Foreign Stamp Identification and Classification

What Foreign Actually Means:

We've had a few inquires from parents on what "foreign" means in stamp collecting. A few of the inquiries were concerned about the "potential" negative nuance to the term. Please let us be very clear. We are stamp people and not concerned with politics by any stretch of the definition.

This is how "foreign" works in stamp collecting. If you are from India, all stamps other than India are considered foreign. Since I am from the United States, all the world's stamps accept US are considered foreign. It is truly that simple. Any offense perceived is just that: perceived.

As you delve into stamp collecting you will learn exactly what we are saying and realize these terms are merely part of the language of stamp collecting.


Foreign Stamp Identification (Basic)

Foreign stamp identification on a very basic level is essential to assist a collector in categorizing his/her stamps. Basic level refers to simple translations that help you understand what country you are encountering without going deeply into formal translation. A perfect example is: Norge which is Norway and once you know that you never forget it. Simple but essential.

KNS---Easy Foreign Stamp Translator


Azorbaycan -------------------------------Azores

Shqipervise ------------------------------Albania

RSA --------------------------------------Republic of South Africa

bbAFPNR ----------------------------------Bulgaria

Republika Hrvatska -----------------------Croatia

DPRK -------------------------------------Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
------------------------------------------(North Korea)

DDR --------------------------------------East Germany

Espana -----------------------------------Spain

Hellevita --------------------------------Switzerland

Hellas -----------------------------------Greece

Jugoslavia -------------------------------Yugoslavia

Macav ------------------------------------Macao

Magyar Posta -----------------------------Hungary

Nippon -----------------------------------Japan

Osterreich -------------------------------Austria

The above list is a basic one meant to help out new stamp collectors. It is not the whole list nor should it be considered anything other than a good solid example of basic stamp translation.

Press Release and Starter Kit Additions

I have sent out (and will probably send out more as more sites are discovered) the formal press release announcing "Kids Need Stamps" into formal existence. Apparently, you are nobody until you send out a release. No doubt this will bring more parents into our family of collectors and would-be collectors hoping to spark a new fire of curiosity into their children.

I received an email today from someone complaining the term "parents" somehow leaves out single parents. I ask folks to understand this is a stamp club seeking to promote stamp collecting between parents and children as a means of education, fun and parental bonding.

We discussed and will put into place starter sheets that assist parents with basic stamp collecting terms, definitions and country identification information. The country id sheets will be a big help because so much has happened to countries just in the past 40 years. Name changes like Burma to Myanmar. And many foreign stamps do not print their name with american pronunications such as the country Norway, it writes "Norge" on its stamps.

Many countries also use Cyrillic, Arabic letters or Asian ideograms. We provide basic lists for these as well as easy to use markers that help you spot them fast without even referring to the sheet. Most modern Japanese stamps will say "Nippon" on them for Japan. Yet older Japanese stamps are written in japanese ideograms and the very best way to spot them is to notice the Chrysanthemum circular flower symbol at the top or middle of the stamp. The Chrysanthemum is the national flower of Japan.