Peter Moorer is on a mission. To create a single search tool that can enable Latin American collectors to have digital access to any article, journal, catalogue or publication ever produced on Central and South American philately. And to include links to videos, websites and, well, absolutely anything out there that can help with your […]
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Costa Rica at The Royal
There are a few ways in which an advanced collection can be shared with fellow philatelists, not least in the global competitive arena in the Quest for Gold. Club displays are the alternative route with some offering more cachet than others; none more so than an invitation to speak at the Royal Philatelic Society in […]
Collecting Classic Honduras
Honduran philatelists are a rare breed. With a steady supply of forgeries and a history of philatelic exploitation, the country is often overlooked in favour of its Central American neighbours. But the consistently low price of the material means that the specialist, armed with a little knowledge, can build up a formidable collection for a […]
The Bustamantes of Peru
For three generations the Bustamante family has been producing both simplified and specialized catalogues for collectors of Peru. A new edition is planned for publication in 2022 (see details below). In this article we discuss Peruvian catalogues and collecting Peru with Ysmael Bustamante, the grandson of the founder. CLA The name “Bustamante” has been associated […]
Collecting and selling Mexico (Part 2)
Bubba Bland is the past President of MEPSI, the leading philatelic society for collectors of Mexico. He is also a well-known dealer in classic Mexico stamps and has been selling via eBay for over twenty years. In the second of this two-part article, we focus on catalogues, proofs and forgeries. CLA How far will the […]
Discovering the lesser-known forgers of Latin American stamps
Forgers such as the Spiro brothers, Fournier and Sperati are well-known characters in philatelic folklore. But what of the lesser-known forgers? Gerhard Lang has spent over six years investigating the mischievous creations of the little-known Placido Ramon de Torres…and uncovered one of the most prolific forgers in philately. He is now conducting research on more […]
The Mainsheet goes digital
Next year will be the fiftieth anniversary of the publication of The Mainsheet. And to bring it in to the 21st century, the entire run has now been digitised. For those not familiar with The Mainsheet, it is one of the most (if not the most) comprehensive sources of information on the myriad aspects of […]
ABNC proofs – understanding the different types
The American Bank Note Company was a prolific printer of numerous issues for many Latin American countries. Die and plate proofs take pride of place in many collections or exhibits. However, they are often unmentioned and unpriced in most philatelic catalogues with little information available on the number of proofs printed. So just how scarce […]
The Numerals Issues of Brazil – Fakes, Forgeries and Counterfeits
Only one of these Bull’s Eyes is genuine…the example on the right Most collectors of Latin America will be familiar with the early postage stamps of Brazil. Bull’s Eyes, Snake’s Eyes, Goat’s Eyes, Cat’s Eyes…collectively, the numeral issues of the Brazilian Empire. Stephen Rose has spent nearly fifty years studying these issues and currently serves […]
The Collector | Eric Stovner | Mexico
Eric Stovner is a collector of Mexico, specialising in the ‘Mulitas’ issue of 1895-99. CLA How did you first begin to collect stamps? ES My grandmother and great-grandmother gave me stamps when I was very young. My mom encouraged me early on, obtained covers for me and I found opportunities to meet with other collectors. […]
Introducing ELASCA – The European Latin American Stamp Collector Association
Most Latin American countries have their own specialized society but what if your tastes are broader and you want to encompass the region as a whole? Regional societies and journals have thrived in the past, notably The Mainsheet from the UK-based Spanish Main Society. In the US, the Latin America Philatelic Society was active from […]
The Collector | Neal West | Nicaragua
For more than twenty years, Neal West was the President of The Nicaragua Study Group (N.S.G). His most recent exhibit is Nicaragua’s Revenue Based Postal Provisional Stamps and Uses 1908-1911. CLA How did you first begin to collect stamps? NW My father was a life-long stamp collector and not surprisingly (for the period of the late 1940’s […]