December 1st is Philately
December 1st is Philately Day in Portugal. The date was chosen to coincide with the anniversary of the Portuguese Philatelic Association (APF), founded in 1925, which has been one of the main entities responsible for promoting and encouraging stamp collecting in the country. Philately, or stamp collecting, began to gain prominence in Portugal in the 19th century, shortly after the issuance of the first Portuguese postage stamp, the "D. Maria II", released on July 1st, 1853. Portugal was one of the first countries in the world to adopt the postage stamp system, just 13 years after the issue of the Penny Black in the United Kingdom, the first stamp in the world. The introduction of stamps facilitated postal services and, over time, interest in stamp collecting grew among the Portuguese. The day aims to pay tribute to this collecting, valuing the historical and cultural importance of postage stamps.
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