Beginner’s Guide to Collecting Stamps, Philately

Stamp collecting, also called Philately is an interesting and very rewarding hobby. Stamps always reflect the era in which they are printed. Often, stamps are issued to commemorate a special event or anniversary of something significant. Stamps will not make an average collector rich. However, philately does not take much room, relatively inexpensive, and even your mail carrier brings new opportunities right to your door, just about every day. Here is a brief guide on how to start your stamp collection. This guide also contains essential things you should know, to start your collection the best way possible.

Starting Your Collection

First, besides what kind of stamps you want to collect. There is “Topical” collecting, for example. Topical collecting means to collect stamps with cars, trains, planes, flags, or any other specific item. Topical collecting is one of the latest trends.
The easiest way to start is to go to your local post office and purchase new stamps. Another way to start your collection might be right there, in your own home. Look for old mail that you have received. Take the stamps off those old envelopes. Sometimes, it is more valuable to just collect the stamps with the entire envelope. It is more valuable because of the unique postmark date.

Your friends and family can also be a valuable source for your collection. Ask them if you can have their old envelopes. Stacks of assorted stamps are also, sometimes sold through newspaper classifieds, from dealers. Internet can also be a very good resource for purchasing stamps. If you look in your local, Yellow Pages book, you might find a shop that specializes in stamps. Ask the staff of the about any upcoming stamp shows that might be comic to your area. The shop staff also might know about auction houses that deal with stamps. Stamp auctions are a great way to enrich your collection. However, you can expect the prices for stamp lots to be relatively expensive. Auction houses that sell with stamps, want to sell their lots, usually, for more than 100 dollars.

When you buy older stamps, make sure that they display bright colors. Stamps are quite fragile. Fading is caused by many factors like the oils in your skin, sunlight, artificial light, and other forms of pollution. Another quality to look for is the image being centered inside of the white border. If you have decided to buy stamp(s) online, remember that the seller might not necessarily be an expert and can possibly overstate the value or the quality.

Characteristics of Stamps and How to Take Care of Your Collection

If adhesive (Gum) is present on the back of a stamp, it means that the stamp was never in circulation. Naturally, when stamp is taken off the envelope, adhesive is removed. If you are trying to take the stamp off and envelope by a method of soaking, be very careful. Do not try soaking a stamp off envelope that is colored. The ink of the envelope will bleed and completely ruin the stamp.

Store your stamps away from any constant light and in place that is dry. A carton box that is stored in a place with a room temperature will suffice for a collector that is a beginner. If the room temperature and humidity level is not comfortable enough for you, chances are that your collection is not being stored in satisfactorily conditions. To handle your stamps, do not use your feeding or regular tweezers. Again, stamps are very, very fragile. What you need are special, flat-bladed tongs that are specifically design to handle stamps. To mount the used portion of your collection, use peelable stamp hinges that are designed with adhesive backing. To mount the “new” portion of your collection, use stamp mounts.

Stamp mounts are clear, plastic sleeves that have gummed backing. Stamp mounts do a great job, when trying to preserve the original adhesive of your stamps. Use stamp albums to hold stamp hinges. To hold stamp mounts, it is best to purchase a stock book with pockets. In general, try to purchase supplies for your collection that are the highest of quality. That might be more expensive, but it is very important for preservation of your collection. For hinged stamps, use only one side of an album. This assures that stamps never touch each other, which can be damaging.

Examining a Stamp Collection before Purchasing

If the stamp you are interested in buying is still on its envelope, read the postmark date or whatever you can see that is left of the postmark. Date often determines the value of a stamp. Always be sure to check the face value of the stamp. Examine the holes that separate the stamps on a sheet. The design should be centered. Examine the jagged edges of the stamp, perforation teeth. Use a perforation gauge to measure the number of holes for each of two centimeters of the surface area. The perforation number another factor that determines the value of a stamp. I also recommend that you develop a habit of using a magnifying glass. The glass should be at least 5 to 10 times magnifying. That will help you spot damaged, rare, or even fake stamps.

Stamp Grading

Stamp grading system is very simple. If the stamp has never been used and was stored to preserve its original condition, it is classified as mint-condition. Creases, scratches, missing perforation teeth, and other signs of damage lower the value of a stamp, sometimes very significantly. If a stamp is not in mint condition, it is often classified as extremely fine, very fine, fine, very good, good, and fair. Other classifications include:

• Original gum, never hinged
• Original gum, hinged
• Disturbed original gum
• Partial original gum
• No original gum
• Regummed
• No gum-as issued originally
• Jumbo-unusually larger margins
• Unused or new stamp-never cancelled
• Used stamp-cancelled for use

This grading system was first introduced to the philatelic community, in 2001, by PSE (Professional Stamp Experts).

Philately is a wonderful form of collecting, with sound standards and values. Even if you are not interested in monetary values of this hobby, you are guaranteed to have fun, learn many facts about history, and meet wonderful people!