What is a Maximum Card ?
A Maximum Card (“MC”) could be defined as a
philatelic entirety comprised of three basic elements, such as a picture postcard,
a postage stamp and a postmark tied to the postage stamp and the picture postcard.
These three components are chosen in such a way that they offer a maximum
concordance with one another. They are complimentary to one another in every
philatelic aspect and they together represent an entirety.
1. Picture Postcard:
The picture postcard is normally printed
privately and is available on the market or could have been issued by the
postal authority of a country prior to the issue of the postage stamp. The rear
side of the picture postcard must be blank with adequate space to write an
address. The back side of the picture postcard may carry a stamp-imprint.
Neither a private photographic reproduction nor a “Collage” is allowed on the
view side. Photomontages, drawings, documents specially devised for the stamp
issue to be printed privately on photo-paper with due thanks to computer are
not used for creating maximum cards. It is strictly prohibited to reduce the
size of a postcard by cutting it.
Countries like Sweden, Australia have been issuing their
own maximum cards. In Switzerland
special picture post cards are offered to the philatelists prior to the
official date of issue of new stamps. Thus the enthusiasts are given an
opportunity to create their own maximum cards. No differentiation is made by the Jury at philatelic exhibition between
officially or privately made maximum card. .
A picture postcard used to create a maximum
card has a normal, internationally (as per Universal Postal Union Convention)
well defined size (i.e. 9 x 14 or 10.5 x 14.8 cm). In case of old cards (prior
to 1940), cards with smaller sizes are accepted. According to special regulations
approved by the 68th FIP Congress in Singapore, on 1st
& 2nd September 2004,
postcards of square size or 12 x17 cm that are becoming more attractive and
popular may be tolerated. Only square and rectangular formats of picture
postcards are allowed, all others are excluded. These picture postcards may be
black & white or coloured. From the aesthetic point of view, they may offer
a faint coloured or white space in order to affix a postage stamp, so that the
cancellation could be viewed in a better way. Many official maximum cards are
furnished with a narrow margin on one side of the card, which offers a suitable
place for affixing a stamp. The picture postcard, should as a rule, offer not
less than 75% space of the total
area for an illustration (in ideal case even 100 %!). However, according to the
latest requirements, agreed upon by the FIP Maximaphily Commission Conference
held in Malaga
on October 12, 2006,
this space limitation (min. 75%) has not been specifically mentioned. But the
emphasis is laid on the size of the picture. It is said “The larger the picture
is, the better the quality of the maximum card is considered to be.” In view of this very vague requirement, I shall advise all philatelists
to stick to the old requirement of more than 75% space for the illustration on
the postcard. In case of older maximum cards this restriction could be overlooked.
A picture postcard
must offer the best possible direct VISUAL and NOT an
imaginary concordance with the
motif on the stamp and with at least one of these, in case the stamp shows
several motifs. It should not show a sketch or a draft of the stamp design. Postcards
with multiple pictures as well as those with holograms are not allowed. All picture post cards with full reproduction of the stamps with their
perforations, face values and country-names are forbidden.
2. Postage Stamp:
The postage stamp must have a conspicuous theme
or a motif depicted on it and should have a direct relationship with the illustration
on the picture postcard. The stamp is affixed to the postcard on the front (on picture side). Care should be taken that it is valid at
the time of cancellation. Its
colours and the perforations should be in optimal condition. The stamp on the
card may preferably be used on the day of issue or within a tolerable time
limit (such maximum card could be called as a maximum card of 1st
Quality). Only ONE postage stamp valid for postage is affixed to the picture postcard. (The guidelines for judging
Maximaphily, accepted by the FIP
Maximaphily Commission Conference held at Malaga on October 12, 2006 and
approved by FIP Board in Luxemburg on March 3, 2007, allows the whole set of se-tenant stamps, devoted
to a single subject to appear on a single postcard. (This is rather very strange recommendation which I personally can not
understand. I would better advise
Indian philatelists to abide by the golden rule “Only One Stamp for One Picture
Postcard” in order to avoid any conflict with the Jury!). So-called “official” stamps which are used for
governmental mail (excepting UNO, UNESCO and European Council Stamps) or parcel
stamps (as they are common in some European countries, like Belgium) should not
be affixed to the postcard. A maximum card should not bear a block of four or
two stamps with identical designs issued by two countries (the so-called
“bilateral-” or “sympathy-issues”). Depending up on the individual themes on
the postage stamp, there is a possibility of creating multiples of maximum
cards. The use of an illustrated
postal prepayment impression dispensed by automatic vending machines affixed on
the view side of the postcard can be used. A postage stamp which is cut out
from postal stationery is allowed only if the issuing postal service permits
its use. In general, abstract or symbolic subjects do not suit Maximaphily and
are excluded from its field.
3. Postmark:
The postmark or the cancellation must be
clearly visible and legible. It must have been fully applied to the stamp and
to the picture post card. Care must be taken that the ink used for the postmark
does not smear and impart an untidy look to the maximum card. The cancellation essentially contains the date and the name of the post office.(this requirement is there in the “Guidelines
for Judging Maximaphily Exhibits”, but there is no mention about the
requirement of “Date” in the cancellation (Art. 3.3. )in “Special Regulations
for the Evaluation of Maximaphily
Exhibits at F.I.P. Exhibitions (SERV)”. This is certainly a grave anomaly,
which I have brought to the notice of the F.I.P. Commissioner for Maximaphily,
Mr. Nicos Rangos. He writes in his reply, that it does imply, although not
specifically mentioned, that the
cancellation should show the name of the post-office and also the date of cancellation.). It could be ordinary
simple date stamp without any illustration, but it should respect the
concordance of place. For example if a card depicts a personality then the
cancellation may incorporate the birth place, or the region where the deceased
person had worked during his / her life-time, or where he / she died. If it is
a monument, building or a famous painting, then the name of the place where
these are situated or could be found. The cancellation in such cases may show the
nearest possible post-office. In case of pictorial cancellation, the
illustration must have some direct bearing with the illustration on the stamp
and/or on the picture post card, but it is not a “Must”. In any case the name
of the post office is important. The cancellation must have been applied by an
official post office and not by a “private” or “semi-official” post-office. The
cancellation on the stamp must be applied by the post office of the
stamp-issuing country. Nowadays the postal authority booths participating
countries at international philatelic exhibitions not only sell their products,
but also obliterate their stamps with pictorial or normal cancellations with
the logo of the exhibition! This “maximum card” with the card and stamp issued
in a distant country and defaced by a pictorial or normal cancellation of the host
country (i.e. the country where the exhibition is held) can not be regarded as
a maximum card.
The cancellation is considered to be “most
appropriate” when it is applied on the commemoration day of an event or a
person concerned. It is “very good” if the cancellation is applied on the first
day of issue of the stamp, provided it contains the data in concordance with the
picture post card and the stamp affixed to it. It is regarded as “satisfactory”
if the cancellation is applied on some other day, but not too apart from the
day of issue of the stamp. It is “tolerable” if the validity of the stamp
affixed has expired within a few days it had been affixed to the picture post
card and was cancelled. There are several types of cancellations applied by the
post-offices. Of these red meter marks, which are employed by eminent firms for
application on their out-going mail, should not be used on a maximum card,
since such meter marks are not intended for defacing postage stamps.
P.S. Any inquiry or
comments on my article are welcome by letter or by e-mail on the following
address:
- Dr. Avinash B.
Jagtap
Weihermattstrasse 2
CH-4102
Binningen
Switzerland
e -.mail : abjagtap@hotmail.com