The Australian state of New South Wales began issuing its own postage stamps in 1850, after using an early version of paid postage involving embossed envelopes. NSW stamps were used until the territory combined with its neighbors to create the Commonwealth of Australia in 1913.
There were postage due stamps in New South Wales, and there were other issues that appeal to collectors these days. One striking example of fine workmanship on New South Wales stamps was the set of two semi-postal “Allegory of Charity” stamps in 1897, issued to raise money for victims of tuberculosis.
Besides the stamps themselves, there are many other ways to go about collecting New South Wales philatelic items. One growing area of interest is the numbered cancels used on posted stamps — each post office was given a stamp with a different number, and many collectors try to collect as many of these “numeral cancels” (as they are generally called) as they can find. There are several hundred different numeral cancel stamps from New South Wales to be found in the marketplace.
See also: Tasmanian Stamps: Philately from Under Down Under
There are other subcategories of NSW collectible stamps, including unhinged stamps, stamp blocks, complete sets, and even later cinderella postage stamps. Check the latest listings; selection is updated daily.
