Philately “HOBBY OF STUDY & COLLECTION OF STAMPS”

PHILATELY Through Philately one can understand interesting details of politics, history, prominent personalities, national and international events, geography, flora and fauna, agriculture, science, monuments, soldiers, warriors, scientists, arms and ammunition, modes of transport etc. depicted on stamps Learning becomes delightful by visuals and brief write-ups Philately helps to make friends across boundaries and age limits

Philately Philately is the sovereign function of Government of India Philately showcases the Cultural heritage of India, achievements and contributions of National Icons

Administrative and Operative set ups CSD supplies Definitive Stamps The CSDs are fully computerized Philsim Software is used for handling stamp stock The commemorative Postage Stamps are directly supplied to Philatelic Bureaus by the two printing press situated at Nasik and Hyderabad

Philatelic material includes Mint stamps (unused stamps) Commemorative stamps. First Day Covers (FDCs, which are issued with every commemorative stamp ) Brochure (Information sheet accompanying each commemorative stamp ) Collectors' Packs, year-wise Catalogue of stamps released since

Philatelic Bureau A Philatelic Bureau is a branch of a Head or Sub Post Office specifically set up by the Department to deal with the receipt and sale of all philatelic items. It maintains Philatelic Deposit Accounts and also deals with mail orders

Philatelic Counter The Philatelic Counter is a counter for sale of philatelic items and is a part of the post office specially selected for the purpose. These counters, however, do not provide special cancellation on FDCs or special covers. Philatelic counter is attached to a Philatelic bureau

Authorized Offices The authorized office is a post office, which sells philatelic items but does not provide any special cancellation. These offices are specially authorized by the Head of Circles to sell philatelic items

Commemorative/Special Stamps Stamps, covers or postal stationery issued to commemorate an event, and institution, a theme, flora or fauna and personages, are called commemorative/special stamps. Commemorative stamps are printed only once

Commemorative Stamps

Albums From time to time, albums are prepared by the Philately Division of the Directorate and the philatelic bureau for presentation purposes and stamp release functions

Collector’s Pack & Thematic Pack Collector's pack – A set of all the commemorative/special postage stamps issued by the Department during the year. Thematic Pack – The Department issues from time to time a set of two or more stamps on particular themes

Definitive Stamps These are stamps specifically issued for day to day postal needs and placed on sale for an unlimited period. They are distinct from commemorative issues and are available in several denominations. Definitive Stamps are re-printed

List of India Postage Stamps The list contains information on definitive as well as special/commemorative stamps including service stamps

First Day Cover A cover with the stamp franked with special cancellation of the day of issue is brought out along with a commemorative/special postage stamp. This is put on sale on the day of release of the stamp

First Day Cover

First Day Cover

First Day Cover

Special Cover An event which is not nationally important enough to be commemorated by issue of commemorative/special stamp or for which a stamp cannot be accommodated in the annual issue programme is commemorated by the Department by issue of Special Covers which can be cancelled with a special cancellation at the post office selected for the purpose

First Flight Cover The cover which is carried on the inaugural mail flight between two points by an airline and which bears the marks of the two places is called First Flight Cover

First Flight Cover

Brochure Whenever any commemorative/special stamp is issued, a publicity brochure is also brought out. It contains a brief write-up on the subject, designs and also the technical data of the stamp

Brochure

Cancellation Cachet It is a cancellation device which is usually impressed with a hand stamp canceller on a cover to denote the date of the special event on which it was provided e.g. important occasions, personages, inaugural flights or expeditions etc. The Cancellation cachet are procured by the Heads of the Circles and supplied to all the bureau under his jurisdiction before the date of release

Pictorial Cancellation These are permanent, regular date cancellations provided at any post office located at a place of tourist attraction, it normally features the major tourist attraction of the place

Pictorial Cancellation

Pictorial Cancellation of Karnataka

Pictorial Cancellation

Mint Sheets & Exhibits Mint sheet – Mint sheet is a full sheet of unused stamps without any post mark. Exhibit – Exhibit is an album sheet of standard size 23 x 29 cm in white or off-white colour without any margin. – All exhibits must be mounted on standard loose-leaf quadrille album pages, and enclosed in transparent protective covers of sufficient firmness

Mint Sheet (Full Sheet )

Miniature Sheet A Miniature Sheet is a sheetlet comprising of one or more postally valid stamps with which the issue concerns. Its size normally varies depending upon the subject illustration, size of the stamp and number of stamps. The outer area of the miniature sheet beyond perforations of the stamp depicts an extension of the theme of the stamp or an elaboration of the same and is of complementary nature

Miniature Sheet

Miniature Sheet

Souvenir Sheets It is also a sheetlet like the miniature sheet, with the exception that it is the Issue itself, i.e. while a miniature sheet is issued on stamps and is separately produced and sold

Souvenir Sheet

Stamp Sheetlet A sheetlet of stamps is a smaller version of a full issue sheet of stamps. It generally contains 16 to 20 stamps

Sheetlets

National Philatelic Museum Each postage stamp is a carefully designed piece of miniature art which speaks evocatively about the subject depicted on it. India has brought out beautiful stamps covering different facts of this great country. The National Philatelic Museum, New Delhi, attempts to showcase the great Indian panorama as presented through its postage stamps

Cancellation Cancellation provided by philatelic bureau can be of the following types: i.Special First Day Cancellation ii.Special Place Cancellation iii.Philatelic Exhibition Cancellation iv.Pictorial Cancellation v. Special cancellation provided to commemorate any event, institutions and inaugural flights. 40

Special First Day Cancellation Special first day cancellations and first day issue cancellation are provided on the first day covers, private covers and album pages having the commemorative stamps affixed thereon at the philatelic bureaux for six months from the day of issue of the stamp(s). 41

Philatelic Exhibition Cancellations Philatelic Exhibition Cancellations can be approved by the Heads of the Circles on the occasion of the philatelic exhibitions organized properly by the philatelic clubs, societies and organizations. 42

Special Cancellation Heads of Circles are the competent authority to sanction special cancellation and covers commemorating any event/institution/inaugural flight under their jurisdiction. 43

Presentation Pack

Philatelic Deposit Accounts Philatelic Deposit Accounts can be opened at these Bureaus with minimum deposit of Rs. 200/- in cash/MO/DD/Cheque Commemorative stamps are only available at Philatelic Bureau and counters or under the Philatelic Deposit Account Scheme. Customer selects types & quantity of philatelic items & reflect in Application Bureau supplies each issue of new stamps automatically

My stamp

Introduction Brand name for personalised sheets of Postage stamps Personalisation is through printing thumbnail of – Photograph of customer images – Logos of institutions – Images of artwork, heritage buildings, wildlife, birds etc., alongside selected commemorative Postage stamp Introduced in India during Indipex 2011

How purchased? The scheme is available in philatelic bureaux and select POs Customer fills in the ‘My stamp order form’ – My stamp order form My stamp order form Customer has to produce ID proof issued by Government authority Cost of one My stamp sheet is Rs. 300/- The customer gets acknowledgement slip from the philately counter

Purchase process cont’d Customer can get his/her photograph clicked or provide a hard or soft copy Photographs can also be of family/friends etc., Images of logos, historical places, wildlife etc., can also be given but they should be free of copyright restrictions Applications from corporate customers will also be considered provided the minimum number of sheets purchased is 100

Discount slabs S.No.No. of My Stamp SheetletsDiscount 1 Purchase of My Stamp Sheetlets 10% discount 2 Purchase of more than 100 My Stamp Sheetlets 20% discount Note: Discount of 20% will be allowed only on additional sheetlets over 100. For e.g if a customer purchases 200 My Stamp sheetlets, he will get 10% discount on first 100 sheetlets and 20% discount on sheetlets over and above the first 100 sheetlets.

Delivery of stamps Delivery of the stamps will be done after processing In case the order is through extension/exhibition couonter, stamps can be collected within 7 days Customer has to produce acknowledgement slip duly signed at the time of delivery My stamp can also be delivered either by registered or speed post – customer has to bear the cost

My stamp login screen

Selection of Desired Theme Select the desired theme and click on continue

Selection of Desired Image Click on open image and select the desired image

Cropping of Desired image Place the rectangular box on the desired portion of image and click on crop and save cropped portion using save image button

Printing of My Stamp Click on print button to take printout on theme

Philately – A business Case 1.Philately can be a substantial revenue earner for the Department and Circles have a major role to play in the development of Philately Business. 2.Plan and Non-Plan funds allotted to circles must be used judiciously by the circles for the promotion of philately. 3.Development of philately as a business provides that rare opportunity in the mundane world of bureaucracy to be creative, artistic and imaginative

Philately Inventory Management System Philsim Software Salient Features Messages and alerts from Directorate System generated Indent is available online to the respective place to process within few seconds. Outgoing invoice – based on Indent received through online. System generated invoice available online to the receiving office. After preparing GRN, the stock gets updated automatically. Stock Transfer process from one CSD to another CSD Stock Transfer process from one HO to another HO irrespective of location/circle

Operational Instructions Every CSD/HPO have been given with operators login and supervisor login. To ensure the data accuracy Maker-Checker facility provided. Operator make entry and forward it to supervisor after ensuring the correctness in data. The Supervisor check and confirm it. Web address

Automation – Head Post Office Quarterly Requirement for definitive stamps & stationery its generation and sending to CSD online. All indents – generated through system Incoming stock from CSD – Goods Received Note (GRN) – captured in system against the online invoice received. Sale to SO / Sales Counter (including philatelic Bureau or counter)

Automation – Head Post Office Stock Transfer –Request to other HOs located in the same circle or other circle – GRN : tracking & accepting invoice received from HO – Creating stock transfer invoice – Viewing incoming requests

Automation – Philately Bureau Dispatch details of Philatelic stamps to HO Invoice Received from CSD Indent processing as received from HO Outgoing invoice generation Review of day-to-day issues related to Inventory Management

Reports/MIS Daily Transaction Report HPO Item-wise Stock Report HPO Denomination-wise Stock Report Invoice Sales Invoice Item-wise Sale

Item wise stock report of HPO