Stamp Collecting

Useful Tips for the Aspiring Collector

Stamp collecting is a popular and rewarding hobby. If you are just starting out and would like to know where to start, here are some helpful tips for you.

The first rule of stamp collecting is to find a particular type of stamp you think you would like to collect, and to take good care of your collection. Below are some suggestions for types of stamps to collect:

1- Location of the stamp -for example what country, region, or state, etc.
2- Stamp design.
3- Or a stamp for a particular season or holiday, such as Christmas stamps, Valentine's stamps.

Some people collect one issue of a stamp in volume, one type of stamp only -sometimes referred to as a specialist, and there are others who collect all the stamps that they can find and can afford to.

Once you have decided what type of stamp collector you want to be and what sort of stamps you want to collect, you need to learn how to properly care for your stamps.

First of all, remember to always use stamp tongs when handling your stamps. While stamp tongs bear a resemblance to tweezers, they are different from tweezers in that they do not have pointy ends. Tweezers should not be used in place of actual stamp tongs as they may damage stamps.

Secondly, never handle your stamps with fingers, or lay them out on bare table surfaces, as the natural oil in human skin and any pollutants that may be on the table will cause damage to the stamp over time.

Also, when viewing stamps, they should be laid out on a clean piece of paper to avoid as much contamination as possible.

The basic necessary supplies for stamp collecting are the stamp tongs, an envelope to store your stamps in and a storage box to store the envelopes in. It is important to note that the stamp tongs will need to be purchased from a stamp store or can be found at a stamp show.

Once your collection grows, it's essential that you invest in glassine envelopes for your stamps. These envelopes are made for stamp collecting and are semi-transparent. The glassine material is found to have no harmful effects on the stamps it stores.
It is also suggested that once your stamp accumulation has increased, and you have isolated what particular types of stamps you like to collect, you may want to buy an album to store and display your treasured collection.