Collecting Cambodia rare stamps is a focus for any collector interested in the volatile history of Southeast Asia. From French colonization to the Khmer Rouge to recent times, a collection of Cambodia rare postage stamps is an especially fascinating pursuit.
Before 1951, Cambodia used the postage stamps of French Indochina, which also included the areas of Laos and Vietnam. Covers from this time (and afterwards, or course) appeal to many collectors. The first true Cambodian postage stamps came in 1951, and over the years there have been a great deal of interesting postal collectibles.
Areas of Cambodia rare stamps
How should you approach your Cambodia rare stamp collecting? There are numerous possibilities. Take a look at these areas of collecting Cambodian postage stamps and see which appeal to you. Mix and match them to build your own personal approach!
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Cambodian airmail stamps
Cambodia has released several nice airmail stamps over the years, beginning in 1953. Most bear the French phrase POSTE AERIENNE somewhere on them, as well as phrases in the Khmer script. Of particular interest to Cambodian stamp collectors are the gold-embossed airmail stamps of 1972 to 1974. These multi-colored, lushly designed stamps honored such subjects as Richard Nixon’s visit to China in 1972, the Apollo 16 moon landing, and the German city of Munich’s hosting of the 1972 Summer Olympics and the 1974 World Cup final.
After the reign of the Khmer Rouge, during which stamps were neither used nor issued, ended in 1979, there were two more Cambodian airmail stamps issued, in 1984 and 1986. Both showed a large airplane flying over Angkor Wat. Cambodian airmail stamps, as well as postcards and other covers sent via airmail, may appeal to collectors of interesting Khmer postage items.
Cinderella stamps
There are not too many Cambodian “cinderella stamps” seen for sale, generally. There haven’t been many of these non-postal or local or fantasy stamps issued by anyone. However, hunting the sales listings diligently may turn up the occasional interesting cinderella. This may include stamps made in other countries with a Cambodia-related theme or some postage stamp-like piece used within Cambodia.
Covers
Cambodian stamp covers include postcards, letters, and other envelopes that have been posted to, from, or within Cambodia. These collectibles usually have the postage stamp cancelled. This is quite a busy area of Cambodian stamp collecting, and different buyers look for different types of covers in this large marketplace.
Of interest to many are letters sent before Cambodia’s 1953 independence — that is, letters and cards posted in Cambodia but using French Indochina stamps. Others may even be interested in mail sent during the chaotic Khmer Rouge era of 1975-1979, during which regular postage was suspended but mail was of course still sent.
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Cambodia rare stamps with errors
Cambodia has, like all other stamp-issuing bodies, occasionally misprinted postage stamps. Various sorts of printing or design or perforation mistakes and errors are fun for many to nab. The uniqueness and rarity of these pieces appeal to many collectors of Cambodia rare stamps. It is probably impossible to list all the different errors. Some are well-known while others are specific to a single piece or sale. Buyers interested in Cambodian error stamps should check through the listings and see what is currently available; there can be some real gems for the diligent error stamp hunter.
Cambodian stamp depicting an old ship. Good for nautical stamp collectors.
Cambodian first day covers
Cambodian first day covers (FDCs) are one of the more popular ways to collect Cambodian postage stamps and postal materials. These special types of collectors’ covers are cancelled on the day of the stamp’s first issue, and the best examples may also feature a special thematically concordant postmark design. For obvious reasons this makes FDCs more interesting to many collectors than the regular versions of the same stamps. Cambodian FDC for sale listings can vary widely from seller to seller and from day to day, as items are bought and new listings are added.
Full Cambodian stamp sheets
Full sheets of Cambodia rare stamps are a unique and challenging way to collect Khmer stamps. If your collection is suited to getting full sheets of stamps, you can always find some nice and interesting examples for sale in online marketplaces. Finding full sheets can go alongside the collection of stamp minisheets or even multi-stamp blocks.
Of particular interest to you may be elusive full sheets of a specific stamp issue. Or perhaps you’d rather collect full sheets of all stamp issues from a certain year. Many collectors look for full sheets of the famous Cambodian gold-embossed stamps of the early 1970s. Whatever your personal approach to collecting Cambodian stamps and your reasons for looking for full sheets for sale, check listings to see what is being offered right now and pounce on anything that looks interesting to you – it probably appeals to another buyer too!
Imperforates
Some Cambodian stamps are not perforated — they have smooth edges and are not meant to be punched out of their sheet. Other “imperf” Khmer stamps come from designs and issues that were perforated but a few imperforated examples from test pressings or other special manufacturing processes have entered the online marketplace. (They might even be occasionally classified as error stamps.)
Imperforate stamps constitute an interesting subcategory in the collecting of Cambodia rare stamps, and there are usually several nice examples of imperf stamps, and perhaps even stamp blocks, for sale at any given time.
Maximum cards
Cambodian maximum cards are special collectors’ pieces that include a postage stamp affixed or printed onto a postcard that includes a design that harmonizes with the stamp design. Of interest to most maximaphilists is the fact that a unique postmark, also in concordance with the design of the stamp and card, is included.
Design-wise, Cambodian maximum cards are generally used to commemorate local, Cambodian subjects — the life of the country’s citizens, its wildlife, important historical or political events, et cetera. Because of this, Cambodian maximum cards are particularly absorbing as collectibles because they are so drenched in Khmer culture and identity. Cambodian maximum cards form a special subset of the collecting of Khmer postage stamps.
Minisheets
Some collectible Cambodian postage stamps are available as miniature sheets (also known as mini-sheets). These small-sized sheets of (usually) perforated but unseparated multiple stamps often come on a specially designed piece and are intended especially for collectors. Other Cambodian minisheets may be regular stamps that for one reason or another are intact on their original small sheet. Stamp minisheets have occasionally been affixed as-is to envelopes or packages and used as regular postage. These special covers can be of interest to many collectors of Cambodian philately.
Mint never-hinged
Mint-condition stamps that have never been “hinged” (stuck into a collector album with a little sticker on the back) are by far the most popular grade of Cambodia rare stamps. The online marketplace of MNH Khmer stamps contains some of the largest numbers of sales offers, as well as one of the highest turnovers of any category. Most eras and types of Cambodia rare stamps may be found in MNH condition at any one time. Included are the famous gold-embossed stamps issued by the Khmer Republic shortly before the takeover of the Khmer Rouge in 1975. If the stamp you want in MNH condition is priced too high for your budget you can also look for it in mint lightly-hinged condition as well.
Browse 175 current Cambodia stamps and postal collectibles for sale offers here
Official stamps
Although Cambodia has never used special stamps intended solely for official use, there have of course been several examples of official governmental correspondence over the years. Some collectible official covers to, from, and/or within Cambodia can sometimes be found for sale in the marketplace from various vendors. Special, official-use only stamps of other countries may also have been used on letters to Cambodia.
Overprints
Cambodia has used overprinted postage stamps for various reasons over the years, and these are very collectible to buyers who like to concentrate on this sub-category of collectible Cambodian stamps. Most notable, perhaps, are the semi-postal stamps that have been issued over the years, most (but not all) of which were overprinted. You may also be able to find overprinted stamps from other countries that were sent to Cambodia as collectible covers.
Postage due
There are indeed Cambodian “postage due” stamps available for collectors. Cambodia has twice printed postage due stamps, intended for mail that had insufficient regular postage affixed to it by its sender. The first postage due stamps of Cambodia were made in 1957; there were five different stamps of various face values (in centimes and riels). The designs on each were the same, and these 1957 postage due stamps can only be distinguished by the amount shown, not by their design or colors.
The second set of Cambodian postage due stamps came in February 1974, months before the Khmer Rouge took control of the country and abolished the post office. These postage due stamps consisted of four different values, all in riels, and this time could be differentiated not only by inscription but also by their four different color schemes. None of the Cambodian postage due stamps is particularly valuable and rare, and interested collectors can usually find individual stamps or whole sets of postage due stamps for sale if they look through the marketplace enough.
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Semi-postal Cambodian stamps
Cambodia used semi-postal stamps a few times from the 1950s to the 1970s. Nearly all examples of Cambodian semi-postals are affordable for most collectors, as are complete sets of certain semi-postal stamps. The first Cambodian semi-postal series was in 1952, a set of four regular issues of that year, featuring King Norodom Sihanouk, with overprints. Cambodian stamps (and banknotes) at this time still used French alongside the Khmer script, a holdover from the newly-independent country’s days as a French territory and part of Indochina. The overprints on the 1952 semi-postals, which were surcharged to help students, read AIDE A L’ETUDIANTE with the added amount in centimes or piastres.
Three specially printed semi-postal stamps in 1957 honored the 2,500th anniversary of the birth of Buddha. Both original value and the added value were in riels and/or centimes; a regular issue of these stamps, without the surcharges, was also made that year.
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Classic car on a Cambodia stamp, for collectors who like automobile philately.
In 1959 three more semi-postal stamps followed; these were overprinted with a surcharge to help the Red Cross. Overprints are simple, showing a cross plus the amount. All stamps and surcharges were denominated in centimes. Four years later, two more Red Cross-related semi-postal stamps were used in Cambodia. These were regular issues of that year (4 and 6 riels) with surcharges of 40 and 60 centimes. Honoring the 100th anniversary of the Red Cross, the French overprints included the phrase 1863-1963 CENTENAIRE DE LA CROIX ROUGE.
A final Red Cross semipostal series came in 1972 to help victims of war violence. These stamps were again regular Khmer Republic issues with overprints; the overprints had the surcharged amount in both Khmer and Western scripts, plus a cross and the French phrase SECOURS AUX VICTIMES DE GUERRE. There were five of these stamps, all of whose original values and surcharges were in riels.
A good approach for a Cambodia rare stamps buyer interested in semi-postals is to get one of each type.
Souvenir sheets
Cambodia has issued several stamp souvenir sheets for collectors over the years. Khmer souvenir sheets feature a wide range of subjects, from notable international figures to domestic subjects and more. Some souvenir stamps sheets from Cambodia are scarcer and more valuable than others, but most collectors of these special Cambodia rare stamps can find some nice pieces for their collections. Buyers of souvenir stamp sheets from Cambodia may also be interested in stamp minisheets, FDCs, and maximum cards.
Cambodian stamp blocks
Blocks of Cambodian postage stamps include two or more perforated stamps that have not been separated. Many collectors of Khmer postage stamps look for blocks of stamps of various sizes for their collection. Some sellers also refer to special thematic sheets with only one stamp as a “block” if it is intact and the perforated stamp is not separated. Of course, premium Cambodian stamps sold in blocks are especially sought after. The Cambodian stamp blocks that are available for collectors and buyers in the online marketplace at any one time are quite varied, and listings come and go frequently as different dealers make different blocks available.
Full stamp sets from Cambodia
Buying and collecting full sets of Cambodian postage stamp issues is how many approach their own hobby. Looking through the current Cambodian stamp sets for sale listings can yield some spectacular, and often quite affordable, results. Full sets are often priced just about the same as the individual stamps would if purchased separately, and so many collectors enjoy this efficient way to see the complete range of a given issue. Many are available, but the exact selection changes daily.
How to buy Cambodia rare stamps
What type of collection suits you best? There is no wrong answer. You may want to try to find the rarest of the rare Cambodian stamps. Or you may find that the pieces that appeal to you most happen to be common and very affordable. Or you may have no plan whatsoever – just skim online listings and wait for something to jump out at you. There is a whole world of Cambodia rare stamps and absorbing philatelic collectibles waiting for you, right now!
