letter stamp of 1905-1912."
Greg Ioannou gr...@e-mend.com voice (416) 214 0183 ext. 10
fax (416) 214 0235
E-mend is an on-line editing service. Visit our site at http://www.e-mend.com.
J.A. McCulloch
At 0.4125 Sq. In. it just beats out the GB 1/2 d. at 0.46875 Sq. In.,
however ...
The smallest is probably the Columbian department of Bolivar (1863). Two
stamps 10 cent. & 1 peso. Measured 8mm x 9.5mm.
For the "largest" one _could_ nominate any of the U.S. junk issues such
as the 50 State Flags, Birds, Lizards, Garbage cans, etc. ;-}
Largest "single" stamp - China express Letter (1913),at 248mm x 70mm.
This was a five part stamp with 'receipts' as one item.
True single stamp probably is Fujeira (1972) at 81mm x 147mm, not scott
or SG listed so ...
U.S. Newspaper 5, 10 & 25 cents (1865) at 51mm x 95mm.
Ordinary Postage - U.S.S.R. (1966) 4 & 6 Kopek at 80mm x 26mm.
Smallest P.O. in 1982 - Ochopee, Florida, U.S.A.
Smallest of "all Time" - Lower Cape Bridgewater, Victoria, AU - 6'x4'!
J.Mc.
Peter Dolman
Has anybody ever seen whole souvenir sheets used to mail items? I had to
send a lot of my books from Germany to Canada, so I used the "Pakchen" rate
for printed matter (about 5,- DM) and used souvenir sheets as well as
regular stamps. I now have an excellent collection of used complete sheets
from that period (1980s).
--
Peter Dolman
Consultant/Technologist
pdo...@eagle.wbm.ca
Rainer Fuchs
Yes i have several ones from Germany, Canada, Cyprus... what do you need
Peter Dolman <pdo...@eagle.wbm.ca> wrote in article
<01bc5b39$e95bc3e0$adc5...@pdolman.wbm.ca>...
Aps ken
I believe one of the imperforate 1953-67 Westtown Friends School 2-cent
gold local adhesive stamps of Westtown, Pennsylvania, U.S. Scott 145L1 or
145L2, measures about six by nine millimeters on the design. If my
recollection is correct, that would beat the stamps previously mentioned
as candidates for smallest.
Ken Lawrence
esmith
Just wanted to say I agreed with Ken.
Jbpettway
According to The Guinness Book of Stamps Facts and Feats by James MacKay,
copyright 1992, the smallest stamps in the world were issued by the
Colombian department of Bolivar in 1863-6. The stamps, in denominations
of 10 centavos and 1 peso, measured only 8 x 9.5 mm.
Sighting the same source, the largest stamps in the world were issued by
China for use on express letters. The first issues (1905-12) measured 210
x 65 mm and were issued imperforate but divided by rouletting into four
parts.
Again from the same source, the largest stamps to be issued in an orthodox
sheet format, and recognized by all catalogues, were the 5, 10, and 25c
newspaper stamps issued by the United States in 1865. These stamps
measured 51 x 95 mm.
Jim
APS 162144
J.A. McCulloch
WJFIELDS wrote:
> "to the mails" from the school to the local post office.
>
> A giant of U.S. local posts, Blood's Despatch of Philadelphia which had
> a thriving postal business during the 1850s, at one time used a series
> of four very small stamps. I'm guessing they were about 15 mm by 10 mm,
> not having one in front of me at the moment. Even today, three of these
> "baby Blood's" are fairly easy to find on and off cover, unlike the
> Westtown stamps which are far scarcer. An interesting side note is
> that the baby Blood's were usually canceled with acid.
>
> Walt Fields
> New Hampshire
Would stamps which paid a stage fee, _NOT_ the U.S. Postage fee, be
truly classified as "Postage Stamps"?
"In 1853 the school authorities decided that all outgoing letters
carried by stage should pay a fee of 2 cents. ... Stamps were usually
affixed to the _reverse_ of the letter sheets or envelopes." These
entered the 'mail' at West Chester, PA, and later at Street Road Post
Office (at the railroad station). Quoted from Scotts 1979 US
Specialized.
Guinness apparently doesn't think so, but what the heck, submit these
labels to them for a 'new world's record'!
J.Mc
WJFIELDS
Peter Dolman
What about stamps that are cut in half? I know some German issues were
used as valid stamps after being bisected. Were any issues (from anywhere)
???sected (quartered)?
Rainer Fuchs
Peter Dolman <pdo...@eagle.wbm.ca> schrieb im Beitrag
> used as valid stamps after being bisected. Were any issues (from
anywhere)
> ???sected (quartered)?
Yes..... Tibetean stamps were bisected AND quartersected in the late
1950th. after the chinese have occupied Tibet and Local stamp supplies run
out.
I can send a scan of such covers if somebody wish.
--
Rainer Fuchs
Email: r.f...@euromail.com
Web Site: http://fuchs-online.com
Michael Meadowcroft
Re Peter Dolman`s question on bisects and "quadrisects" etc: yes - very
occasionally French covers come up for sale (at enormous prices) bearing
a quarter of France Yvert 32, 80 centime red, "Empire Laur"
--
Michael Meadowcroft
Peter Dolman
Michael Meadowcroft <Mead...@bramley.demon.co.uk> wrote in article
<864383...@bramley.demon.co.uk>...
> Re Peter Dolman`s question on bisects and "quadrisects" etc: yes - very
> occasionally French covers come up for sale (at enormous prices) bearing
> a quarter of France Yvert 32, 80 centime red, "Empire Laur"
Thanks, Micheal for "quadrisects". My next question would then be, as
these are postally used stamps would they be regarded as the smallest?
J.A. McCulloch
IMHO - Only if the quadresects were _postally authorized_.
In that case a bisect of the Columbia issue would be smaller still!
J.Mc.
Michael Meadowcroft
These particular ones were postally accepted at the post office in
Nantes, which, like many postoffices, as a result of the Siege of Paris
in 1870/71 and consequential printing difficulties, had run out of 20c
stamps - the "standard" denomination for ordinary letters - hence the
acceptance of the legitimacy of the quadrisects on the philatelic
market, unlike many other bisects etc which have over the years been
franked by a postmaster as a "complaisance".
There are also postally used quadrisects known of the 20c Bordeaux,
emanating from the post office at Limoges.
There were also eight other stamps postally used as bisects at the
same time at many post offices and it appears that the postal
administration turned a blind eye. At very least there is no trace in
the postal administration's archives of any order forbidding this
fairly widespread practice. There is also some evidence that someone
buying the bisected or quadrisected stamp over the counter and having it
franked on the spot only paid the appropriate fee but envelopes bearing
stamps cut by the sender and put in post boxes were charged a postage
due fee!
--
Michael Meadowcroft
Roland Stilleborn
In article <3370BA...@concentric.net>, xx...@concentric.net says...
>
>Scott Gray wrote:
>>
>> I was just wondering if anyone knows what the world's smallest & largest
>> stamps were. I'm talking actually-used-as-postage stamps, not "special"
>> issues just designed to break a world record or something.
Some information from Sweden!
There is a stamp from Thailand, 1996, 50th anniversary of the king, 9 Baht, 120
x 33 mm and one from Sweden, 1991, Gustaf III crowning, 10 Crowns, 80x47 mm.
Patrick Bonacker
Scott Gray wrote:
> I was just wondering if anyone knows what the world's smallest & largest
> stamps were. I'm talking actually-used-as-postage stamps, not "special"
> issues just designed to break a world record or something.
AFAIK, the smallest:
Mecklenburg-Schwerin (German state) 1/4 Schilling
(several printings between 1856 and 1864):
size about 10x10 mm
Greetings from Rostock, Mecklenburg
Patrick