Postal history

Pre-stamp 1628 lettersheet opened up showing folds, address and seal, with letter being written on the obverse

Postal history is the study of postal systems and how they operate and, or, the study of the use of postage stamps and covers and associated postal artifacts illustrating historical episodes in the development of postal systems. The term is attributed to Robson Lowe, a professional philatelist, stamp dealer and stamp auctioneer, who made the first organised study of the subject in the 1930s and described philatelists as "students of science", but postal historians as "students of humanity".^[1] More precisely, philatelists describe postal history as the study of rates, routes, markings, and means (of transport).

^ Sussex, Vivien J. (1988). "1". Introducing Postal History. British Philatelic Trust in conjunction with The Postal History Society, London. p. 5.

[1] Sussex, Vivien J. (1988). "1". Introducing Postal History. British Philatelic Trust in conjunction with The Postal History Society, London. p. 5.

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