AI meets philately: UPU launches global stamp identification app
The Universal Postal Union (UPU) has launched the new WNS app, making stamp identification easier, faster and more accessible than ever before. With a user-friendly interface and AI-supported image recognition, the application allows users to search and identify stamps registered in the WADP Numbering System (WNS) database.
The app, available for iOS and Android, grants access to nearly 120,000 officially issued stamps from nearly 200 UPU member countries and territories. As the only global stamp database based entirely on official data submitted by issuers themselves, the WNS plays a crucial role in protecting collectors and the global multi-billion-dollar philately market from counterfeiting.
The app’s development has led to broader enhancements of the WNS database. New metadata fields, including printing techniques, artists, engravers and issue quantities, are being added to enrich the collector’s experience. The UPU is also addressing historical gaps by allowing Posts to pre-register stamps issued between 1840 and 2001 via a dedicated platform.
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