Famous Bicycle Stamps
Coolgardie Cycle Express Company – a private courier in competition with the camel. On your bike! Report by Ken Lewis, published in the Stamp Magazine / July 2012 (pages 66 – 68)
Lake Lefroy - Goldfield, Western Australia - Cycle Mail
Operated for 3 months in early 1897 - 1000 stamps printed in very poor quality – approx. 60 stamps (no covers) known, nevertheless rare because of all the bird stamps collectors - not listed in Stanley Gibbons, Scott, … only made for stamp collectors(?)
Big prices for Australian ‘Locals’ - The Glen Stephens (monthly), March 2005
The Lake Lefroy Stamp - by John Wilson, 1943 – Bicycle Stamps, no. 44, August 2003, pages 24-26
Western Australia's Lake Lefroy Goldfield 6d Stamp, 1897 - by Brian Sole, 2014 – Bicycle Stamps, no. 78, September 2014, pages 33-38
The History of the Goldfields Cycle Express - by Gary Cowans - Outback Family History (blog)
The Cycle Express Companies in the Goldfields - Telegrams in Australia: 1854-1988
Eye-friendly presentation of the above images of all known exemplars. Is your copy not included? - Then please, please send a scan to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Drammens Expresbureau - Bypost Norway
Fresno and San Francisco Bicycle Mail Route
La poste cycliste de Fresno à San Francisco - juillet 1894 part I - (french) by Jean-Pierre Mangin et René Geslin, published by Philatélie Québec (FQP) in Philatelie Quebec Revue no 133, December 1988 : pages 22-25
La poste cycliste de Fresno à San Francisco - juillet 1894 part II - (french) by Jean-Pierre Mangin et René Geslin, published by Philatélie Québec (FQP) in Philatelie Quebec Revue no 134, January 1989 : pages 30-32
The Fresno and San Francisco Bicycle Mail of 1894 by Richard C. Frajola
Farrell Collection: Bicycle Mail Route made available by Carriers and Locals Society (Pennypost) as reference for collectors and dealers.
Mysterious Bicycle Stamp Indian labels for boxes of bicycle pedals??? Who knows?
Postes Moulins operated in Timaru/New Zealand from 1968 to 1969. (chat on stampboards.com – user "Panterra" = Bruce Henderson)
Concord Bicycle Co. - Public Messenger Service - This company operated a Public Messenger Service in Concord New Hampshire in the years 1895 to … 1887(?) – managed by F. H. Crapo. Big size, deplorable condition and rough crayon(?) cancellation indicate that these stamps were probably used for the transport of parcels. This assumption is supported by the fact, that no covers with these stamps were ever found. 
The Concord Bicycle Stamp Article from Gordon Stimmell published in THE PENNY POST Vol. 4, No. 2 in April 1994 (Excerpt with the friendly permission of the Carriers and Locals Society.) ---
Find Item No. 8? - The Editor's Desk Foreword from Gordon Stimmell published in THE PENNY POST Vol. 5, No. 2 in April 1995 (Excerpt with the friendly permission of the Carriers and Locals Society.)
Find Item No. 9 - Letters to the Editor Foreword from Gordon Stimmell published in THE PENNY POST Vol. 6, No. 2 in April 1996 (Excerpt with the friendly permission of the Carriers and Locals Society.)
Find Item No. 10 - The Mysterious World of Locals Article from Gordon Stimmell published in THE PENNY POST Vol. 7, No. 1 in January 1997 (Excerpt with the friendly permission of the Carriers and Locals Society.)
Farrell Collection: Concord Bicycle Co. made available by Carriers and Locals Society (Pennypost) as reference for collectors and dealers.
Articles - bicycle stamps collecting
Cycle and Motorcycle Manufacturers - Great Britain perfins (English) by Roy Gault, published by “The Perfin Society” in the December 2009 society bulletin.
The Story behind the Stamp - Quer durch Deutschland 1949 - Across Germany by Thomas Matthies, 2017; don't miss this YouTube video
The Story behind the Stamp - Max Ludwig by Thomas Matthies, 2018; continuation of Quer durch Deutschland 1949
Aristocracia Filatélica y Economía Temática (Spanish) by Jordi Quintana published in La Lupa/Un blog de Filatelia Temática; February 2018
Une histoire du vélocipède (French) by Albán Andreu published in Timbres magazine; July/August 2011, page 72-75
Freiheit auf zwei Rädern (German) published in postfrisch, das Philatelie Journal, 4/2017, page 4 – 7
La Bicicleta Cumple 200 Anos The bicycle is 200 years old (Spanish) by Jordi Quintana, published in EL ECO; July-August 2017, page 31-32
200 anys en bicicleta (1817-2017) 200 Years on Bicycle (Catalan) by Jordi Quintana, published in Finusgab Journal
Schneller als die Kutsche Faster than the Coach (German) by Torsten Berndt, published by Schaper Philatelie-Verlag/Alfeld in DEUTSCHE BRIEFMARKEN-ZEITUNG (DBZ); 14/2017, page 18-22
Fortschritt auf zwei Rädern Progress on two Wheels (German) by Dieter Heinrich, published by Philapress/Göttingen in BRIEFMARKEN SPIEGEL (BMS); 7/2017, page 32-34
Impot sur les vélocipèdes - tax stamps in France during the years 1943–1948 (german) by Hans-Werner Salzmann, published in the April 2018 edition of “philatelie” – the member’s magazine of BDPh (Bund Deutscher Philatelisten e.V.)
La Taxe sur les Vélocipèdes - French tax on bicycles during the years 1892–1958 (french) by Daniel Spano président de la SFPF (Société française de philatélie fiscale), published in the delcampe magazin no. 21 (May/June 2018), pages 42 - 51.
Le Tour de France en philatélie - published in the delcampe magazin no. 14 (July/August 2017), pages 22 - 27.
Les entiers de la poste pneumatique de Paris – 1ère partie - French postal stationeries delivered by pneumatic tube system in Paris during the years 1879-1901 (french) by Hervé Barbelin, published in the delcampe magazin no. 21 (May/June 2018), pages 14 - 24. In 1902 the service was extended to the suburbs of Paris – where cyclists delivered the mail outside the pneumatic tube system.
Les entiers de la poste pneumatique de Paris – 2ème partie - French postal stationeries delivered by pneumatic tube system in Paris during the years 1880-1896 (french) by Hervé Barbelin, published in the delcampe magazin no. 22 (July/August 2018), pages 32 - 42. In 1902 the service was extended to the suburbs of Paris – where cyclists delivered the mail outside the pneumatic tube system.
Das Unternehmen Albion - field post of cyclists troops (german) by Hans-Werner Salzmann, published in “philatelie” – the member’s magazine of BDPh (Bund Deutscher Philatelisten e.V.).
Théodore: champion cycliste - by Thomas Matthies; 1st February 2018; see also Théodore Champion, cyclisme et philatéliste (Régent Roy, 2006)
Théodore Champion, cyclisme et philatéliste - (french) by Régent Roy, published in 'Spécial, vélos sur timbres' (chapter 'L’art, la philatélie et la bicyclette', page 50 and 51). This magazine was published by Philatélie Québec (FQP) in 2006 as part of the 6th Montreal bicycle expodium (6e Vélo Expodium de Montréal)
La bicyclette, et une très grand championne – Diane Roy - (french) by Régent Roy, published in “Spécial cyclisme” (page 4 - 8). This magazine was published by Philatélie Québec (FQP) in 2006 as part of the 'Salon du livre de l’Estrie' in Sherbrooke/Canada
Bicyclette et Cyclisme – première partie - (french) by Régent Roy, published in 'Spécial cyclisme' (page 9 - 22). This magazine was published by Philatélie Québec (FQP) in 2006 as part of the 'Salon du livre de l’Estrie' in Sherbrooke/Canada. First published in Philatelie Quebec Revue no 254, May-June 2005, centerfold : pages A-P
Bicyclette et Cyclisme – chronique no. 2 - (french) by Régent Roy, published by Philatélie Québec (FQP) in Philatelie Quebec Revue no 255, July-August 2005 : pages 37-42
Une belle et grande initiative au 'coeur' du Québec - (french) by Régent Roy, published by Philatélie Québec (FQP) in Philatelie Quebec Revue no 253, March-April 2005 : pages 26-27
Spécial vélos sur timbres - (french) by Régent Roy, published by Philatélie Québec (FQP) in 2008 on the occasion of '6e Salon Vélo Expodium' in Montréal/Canada). A complete book with 68 pages. In 19 chapters topics such as history, sports, toys, tandems, Canadian stamps, traffic safety, postal service, professional use, personalized stamps, philately, Théodore Champion, ... are dealt with. Great compliment!
Club for motorcycle stamp collectors
MFN - Motor Filatelisten Nederland (NL) The Dutch Motorcycle Philatelists Club was founded in 1987 and has about 90 members (2017). The little difference to the theme of this website is, that their bicycles have an auxiliary drive. Many articles in their quarterly newspaper are also relevant for collectors of “big bike”.
Collectors
Jan van Tellingen: In the Netherlands they called im "fietslatelist": Cyclist, bicycle stamps collector from the early 1980's until 2016 and designer of several Dutch personalized stamps. Nowadays he only collects bicycle miniatures
but in former times wrote more than 60 articles concerning bicycle stamps! - for example: De fiets in de Nederlandse filatelie
Piet Hein Hilarides: The Fietsfilatelist from the Netherlands - author of various bicycle stamps catalogs.
Steve Malone: Author of the catalog/checklist "Illustrated Bikes on Stamps"
Norman Batho: Norman Batho was a founding member of the Bicycle Stamps Club and probably one of the most dedicated bicycle stamp collectors - not only in collecting, but also in research work. This is evidenced by the 45 entries of his name in the BS magazine index. In 2004, he was made the first honorary member of the club.
Boards/Forums
Stamp Community Forum: „Bicycles on Stamps...“ - nice album of bicycle stamp
PhilaSeiten Forum: "Motiv Fahrrad" - morsels from philatelists - it seems as if most of them are not bicycle stamps collectors (German)
Short Links: Bicycle Stamps
EUROPA stamps 2016 - Ecology in Europe/Think Green - blog with usefull links to European postal administrations
Edward du Muench - "Big is Better, but Small is the Way to go" - bicycle stamps and other stuff
Stained Glass Window Film - foil for privacy or decorative purposes
Steve Malone - "The Tagteam Cycling Adventures of Steve & Alea" - author of Illustrated Bikes on Stamps
Vojtech Jankovičs want list - you can certainly help him
Rich cycling year in Slovak philately - Vojtech Jankovič
Rare Ecuadorian FDC - 50 Years Ecuadorian Army Signals (2012) by Hans de Kloet (Dutch Motorcycle Philatelists/MFN)
Private postcards from François Faber - most of them describing stages of the Tour de France 1909 – sent to his girlfriend Adèle Hiernaux
Antoni Miró paintings I - beware of his faked “postal stationeries” - see picture no. 1
Antoni Miró paintings II - Peter Küstermann / Salvador Espriu “Die Fahrräder des Antonio Miro”
Peterspost - private Russian postal service - on sale at Schaubek
Peterspost - private Russian postal service - Think Green 2016 issue RE20330 most likely no cinderella???
Errors on RE19166 - by John Hotchner - Linn's Stamp News 11.09.2006
Fahrräder auf Briefmarken - by Uli Feick (Berlin) published in Der Knochenschüttler (1/2013, Heft 55, pages 19 – 21, ISSN 1430-2543)
Quer durch Deutschland 1949 rare FDC - by Albert Vogel published in postfrisch, das Philatelie Journal, 3/2019, page 11
Cycling stamps - Christer Brunström presents a range of postage stamps featuring bikes and cycling
Cycling and Philately - Exhibition in Mamer/Luxembourg, Oct. 2017
Tour de Trump – Tour Du Pont - by Pasquale POLO
Sheridan Tandem Bicycle - Two Wheels in One
Australian Stationery (RE25184) - sold for GBP 2,350.12 on ebay
Fietspostzegels PostNL 2020 - (choose your language in the upper right corner) - don't miss the big one: RE26084
With the eyes of a designer - Tomoko Azumi / London
J-Rad - designed by Paul Jaray - Armin Lindegger
Bicycle Crash Mail - by John Davis, published in BTA Themescene 118 - March 2015
The Semi-Official Postal Cards of Huygens Bookshop (Olympic Games 1928) - by Laurentz Jonker (RE16686)
100 years of World Cycling Championships (1921 – 2021) - by Randy Koo
Everything turns yellow in the 106th Tour de France- by Randy Koo
The 107th Tour de France 2020 corona edition - by Randy Koo
The 108th Tour de France 2021: promotion for the French regions - by Randy Koo
The 109th Tour de France 2022 starts in Denmark - by Randy Koo
The 109th Tour de France 2022 from Dunkirk to Paris - by Randy Koo
The 110th Tour de France 2023: around Clermont-Ferrand - by Randy Koo
The 111th Tour de France 2024 starts in Italy - by Randy Koo
The history of the Tour de France Femmes - by Randy Koo
World Bicycle Day on June 3, 2023 - by Randy Koo
Bicycle Helmet Day on April 10, 2024 - by Randy Koo (Please note: the Rosenbauer heroes-titan helmet is designed exclusively for firefighters.)
Vuelta 2022 starts in Utrecht - by Randy Koo
La bicyclette verte (collection sur le cyclotourisme) - by Sylvie Morillon / Yvelines
Le vélo à travers les ages et dans le monde - 2023 - by Dr. Henri Aronis
De geschiedenis van de fiets - by Edzo Paap
New Zealand Stamp Booklets - by Bruce Sergent – reprints of RE17517 (pages 222-224) and of RE29050 (pages 259-260) – The complete book is available for free download.
Correo en bicicleta hasta 1915 presented by Eduardo Scardino via The Digital Philatelist (Mi Oficina Philatelic Society) - June 2022
supplement pdf-file
Eclectic Philatelist: Bicycles on Stamps:
Short Links: Bicycles in General
World Naked Bike Ride - London 2017
We love cycling - picture collection on Pinterest
List of bicycle brands and manufacturers - Wikipedia
Bicycle - Wikipedia
Online Bicycle Museum - by Colin Kirsch
Bicycle face - a 19th-century health problem made up to scare women away from biking - by Joseph Stromberg - 2015
How bicycles boosted the women's rights movement - by Dean Peterson - 2017
Cyclists - not drivers - fought to pave US roads - by Joseph Stromberg - 2015
bike lanes - Los Angeles in 1900 - by Joseph Stromberg - 2015
Bike for Dad - Thousands of bicycle riders honor Thai king compare sheet RE19827
Elvis and his bikes - e.g. red Schwinn Racer with guitar-shaped shield - 1957
Cycling World Championships - Innsbruck 2018 - Gerhard Thomann
Yesterday’s Tour de France - by Héloïse Dautricourt on delcampe blog
Riding down the steps of the United States Capitol with the American Star - by Matthew B. Gilmore, published in TheInTowner on June 26th 2018
Chain reaction! - cycling through time with help from poster cards - by Malcolm Luty, published in Picture Postcard Magazine, April 2020
How bicycles transformed our world - by Roff Smith, published in National Geographic
Subida à Glória - Lissabon - a short uphill road race
Houten - Cycling City 2018 - where cycling truly is king
Bicycle: The History - by David V. Herlihy, 2004
BICYCLE playing cards - poduced by Russell and Morgan Printing Company and United States Playing Card Company - by Joseph Pierson
Velocipedia - draw me a men’s bicycle - by GianlucaGimini
Mudguard figures - photo album on flicr - by Harald Oertzen
Vintage Bicycle Blog - eclectic mix of vintage and classic bicycle related subjects - by Tim Dawson
Bicycle aerodynamics - history, state-of-the-art and future perspectives - by Fabio Malizia and Bert Blocken, May 2020
The Flying Bicycle on post cards - by Héloïse Dautricourt - delcampe magazine no. 49, pages 36-37
Cyclors = cycling sailors
and here is the postage stamp from New Zealand that goes with it: RE28523
Mountain bike downhill race in Les 2 Alpes / France - 2019
from 3600 m down to 1400 m
Virtual Exhibits
DE LA DRASIENNE A NOS JOURS Raymond See (meter stamp „D-Rad“ - only produced motor cycles)
Attraverso “I colori dell’iride” Pasquale Polo: Through "The colors of the rainbow"
Two wheels is life Pasquale Polo --- be patient (website is loading extreme slowly) and scroll down a little bit
Champions and Cycling Races Pasquale Polo --- Maxicards / Maximaphily shown in the Open Class
Go by Cycle Brian Sole --- Frame 1, Frame 2, Frame 3, Frame 4, Frame 5, Frame 6, Frame 7, Frame 8
The Mafeking Blues 1900 Panayotis D. Cangelaris; Sgt Major Warner Goodyear with bicycle see page 6 ff
CYCLING AS A SPORT René Geslin, co-author of the book "Le Cycle et la Poste", participated in many exhibitions. The exhibit "Cycling as Sport" was sold for 5500 € at the auction house Christoph Gärtner/Germany in February 2017.
WORLDS OF PEDALS Vojtech Jankovič --- Be careful! Don’t drink too much of his Radierwasser (page 41) – choose Hirter Radler!
Die Tour de France Armin Rühl, exhibit in the open class, many envelopes/cancellations and description of remarkable episodes - heroes/tragedies/fraud (German)
The Fresno and San Francisco Bicycle Mail of 1894 The Leonard Hartmann Collection *** WOW ***
With the bicycle to the front - Field post of German cyclist troops 1939-1945 (WW II) (DE) Hans-Werner Salzmann (Mit dem Fahrrad an die Front - Feldpost der Radfahrertruppen 1939-1945). Highly awarded (multiple gold to R I) exhibition collection. Content: implementation of the bicycle troops, structure and participants, letters with unit information and field post numbers of the Wehrmacht. Sold by auction house Christoph Gärtner/Germany in February 2018 for 4200 €.
STORY OF THE NON-POLLUTING TWO WHEELER Inge Johansen. Sold by Christoph Gärtner/Germany in February 2019 for 3300 € (without chapter 4.1 Army in War).
La cursa de la paz The Peace Race - Jordi Quintana (Spanish)
Un tomb en bicicleta A Tomb on a Bicycle - Jordi Quintana (Spanish)
Cycling: The Epic of Sport - Jordi Quintana. Did Singer Bicycles (see page 6) ever produce sewing machines?
Exhibition «Le Tour de France par le timbre» by Bernard Gens in Pacy sur Eure (France), 12 – 13 July 2018
El CARTERO EN BICICLETA – Correos locales, privados y oficiales hasta 1915 - Eduardo José Scardino (Argentina), shown on the virtual Exhibition EXPOFAEF – JUVENEX 2020 in the category “1-frame”
Exhibition/Collection From the Draisine to the mountain bike «Vom Laufrad zum Mountainbike» - unknown collector from Minden/Germany
Check list
The check list is based on the Microsoft program Excel. In the example/abstract below all bicycle stamps from the United Kingdom are listed. By clicking on the picture below the Excel file “check list GB stamps.xls” will be downloaded to your computer (check the download-directory on your computer afterwards).
The Excel file has no restrictions - so you may save it on your computer and make changes as you like – for example personal remarks such as “already in my collection”, “wanted”, …. In column “L” you find buttons (see red arrow) leading you to the corresponding picture in the online catalog (check your connection to the internet before using). For more details press the right button in column “N” – for this feature you have to be logged in (if not registered yet please send a request for free registration to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).
If you don’t use a spreadsheet program like Excel you can download the printable pdf-version: Check-list UK - 2020
Catalogs
Illustrated Bikes on Stamps by Steve Malone published in 1995, a catalog with over 2000 entries.
Check List by Norman Batho (1999)
LastDodo (chapter: motifs bycicles) - over 2000 bicycle stamps listed, own numbering system.
fietsvrouwtje - virtual collection on LastDodo – including personalized stamps.
PostBeeld - (chapter: Timbres du thème Bicyclettes, Coureurs Etc.) – shop: only complete sets offered - compare prices before buying.
colnect - advanced database function with many details (catalog codes, perforation, printing size, print run …….) and search function, personal lists (collection, swap, wish), large collector community, connects collectors
StampWorld: world stamp catalog - free of charge (registration after a trial period required) - quite up-to-date, but sometimes not totally complete - own numbering-system
Catalog of personalized stamps from Belgium - by an unknown member of the ‘Werkgroep MDG‘ (MDG = media-, duo- and personalized stamps)
veikkos-archiv - catalog of German poster stamps: bicycle poster stamps are found in different groupings: group I --- group II --- group III . Try out which group you like best. There seem to be several duplicates.
International Postage Meter Stamp Catalog - WIKIBOOKS
Useful Stamp Collecting Links
Local Posts of the World Includes Cinderellas & Bogus Local Posts
Stamp Issuing Entities List David A. Wyatt --- compilation
Stamp Issuing Entities Of The World Linn's --- compilation
Fight Against Prohibited Stamp Issues PWO – for example Stamperija
Postal Administrations Links (Wikipedia)
Postal Administrations Mail and email addresses (Linn's)
stampCircuit Platform for Stamp Auctioneers and Dealers
PhilaSearch Platform for Stamp Auctioneers and Dealers
StampAuctionNetwork Platform for Stamp Auctioneers and Dealers
A - N and O - Z Compendium PHILATELIC TERMS
Licensing of Olympic stamps from 2016 and after (Sports Philatelists International - SPI) – this affects printers like stamperija
Printers / Agencies
stamperija / stampera "Official" agency and printer for round about 35 countries (2017) – such as CENTRAL AFRICAN REP., COMOROS, GUINEA-BISSAU, RWANDA, SIERRA LEONE, … Selling their printed matter in the shop STAMPERA since 2021.
IGPC Inter-Governmental Philatelic Corporation offers Government Services such as market research, stamp design, stamp production, advertising and promotion, sales.
PCI Philatelic Collector Inc. (New York USA) produces and offers the government standard postage stamps for all of the Cook Islands – including Aitutaki, Penrhyn, and Rarotonga.
Backlinks (link compilations, dealers, ....)
David Saks Collecting and philatelic links
Start.Be - postzegels Please check categorie "Thema's"
Avion Thematics Largest thematic stamp dealer in Europe (UK)
Wildlife camera videos in the city
Marten - hunting mice: 1
Marten - at abandoned wasp nest: 12
Squirrel - at feeder: 1
Squirrel - at feeder - closeup from front: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 - bird "attack"
Squirrel - at feeder - walnut tied: 1 2
Squirrel - at bird feeder - balancing on pole: 1 2 3 4 5 6 - flap of wings 7
Squirrel - at bird feeder - climbing up the ribbon: 1
Squirrel - chased by cat - escaped: 1
Sparrows - bathing in sand: 1 2 3
Raccoon - at abandoned wasp nest: 1
Raccoon - ringing the wind chime: 1
Raccoon - at fat ball mounted with wire: 1 2 3
Raccoon - these two are probably not friends: 1 2
Blackbird - snacking on the blueberry bush: 1
Blackbird - at apple: AM 9:28 PM 2:27 PM 4:27
Blackbird / mouse – biological slug pellets as nutritional supplement: 1 2
Earwigs eat dahlias for dinner: 1