 The National Philatelic Collection is among the world's largest and most valuable stamp collections and, along with the Postmaster General's Philatelic Collection, is one of two stamp collections owned by the United States.Established in 1886, the first piece in the National Philatelic Collection was a sheet of Confederate States stamps.The collection was subsequently expanded through the transfer of stamps from the United States Post Office Department and United States Postal Service, gifts from foreign governments, bequests from private stamp collectors, and the direct purchase of rare stamps.