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Genealogy helps tell fascinating philatelic stories
A strip of three two-cent Small Queen stamps paying double the letter rate frank a May 1883 yellow cover mailed from Niagara, Canada West (present-day Ontario), to nearby Woodstock. Photo via Darin Cherniwchan.
As philatelic storytelling becomes a significant aspect of the hobby, collectors have found powerful tools in genealogy services and other historical research platforms. With the advent of digital technology, most collectors have ready access to in-depth research tools, which lend well to learning the stories behind the stamps and postal history in their collections. One west-coast collector noted his “love” for philatelic storytelling has been bolstered through Ancestry.com, the world’s largest for-profit genealogy company, and Newspapers.com, the largest online newspaper archive, which is also run by Ancestry. “To me, these are some great tools for philately and for storytelling,” said Darin Cherniwchan, of Chilliwack, B.C., the chair of the Digital Philately Study Group. “They’ll make you one of the best storytellers. They’re not cheap, but you can just try them, and if you’re disciplined, you can get out of it before the 14-day trial is up.” Continue reading →