The news portal StampNews.com announces its newest rating categories to evaluate the best stamps in the world issued in the year 2010. Year 2010 has been rich in philatelic events and many countries have issued a great number of excellent stamps.

We decided to present 5 rating categories to describe the best stamps of the year. The categories are the most extraordinary, the most important, the most touching, the most interesting sports-themed, and the most stamp collecting contributing countries.

The most extraordinary stamps (January 18, 2011) category is awarded to originally designed stamps. Generally, we give this award to stamps and stamp series that have amazed us. This may include extraordinary forms of stamps, special materials, or unique print methods used.

The most important stamps (February 10, 2011) category is awarded to stamps dedicated to the socially-significant events have been issued during the year.

The most touching stamps (March 30, 2011) category is awarded to stamps with a funny design. These can be stamps dedicated to cartoon or comic-strip characters. This rating focuses on children. However, there is no doubt that they will also gladden the eye of adult philatelists.

The most interesting sport-themed stamps (May 3, 2011) category is awarded to stamps issued for celebrating some sporting events or achievements.

We have also organized the overall ranking of countries best contributing to stamp collecting (September 1, 2011), which is awarded to countries that have the highest numbers of newly released stamps and the activities related to this. Also, we will take into account how user-friendly we think the Post Office websites and online shops are for philatelists. This award goes to the country that contributed the most to stamp collecting in 2010.
This rating category demonstrates which countries have active Postal authorities and shows that stamp-collecting prospers despite the pessimistic forecast of some philatelic experts that the philately is slowly dying out.



Please find the results below for 2009:

Top 10 most extraordinary stamps of the year 2009, January 11, 2010

Top 10 most important stamps of the year 2009, January 25, 2010

Top 10 most touching stamps of 2009, February 25, 2010

Top 10 most interesting sport-themed stamps of 2009, March 29, 2010

The Top 10 countries contributing to philately 2009-2010, May 6, 2010

Previous results for 2008:

Top 10 most extraordinary stamps of the year 2008, January 06, 2009

Top 10 most important stamps of the year 2008, January 27, 2009

Top 10 most touching stamps of 2008, March 11, 2009