Philately's the study of stamps and related items. Philately's distinct from stamp collecting which doesn't usually involve the study of stamps. It's possible to be a philatelist without owning any stamps. For instance, the stamps being studied may be very rare or exist only in museums. Origin of the word The word "philately"'s the English version of the French word "philatélie", coined by Georges Herpin in 1864. Herpin stated that stamps had been collected and studied for the last six or… (More on Philately)