Martin Nicholson

3 Grovelands, Daventry, Northamptonshire, NN11 4DH, United Kingdom

Useful Links

The Meter Stamp Society

What is a thematic collection?

Topical stamp collecting -1

Topical stamp collecting - 2

Philatelic Elements for Topical Collecting

Essays, proofs and other exotic material in a topical exhibit

Why collect Topical Meter Marks?

Meter stamps are legal postage stamps acting as a receipt for prepayment of a fee to use the mail system. The term 'meter stamp' identifies a franking unit comprising two standard elements, the postage paid and the date and place of posting or postmark. The third optional element is the slogan or picture and this is the element of particular interest to topical or thematic collectors. Various other names - such as franking machine labels, meter labels, meter permits and meter marks - have been used instead of meter stamps with meter marks being particularly widespread in Europe.

Many of the philatelic items that I see preented in the lower scoring exhibits of topical stamps are produced in vast numbers. This is exactly why the exhibit is lower scoring! It is the unusual, hard to find, and eye-catching items that raise an exhibit's medal level above other exhibits covering similar topics.

All the items I offer are produced in tiny numbers - never more than 12 of any one design and sometimes as few as 6. This is why they are in such demand from philatelic exhibitors worldwide.

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