Trains on stamps, Part 2: SUPERB 6-stamp series + souvenir sheet, from Liberia!

This is one of my most favorite stamp series from my collection!

You don't have to be a train fan(atic) to like this. :)

It's more than "some trains on stamps" - it's also a glimpse into other cultures, other historical periods, looking at those people and their dresses.

This excellently-drawn and designed stamps series was probably NOT manufactured by "the good, crafty people" of Liberia.

Like so many other stamps, they were probably manufactured in another country, wherever the philatelic agent/contractor saw fit to do it.

If you know the truth about it, tell us! :)

Trains on stamps, Part 1: Stamps from Cuba, and one from Nicaragua. From my Showcase Collection (not Specialized Collection)

For me, the best way to enjoy collecting stamps (for educational purposes, not as a financial investment), is by creating a Showcase Collection: at least one stamp (simple, or on cover, or maximum card, etc.) from EVERY subject, theme, topic that interests me or others.

Why a Showcase Collection? 

"For the love of the game"...to promote this hobby - philately. Promoting online and offline.

I also have Specialized Collections, such as "Wild mammals on maximum cards".

For example, I'm not interested in yachting, but I'll keep at least one such stamp, for educational/illustrative purposes.

I'm not saying that I BUY all those stamps: some come free (not "for free" - pleonasm) from various sources.

So I am not spending much, even for those that I buy.

In fact, nowadays I mainly buy maximum cards - on the rare occasions when I buy anything.

Many of the stamps from my Showcase Collection are inexpensive CTOs (cancelled-to-order, valuing at about 25% of a mint stamp), from the days of my youth in Romania.

I am mildly interested in trains on stamps, but I kept a few of those that crossed my path.

In the above image from my stock book of stamps, notice a "stamps on stamps" series. In the lower left corner, there's a depiction of a stamp from the series exemplified by a stamp from that original series.

See that?

Niagara Falls in winter - maximum card/maxicard from my good friend Terry (USA). Also, please support Wikipedia.org!

You could read yourself about Niagara Falls, if you really want.

Or I could give you the bottom line, in my subjective opinion, from my most favorite website in the world: wikipedia.org.

Or from other source.

But I want to invite you to read this, and contribute at least $1 (one). Or more, if possible.

Mark Zuckerberg, please contribute $1 followed by many zeroes. Facebook should not be followed by many "zeroes"...Reading and learning increase the IQ, in general.

Bill Gates, please write this binary code on a check file payable to Wikipedia: 1000000. Then sign. Or Melinda can do it. Es una linda señora y benefactora [I'm winging it -  I don't know Spanish :) ].

Martha Stewart, please craft an artistic check file to Wikipedia. It would be a good recipe for you to get good karma and stay away from that place with "bar exams" from angry soyezlesbiennesvenues...

Warren Buffet, please open an All You May Need Buffet at your designated banks, where each worthy recipient may get a check from you, for the dollar amount needed. Invest in education, not just in stock market.

Wikipedia is a "Book" faced by almost as many users (400M) as Facebook (500M).

"From Wikipedia Founder Jimmy Wales

If everyone reading this donated a dollar, our annual fundraiser would be over in just a few days.

Not everyone can or will donate. And that’s fine, because each year just enough people support Wikipedia with a small donation. If you feel it's your turn, please make a small donation of $10, $20, $35 or whatever you can to keep Wikipedia free.

Most people don't know this, but I'm a volunteer.

I don't get paid a cent for my work at Wikipedia, and neither do our thousands of other volunteer authors and editors. When I founded Wikipedia, I could have made it into a for-profit company with advertising banners, but I decided to do something different.

Commerce is fine. Advertising is not evil. But it doesn't belong here. Not in Wikipedia.

Wikipedia is something special. It is like a library or a public park. It is like a temple for the mind. It is a place we can all go to think, to learn, to share our knowledge with others. It is a unique human project, the first of its kind in history. It is a humanitarian project to bring a free encyclopedia to every single person on the planet.

Every single person.

We're a small organization, and I've worked hard over the years to keep us lean and tight. We fulfill our mission, and leave waste to others.

To do this without resorting to advertising, we need you. It is you who keep this dream alive. It is you who have created Wikipedia. It is you who believe that a place of calm reflection and learning is worth having.

This year, please consider making a donation to protect and sustain Wikipedia.

Thanks,

Jimmy Wales

Wikipedia Founder"

http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/WMFJA032/en/US?utm_medium=sitenotice&utm_campaign=20101217JA036&utm_source=20101217_JA027A_US&country_code=US