Now I know it is stating the obvious to say that postage stamps can and are political.
Like coinage they aim to say something about a country, whether it is the leader, its system of government or its achievements.
I still have a collection of British postage stamps to commemorate the Battle of Hastings and the Battle of Britain.
Although some may ponder on why Britain wanted to commemorate a battle in which the Norman French were victorious, but some one will have an explanation.
And that leads me to a short series based on the collection of stamps from our Stella, who having salvaged my stamp albums of the 1950s, went on to make her own during the 1970s and 80s.
Like many of the family treasures they came north from Well Hall after father died, and for a while sat in the cellar which on reflection was not the kindest of places.
Forty years in a dry but cold cellar allowed some of the lose stamps to get stuck together, but others fared better.
And so here are some of those stamps which she bought from dealers, coming in small packs which retailed at 15p a sheet.
To start the series I have selected some from the former communist states of Poland and the USSR, which carry a very overt political message.
That said I do have to confess I went for the Polish stamps first for another reason than our Julia is Polish and along with our Saul lives in Poland.
Enough said.
Location Poland and the USSR,, 1970s,
Pictures; stamps from Poland and the USSR, 1970s, from the collection of Stella Simpson
