Collectible stamps hold a weird place in society. For many, stamps are just a nuisance; no one remembers to buy them and they're always gone just when you need them. For most, it's one of the inconveniences of life, but for many others, it's their hobby. There have been some amazing stamps released throughout the years: superheroes, movies and presidents have all made their way to collectible stamps, and some are worth a fortune. It may not be the biggest community of pop culture devotion in the world, but it still holds its own unique appeal for quite a few people.
One of the newest batches of these collectible stamps may also be one of the best yet. Retro gaming stamps featuring some of the industry's biggest names have just been released for purchase. The stamps are amazing reminders of gaming's past, but there's just one catch: they can only be purchased in Ireland.
The four new stamps, courtesy of the Dublin-based Zinc Design Consultants, feature gaming's heaviest hitters. The first is an image from one of the most influential games in history, Pac-Man, while the second features its arcade competitor, Space Invaders. The third and fourth, however, are arguably the best of the bunch. Sonic the Hedgehog, in all his classic Genesis-era glory, is the subject of the third stamp. Finally, straight from the instruction booklet of Super Mario World comes Mario himself. Considering how much these two characters have changed over the years, it's great to see them back in the forms kids around the world grew up with (plus, it's always great to see a chubby Sonic).
Unfortunately, it seems that there are zero plans to make the stamps available outside of Ireland. Unless American fans plan on paying quite a bit of extra cash to import the items over to the states, it seems that the stamps will stay across the pond for now. If you happen to live in Ireland, a set of four stamps is only going to put you back €2.72, and are available in larger packages if desired.
For Americans, fear not; it's rumored that the United States Postal Service will be releasing a new set of pop culture-inspired stamps throughout the coming years. Some of the country's biggest icons will reportedly be included in the collection, and gaming's most famous plumber will supposedly be among them.
That being said, the USPS hasn't issued any sort of statement on the new collection; for the time being, it seems that Ireland has gotten the better deal.
