Maximaphily - the Art of Creating and Collecting Maximum Cards

Maximaphily is a somewhat neglected but fascinating and highly creative sub-specialty of stamp collecting that focuses on creating and/or collecting Maximum Cards.



What are Maximum Cards?

A maximum card is a picture postcard. The picture side of the postcard bears a stamp and postmark in concordance as well as the picture. The other side has room for a message and the recipient's address. The main hallmark of a maximum card (sometimes called a maxi card) is concordance between the picture on the face of the postcard, the stamp used to mail it and the postmark. Concordance means that the picture, the stamp and the postmark are related as closely as possible.

According to the FIP (the International Philatelic Federation):

The constituent elements of a maximum card should conform to the following characteristics:

1. The postage stamp

The postage stamp should be postally valid and affixed only on the view side of the picture postcard. Postage due, pre-cancels, fiscal stamps, official stamps only available for use by the government, and stamps that violate the "Code of Ethics of the UPU" are not true maximum cards.

2. The picture postcard

Its dimensions must conform to universal postal conventions. At least 75% of its area must be used for the picture and the illustration should show the best possible concordance with the subject of the stamp or with one of them, if there are several. Picture postcards with exact reproductions of the stamp used on the cards are are not true maximum cards.

3. The postmark and time

The pictorial design of the cancellation and the place of cancellation (name of the post office) should have a close and direct connection with the subject of the stamp and of the picture postcard, and should be dated within the validity of the stamp and as close as possible to the date of its issue.

The example of a maximum card that's at the beginning of this article uses a postcard that's probably widely available on St. Lucia (Pigeon Island, St. Lucia is the subject of the card). The St. Lucia stamp used on the card features an almost-identical view of Pigeon Island, and the card was postmarked there.