Australian Pre-Decimal First Day Covers

Australian Pre-Decimal First Day Covers

Some may call it simply “stamp collecting,” but philately involves much more than that. It includes not only the appreciation, but also the study of postal artifacts, and there is an established community for the art. Among this community, experts place high historical value on postal objects dating back to before the adoption of decimal currency in 1966. Due to the change in denominations of currency, prices of stamps (and therefore, of philatelic pre-decimal covers) were much different than they are today.

First day of issue covers (or simply "first day covers") refers to any card or envelope that post offices franked on the first day of issue for the stamp involved. Pre-decimal first day covers are those from before the changeover in currency from the old crowns and sovereigns to the new dollar. It’s impossible to replicate these kinds of covers nowadays, which greatly increases their collectability.

Royalty Australian pre-decimal first day covers are those featuring postal stamps with the likenesses of Queen Elizabeth II or other members of the British royal family. These were and continue to occasionally re-issue to commemorate important events, such as royal visits.

The royal family isn’t the only thing that makes a postal cover collectible, though. There are plenty of other kinds of pre-decimal first day covers with historical appeal, such as Olympic pre-decimal first day covers bearing stamps commemorating the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, or Red Cross pre-decimal first day covers that honor the Australian Red Cross, some of which date to 1963 or earlier.

Proper maintenance is important to your collection of pre-decimal covers, particularly first day covers. There are stamp-collecting albums and accessories that ensure your articles stay flat, dry and clean. A pair of stamp tweezers will be invaluable for holding and manipulating your covers, as will some cotton inspection gloves.