What is Thematic Philately?
Thematic philately is the development of a theme through the placement of material so that it tells a story, using information supplied by the purpose of the issue, primary or secondary elements of the design, or other postal characteristics shown or implied on an element of philatelic material. It is not the collection of sets, issues, or complete countries, as in other types of philately – but it demands the same level of philatelic commitment. It is the collection of appropriate philatelic material that can be seen clearly as having a direct relationship to the theme. Each element must fit into the development of the theme. In sum, the key element of a thematic collection is its development; items giving incorrect information or are misplaced lose their impact in understanding the theme.
