Summary

The website content discusses the modern approach to philately, emphasizing the creation of personalized postage stamps, postcards, and postmarks in over 60 countries, and the therapeutic benefits of such creative expression, despite the suspension of custom postage programs in the USA.

Abstract

The article titled "Express Your Creativity with Stamp Collecting (Philately), and Especially Maximaphily" encourages readers to engage in the contemporary practice of philately, which extends beyond traditional stamp collecting. It highlights the ability to design personalized postage stamps, postcards, and even pictorial postmarks, using the example of a maxicard dedicated to Mihai Eminescu. The author notes the suspension of custom postage programs in the USA due to copyright issues but points out that over 60 countries still allow for such personalized philatelic items. The piece also touches on the therapeutic aspect of creating philatelic items, akin to the benefits of engaging in LEGO construction. The author provides legal insights into the copyright status of stamps from different countries and shares resources for further exploration, including a Facebook group dedicated to maximaphily and a Medium story that delves into the author's motivations for writing on the platform.

Opinions

The author believes that philately can be a form of self-improvement and creative expression, suggesting it as a therapeutic activity, especially during the pandemic.
The traditional rules of maximaphily are considered too restrictive by the author, who advocates for a more flexible and personalized approach to the hobby.
The suspension of custom postage programs in the USA is seen as a setback due to copyright legalese, but the author remains optimistic, pointing out opportunities in other countries.
The author values the sharing of philatelic creations and encourages readers to join online communities to engage with others who have similar interests.
There is an emphasis on respecting copyright laws when sharing images of stamps and related philatelic items, with the author directing readers to resources that outline the copyright status of postage stamps by country.

Express Your Creativity with Stamp Collecting (Philately), and Especially Maximaphily

Now you can create your own personalized postage stamps in 60+ countries; your own postcards; even your own pictorial postmarks based on MPP (Mailer’s Postmark Permit, see USPS Form 3615, section for philatelic precancels not bulk mailers)

Non-traditional maxicard (maximum card) about Mihai Eminescu (15 January 1850–15 June 1889), national poet of Romania and the Republic of Moldova. I designed the customized postage (called “personalized stamp” in other countries) and the personalized postcard. Then I had it postmarked and really circulated by mail.

If you never encountered the word “philately”, don’t worry! I am not telling you “fuhgeddaboutit!”, because I DON’T want you to forget about it. On the contrary.

You should have at least a vague idea what “stamp collecting” is, right? Now, I don’t say you should collect postage stamps just like your granpa used to do it. Although it was fun for him.

Instead, nowadays you can do much more than COLLECT postage stamps in the traditional, passive way.

I said: “Non-traditional maxicard (maximum card)”, because the traditional maximaphily branch of philately has many “rules and regulations” that are too restrictive. More about this later.

I said: “about Mihai Eminescu (15 January 1850–15 June 1889), national poet of Romania and the Republic of Moldova.” You should explore some of his poems, translated in your language.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mihai_Eminescu

I said “I designed the customized postage (called “personalized stamp” in other countries) and the personalized postcard. Then I had it postmarked and really circulated by mail.” Right there, you have an example of a “personalized postage stamp”, and a “personalized postcard”.

Unfortunately, USPS has suspended in May 2020 all programs of “custom(ized) postage” in USA. Copyright legalese. Google it.

But I also said: “Now you can create your own personalized postage stamps in 60+ countries”. Not USA and UK anymore. Still, over 60 countries.

I said you can create “even your own pictorial postmarks based on MPP (Mailer’s Postmark Permit, see USPS Form 3615, section for philatelic precancels not bulk mailers)”. I have 4 MPPs, for 4 different zip codes, and I could juxtapose rubberstamp pictorial images. Next to them, in other words.

Examples of MPP cancelations (Mailer’s Postmark Permit, see USPS Form 3615, section for philatelic precancels not bulk mailers).

In future posts, I’ll give more examples and explanations.

Have fun creating your own philatelic items! When it comes to Self Improvement (or self-improvement, if we give priority to grammatically-correct keywords, in online search results), one of the best things to do is just that: express your creativity, as YOU see fit. Disregard the toxic criticism.

LEGO creations can be therapeutic, for your pandemic-affected soul, and so can the philatelic creations be: therapeutic.

Here, on Medium, I want to avoid any copyright infringement possibility with posting images. But you can see related images (maxicards, postcards, postmarks, stamps from around the world…) that were posted by many people, for no commercial intent, on other sites.

List of copyright status for postage stamps, by country. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Stamps

For example, this is a maximaphily group that I founded on Facebook. Please explore, and join only if you become interested.

BTW, I have already promoted my Medium stories in this maximaphily group on Facebook, so some visitors will come to Medium.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/maximaphily

Why don’t I show here and now an image of a maxicard from a country that does NOT put its postage stamps under copyright?

Fox maxicard (maximum card) from Belarus. PD (Public Domain). “According to the *Law of the Republic of Belarus №262-Z of May 17, 2011*, “state symbols and signs (flag, coat of arms, anthem, awards, banknotes and other signs)” are not copyrightable.[262-Z/2011 Art.7(2)] According to the Postage Law of the Republic of Belarus №258-З of December 15, 2003, “postage stamp is an **official (state) sign of postage** printed on paper and carrying an artwork, and inscriptions “БЕЛАРУСЬ”, “BELARUS”, year of issue (in Arabic letters) and a par value (in Arabic figures). The par value of postage stamp may be designated in letters.”[1]” https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Stamps

“use {{PD-BY-exempt}}

According to the Law of the Republic of Belarus №262-Z of May 17, 2011, “state symbols and signs (flag, coat of arms, anthem, awards, banknotes and other signs)” are not copyrightable.[262-Z/2011 Art.7(2)] According to the Postage Law of the Republic of Belarus №258-З of December 15, 2003, “postage stamp is an official (state) sign of postage printed on paper and carrying an artwork, and inscriptions “БЕЛАРУСЬ”, “BELARUS”, year of issue (in Arabic letters) and a par value (in Arabic figures). The par value of postage stamp may be designated in letters.”[1]”

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Stamps, see Belarus

Please read my first story on Medium: https://readmedium.com/why-would-you-follow-and-read-my-writing-on-medium-fdfcdd333b06

Tell me your thoughts in the comments.

*****

Read every story from Dorin Cojocariu (and thousands of other writers on Medium). You, too, should write and earn, eventually. https://medium.com/@dorincojocariu/membership