What other stamp materials can I collect?

Many philatelists collect postal stationery—products with a printed or embossed stamp design—such as Stamped Envelopes, Stamped Cards (or postal cards), and Aerogrammes. Other philatelic collectibles include: Plate numbers (including plate blocks) appear on or adjacent to stamps. Found most often on sheet stamps, plate blocks are the stamps—usually a group of 4—that have the printing plate numbers in the adjoining selvage, or margin. Booklet panes are panes of stamps affixed in, or as part of, a thin folder to form a booklet. Collectors of booklet panes usually save the entire pane or booklet. Marginal blocks (including copyright blocks) feature marginal inscriptions other than plate numbers. The most common is the copyright block, which features the copyright symbol ©, copyright date, and U.S. Postal Service. All U.S. stamp designs since 1978 are copyrighted. First Day Covers (FDCs) are envelopes bearing new stamps postmarked on the first day of sale. For each new issuance, the U.S. Postal Service generally selects one location, usually related to the stamp subject, as the place for the first day dedication ceremony and the first day postmark. First Day Ceremony Programs are given to those who attend first day ceremonies. They contain a list of participants, information on the stamp subject, and the actual stamp attached and postmarked.

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