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The Transformers – alien robots who can change into vehicles, machinery and weapons – first appeared in toy shops and on TV screens in 1984. Nearly 40 years on, thanks to the addition of comic books, computer games and movies, the likes of Optimus Prime and Megatron have become pop-culture titans.The story of the heroic Autobots and the evil Decepticons has been told in many different ways, but the core premise is usually the same: a deadly civil war engulfs the distant metal planet of Cybertron …

After 12 long months of eagerly anticipating part two of the trilogy, in late December 2002 fans were rewarded with the release of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. After the unbridled success of The Fellowship of the Ring, which was nominated for 13 Academy Awards, the second instalment had a tough act to follow. Nevertheless, the enthusiastic audiences for the sequel ensured it was not only the highest grossing film of that year but, at the time of its release, the third-highest grossing …

As early as 1899, the Post Office Department had considered marking stamps to help identify those stolen from post offices. Printing technology during the early years of the twentieth century, however, made implementation of the idea unfeasible.The development of the rotary press changed that. In 1929 a postal inspector again advanced the idea of marking stamps, stressing that $200,000 worth of stolen stamps had been "fenced" the previous year. His argument convinced postal officials, and a plan …

The first US Airmail stamps, or US definitive postage stamps issued for use on airmail letters, were issued in early 1918. They are shown above (Sc. #C1-3), arranged in the order of their issue dates.Note that the stamps are inscribed "U.S. POSTAGE". They were available for use on regular letter mail, as well as on airmail, which was still highly experimental. The central designs feature a "Curtiss Jenny" Biplane in Flight. The "Jenny" was originally produced as an Army training aircraft duri …

Beginning a stamp collection can be a fairly simple endeavor, or if not thought out properly an overwhelming task. A few basic questions have to be asked. #1) What age is this collection going to be geared for? #2) How extensive (or complete) do I want the collection to be. #3) Are there any areas of concentration that I want focus on. #4) What is my budget or budget guidelines.For a young beginning collector, the answers can be quite simple. Beginner albums and stamp packets can be the …