Editing Stamp collecting (section)

== Notable collectors ==
[[File:John Lennon's stamp collection.jpg|thumb|[[John Lennon]]'s stamp album]]
The stamp collection assembled by French-Austrian aristocrat [[Philipp von Ferrary]] (1850–1917) at the beginning of the 20th century is widely considered the most complete stamp collection ever formed (or likely to be formed). It included, for example, all of the rare stamps described above that had been issued by 1917. However, as Ferrary was an Austrian citizen, the collection was broken up and sold by the French government after the First World War, as war reparations.

The Tapling Collection of [[postage stamp]]s was donated to the [[British Museum]] from the estate of [[Thomas Tapling]] in 1891. It currently forms the [[Tapling Collection]] in the [[Philatelic Collections of the British Library]].<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.bl.uk/reshelp/findhelprestype/philatelic/philateliccollections/articles/articletapling/articlestapling.html| title = "Philatelic Collections: The Tapling Collection", British Library| access-date = 20 March 2021| archive-date = 18 September 2012| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120918021757/http://www.bl.uk/reshelp/findhelprestype/philatelic/philateliccollections/articles/articletapling/articlestapling.html| url-status = dead}}</ref>

Several European monarchs were keen stamp collectors, including [[King George V]] of the United Kingdom and King [[Carol II of Romania]]. King George V possessed one of the most valuable stamp collections in the world and became President of the [[Royal Philatelic Society]]. His collection was passed on to [[Queen Elizabeth II]] who, while not a serious philatelist, has a collection of British and Commonwealth first day covers which she started in 1952.<ref name=court>Courtney, Nicholas. ''The Queen's Stamps – The Authorised History of the Royal Philatelic Collection''. London: Methuen, 2004, p.303. {{ISBN|0-413-77228-4}}</ref>

U.S. President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt|Franklin Delano Roosevelt]] was a stamp collector; he designed several American commemorative stamps during his term.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.postalmuseum.si.edu/museum/1d_FDR.html |title=FDR–Stamp Collecting President |publisher=[[National Postal Museum]] |access-date=7 February 2010 |archive-date=11 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100711012251/http://www.postalmuseum.si.edu/museum/1d_FDR.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Late in life [[Ayn Rand]] renewed her childhood interest in stamps and became an enthusiastic collector.<ref>"Why I Like Stamp Collecting", Minkus Stamp Journal, 1971 [http://www.ellensplace.net/ar_stamp.html] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120803014647/http://www.ellensplace.net/ar_stamp.html|date=3 August 2012}}, cf. "The new Ayn Rand companion", Mimi Reisel Gladstein, p. 130, Greenwood Publishing Group, 1999, {{ISBN|0-313-30321-5}}</ref> Several entertainment and sport personalities have been known to be collectors. [[Freddie Mercury]], lead singer of the band [[Queen (band)|Queen]], collected stamps as a child. His childhood stamp album is in the collection of the [[British Postal Museum & Archive]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://postalheritage.wordpress.com/2009/06/30/famous-philatelists/ |title=Famous Philatelists |publisher=[[The British Postal Museum & Archive]] |access-date=24 July 2009}}</ref> [[John Lennon]] of [[The Beatles]] was a childhood stamp collector. His stamp album is held by the [[National Postal Museum]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.postalmuseum.si.edu/lennon/ |title=John Lennon – The Lost Album |publisher=[[National Postal Museum]] |access-date=24 July 2009 }}</ref>

Former [[world chess champion]] [[Anatoly Karpov]] has amassed a huge stamp collection over the decades, led by stamps from [[Belgium]] and [[Belgian Congo]], that has been estimated to be worth $15&nbsp;million.<ref>[https://www.justcollecting.com/miscellania/anatoly-karpov-belgian-stamp-collection-offered-at-david-feldman Anatoly Karpov Belgian stamp collection offered at David Feldman] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160411160558/https://www.justcollecting.com/miscellania/anatoly-karpov-belgian-stamp-collection-offered-at-david-feldman |date=11 April 2016 }}, justcollecting.com, 2015.</ref>