Collection COVERS   WORLDWIDE

Coverman Henri

Take a look at my Covers see next page

The goal of my collection is to collect, at least, one fine cover from each country in the world, or entity issuing stamps, addressed to me. As there are approximately 300 different countries (or entities) to collect, it will obviously not be so easy to realize, but I do like the challenge. Therefore any help is very welcome.
I decide later on to extend my covercollection with one fine postcard and one banknote from each country.

Examples of self-made covers from Belgium.


A second important theme is to try to obtain a certain standing of the covers by respecting a number of guidelines to improve envelope quality, as much as possible.

A few suggestions:

1. Select a good paper quality envelope. Most members prefer the 162 x 114mm size (6,37 x 4,48 inch).

2. Write the receivers address correctly and enclose a cardboard stiffener, or a postcard, to protect against damages.

3. Use always recent commemorative, pictorial or airmail stamps (two or three at least). Using single stamps of common postal issues renders a cover less interesting.

4. Separate and affix the stamps needed for the postage evenly and well spaced on the front of the cover from the upper right side, at least ± 5mm (¼ inch) away from the edges.
Be sure that all the stamps are in the upright position!

5. Take the cover to the Post Office and ask the clerk
  a) to apply a round and clean postmarking on the stamps, hitting the corners and not the face in full,
b) even better would be a special postmark (like for example a First Day Cover cancellation),
c) to place an
'Air Mail' label on the cover (or 'stamp' if a label isn't available).

6. Whenever possible, use to store the stamped cover in a plastic sleeve to protect the cover and the original stamping. Some postal services place a second cancellation on the stamps, which damages the quality of the cover.
Still highly recommended (even if that entails a slight extra cost)!

Cover sent by me.
Example of a self prepared cover sent by me to another member
(2011 International Year of Chemistry) .


As to build up such a collection it will be interesting to apply for a membership of one or more Cover Circuit Clubs.
The way to work with these clubs is very simple and usually similar.
There are mostly common members (CMs = circuit members) and originating members (OMs). The originating members can send an ‘OM Form 10’ to a member, eventually on demand, to fill in with his identity and the names of 10 countries from which he's looking for a nice cover. That Form 10 is to send back to the OM who will check if there are club members in those countries. In that case the OM wil fill in a 'Circuit' on which he states names and adresses of a few different members. The first member on the circuit receiving that form, sends the circuit with a nice cover to the second one on the list. This one sends the circuit to the third person on the list, and so on. The last member on the list returns the circuit to the originating member, who composed the circuit.
Of course, there is always the possibility to engage correspondance between members of the club at any time.



Form 10 en Circuit.
Example of a ‘OM Form 10’ and a ‘Circuit’ of the CCCC.

A few Collector Circuit Clubs:

A.C.P.C.  




Asian Cover & Philatelic Circuit Club,
Mr. Koizumi Fumiaki,
Director C.P.O. Box 222
Shizuoka, 420-8691, Japan

https://acpcinfo.wixsite.com/acpc-eng
C.C.C.C.  




Cover Collectors Circuit Club,
Mr. Holger Kaufhold
Märkische Allee 136
D-12681 Berlin


www.covercollectors.club/

I.C.C.C.





International Cover Collectors Club,
Mr. Harun Agir
Postfach 51
CH-6232 Geuensee
Switzerland

--
L.C.C.




London Cover Club,
Mr. Roland Montagne
B.P. 20
91211 Draveil Cedex
FRANCE

lccerem@hotmail.fr

http://londoncovercircuit.blogspot.com/ 

http://erem-collection.blogspot.com/ 


A
second possibility to collect desired covers consists in preparing a cover by yourself.
So you can, for example, search some nice stamps of a still missing country in your collection, affix those stamps on an envelope and send that cover to the Philatelique Administration of the concerned country. At that moment you have to ask a clear postmarking on the stamps, preferably a special one, and ask to place an 'Air Mail' label on the cover.

Cover Guernsey
Example of a self prepared cover (Guernsey).



Other Links:
www.africanbanknotes.blogspot.com Murtaza Karimjee
 
http://holgerscovercollection.blogspot.be/ Holger Kaufhold
 
http://digilander.libero.it/fabioalarici/ Very useful site about stamps
 
http://www.flaggen-server.de/main/main.php Very useful site about flags
 
http://irenechencovers.blogspot.com/ Irene Chen
 
www.jesusmoret.blogspot.com/ Jesus Moret y Ferrer
 
www.crossinthemail.blogspot.com/ Paul Golay
       

 

Take a look at my Covers see next page


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