Philately, the study of stamps and postal history, can be divided into eight main areas. It is a specialized field that involves knowledge of stamp distribution, postal history, postal stationary, aerophilately, thematic philately, and attributions of stamps. There are also many other aspects of philately, such as philatelic literature and the distribution of mail by air.
Philately began with the British Monthly Advertiser and British Monthly Intelligence. This was followed by the American Philatelist in 1887 and the London Philatelist in 1908. In Britain, The Stamp Lover was launched in 1908. Today, there are more than a few million stamps available for study, so you should start building your collection.
Philately also encompasses the study of the various materials used to produce postage stamps. It also involves the history of postal systems and the evolution of stamp collecting tools. In this area, you should also become knowledgeable about the creation of the postage stamps themselves, and their production and distribution.
The history of postage stamps can be a fascinating subject to study. Philatelists are interested in the history of the postage systems, including how the mail was delivered throughout the world. Some philatelists specialize in particular topics, like sports, bridges, and animals. This kind of collection is known as thematic or topical collecting. Philatelists may also be interested in collecting different types of stamps, including rare stamps.