Collector Puts Heart and Soul Into Postal Museum

"With the art of letter-writing seemingly consigned to the dustbin of history by global internet usage, you could be forgiven for thinking that the sound of the death knell for stamp-collecting cannot be far behind.But for philatelist and director of the Cyprus Postal Musuem Ploutis Loizou, nothing is further from the truth," writes reporter Zoe Christodoulides on the Cyprus Mail website.

According to Christodoulides, "Loizou has put his life and soul into making the museum an alluring place ever since it fell under his auspices in 2004. Originally set up at a different down town location in 1981, it took a lot of work to get the new space organised when Loizou took over. But it was a labour of love for Loizou who has collected stamps ever since he was a young boy when relatives in Africa would send letters back home."

About the Cyprus Postal Museum, Wikipedia says, "Situated within the walled city of Lefkosia (Nicosia), this museum is home to an exhibition dedicated to the development of postal services in Cyprus and a collection of Cyprus stamps from the 18th century onwards considered as some of the best in international philately."

Shown above, Ploutis Loizou looking a sheet of ‘Penny Reds’ overprinted with “Cyprus”. Dating back to 1880, it’s the first official stamp to have ever circulated in the country, issued by the British shortly after their arrival on the island in 1878 according to the article.

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