flag study group

Bob Hunt's pages

Prospectus for

Study Group for
Flags on Stamps

Many thanks to Bob Murray, of the
Robert Murray Stamp Shop
Edinburgh, Scotland,
for hosting images used on the flag stamp pages!

GOALS / OBJECTIVES for Flag Study Group

Note: Quick link to an existing online flag stamp group
(also appears in "Other Links" below).

A forum for like-minded collectors to share information regarding the topic
A forum for questions to be asked and answered regarding identification problems, technical issues, historical questions, manner of collecting, etc.
- Participants are asked to list their areas of expertise or major interests
Checklist creation and maintenance
Catalog number cross-referencing when considering other catalog systems (Example)
- participants may offer individual reference services when they own other catalogs
- one comprehensive list may be prepared and shared by all participants
Image collection for reference
New issue monitoring
Opportunity to research and write articles of a member's choosing, to share with others
Extending contacts nation- and world-wide

CREATING CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM for "what is a flag stamp?"
Possibility: [Given: Flag is authentic and accurate, and flag is not necessarily a national flag.]

Flag is a major feature; full flag
Flag is a partial flag or a minor feature
Flag is an incidental feature, small design
Flag is represented in national colors versus an actual flag, or represented in a stylized version of the flag

CREATING INVENTORY SYSTEM for COVERS which have --

one stamp
two or more different stamps
flag cachet when the stamp is not a flag stamp

POTENTIAL BRANCHES of a flag study group:

Stamps - just the stamps
Covers - with flag cachets and/or with flags on stamps
Cancellations - containing flags, regardless of the stamp or the cover

NEEDS FROM PARTICIPANTS of a flag study group:

Collect catalog numbers of flag stamps; share checklists
Collect and share images of flag stamps
Other forms of cooperation, suggestions, and/or recommendations
List areas of expertise or major interests relative to this topic
Just like with any organization of any size, sometimes it's difficult; but if each participant will give as much as they expect to receive, the group will prosper! In larger groups, not everyone need be so active. But smaller groups need continued efforts of each member in order to stay viable.

LINKS TO MY OTHER FLAG STAMP PAGES:

Problems with catalog numbers
Flags on stamps discussion
Flag Covers (Flags on covers with stamps) discussion

OTHER LINKS:

POSSIBILITY: An online group which may fill your bill for a Flag Study Group: Richard Mallett's flag group on Yahoo, and ...
Richard's website for a comprehensive listing of Flags on Stamps, with Gibbons' catalogue numbers.
Reference on world flags http://flagspot.net/flags
New England Vexillological Association journal http://www.midcoast.com/~martucci/neva/NEJV.html
Flags of non-developed nations http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_not_fully_sovereign_nations
Method of searching for flag stamps from dealers http://www.zillionsofstamps.com/
Robert Murray's hibernating cyber stamp club for flags on stamps http://www.stamp-shop.com/flags.html
Stamp auction site in US, wide coverage http://listings.ebay.com/pool2/listings/list/all/category260/index.html?from=R0
Stamp auction site in Belgium, wide European coverage http://stamps.delcampe.com
Stamp auction site in Slovakia, good European selection http://www.sia.sk
A cyber list of stamp catalogs http://www.stampshows.com/catalogs.html
[Not kept up to date, but shows good example of the wide range of catalogs]
American Topical Association http://www.americantopicalassn.org

Let me know what you think!