Introduction - Page 2

Soccer(Football) Philately: An Introduction
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Content Stamps which meet the criteria for being a postally valid issue, must also contain appropriate content. In general, in order for a stamp to be classified as a "soccer stamp" it must withstand the test of exhibitability. If a stamp could realistically be included in an exhibit of soccer stamps due to the stamp containing elements pertaining to soccer, then that stamp meets the definition of exhibitability. There are 4 guidelines used in order to help determine whether or not a stamp could be exhibited as a soccer stamp. Stamps must meet at least one of these guidelines in order to be included in the lists.

All stamps which have an obvious soccer motif are listed. The motif can be on the stamp design itself, on the selvage, in the margin, or in the stamp text. Some commemorative stamps were issued for Olympic Games and contain pictographs of a soccer player or soccer ball. These stamps are included in the lists (see examples below).

Stamps depicting a stadium must meet at least one of the following criteria (see examples below):

The stamp was issued to commemorate a soccer competition, event, game, team, or player.
The stadium clearly depicts a soccer game being played, soccer goals and/or the outline of the soccer field.
At the time of issue, the stadium was used solely for soccer games or soccer related activities.
The only sport played in that stadium is soccer.

Stamps which depict a ball or a person interacting with a ball must meet at least one of the following criteria (see examples below):

The stamp was issued to commemorate a soccer competition, event, game, team, or player.
The ball depicted on the stamp is clearly a soccer ball.
The sport or activity being performed is clearly soccer, or a variant of soccer.

Stamps with overprints are considered to be soccer stamps if they meet at least one of the following criteria (see examples below):
- The stamp is a soccer stamp, as defined by at least one of the three criteria listed above, and it has an overprint (regardless of the text of the overprint).
- The stamp is a soccer stamp, as defined by at least one of the three criteria listed above, and it has a surcharge or currency change.
- An overprint containing text directly relating to a soccer competition, event, game, team, or player has been placed on any stamp regardless of the design elements of that stamp.
There still remains some subjectivity in determining whether or not a stamp is a soccer stamp. The vast majority of stamps, though, can be included or excluded based on the 4 criteria. While these guidelines have helped me define the scope of my collecting interests and as a consequence define what is present or absent from this website, others may chose to broaden or narrow what they collect.
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