What are antiques, by the way? To give us better understanding on what really these things are, we will try to look on its meaning. An antique in its simplest definition, is a form of an old and historical collectible item. It is among those that are highly collected simply because of the beauty, condition, emotional connection or attachment, and some other distinctive features that are behind it. It represents the old times or the previous period for at least somehow 50 years old or more.

One of the reasons and explanations behind antique collection are the monetary returns that it gives to the collectors, most especially for those who are in the buying, trading and selling scene. These items have very high value in the market and in the business world. There are certain antique dealers, who even really travel to some countries that are history wise, just to dig up and unravel items that may appear of no value to the ordinary people, but are certainly magnificent masterpieces to artists.

People may have different reasons for collecting, but whatever is behind it, the most important thing is the contentment and gratification that the activity provides. Engaging in the collection of any items, may this appear to be an antique or not, is not bad for as long as it has served its purpose well. We just have to inculcate into our minds that in everything we do, tagged along are the responsibilities that we have to take.

The best place to start your own collection is from your own incoming mail and you may be surprised at the variety of stamps you will be able to locate in this way, which do not cost you a thing. Let your friends and relatives know about your decision to start a stamp collection, which will produce even more stamps for your collection that do not cost your a single penny.

Let your neighbors also know about your collection, so that they can tell their own friends and family members to start saving stamps. In no time at all, you could have a huge collection of stamps. By asking your friends, neighbors, and family members to save their empty envelopes you may have letter coming in from all over the country in no time. Now you have developed a kind of lookout support team to help you in your pursuit of stamps.

Another way to collect easily is you or someone you know works in an office, because you can have them save the empty envelopes for you also. Sometimes office mail is scanned and the best stamps are sent from a variety of locations to that work place. Your parents, friends, relatives, and neighbors will be happy to check at their offices for incoming mail. Your stamp support team may also have old letters that are still in their envelopes, and all collectors known that older stamps are better and are more unique.

To remove stamps from their envelopes carefully soak the stamps on the envelopes in water, which will make it easy to remove the stamps. This way adhesive will be lost and then the stamp can be separated from the envelope. Next dry the stamps carefully by minimizing any possible damage that can be caused by them being torn.

Getting help from other collectors is another valuable way to increase your knowledge about this wonderful hobby. Collectors gather together for swap meets to exchange any duplicate stamps that they may have with other collectors. Some times clubs will present stamps as prizes or even make them available cheaper for club members. Another way to meet other collectors is by joining a stamp club if there is one in your local neighborhood.

Pen pals are another source for collecting stamps, because letters would have stamps for their own area. Although you both may be from the same country does not mean that your stamps will be the same. Perhaps, your pen pal will start collecting stamps their selves and you can swap stamp through the mail! Collectors can even purchase stamps directly through the mail by ordering them through a variety of magazines and newspapers, but be cautious when purchasing these items by paying close attention to their return policy.

As the company began to grow, it evolved from producing wooden toys to producing plastic toys by the year 1947. Soon after, in 1949 they started transforming into the infamous company that we know today. 1949 was when LEGO began producing interlocking bricks that were called “Automatic Binding Bricks.” The interlocking bricks were designed after the Kiddicraft company’s self-binding bricks. Lego examined these bricks and then modified them into there own version.

“The Lego Group‘s” motto was det bedste er ikke for godt which means ‘only the best is good enough’. Ole Kirk Christiansen used this motto as an encouragement to employees to never skimp out on quality which he believed in very strongly. Today this motto is still used within the business.

An interesting fact to take note of was that during the early years, manufacturing using plastic materials was frowned upon. Many of Lego’s early shipments to retailers were often returned to the company because retailers felt the product were of poor quality being plastic material and did not live up to the standard of wooden toys.

Wait! The Lilacs didn’t stamp response cards? What a wedding sin! We are managing our RSVPs online so we went through our guest list and marked how many stamps we needed for each invitation. For mailed invitations with unstamped response cards we only had to pay 44 cents in postage. For the stamped response cards it came to 88 cents per invitation. And our hand delivered ones were free of postage!

The people who regularly use the internet and who we believed would not be hung up on tradition received response cards with my email, our online RSVP and and envelope if they really wanted to mail it. Everyone else did get stamped response cards.

Card Theme: Thank You, Welcome, Birthday Candles, Thank You Marble,
Congratulations, Dancing Reindeer, Poinsettia, Peace, CityScape, The Holiday Season, Dove, Peace-Hope-Joy, A New Millennium and .
Packaging: Bulk packed. 9 lbs. / 500 pcs.

Serbian Stamps circa 1942The surtax on this issue was used for Anti-Masonic, Anti-Communist, and Anti-Jewish propaganda.

Each stamp bore the opening date 22×1941 and was labeled “Anti-Masonic Exhibition” and “Serbia” in Cyrillic letters.

These stamps, with their juxtaposition of Masonic, Communist, Jewish and Serbian symbols (Nazi symbols are notably absent), provide a remarkable window into the Serbian wartime worldview. Even after the Communist takeover of Yugoslavia in May 1945 Masons were regarded with suspicion and contempt by the Serbian dominated Yugoslav authorities and Masonry remained outlawed for the next 45 years – until the summer of 1990.

The first stamp shows Masonry, allegorically clad as a hooded figure wearing an apron and star of David upon its bosom. This hooded figure is shown cringing from a strong ray of light, which emanates from a circular cabalistic design apparently representing the forces of Anti-Masonry.