"Stamps are miniature documents of human history. They are a means by which a country gives sensible expression to its hopes and its needs, its beliefs, and its ideals. They mirror the past and presage the future; they delineate cultural attainments, industrial works, domestic, civil, and social life. In a word, these vignettes give a vivid picture of the world, its occupants, and their multifarious endeavors."Francis Cardinal Spellman
Cardinal Spellman was an avid stamp collector. Among the items in his collection is a Roman State Centenary sheet signed by Pope Pius 12th. The Roman Centenary sheet was released by the Vatican Post Office in 1952 to mark the 100th anniversary of the first adhesive postage of the Roman States. It is the first, last, and only stamp ever signed by Pope Pius XII. It is permanently on display at the Spellman Museum of Stamps and Postal History.
Among the many projects sponsored by Cardinal Spellman was the Vatican Marian Year Philatelic Exhibition held September 22nd through November 5th, 1954 at the National Philatelic Museum in Philadelphia Pennsylvania. The National Philatelic Museum in Philadelphia was eventually closed and all assets were transferred to the Spellman Museum of Stamps and Postal History.
One of the items displayed at the 1964 New York World's Fair was the coordination tiara of Pope Paul VI. Cardinal Spellman was instrumental in getting it permanently displayed in the United States at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Washington DC.
 |  |  |
Cardinal Spellman promoted Vatican stamp collecting. It is not too unusual to find covers with his name on them. This cover was mailed from the Vatican on December 24, 1963. The two airmail stamps, Scott # C-31, are 1956 airmail stamps depicting the Archangel Gabriel from the mosaic 'Annunciation' by Pietro Cavallini which is located at Santa Maria in Trastevere in Rome. The airmail postmark is type II-5. One has to wonder if the envelope contacted a Christmas card from someone at the Vatican. On the back cover is an interesting seal.
In 1952 a twenty-one-year-old philatelist and stamp dealer from Stratford, Connecticut named William Wonneberger published a series on Vatican philately in Linn's Stamp News. In response, he received numerous letters suggesting that he start a society for Vatican collectors, whose ranks had swelled in the years after World War II. In May 1953, Wonneberger and some of his correspondents founded the Vatican Philatelic Society. Wonneberger served as the Society's first president from 1953 to 1962.
• Stamped and Stampless Covers from the Papal/Roman States |
• Ernest Kehr Exhibit: Papal Travels of Pope Paul VI |
• Thomas Boland Exhibit from the Vatican Philatelic Exposition in New York City (April 1959): |
• Benoit Collection of Early Vatican Rarities |
• Thomas Boland Exhibit: Illuminated Manuscript Pages from Vatican Council of Trent Issues (1946) |
• From the Collection of Cardinal Spellman: New York World's Fair of 1964I |
• Vatican Stamp Day Introduction |
• A Visit To The Vatican City Central Post Office building |
• 2024 Vatican City Stamp Program |
• Postcards Issued By the Vatican Post Office |
• Introduction to Vatican Postmarks |
• Vatican Easter Stamps and Postmarks |
• Vatican Aerogrammes |
• Zeppelin Mail Dispatched From Vatican City |
• VPS Vatican Notes Covers |
• Vatican City First Day Covers |
• Vatican City Christmas Stamps |
• Vatican City Europa Stamps |
• Vatican City Vending Machine Stamps |
• Vatican City Eucharistic Congress Stamps |
• Vatican City World Youth Day Stamps |
• Vatican City Iron Curtain Stamps |
• VPS Members receive a printed copy of the Vatican Notes publication four times per year (published quarterly) |
• VPS Members can read every issue Vatican Notes which includes every issue published in the past 70-plus years |
• VPS Members can (optionally) receive a daily email with a short article about one or more Vatican Stamp issues |
• VPS Members have unlimited Access to the VPS Website |
• VPS Members have access to complete Vatican City stamp issue listing including aerogrammes, post cards, and stationary issues |
• VPS Members get access to extensive postmark and first day cover research |
• VPS members can view the growing VPS slideshow collection |
• VPS members can participate in the on-line chat room discussion |
• VPS members can correspond with world-wide Vatican City stamp collectors |