Mike White is a buyer and seller of worldwide quality postal history. He specializes in military or censored and occupation mails of the world from the Napoleonic wars to the present day.

In 1947, Birmingham, England had one of the coldest winters ever recorded. That same year Michael Brian White entered the world. He spent his formative years in the heart of the Black Country in Oldbury where he and brother Ron learned many life lessons exploring the small industrial market town together. Mike and his family moved to Brownhills, Staffordshire when he was thirteen years old. Here he completed secondary school.

Mike’s initial step into the working world was that of Junior Assistant to Chief Engineer at a small engineering firm. It was here that Mike learned to operate precision lathes, drilling and milling machines. The seed was planted which eventually blossomed into a military career with the Corps of Royal Engineers. Specializing in road and airfield construction, Mike spent 15 years of reckonable service as a Sapper serving in Canada, Aden, Hong Kong, Cyprus, Malta and at home.

The journey into philately began at the tender age of eight thanks to Mike’s aunt who gifted him his first album and a whopping 500 stamps! These were basic, colorful packet grade stamps but enough to stoke the imagination of a young collector. It took stumbling upon a World War I Prisoner Of War letter from Ripon to truly intrigue Mike and cement his interest in philately. Interestingly, Ripon was Mike’s first ever military posting and this would spark a unique niche for him in the industry.

Mike attended his first fair in Middlesbrough in1977 as he began trading stamps with hopes of disposing of duplicates to fund the acquisition of stamps needed for his growing personal collection. By 1984 Mike was so deeply involved in the world of postal history that he decided to make it his primary occupation.

Mike has crafted an impressive and credible reputation in the industry over the past thirty plus years, visiting and participating in trade fairs across the globe. Notable exhibitions include many Federation Internationale de Philatelie and Federation Internationale Asian de Philatelie shows. This hobby-turned-career opened a door to travel. Mike has visited numerous countries for trade including the USA, Canada, France, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Holland, Belgium, South Africa, India, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand.

He is affiliated with The Civil Censorship Study Group (CCSG), Forces Postal History Society (FPHS), Military Postal History Society (MPHS), American Philatelic Society (APS) and The China Stamp Society (CSS).

Mike’s military service had a profound influence on his life. Besides the technical knowledge he acquired, the experiences he savored, the travel and camaraderie he found helped shape him into the man he is today. His military service and discipline spilled over into his passion for philately; not wanting to be a general dealer, he used his experience to carve his own way in the philatelic community, choosing to specialize in censored and military postal history.

When pushed to name a favorite piece of postal history he is unable to answer. Mike believes each individual piece holds its own special merit and unique features. Mike’s admirable career in philately has earned him a large global client base. His clientele is an eclectic mix of Collectors, Exhibitors, Royalty, Politicians, Rock Stars and even Porn Stars! His passion for philately, impressive portfolio of stock, extensive industry knowledge and impeccable service keep his patrons loyal and his business thriving.  

Over the years there has been a dramatic change in the world of philately as it struggles to keep pace with advances in technology. While the industry continues to contract in the Westernized world, it is expanding in Asia with consistent growth. If you plan to join this distinctive community and begin a collection of your own Mike offers this advice:

“Buy only the best quality merchandise you can afford at the time. Specialize, find a particular niche and follow that path. Finally, become part of the community. Join the relevant clubs, societies and associations.”

Mike loves this unique and diverse industry passionately. Some have said that philately is a dying art that is slowly headed into the sunset. So what makes it special and why should this unique trade be kept alive? In Mikes words:

“Collecting is a leisure pursuit that can cater for all ages, levels of income and tastes; it relaxes the body yet stimulates the mind leading to overall better health. It brings likeminded people in contact with each other thus broadening the horizons of participants.”

After visiting many destinations with tropical climates, Mike quickly realised that the warmer weather suited him far better. With the ability to run his ever growing business from anywhere in the world, Mike made a big decision; in 2005 he emigrated to Kanchanaburi; the beautiful city and home of the famous Bridge over the river Kwai. After a couple of moves within Thailand, Mike now enjoys a peaceful, quiet family life in the Gulf of Thailand from where he currently operates https://www.mikewhiteuk.com