Abstract
The word "philately" is the English transliteration of the French "philatélie", coined by Georges Herpin in 1864 from the Greek root word phil(o)-, meaning "an attraction or affinity for something", and ateleia, meaning "exempt from duties and taxes", Thematic or topical philately is a branch of stamp collecting that favours a theme over the generic. It requires an in-depth knowledge of the core nature of the collection that includes mint and cancelled/postmarked stamps, first day covers, maximum cards, miniature sheets, cancellations and Cinderella labels. Philatelic material can form a useful means of dissipating knowledge to the lay public. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a vital, lifesaving skill that every citizen must learn so as to be able to revive victims of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) outside hospital location. This due to the fact that delays of minutes will make a difference between life, vegetative state and death. This unique collection explores the issue of philatelic material the world over and specifically related to CPR.