Book and Roll Stamps on Cover

Identifying stamps on covers that have been used from books and rolls can be tricky. Here, Maurice Buxton’s handy guide outlines what you need to know.

Although nowadays books of stamps are standard and sold in a wide range of retail outlets, historically most GB stamps were issued in sheets. However, in the early-20th century, alternative formats were introduced – books in 1904 and rolls from 1912. Non-philatelic usage of stamps originating from these is an area that is often overlooked, but covers turn up fairly frequently and are well worth keeping an eye out for – either as a topic in their own right or as a supplement to a collection of the mint stamps. Stamp books were initially intended for customers who wanted to carry a stock of stamps in a convenient format, and they were sold over the post office counter. From the 1930s, there were also smaller ‘booklets’ made available via vending machines.…

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Stamp Collector (Digital) - 1 Issue, August 2024

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