Completeness Collecting

Completeness is in the eyes of the beholder - or the dreams of the collector! Though poster stamps became prolific in the US around 1915 and earlier than that in Europe, recently published catalogues has sparked interest in striving for ones own definition of completeness - based on those catalogues.

With the strong, renewed international interest in poster stamp collecting has come "A General Illustrated Catalogue Of Exhibition and Event Poster Stamps" by Stewart Gardiner (so far featuring Poster Stamps through 1905). Long-time stamp collectors and dealers recognize that a catalogue, in addition to educating, also creates demand. In the case of the Gardiner catalogue, the catalogue illustrates in color every poster stamp listed.

The new "United States Advertising Poster Stamps 1912 — 1915" by Robert Bradbury lists well over 3000 different stamps or sets used to promote American products and services during those years.