Netherlands & Colonies

The first stamps of Netherlands (Holland) appeared in 1852 bearing a portrait of King William III of Orange. Netherlands is notable to stamp collectors for the great number of semi-postal stamps (B) issued to raise money for various worthy causes. As of 2017, Netherlands had issued 770 such stamps. You’ll see this phrase on stamps devoted to helping children: Voor Net Kind (For the Children). Another fun philatelic fact about Netherlands is that, in 1956, it was among the first few countries to issue EUROPA stamps, a popular area of topical collecting. EUROPA stamps are issued jointly each year by various European countries. The stamps have a common design/theme highlighting the commonality of European history and culture.