What are you reading? Among other things, I've been reading about stamps.

Now is a time for catching up on some reading!

This interesting little book was given to me by a friend who visited the British Library earlier this year, and I've only just got round to reading it! I was unaware that The British Library  has many important stamp collections including the entire collection  donated by Industrialist and MP Thomas Tapling (1855-91) .
Stamps have been issued to raise revenue, support disaster funds,  commemorate historic events and people, and are a great way of learning interesting facts about the world.  Included in this little book are some very old and rare examples of stamps, many of which have printing and colour errors making them extremely valuable.

Some of the stamps in this collection are the only ones in existence, but that didn't stop me looking through an old stamp album to see if I had any items which might be rare or valuable. 
No such luck - these Swan stamps issued in Western Australia are worth just a few pence, but I enjoyed perusing my own stock of beautifully designed little artworks and appreciating  the details even more.

If you have a stamp collection of your own, or have perhaps inherited one, now could be the time to  look closely at your stamps and you may  find great treasures too!