Stamp Collecting Guide

By: Todd Lavergne

Stamp research is called Philately. Many Americans become drawn to this large field of research. This attraction with stamps and all of the history concerning them has started a hobby connected to philately, which is stamp collecting.

Normally, stamp collecting starts by acquiring a few stamps and choosing a certain type of stamp that the collector will pay attention to. Stamps can be acquired for the collection either through the postal office, private letters, dealers of stamps, making a trade with fellow collectors of high quality and rare stamps in whatever type that is chosen.

Although, the philatelic hobby might appear to be hard or vague, it really is not. It is not an uncommon idea to study and collect stamps. There are over 100 countries throughout the world that have a group of people called philatelists (people that study stamps).

In the year 1886, numerous philatelists joined together in America and formed the American Philatelic Society(APS). It has been over a century now, the APS gives its members not only a way to get together with other enthusiasts, but also provide many programs and information to help in the pleasure and enrichment of the collecting experience. Over a long time, many people have helped APS by donating, selling different publications, and collecting dues of members. The group of people in APS is large and may not be overlooked. In America, there are over 44,000 philatelists members of APS officially. There are a large number of people getting involved but have yet to discover APS. This great amount of people is validated by the fact that many states have conventions in the area for people excited about Philately. There is another philatelic association in America with many experts and that is the Philatelic Foundation.

There is a large variety of collections that are available. Many have postage stamps which came from different countries (mainly those of age).These include stationery postage, revenue stamps, and first day cover stamps.

However, there is one category that stands out in the USA. These are Federal Duck stamps, which duck hunters need. The purpose of these is to conserve the environment and help the ducks. A popular conservationist by the name of Ding Darling created the first Federal Duck stamp in 1934. After a while it became a tradition and many wildlife artists competed. The winner of the competition had his or her design picked to be on the new Federal Duck stamp for the year. That person gained a good reputation and was held in high regard for winning the competition. The American government works with local state agencies and the Department of Interior to manage the sale of Federal Duck Stamps. The sales of the stamps produces a large enough revenue that new wetlands can be acquired which help to preserve and protect the ducks.

First-day covers (FDCs), which many stamp collectors are finding more interesting, are stamped envelopes that are terminated on the same day the stamps were released. Some of the FDCs that were designed later will bear the motif of a special stamp"s issue, also called a cachet. In 1923, George W. Linn a famous philatelist cacheted the first FDC for the Harding Memorial stamp issue. Many people consider cachetmaking an art form today and is accomplished by different means. These ways include lithography, drawing straight on the envelope, using laser printer, and block printing. There are several cachetmaking companies like Colorano, House of Farnam, and Artcraft that make a large amount of the cacheted stamps in America.

Stamp collecting in the U.S. was not always easy to follow. During the 1920s, the U.S. stamp values were much higher. This motivated countless Americans to acquire large quantities of U.S. stamp issues in mint condition and hoping to sell them much later for a profit. Since there was an abundance available in the market, they are priced only a little more than their original face value.

The trend of stamp collecting and philately in America may increase in the coming years. Email and internet use has many critics saying that philately interests will go down. Many people still need stamps and demand is continuing as stamp designs change frequently. The world of philately will continue to be an exciting place.

By: Tony Robinson

Humans are notorious for collecting and hoarding. Many people have collections of some sort - be it collecting coins, cars, dolls, china, art work and a myriad of many many other collectible items. Stamp collecting is no exception. The art of stamp collecting is known as Philately.

Collectible postage stamps aren"t necessarily the highest dollar value - or most valuable stamps. Virtually all stamps will feature something that appeals to a stamp collector, instantly making the item a collectible. Whilst most collectors aspire to own stamps worth large sums of money, many who enjoy the hobby simply collect and/or purchase stamps they find visually interesting.

The obvious source for finding stamps is a post office, but shopping for collectible stamps at such a location barely scratches the surface in terms of what"s available. By using the Internet, you gain access to stamps from around the world. One of the best internet resources for a stamp collector is eBay, the world"s single largest marketplace.

An east strategy to begin a collection is to ask family and friends to collect the stamps off mail they have received. remember to ask them not to try to take the stamp off the envelope - leave that task for yourself top do properly.

Some of the most popular collectible postage stamps feature images of pop culture icons. Disney characters, Elvis Presley, and Princess Diana have all been honoured with their own postage stamps. For those new to the world of philately, these celebrity stamps make the ideal starting point. They feature familiar faces we all know and love, and many of them are available at economical prices. You may also choose an event such as the olympic games as a theme for your first collection - think of where your own interests lay - and follow that interest. For example - you may be interested in flowers, animals or cars - so you could use those themes as the theme for your first collection.

Of course on eBay, you"ll find thousands of auctions for collectible stamps, ranging from affordable celebrity-themed stamps to the extremely valuable. The auction website is also a wonderful place to find stamps from countries other than your own. By using Find-Your-Item.com, you can effortlessly discover new stamps to add to your collection. eBay has been designed with efficiency in mind and is completely free for shoppers to use. Simply input a few keywords to begin your collectible stamp quest, or browse by category to view the full range of stamps up for auction on eBay.

Good luck and happy stamp collecting.

By: Ross Bainbridge

Vintage postage stamps may be known as the stamps that are not in circulation at present and therefore cannot be used to send letters or mails through the post. According to some people, vintage stamps are those that are older than some arbitrary year, such as 1960 or 1900. It depends on the postal service history of each country. People that collect postage stamps are known philatelists. They mainly specialize in vintage stamps.

Vintage stamps may be referred to in another way as well. They may be called vintage stamps if they were used before philately became a well-known hobby. The popularity of vintage stamps redefined the purpose and design of philately. With the increase in popularity, postal services began releasing special booklets or limited edition sets with a mind towards collection. Odd compositions with rare colors or shapes were less widespread, yet both foreign and domestic stamps exhibited topics such as endangered animals, fine art, and civil rights activists.

These antique stamps include misprints, cancelled, un-cancelled, national, international, memorial, and air post selections, and are exclusively defined by their age. Some post stamp collectors restrict themselves to a particular country or a particular year. While collecting vintage stamps, people may discover engraving and printing techniques, advertising trends, tourist patterns, and international relations such as colonial connections. Vintage post stamps include other extraordinary attributes. These atypical attributes arouse interest in people. This is so because they may have high face value or they may be misprinted with strange colors and typing mistakes.

Vintage stamps may venerate American historical events, such as the Bicentennial, World's Fair, Olympics, Independence Day, Space Shuttle launches, Anniversaries of Statehood, or World Wars. Other stamps may be decorative or organized by topic.

Vintage stamps are preferred more because they are intriguing to examine and simple to find. People can recurrently purchase entire sets, or arbitrary groupings, of vintage stamps for a low price. People may then put them in different classes or orders and discover what they might find the most captivating without knowing anything about their official values, dates, or issuing nation.

By: Ross Bainbridge

Stamp collecting is one of the world's most popular hobbies. It includes the collecting of postage stamps as well as related objects. Related objects include envelopes or packages with stamps on them.

Stamp collecting is often mistaken for the term philately. Philately is the study of stamps and not collecting of stamps. Philatelists often collect objects of their study. However, it is not mandatory for them to do so. Usually, casual collectors gather stamps without taking into consideration the minute details. Nevertheless, collecting stamps in comprehensive or large quantities require philatelic knowledge. In some small countries, limited runs of elaborate stamps are designed so that stamp collectors purchase them. In these countries, stamp collectors prove to be a vital source of revenue. In such countries, the stamps produced exceed the postal needs of the country by a commendable margin.

People that indulge in stamp collecting generally observe the rise in prices of rare stamps. Some stamp collectors also indulge in Philatelic investment. Rare stamps are tangible investments and are portable. Collections of rare stamps are an attractive alternative to art and precious metals.

In order for stamps to be kept safely, it is advisable that they are kept in an album or stock sheet. There are different stamps that people normally prefer collecting. The most common type of stamps collected is known as definitive stamps. These stamps are generally printed daily.

Other stamps that are collected are commemorative stamps. These are special and are used to commemorate events, anniversaries, weddings, and birth. These stamps are sold only for a limited time and are mostly available at stamp dealers.

People also collect pictorial stamps as well. These stamps are printed with the lifestyle of the country as well as the country's scenery.

Revenue stamps that were also used in government documents were also collected previously. These were also used for telegrams. Stamp collecting is a widespread practice, even at present. This hobby is enjoyed by all ages. This is an attractive art and is studied by a section of people.

By: Ross Bainbridge

Postage stamps are an adhesive label stuck on envelopes and other postal packages, as proof of the deposit of fee paid for postal services. The first country to issue postage stamps was United Kingdom.

Postage stamps are traded through various outlets of the post office, and are issued by the government. Postage stamps are available in various forms and dimensions. There are memorial postage stamps committed to various important events. Postage stamps are also issued to give respect to national personalities, or other extremely important personalities. There are also a range of other types of postage stamps available that depict diverse cultures and geographical features. Many postage stamps also have birds and animals as their theme.

Postage stamps differ according to the way they are used. The main kinds of postage stamps in use are airmail stamps, postage due stamps, special delivery stamps, and express mail stamps. The rates of postage stamps usually differ according to the weight of the postal article and the nature of the mail.

Self-adhesive postage stamps and water-activated type of postage stamps are available. Postage stamps by and large have details such as the name of the country, year, and the value of the stamp. These days, there are postage stamps that are sold around the holidays that are a sign of the season, such as Christmas and Hanukkah. Individuals may also opt to buy postage stamps that have messages on them, such as stamps that are sold to generate funds for charities. Apart from, raising fund for charities, there are various other postage stamps that help medical institutions and health organizations raise adequate funds.

Philately is the collection and study of postage stamps, and many a philatelist would pay an exorbitant amount to get a rare stamp. Stamps that are collector?s items can be bought at auctions or online.

By: Ross Bainbridge

Postage stamps are extensively used in the US. They are used on mails, envelopes and packages and help post offices ascertain where they are to be delivered. Stamps are made in the U.S. every day but the manufacturers of some stamps have been prevented from doing so. This is the reason that the stamps manufactured by such companies have become rare.

The first postage stamp issued in the world was in 1840. This stamp was introduced by the British and was named One Penny Black. These stamps were imperforated and had to be cut with scissors. They had a picture of England's queen, Victoria, printed on it. The unused samples of these stamps are very rare to come across. For small countries stamp collectors, who collect rare stamps can prove to be a source of revenue for both, the country as well as the individuals.

Some collectors that observe the rise in prices of rare stamps indulge in Philatelic Investment. Stamps prove to be the most potable of tangible investments. Rare stamps offer an attractive and striking alternative to art, valuable and precious metals and other collectible investments and are easy to store.

Recently, sale of some rare stamps in the world had fetched about 350,000 francs and attracted a considerable amount of interested individuals. This recent sale has directed the minds of many people to the curious and interesting branch of collecting stamps known as philately. There are eleven extremely strange and rare stamps in the world. The Two Penny Blue was one of the earliest stamps made in Britain and it lacked the country's name. The 'Mauritius Post Office Error' was also one of the world's rarest. These stamps had the words "Post Office" instead of "Post Paid." Another stamp that falls under this category is the "Hawaii Missionary Stamps". An unused set of eight could cost up to $100,000. British Guiana 1-cent Magenta is alleged to be the world's rarest and most valuable stamp. This stamp was sold at an auction in 1970 for $280,000. The New Brunswick "Connell's Folly"; the Ecuador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and El Salvador "Seeback Reprints"; the China "Special Delivery Issue," the U.S. "Inverted Airmail," the Germany "Inflation Issue", the U.S. "Dag Hammarskjold Error," and the U.S. "Farley's Follies" are also known to be the world's rarest stamps.

Collecting rare postage stamps are no more confined to children and teenagers, adults even like to do so. These rare stamps are priceless and can be sold for a lump sum of money.

By: Craig Dawber

Stamp collecting or philately has been a popular hobby for years. People like the many different styles of stamps and are drawn to the idea that some stamps have been all around the world. Stamps are a way to remember special events, people and places. They celebrate the ordinary and the not so ordinary. Stamp collecting can be a fun hobby that also is an amazing educational experience.

If you are thinking about starting a stamp collection you gather your supplies before getting any stamps. You will need an album or box to hold your stamps. Think about what kinds of stamps you will be collecting. If you are looking for old stamps you may want an album with special covers to protect your stamps. Your collection can have a theme or you can collect any kind of stamp. Consider joining a stamp club. At a stamp club you can talk to others and learn about their experiences, about what is big in stamps at the current time and what people are looking to find. You should also get a stamp catalog that covers many different stamps. This catalog will give you information on different stamps so you can be informed about the stamps in your collection. Once you know where you are going to store your stamps and have built up an information base to get information about collecting you can start buying stamps.

You can buy new stamps or used stamps. You can get stamps from other collectors, dealers or the post office, to name a few. You should also have an idea of the types of stamps that are available for you to buy.

The following list explains different types of stamps.

Definitive - feature presidents, other leaders, national treasures, etc.; printed in large quantities
Commemorative - feature historic events, special people, important American topics; printed in limited quantities
Special - feature symbols for special circumstances, like holidays; printed around time of special event
Airmail - used to send overseas mail
Special Purpose - feature special people, places, events, things not covered by other stamps

Now that you know a little something about stamps and stamp collecting you can get started on your own stamp collection.

By: Rose Hillbrand

Stamp collecting, also known as philately, is a popular and educational past time. Stamp collectors save stamps from letters, especially those from other countries. They also search out old stamps that represent a past time. Stamp enthusiasts can be found everywhere. Their notebooks and glassine envelopes filled with stamps are fascinating to look through. Many of the stamps they collect are very valuable as well.

Materials needed for starting a stamp collection include a stamp album and special mounting tapes called hinges. Tools you will find useful are a pair of small tongs or tweezers for carefully lifting delicate old stamps and a magnifying glass for finding minute details. The beginning philatelist can start with the stamps on the mail that arrives this very day. To remove a stamp from an envelope, carefully tear away the envelope from around the stamp being careful not to tear the stamp itself. Now soak the stamp in warm water. The remaining piece of envelope will turn loose, allowing you to lift the stamp from the water with the tongs.

Lay the stamp on absorbent paper. When dry, place a heavy book on top of the stamp to flatten it. As a past time, stamp collecting requires precision and neatness. Place the dried and flattened stamp in the album by using one of the hinges, or store it in one of the tiny glassine envelopes unique to stamp collecting.

Many collectors specialize in collecting currently available commemoratives as a past time. Stamp designs are varied, beautiful and interesting. Commemoratives are those special stamps that are released by the post office for a limited time. They can commemorate special people or events. Most nations print commemorative stamps from time to time. American stamps have featured wild life, artists, antiques, and many other themes. In fact, there is an annual contest in which American school children compete to draw the best picture of a wild duck. The best duck art is featured on a stamp.

A fun way for a young person to build a collection of foreign stamps is to find a few pen pals in foreign countries. This activity helps people make friends as well as broadening their outlook. There are also companies that will send out introductory collections of foreign stamps in order to get stamp collecting customers on their mailing lists. These collections are usually colorful and contain a wide variety.

Stamp collecting is an educational past time. Stamp collections can sometimes become very valuable to the right people. If you are looking for a new hobby or past time, stamp collecting might be for you!

By: Albreht Moy

Stamp collecting is the most popular hobby in the world. Philately is a broader term for the study of stamps, and it is frequently - but wrongly - equated to stamp collecting.

Through stamp collecting, people find information about history, currency, science, politics, arts, architecture and customs of different nations and countries of the world. All stamp collectors have fun with their stamps because no collection is ever complete, and there is always a challenge.

First, decide whether you would like to collect unused (mint) or used (canceled) stamps. If starting a mint stamp collection, purchase unused stamps from the post office. And if you see interesting stamps coming in the mail - collect them.

Many collectors prefer used stamps because they are less expensive or they may cost you nothing.

Some collectors save stamps by "topic": for instance, if you are interested in ships, you may want to collect stamps of ships and boats. Car fans often collect stamps with cars on them. You can disregard the countries and only collect stamps that have pictures that you like. Some people like to collect stamps of one or several countries, but which are all of the same subject. Popular topical themes are birds, cats, butterflies, flowers, sports, space, art, chess, famous people and other.

Specialized collecting means that you can collect all the varieties of a single stamp or collect stamps used for a special purpose.

Country collecting is usually done chronologically by date of issue, sub-divided into reigns or political periods.

Some collectors specialize in collecting only the first stamps, one for each country that has ever issued a postage stamp, or collecting first-day covers.

Some areas of collecting cost less than ten cents a stamp, while others can cost thousands of dollars.

A lot of people collect "Cinderellas" - stamps that are not official stamps issued by a country's postal administration. Cinderella collectors include in their collections local postage issues, telegraph stamps, tax stamps, forgeries and counterfeits.

The "hobbies" section of your local library may have basic books about stamp collecting, and the reference department may have a set of stamp-collecting catalogs. To find the value of a specific stamp, visit some good stamp-collecting web sites.

If looking for more information on stamps and stamp collecting, the local post office is the best place to start.