Collecting Back of the Book Stamps

Page through any stamp catalog and you'll find listings for many different kinds of collectible postage stamps. These types of stamps include commemorative stamps and definitive stamps, but they also include "back-of-the-book" stamps or "BOB stamps," called that because they're listed after regular postage stamps in Scott stamp catalogs.

Depending on the country, back of the book stamps can include semipostal stamps that pay postage but also have a surcharge to raise money for charities, airmail stamps, postage due stamps, parcel post stamps, special delivery stamps, registration stamps, postal tax stamps, official stamps, newspaper stamps, military stamps, war tax stamps, revenue stamps, occupation stamps and more. All serve a special purpose, and all provide an added dimension to the scope of your stamp collection.