"What use are the stamps anymore?" he asked his equally curious friend.
Standing close to them, I could not avoid overhearing his remark.
"The postmarks are the ones that add value to the stamps on this specially-designed envelope," I told the man, showing him the complete First Day Cover (FDC).
"They indicate the date of which the stamps were first issued to the public...that's the thrill of collecting first day covers," I explained.
After some thoughts, the man decided to buy the set of 10 stamps and first day cover from the counter at the Philately Unit at the Kuala Lumpur General Post Office.
"This will be the start of my collection," he said after sticking the stamps on the envelope. He then duly got it stamped with the special postmark.
The latest stamp issue is entitled 'Royal Headgear'. In its accompanying leaflet, Pos Malaysia says the royal headdress 'Tengkolok' is part of the ceremonial attire of the Malay Rulers. For centuries Malay Rulers had been wearing headdress made of woven silk fabric that is shaped into different styles as part of their regalia since the days of the Malay Sultanate. This headdress is also called 'destar' and the style of folding is called 'solek'. The colours of the headdress varies from one state to another.
