Maximaphily

Maximaphily is a branch of philately involving the study and creation of maximum cards.[1] It is one of eleven classifications of philately recognised by the Fédération Internationale de Philatélie (FIP) and therefore has its own FIP Commission.

A maximum card for the birth bicentenary of Nikolai Gogol where the card, stamp and first day of issue postmark are in concordance

The FIP Maximaphily Commission holds a biennial conference on the subject, most recently in Seoul in 2014.[2]

Maximum card

In philately a maximum card (also known as a maxi-card, or maxicard) is a postcard with a postage stamp placed on the picture side of the card where the stamp and card match or are in maximum concordance (similarity).[3][4] The cancellation or postmark is usually related to the image on the front of the card and the stamp.

Not every country issues maximum cards (e.g. US did very few) and some who do (e.g. Germany) have only a limited number of releases every year whereas others issue maximum cards for every stamp (e.g. Australia).[5]

History

Maximaphily did not become organised until after the Second World War. Before then maximum cards were created as novelties, often by tourists.[6] Maximaphily is closely associated with thematic or topical stamp collecting and many thematic collections are enhanced with appropriate maximum cards.

Elements

A maximum card (maxicard, maxi-card, MC) is made up of three elements: the postcard, the stamp and the postmark. The object of maximaphily is to obtain a card where the stamp and picture are in close concordance, ideally with an appropriate cancellation, too. If all three elements are concordant, then that card truly is a maximum [concordance] card (hence the name maximaphily). Preferably, the image on the postcard should not be simply an enlargement of the image on the stamp. There are exceptions. For example: a work of art, like a painting (not a detail of it), is often shown in its entirety, both on the postcard and on the stamp of the maxicard.

Competitions

Maximaphily displays have become popular at competitive philatelic exhibitions and special rules have been developed by the FIP to assist in judging the entries.[7]

See also

References
  1. Carlton, R. Scott. The International Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Philately, Krause Publications, Iola WI, 1997, p.154. ISBN 0-87341-448-9.
  2. "FIP Commission for Maximaphily". Archived from the original on 2015-12-24. Retrieved 2011-10-21.
  3. "Postcard formats: Maxicards". www.postcrossing.com. Retrieved 2017-08-26.
  4. "The Wonderful World of Maximum Cards". www.virginstamps.com. Retrieved 2017-08-26.
  5. "Search Results for "maxicards"". Australia Post Shop. 18 October 2021.
  6. Healey, Barth. "Pastimes; Stamps". New York Times. 20 May 1990.
  7. "Regulations for the evaluation of Maximaphily exhibits" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2009-05-01.

Further reading
  • Brana, René et al. Catalogue des Cartes-Maximum de France: 1901–2007. Amiens: Yvert & Tellier, 2008 ISBN 978-2-86814-192-7 1118p.
  • Cardoso, Eurico Carlos Esteves Lage. Manual do Coleccionador de Postais-Máximos. Lisbon: The Author, 1984 78p.
  • Cardoso, Eurico Carlos Esteves Lage. O fascinio da maximafilia = La fascination de la maximaphilie = Fascination of Maximaphily. Lisbon: The Author, 1984 ISBN 972965641X 154p.
  • Knight, Jesse F. How To Create Maximum Cards. 1996 23p.
  • Les Maximaphiles Français. Les Cartes-Maximum de France: des origines à 1988. Saint-Maur-des-Fossés: les Maximaphiles français, 1989 465p.
  • Rangos, Nicos. What is Maximaphily?, FIP Maximaphily Commission, 2006 Download link.
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