DCW Stamps

ISBN Number 1-928729-20-7

Specialist Collector Album:
Cook Islands

by David C. Wilcox

Published: DCW Industries, Inc. (2011), 62 pages

Weight: CD 5 ounces, Printed Pages 26 ounces

Compact Disk:

Printed Pages:

$9.95

$29.95

Publisher's Notes...

This is a gorgeous 62-page album in which you can mount your stamps from the COOK ISLANDS. The album's pages are designed to house all of the stamps issued by the Cook Islands, Aitutaki, Niue and Penrhyn Island from 1892 to 1960, including all of the minor variations listed by Scott. This is the era of classic Cook Islands stamps, which are popular with serious collectors. Best of all, we have included pictures for every stamp in the album to add to its beauty!

The stamps are arranged in the order corresponding to the Scott numbering system. The sizes of the spaces set aside for each stamp have been designed to accommodate standard-size mounts (Showgard, etc.). Consequently, you can use the box sizes to select the proper size mount for the stamp or sheet.

The page format for this album is delineated boxes for stamps with color images and year of issue if the page covers more than one year. Click on the following link to see a page with no stamps mounted.

Cook Islands Page 4: Queen Makea Takua and the Torea
In addition to the pages, the album includes an attractive cover and spine that can be used for a standard three-ring binder with clear plastic covers.

Printed Pages: If you don't want to print the pages from the CD, we print the pages, cover and spine for you on 67 pound, 8.5 x 11 inch white cardstock. We print with a high-resolution printer and all pages are checked carefully for paper defects and to make sure borders are aligned with the page edges (a common problem with standard printers). The net result is a beautiful, high-quality album that will last for many years.

Compact Disk: If you choose to purchase the CD, you will have TOTAL FLEXIBILITY to design your own album. Best of all, you don't have to learn how to use a new software package. If you own and know how to use Microsoft Word, you have everything you need. And you don't have to guess about the size of the stamps you don't own! The stamp sizes in this album are based either on precise measurements from the actual stamps or from careful research.

The CD includes the pages in two formats. For collectors who want to modify and design new pages, the pages are provided as Microsoft Word documents. For collectors who don't care to design new pages and/or don't own Microsoft Word, the pages are provided in PDF format.

In the interest of economy, the computer files provided are designed to create beautiful albums using off-the-shelf materials for binders and pages. The CD contains the pages in PDF format that can be printed on 8.5" x 11" paper. The "Specialist Collector's How-to Guide for Stamp Album Design" supplied on the CD even tells you how to recycle the stamp mounts from your current album.

The Microsoft Word files use straightforward features that require a minimal knowledge of the word processor's commands. A carefully documented how-to guide is provided for the specialist interested in creating new pages and/or modifying the existing pages. Working with the Microsoft Word files, all of the text can be easily modified, stamp sizes can be modified and you can add catalogue numbers from Scott or any other stamp numbering system.

This is one of a series of albums we are designing to cover all of the Pacific islands that comprise Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia.

Click on the following to get a taste of what the album looks like.

Album Cover
Information about Cook Islands
Cook Islands Page 1: Cook Islands Federation stamps
Cook Islands Page 4: Queen Makea Takua and the Torea
Cook Islands Page 4A: Minor varieties included
Cook Islands Page 7: Classic King George V issues
Cook Islands Page 16: A tastefully designed page
Cook Islands Page 19: End of the classic period
Information about Aitutaki
Aitutaki Page 1: Provisional issues of 1903
Aitutaki Page 4: Last issues of the classic era
Information about Penrhyn Island
Penrhyn Island Page 2: Another tastefully designed page
Penrhyn Island Page 4-alt: More minor varieties
Information about Niue
Niue Page 3-alt: Classic issues including minor varieties
Niue Page 5: New Zealand Postal-Fiscal Overprints
Niue Page 8: Scenes and History 1932
Niue Page 14: Scenes and History 1950