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How to Collect Vatican Stamps

Vatican stamps, printed since 1929, are known for their beauty, religious themes and their curious status as an official issuance of the world's smallest state. Collectors looking to obtain a comprehensive sample of Vatican stamps should consider a variety of official and unofficial avenues.

Instructions

- 1
  Memorize the principal features of Vatican stamps so that they can be easily recognized at stamp fairs, flea markets and yard sales. All Vatican stamps bear the words "Poste Vaticane." Many feature an image of a past pope or a cross and globe. The Vatican has issued a series of commemorative stamps celebrating the work of Catholic artists, including Titian, Fra Angelico, Rubens and Michelangelo, as well as stamps highlighting to collection of Roman antiquities in the Vatican Museum. A visual history of Vatican-issued postage is available online from both the Vatican Philatelic and Numismatic Office and the Vatican Philatelic Society division of the American Philatelic Society.
- 2
  Subscribe to the "New Issues Information Service" of the Vatican Philatelic and Numismatic Office, which provides issuance and pricing information for all Vatican Stamps. Complete information on the Vatican's stamp program is available online (See Resources).
- 3
  Contact the American Stamp Dealers Association for information about Vatican stamp specialists. Registered dealers should be able to help collectors locate authentic Vatican stamps being sold at or near market prices.

Stamp Collecting