The curious tale of Bhutan's playable record postage stamps (2015)

December 30, 2015 In Features Made of plastic and embossed with a melody, these tiny record stamps are among the strangest, most enchanting bits of vinyl out there. Chris May investigates how the Buddhist Kingdom of Bhutan came to produce the world’s “first talking stamps”. Quite possibly the smallest vinyl records that can still be played with a stylus, those of you after a set will be happy to know the stamps still sporadically appear on eBay, with prices pushed up by that geekiest of venn diagrams between stamp and record collectors. Listen to a haunting version of the Bhutanese national anthem, as recorded from a stamp, below. If you’re looking to make a smart investment in vinyl, among the most promising items to look out for right now are a set of Bhutanese talking-stamps. Issued in 1972 in a set of seven, the stamps are miniature, one-sided, 33 1⁄3 rpm vinyl records playable on a standard turntable. You peeled off the backing paper and stuck them on an envelope or postcard. ... Read full article.