Australia was the FIRST country in the world as far as I know, to issue large size annual year books. They started way back in 1981.  Everyone copied them later!  They  are globally popular now.

These large A4 (“Quarto”) sized books contain all the Australian stamps issued in that year, and are placed on sale at year end.  Clear Mylar Hawid mounts are already neatly affixed to each page, so the stamps can be quickly and safely inserted, leaving a beautiful and fascinating stamp product.

For collecting modern issue stamps in the Australian climate these are THE best thing you can buy. Dust, humidity, moisture and insects just do NOT get into the stamps, I have found in my 37 years of buying and selling these books. If I buy an Estate lot where the early year books are stored along with stockbooks and albums, the stamps in the Year Books are mostly in perfect condition after 35 years, and many of the same issues stored right around them have toning/foxing/rust among them.

That is by far the most important point. The heavy SLIPCASES each of these comes supplied in, keeps out dust, and seems to largely keep out the humidity and moisture, that causes foxing. Year Books for the Australian climate are the perfect way to collect modern stamps.

Secondly, the presentation of the stamps and the artwork and detail on the pages, is an absolute credit to Australia Post.  High gloss varnished paper, and double facing pages of info on EVERY stamp issue.  Laden with photos and factual background information.  For collectors with younger children or Grandchildren, this is a goldmine for their education and general knowledge.

The average Australian 12 year old sadly does NOT learn this stuff in school anymore it seems.  Most would not have a clue who George Bass, Murray Rose, Alec Campbell, Edmund Barton, Jessie Vasey, Weary Dunlop, Frederick McCubbin, Roden Cutler, Don Bradman or Lawrence Hargraves were, or even who the British Monarch was when Australia was founded or during WW2.  Sad but true. Teenagers today have ZERO idea of these areas.  

The same youngsters have no idea whatever what a Flannel Flower looks like, what year Western Australia was founded, what the 'Cutty Sark' was, where the 1988 Olympics were held, and when the Snowy Mountains Scheme commenced etc. This is our HISTORY and HERITAGE here, and the schools simply do not teach it anymore it seems clear to me.

The answers to ALL these questions and facts are contained in Year Books. If the Education System does not bother to teach it any more, Grandparents and Parents can do their small bit to educate the next Generation.

Youngsters LIKE looking at these books as they are bright and colourful with lots of photographs. They absorb this knowledge like a sponge.  Anything that can drag them away for 15 minutes from iPhones and iPads, silly on-line games, cellphone text messaging, Facebook, and internet music downloads etc, is a PLUS.

Folks often buy a set of these books right from the birth year of a child or grandchild. They are then an easy present to keep up to date with each ensuing year.  THEN after 20 or 30 years, your gift has turned into an incredibly valuable ASSET they inherit.

As far as 'value for money' - you can't beat these - especially at my prices. Remember you are buying MINT STAMPS here - which is like buying cash in a way.  Look at my prices - for many of the books you are buying them even now - over 30 years since issue, at virtually the PO issue price, like the 1985 book - BEFORE my 27% bulk-buy discount!  All the Mint stamps inside are postally valid in EVERY book - so you can use them on letters and parcels if you wish.  How can you lose?

And children aside, heaps of adults like buying the books, as not only are ALL the stamps in one place so you miss nothing, they are all in good condition, and stay that way. Unlike FDC or packs etc, you do not need to buy expensive albums to house them in. These are fully self-contained, and ready to go neatly on a wardrobe shelf, the moment you buy them.

The Year Books are compact and easy to store - a full set from 1981 fits neatly in a metre or so of bookshelf space. Or store in a box in the garage or spare bedroom even.  As they are in protective slipcases, they are THE easiest stamp product to store, wherever you have space.  And if and when you sell them, you have a saleable and readily traded entity. “Cash”.

The "Leather" (Executive) books are VERY classy.  All have been Black Leather covers with brass corners since first issue in 1986, so they are a fully matched set. Covers are thickly padded and deeply gold inscribed on front and spine and have matching black leather slipcases.  Australia Post charges about $30 more for each one over the regular book, due to high cost of making the genuine Leather covers, (the stamp contents are identical in each year) and almost NO dealer has stock of recent years at any price, from the past 5 years or so.

Many of the books of either type are scarce. The 1988 sold out WAY ahead of time, as it was a popular "Bicentennial" gift for the general public to send to friends and relatives overseas.  Most stamp collectors missed out, and hence the high price.  My keen price is $A95 before any discounts, yet the Seven Seas Stamps colour “ASC” market leading catalogue lists that book as $A210 retail in 2017 Edition.  As you can see, my price is well under HALF retail - before any discounts are deducted.

The 2000 Year Book surprised everyone, by having in it, the Australia “Sydney Olympic Gold Medal Winners” sheetlet of 16.  NO other way could you obtain this sheetlet. Hence my $A120 price - that sheetlet alone retails for $100 in many shops.

I have ALWAYS had the largest stock of PO Stamp Year Books in Australia.  I buy more Deceased Estates than anyone else it seems, and also folks come to me when selling these books, as they know I will buy them.  And I thus MUST sell as cheaply as I can, to MOVE all this stock - or I will drown in it!  Send a link to this page, to anyone you know with a few book gaps - tinyurl.com/AnnualPO

With me you are buying assured QUALITY.  I cannot overemphasise the importance of that.  For starters, 95% of the 1983, 1984, 1986 and 1987 Books on the market are STUFFED.   MOST with inner and outer inside Covers foxed and rusty, and/or “sticky” outers, and not suitable for ANY collection.  I scrap 100s a year of those years alone for postage.  Buy off ebay or gumtree or “friends” who have just ONE of each, and you get their junk.  Kids that have taken them to “show and tell” school sessions, where the pages of books get grubby and stained and gooky etc.  

You pay the same $20 Registered post for a second or third grade copy, as for a good one, and then another $20 to mail the junk back for refund.  And waste an hour, and get raised blood pressure.  A mug’s game.  The average amateur seller cannot see or identify or recognise foxing or rusting - they are quite oblivious to it.  “MY books are SUPERB”.   Yeah, sure.  These folks see these books just ONCE in their lifetime.  I have seen them each day for 40 years!  An experienced dealer is NOT clueless.  I ONLY sell nice books.

Check my '30% Off' discount for 10 year runs - these are GREAT prices as you can see.  Get a massive '50% Off' for buying two runs!  I'd rather make $3 a book profit and sell 10 or 20 at once, than $20 a book and sell just one book. That is where I differ from most dealers.  Also you save a fortune on shipping with carton buys.  One book costs exactly as much to mail, as a 22 book carton within Sydney general area.  You buy more - you pay less.  You do the Maths on that.  Which is why I am in business after 40 years, and most other dealers are not.