How To :: FICC

Collecting First Issues

How do you collect the world without breaking the bank or the need to reinforce your floor to handle the shelves of albums? In the January 2021 AP, John Seidl shared his method of collecting the world, by collecting one stamp from each country. This is a great way to continue to learn about the history and culture of countries, both dead and alive, but did not want the bulk of every issue. Collecting first issues of the world adds a layer of structure to that method of collecting.

What does collecting first issues entail? The quick answer might be collecting catalog #1’s from each country. That is a common method employed by many first issue collectors, but not the only method. The First Issue Collectors Club (FICC), APS affiliate #232, embraces a ‘collect what you like’ mentality. With no pre-printed album to put boundaries on the collection, the collector can make the collection as rigid or flexible as they desire. We see a few common themes amongst our members:

You could collect only the stamps listed in one or more catalogs as #1.
You could collect only the stamps listed in one or more catalogs as the first one. Sometimes there's no #1! The first stamp listed in the Scott catalog for Cilicia is #2 and for Italy it is #17.
You could collect strictly by issue date. Very often, the first stamp issued is not #1! This is sometimes because the catalog place similar designs together, ordered by increasing face value, even though they were issued at different times.
You could collect only one stamp from each first issue.
You could collect all the stamps belonging to the first issue.
You could collect the whole set of stamps containing the first issue, even though, as mentioned, they might have been issued at different times.
You could collect first issues before or after a certain date. For example, before World War II or after World War I
You could collect only the stamps listed in our catalog!
You could come up with your own idea!
You could combine two or more of the ideas above!

Believe it or not, this is just the beginning. We did not even mention offices abroad, local stamps, military stamps, occupation issues and all the other back-of-the-book issues!

This leaves an opportunity for the collector to define their terms. Does a “country” include issues for armies (Russia Army of the North #1), revolutionary governments (Philippines Y1), or international organizations (India IC – Cambodia #1)? To cover all of these situations we often reference stamp issuing “entities” instead of countries.

Mounting your first issue collection can provide an opportunity to be creative. Many of our members create their own album pages which beautifully display the stamp and provide background on the issue. If you prefer a printed album, the Smithsonian album of the world offers a spot for most stamp-issuing entities. Another option for album pages is the Stamp for Every Country Album available as a free download on the Stamp Smarter website.

How can you complete a collection that requires Hawaii #1 or Mauritius #1? You might not be able to add those, but you could add Hawaii #74 (1st issue of the Republic) or Mauritius #225 (stamp-on-stamp Mauritius #1). There are hundreds of #1’s valued below $10, so no need to focus on the minority that might be out of reach.

For the postal history enthusiast, you can attempt to assemble a first issue on cover collection. Finding low-value first issues on a non-philatelic cover can provide hours of treasure-hunting cover boxes at stamp shows or late nights searching eBay. Pairing a stamp with the cover on an album page adds to the story you can share. One of our members created an award-winning exhibit on first issue covers that is available on our website.

This just provides a taste of how you can develop a first issue collection within your parameters and budget. A first issue collection can be used to collect the world, in a more confined manner. You can build a representative collection and enjoy the history and politics that come along with these areas. Sound interesting? Consider becoming a member today!