Ok, you found a large pot, box, envelope or whatever of stamps from your past family, friend or it just got donated to you....now what....Do i want to sell them or do i want to get into the stamp collecting journey? This is your "Blog" to give you some insight on what stamp collecting is about..."from scratch".  Read, enjoy and then make your decision.

(Please feel free to refer any questions to our "Contact" page.  If you are lucky we will answer within 24 hours.  We do not make referrals to dealers or other professional buyers but will mention various non-profit sources when applicable)

Table of Contents

1.   Introduction to Collecting Stamps     2.   Albums and Storage   3.  Accessories and Their Uses

4.  Condition

1.    Introduction to Collecting Stamps

    First of all, we are going to take this a step at a time so that you know where you may be going in the field of philately (stamp collecting) or not going at all. This can be a very relaxing hobby and can lead into almost a full-time activity of fun and exploration of the world.  A general collection is probably the best way to start so that you can get some general knowledge of stamps and what they are.  When starting a general collection, and you do not have something given to you 'from the attic', go out and buy a large packet of stamps that you can afford. Once these have been arranged you will need to find a second packet that is different from the one you just arranged.  Your starting album(s) should have printed spaces and some illustrations to help identify the stamps that you have. There are a great bunch of albums out there that we will get into a little later.

    Initially some of the tools that you will need are album, stamp tongs, and hinges.  As a beginner you will probably be getting used to designs so some of the regular tools won't be needed for a while. That's when you get into perfs, watermarks and stuff like that.  You will need to pick up a small magnifying glass for reading inscriptions and studying designs. Probably not more than 1.5" in diameter and good strength.  You will find that not every country in the world does NOT always write in English, like Magyar...Hungary, Oesterreich...Austria, or Suomi...Finland.  A quick google on the internet can usually help in this respect for identification.  Other countries like China, Japan, Greece, Arabic and other Oriental countries won't be that easy so you may have to learn their designs.  Some stamps will only show abbreviations or numbers or designs.  Your first packet of stamps should give you a variety as shown.  By the way:  DO NOT LICK OR PLACE GLUE ON YOUR STAMPS!!!  You are now a Collector, not a Mailing Machine.

    Other sources for getting stamps (other than the attic)...Approvals from dealers are a good way of letting them know what you need and the dealer can send you a variety to pick from, pay for, and send back the "no picks". When using the "on approval" system you should be as specific as possible. Be careful of unsolicited approvals.  Stamp Clubs are a good a good place to meet fellow collectors and trade, sell or buy.  Subscribe to a Stamp Newspaper  some of which are published weekly or semiweekly or there may be some in your local library.  You may want to prepare a Want List to a dealer that you can find that does this kind of thing to help expand your collection.  Other sources are available (including the attic) which don't need to be addressed at this point. There a various sources on the internet that you can check as well, just be careful as there are many stamp "predators" out there.

  Ok, now what do you collect?  A beginner general collector usually starts out trying to get almost everything he or she can find but learns that that type of collection probably won't last because there are a couple hundred countries, a few centuries of history, thousands of topicals, etc., so they decide to go the Limited Collection route which could be by continent, hemisphere, outer space, animal variety, single nation or nations of a related nature such as the British Commonwealth.  One rule of thumb for all collectors: Every collector worthy of being known as a philatelist should know enough about all stamps to be able to enjoy the work of another collector, no matter how different from their own. 

    Next Question:  Do I go Mint, Unused, or Used?  Mint is defined as a stamp in the condition as sold by a post office and indicates it has its original gum (o.g.) and is without hinge marks. Unused  could mean mint but that it just has not been used.  Used means a stamp has seen some kind of postal service and has been cancelled. Mint or unused collectors are in favor of the looks and design of the stamp without blemishes.  Used collectors can use the argument that the stamps are not in service until they are cancelled making them valid.  Most collectors will tend to mingle some stamps in their collections.  Many stamps are judged on their mint conditions but again there are some values based on quantity and quality and purpose of the stamp.  Cancelled to Order (CTOs) are popular in some circles because they are usually in mint shape but cancelled by machine or some other device before sales and are produced in high quantities.  Blocks and Sheets are also an alternative to buy stamps in bulk but ordinary albums will lack enough space to put them in so you either have to sell them for a lesser rate or use them for postage (50 stamps on a sheet is a lot of mailing).  Sheets are nice to look at but few buyers exist for them.  Blocks have come in blocks of 4 and 6 and more recently even more than that and are usually indicated with a number for each block that is with a sheet.  Again, blocks are not normally of a high value except for some historical ones which had a few issues but limited. (Remember, any questions on this section, feel free to contact us in the "Contact" section.

2.    Albums and Storage

Albums...Printed, Bound or Loose-Leaf?  The album will be your first purchase...they come as printed or blank page (bound or loose-leaf for the printed or loose-leaf only for the blank page).  Printed albums provide pages with lined spaces and pictures of common stamps and normally on both sides of the page. You can get fairly inexpensive booklets or as many volumes as you may need for large collections.  The better albums are loose-leaf which are normally printed on one side with information and pictures on each page.  You can place the acetate pages in between pages to avoid stamps hitting each other if there are both sides of the page being used.  Advanced collectors tend to use the loose-leaf one sided page. There are many kinds of albums on the market that can be identified on the internet and in hobby stores.  Make sure of what you want before you make purchases that you may have to replace at a later date.  The 3-ring binder can also be used as an album for loose-leaf and should be treated as a regular album and always be stored standing on ends. We will discuss mounting of stamps at a later time.

Ok, now what do i do with these stamps i am not ready to mount yet, like duplicates, strips, sheets, etc.?  It is called Storage!!  Stock books come in many different shapes, sizes and colors with horizonal strips of plastic fastened to form pockets. The better ones are the black cardboard with clear acetate pockets. Always be careful when you stick the stamps in the pockets because of a possible rip or bend when placing in the pocket.  To be safe you might place the stamp(s) in a glassine envelope before putting them in a stock book. Remember, you are a collector and want to be able to show people how nice they look.

3.   Accessories and Their Uses

Hinges:  Definition...Stamp hinges are rectangular pieces of gummed paper about half an inch wide and three-fourths of an inch long with corners rounded. They have double gumming which allows them to be removed from stamps or album pages without damage to either. Do not attempt to remove a hinge when it is moist. It is called upon to support a stamp in various positions. You should be able to lift the hinge to examine the back of a stamp without it coming off or pinching the top perfs.

Tongs: Stamp Tongs will be your most close companion when working with stamps.  They are NOT tweezers but must have smooth edges in order not to damage your stamps.  Tong 'blades' are about 1/8th inch wide with rounded corners and should slip under a stamp with grace.  See anyone with your stamps without tongs is considered a first offense in philately.

Perforation Guage: You need a perforation guage if you want to become a collector because there are many varieties that can only be identified by the guage in their perforation. The best guages are normally stiff paper or thin rough card. Metal guages may tend to expand due to humidity or heat and may not be accurate if the stamp expands or decreases as well. Plastic would almost definately not be recommended. Loose stamps can be placed on a guage and moved to the appropriate size.  A perfect match is when nothing shows between the stamps and the guage except a row of clean dots.

Magnifying Glass:  Does't matter how good your eyesight may be, you WILL need a magnifying glass to read inscriptions, etc. on some varieties of stamps.  A recommended size would be a magnifier of 1.5 inches in diameter and a magnification of three times (3x). When better identification is needed there are many more sizes available. Maximum power needed would be about 6.5x.  An even better object would be to get a stand or holder so that your hands are free to work with the stamps.

Watermark Detector: Watermarks are almost as important as perfs when identifying stamps and some varieties have both. Watermarks are impressions which thin the paper while it is being made. Some can be identified without aids, but others are faint and obscured by the stamp design. One method of detection is to place a stamp face down in a black dish with watermark detection fluid which will penetrate the stamp without damage. Solvent of naptha, benzine or cleaning-fluid class can be used. Lighter fluid works but evaporates quickly. Do not use these fluids on photogravure stamps!!!  Some watermarks can be identified by light on black backgrounds.

Color Guides:  Never assume that the colors on the rainbow are the only colors for stamps. Even printed color guides are sometimes different when listed.  Stamp catalogs will almost always identify single colored stamps by some color and hopefully you will be able to find the correct one. Starting colors for beginners are red, blue, yellow, orange, green, violet or brown. Experience will help in the long run.

Accessories to Avoid!!!  Scotch tape, Rubber cement, indelible pencils and ink, wax paper. Enough said!!

4.  Condition