C is for Cinderellas

For decades Cinderellas have been considered the poorer cousin of the postage stamp, but they offer just as much intrigue to the collector.

The term ‘Cinderella’ does not just refer to the popular fairytale. For philatelists it is the catch-all word to describe any stamp which has no postal validity. Given their enchanting name since they were ‘not invited to the ball’, these curious stamps are often excluded from stamp collections, which are limited to material used for postal purposes. Yet Cinderellas often boast equally impressive designs, reveal fascinating stories, and provide collectors with numerous variations to contend with.

Since the term defines the material in terms of what is is not, there are many different types of Cinderella. According to the Cinderella Stamp Club, the term encompasses an array of ephemera, including ‘Local stamps, telegraph stamps, railway stamps, revenues/fiscals, forgeries, bogus and phantom issues. Christmas, Red Cross, TB and other charity seals, registration labels, advertisement and exhibition labels and many other items…’ In short, any form of ephemera which resembles a stamp.

Perhaps the most interesting form of Cinderella is the protest stamp, often issued during times of conflict and placed alongside postage stamps to make a political statement. Many took on the appearance of existing postage stamps, but with subtle changes made, such as the German stamp altered to show Hitler’s face as a skull, which was prepared by the American Secret Service in Rome during World War Two. Other notable political stamps include the subtle French forgeries used by British and French intelligence during the war, to allow them to differentiate between letters from the Allies – with the fake stamps – and those produced by Germans to set traps.

Political stamps do not always mimick the postal equivalent, with many expressing a group’s ideologies through new and eyecatching designs. An array of unique stamps were produced during the Spanish Civil War, for example, in a bid to express both Nationalist and Republican ideals. Many would have been sold to raise money for the cause. Meanwhile, more modern protest stamps have been created to take a stand against politicians or policies – a memorable stamp showing a cartoon of former President Bill Clinton and White House intern Monica Lewinsky side by side reminded Americans of the scandal.

Poster stamps are another branch of this rich area of philately, and are becoming increasingly popular with collectors. Reproducing posters at stamp size, the items are often advertisements for products or events – such as the Paris Exposition of 1900 – which would have been affixed to mail to spread the word. Contrary to what traditional philatelists may have thought, poster stamps are often the best examples of quality production and design. ‘The poster stamp was created often by the finest graphic artists of their time,’ writes collector Charles Kiddle on his Poster Stamps website, ‘with careful consideration of illustration, typography and colour to maximise effectiveness.’

Seals, stamp-like labels used to raise money for charity, are also collectable, with many different causes represented. American Christmas and Easter seals have been helping raise money for children’s charities for decades, while one of the first Christmas seals was used in Denmark to help fight tuberculosis.