What stamp materials can I collect in addition to single stamps?



Many philatelists collect postal stationery—paper envelopes (covers) or cards with a pre-paid, printed or embossed stamp design — Stamped Envelopes, Stamped Cards (or postal cards), and Aerogrammes.

Another type of philatelic collectible are plate numbers (including plate blocks). Found most often on sheet stamps, plate number blocks are the stamps — usually a block of 4 but sometimes more — that have the printing plate numbers in the adjoining selvage, or margin.

Booklet panes are panes of stamps affixed in, or as part of, a thin folder to form a booklet. Collectors of booklet panes usually save the entire pane or booklet. If entire booklets are collected completely intact, meaning the panes of stamps inside are all still attached to the booklet cover, they are called unexploded booklets or full booklets.

Marginal blocks (including copyright blocks) feature marginal inscriptions other than plate numbers. The most common is the copyright block, which in the case of United States stamps features the copyright symbol ©, copyright date, and U.S. Postal Service. All U.S. stamp designs since 1978 are copyrighted.

First Day Covers (FDCs) are envelopes bearing newly-issued stamps postmarked on the first day of sale. For each new issuance, the U.S. Postal Service (or the postal authority of some other country that issued the stamps) generally selects one location, usually related to the stamp subject, as the place for the first day dedication ceremony and the first day postmark.


First Day Ceremony Programs are passed out to those who attend first day ceremonies. They contain a list of participants and information on the stamp subject, with the actual stamp attached and postmarked.