Blocks, a separate collection area, or a separate collection area?
A postage stamp is primarily a means of franking a piece of mail so that it can be transported and delivered by the postal service. However, many postal administrations, if not all, certainly regard the postage stamp as a collector's item. Not for themselves, of course, but for the stamp collector. To make the stamp even more attractive as a collector's item, it was provided with a beautiful wide border, a kind of picture frame, on which all kinds of information could be printed. I took a look at what was issued in this area in Western Europe before the Second World War, so up to and including 1939.
And it can soon be concluded that many blocks were issued to 'please' the collector, namely for all kinds of stamp exhibitions, both national and international. It is then possible to compile a nice list:
Belgium 1924, Brussels exhibition, 4 stamps of 5 francs Belgium 1930, Antwerp exhibition, 4+6 francs Belgium 1931, Brussels exhibition, 2,45+0,55 francs
Belgium 1935, SITEB exhibition, 5+5 francs Belgium 1936, Borghout exhibition, 0,70+0,30 francs Belgium 1936, Charleroi exhibition, 2,45+0,55 francs Belgium 1937, Queen Elisabeth Music Fund, 2 x 1,50+2,50 francs and 2 x 2,45+3,55 francs Belgium 1938, Yser Memorial to King Albert, 2,45+7,55 francs (!) Belgium 1938, Koekelberg, 5+5 francs Danzig 1937, exhibition, two blocks with 50 Pf Danzig 1937, product exhibition, 2 stamps 25 Pf and 40 Pf, selling price 1,50 Guilders Germany 1930, Berlin exhibition, 4 stamps of different values, total 98 Pf + 59 Pf Germany 1933, 10 years of Emergency Relief, 4 stamps of various values, total 85 Pf + 2,55 Mk Germany 1935, Königsberg Exhibition, 4 stamps of various values, total 46 Pf, selling price 1,70 Mk Germany 1936, Munich Belt, 42 Pf + 108 Pf (!) Germany 1936, Olympic Games, 4 stamps of various values, total 53 Pf + 44 Pf Germany 1936, Olympic Games, 4 stamps of various values, total 50 Pf + 35 Pf Germany 1937, Hitler's Birthday, 4 x 6+19 Pf, total 24 Pf + 46 Pf Germany 1937, Cultural Purposes, 4 x 6+19 Pf, total 24 Pf + 46 Pf + extra 100 Pf (!) Germany 1937, Munich Riem, 42 Pf + 108 Pf (!) France 1925, Paris exhibition, 4 stamps of 5 francs France 1927, Strasbourg exhibition, 1 stamp 5 franc, 1 stamp 10 franc + 5 francs extra France 1937, Paris exhibition, 4 stamps total 1 franc + 4 francs extra Iceland 1937, Government Jubilee King Christian, 15, 25 and 50 aura Iceland 1938, Day of Leifr Eiricsson, 30, 40 and 60 aura Yugoslavia 1937, Belgrade exhibition, 4 stamps of various values, 8,50 din.
Liechtenstein 1934, Vaduz exhibition, 5 francs Liechtenstein 1936, Vaduz exhibition, 2 x 2 stamps of different values, total 1 franc + 1 franc Liechtenstein 1938, Vaduz exhibition, 4 stamps of 50 rappen, 2 francs Luxembourg 1923, Birth of Princess Elisabeth, 10 francs in 2 versions Luxembourg 1937, Dudelange exhibition, 2 x 2 francs Luxembourg 1939, Grand Duchess's Jubilee, 2 francs + 3 francs + 5 francs Monaco 1938, National Day, 10 francs Austria 1933, Vienna exhibition, 50 + 50 grosschen together with entry ticket San Marino 1937, Independence Column, 5 lire San Marino 1938, Abraham Lincoln, two blocks, 1 x 3 lire and 1 x 5 lire Spain 1937, Toledo block, two blocks with stamps of 2+2 Ptas Spain 1938, Historic buildings, 4 stamps of various values, total 2 Ptas+2 Ptas Spain 1938, Army and Navy, block with 20 stamps of various values, total 1 Pta, sale 4 Ptas Spain 1938, Battle of Lepanto, four blocks with stamps of various values, total 1,60 Ptas+20 Ptas (!) Spain 1938, Defense of Madrid, 45 cs + 2 Ptas Spain 1938, Defense of Madrid, 45 cs + 2 Ptas and overprint 5 Ptas (!) Spain 1938, Statue of Liberty and American flag, 1 Pta Spain 1938, Statue of Liberty and American flag, 1 Pta and overprint 5 Ptas (!) Spain 1938, Submarine mail, 3 stamps of various values, total 25 Ptas Spain 1938, Defense of Madrid, 4 stamps of 45cs + 2 Ptas with overprint over 4 stamps Switzerland 1934, Zurich Exhibition, 4 stamps of various values, 1,50 fr together with entrance ticket Switzerland 1936, Pro Patria, 3 stamps of various values, total 60c + 25c selling price 2 francs Switzerland 1937, Pro Juventute, 2 stamps of various values, total 50c + 15c selling price 1 franc Switzerland 1938, Aarau Exhibition, 3 stamps together 50c together with entrance ticket 1,50 francs
Still an impressive list. Spain, in particular, topped it all with 17 blocks. Or is the sheet with 20 different stamps not a block but a sheet? In that case, there are 16. That immediately raises the question: what is the definition of a block and a sheet? Is a sales unit of a small sheet of 10 a sheet or a block? In any case, it is clear that the—let's just call them—'commemorative blocks' have taken off since their introduction around 1923 or 1924.
And it can soon be concluded that many blocks were issued to 'please' the collector, namely for all kinds of stamp exhibitions, both national and international. It is then possible to compile a nice list:
Belgium 1924, Brussels exhibition, 4 stamps of 5 francs Belgium 1930, Antwerp exhibition, 4+6 francs Belgium 1931, Brussels exhibition, 2,45+0,55 francs
Belgium 1935, SITEB exhibition, 5+5 francs Belgium 1936, Borghout exhibition, 0,70+0,30 francs Belgium 1936, Charleroi exhibition, 2,45+0,55 francs Belgium 1937, Queen Elisabeth Music Fund, 2 x 1,50+2,50 francs and 2 x 2,45+3,55 francs Belgium 1938, Yser Memorial to King Albert, 2,45+7,55 francs (!) Belgium 1938, Koekelberg, 5+5 francs Danzig 1937, exhibition, two blocks with 50 Pf Danzig 1937, product exhibition, 2 stamps 25 Pf and 40 Pf, selling price 1,50 Guilders Germany 1930, Berlin exhibition, 4 stamps of different values, total 98 Pf + 59 Pf Germany 1933, 10 years of Emergency Relief, 4 stamps of various values, total 85 Pf + 2,55 Mk Germany 1935, Königsberg Exhibition, 4 stamps of various values, total 46 Pf, selling price 1,70 Mk Germany 1936, Munich Belt, 42 Pf + 108 Pf (!) Germany 1936, Olympic Games, 4 stamps of various values, total 53 Pf + 44 Pf Germany 1936, Olympic Games, 4 stamps of various values, total 50 Pf + 35 Pf Germany 1937, Hitler's Birthday, 4 x 6+19 Pf, total 24 Pf + 46 Pf Germany 1937, Cultural Purposes, 4 x 6+19 Pf, total 24 Pf + 46 Pf + extra 100 Pf (!) Germany 1937, Munich Riem, 42 Pf + 108 Pf (!) France 1925, Paris exhibition, 4 stamps of 5 francs France 1927, Strasbourg exhibition, 1 stamp 5 franc, 1 stamp 10 franc + 5 francs extra France 1937, Paris exhibition, 4 stamps total 1 franc + 4 francs extra Iceland 1937, Government Jubilee King Christian, 15, 25 and 50 aura Iceland 1938, Day of Leifr Eiricsson, 30, 40 and 60 aura Yugoslavia 1937, Belgrade exhibition, 4 stamps of various values, 8,50 din.
Liechtenstein 1934, Vaduz exhibition, 5 francs Liechtenstein 1936, Vaduz exhibition, 2 x 2 stamps of different values, total 1 franc + 1 franc Liechtenstein 1938, Vaduz exhibition, 4 stamps of 50 rappen, 2 francs Luxembourg 1923, Birth of Princess Elisabeth, 10 francs in 2 versions Luxembourg 1937, Dudelange exhibition, 2 x 2 francs Luxembourg 1939, Grand Duchess's Jubilee, 2 francs + 3 francs + 5 francs Monaco 1938, National Day, 10 francs Austria 1933, Vienna exhibition, 50 + 50 grosschen together with entry ticket San Marino 1937, Independence Column, 5 lire San Marino 1938, Abraham Lincoln, two blocks, 1 x 3 lire and 1 x 5 lire Spain 1937, Toledo block, two blocks with stamps of 2+2 Ptas Spain 1938, Historic buildings, 4 stamps of various values, total 2 Ptas+2 Ptas Spain 1938, Army and Navy, block with 20 stamps of various values, total 1 Pta, sale 4 Ptas Spain 1938, Battle of Lepanto, four blocks with stamps of various values, total 1,60 Ptas+20 Ptas (!) Spain 1938, Defense of Madrid, 45 cs + 2 Ptas Spain 1938, Defense of Madrid, 45 cs + 2 Ptas and overprint 5 Ptas (!) Spain 1938, Statue of Liberty and American flag, 1 Pta Spain 1938, Statue of Liberty and American flag, 1 Pta and overprint 5 Ptas (!) Spain 1938, Submarine mail, 3 stamps of various values, total 25 Ptas Spain 1938, Defense of Madrid, 4 stamps of 45cs + 2 Ptas with overprint over 4 stamps Switzerland 1934, Zurich Exhibition, 4 stamps of various values, 1,50 fr together with entrance ticket Switzerland 1936, Pro Patria, 3 stamps of various values, total 60c + 25c selling price 2 francs Switzerland 1937, Pro Juventute, 2 stamps of various values, total 50c + 15c selling price 1 franc Switzerland 1938, Aarau Exhibition, 3 stamps together 50c together with entrance ticket 1,50 francs
Still an impressive list. Spain, in particular, topped it all with 17 blocks. Or is the sheet with 20 different stamps not a block but a sheet? In that case, there are 16. That immediately raises the question: what is the definition of a block and a sheet? Is a sales unit of a small sheet of 10 a sheet or a block? In any case, it is clear that the—let's just call them—'commemorative blocks' have taken off since their introduction around 1923 or 1924. 
Nowadays, I believe Spain issues an Exfilna block with one stamp annually (National Philatelic Exhibition).
The place where the Exfilna is held is also immediately put in the spotlight.
2006: Algeciras
2007: Palma de Mallorca
2008: Oviedo
http://www.correos.es/comun/filatelia/2008/0450_08-seleccionaSello.asp?IdSello=5042008
'@Cees
If it is sold as a whole – so not each stamp separately – it is a block [sold 'en bloc']; if the stamps could be sold individually, it is a sheet [with a lower limit for a sheet of: 25?].
You wrote 'sales unit' yourself, so then it is all about 'blocks'….
It was a huge craze with separate catalogues for blocks [Sieger] in the late 30s.
As far as Spain is concerned, the parties played a major role in the civil war. So you have to split the number!
With all the Spanish Civil War “sheets,” the term “block” is indeed used. However, this involves about 50 stamps per “block.” I have no problem with the designation “block” for a sheet containing multiple stamps. But then perhaps the single-stamp sheets, like those from the Exfilna, would be better called a “sheet”?
‘@Dolores
I see more of an alternative in the Flemish “blaadje”, which I regularly hear being used in Belgian post offices…. 🙂
Little leaf… now that’s a beautiful one-dimensional term!
If it is sold as a whole – so not each stamp separately – it is a block [sold 'en bloc']; if the stamps could be sold individually, it is a sheet [with a lower limit for a sheet of 25?].
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Then nowadays the Netherlands issues virtually only blocks.
‘@Jan
You're right about the blocks that NL is issuing! Also, some rolls and sheets of 50 in folded condition….
The only sheets we have had in the last 50 years were those from Amphilex 1967!
Hello
I started a separate block collection of Belgium last year. You can view my wishlist, along with images of the blocks, at http://www.stampsonweb.nl/blocks.html . I hope you find it useful!
Greetings
Stef