How to Get Started with Your Stamp Collection - Simple Tips Collecting stamp is a famous hobby as well as an easy activity, which provides many lighter moments. If you would like to start your own collection of stamps, here is the list of procedures to get started:
1. First you need to decide on what kind of topic you would like to use for your collection to get started with this hobby. It is also recommended to start with general but choosing a specific theme for your stamps will be more exciting. If you would like to collect postage stamps from other countries, you may start narrowing down your collection for the stamps coming from a specific country. 2. You can also start the stamp collection by buying new stamps from the market. If you are aiming for the stamps of the specific country will help you to get a good start on your collection and will help to prevent the duplication of your collection. Buying a whole pack will give you different designs and will make more interesting for you and motivate you to collect more. 3. If you have limited budget for starting the stamp collection you may have to collect the used stamps from your friends and relatives, which they have received from the mails. They can also help you by asking their friends to donate the stamps to you, which will be exciting since the stamps came from people will be with different themes and special to you. This will make you to valuate the sentimental values of the collected stamps. 4. Once your friends and relatives are informed that you are collecting the stamps, they will make you to learn that they will provide you stamps as a gift for occasions. This kind of helps will make the collection easier for you. Some times your friends and relatives may make use of their maximum effort for getting special editions or commemorative stamps to make you happy and surprise. 5. You may then narrow down your collections by considering the new or old stamps, which one is more preferable to you. Many people prefer to collect more old stamps in their collection than the new stamps. On the other hand, the new stamps are easier to find and manage. Once you have decided the type of stamps to keep in your collection, you should not throw away the other stamps because, you can exchange them with other collectors to get the stamps as per your choice. 6. One benefit of stamp collecting is that you need not spend much money for the hobby. You may buy inexpensive tools and supplies, which you need for your collections. For starters, an album is the first thing to acquire. The most popular type of the album is the loose-leaf album. A loose-leaf album has a binder that has removable sheets. This will make the stamps easier to manage and compile. 7. It is most important to learn removing the used stamps from envelopes to place them in your album. You may the cut the envelope along with the stamp but it is important to leave the space between the scissors and the edges of the stamps. Now, you can place the stamp by the face turned down in a bowl with warm water. When it becomes completely wet, you can peel off the stamp and place it in the album after drying it properly. 8. There are many resources where you can get informations about stamps and stamp collection. The Internet is the most effective way to search for stamps and determine the place you can get the cheapest and even those stamps, which are hard to find. You can also make use of the Internet to make friendship with other stamp collectors, which will help you become more interested in the hobby and they may help you in finding the stamps you are looking for. You can also exchange stamps with one another making your collection bigger and more exciting. The best part of the collection is displaying them to your friends and loved ones. Once you have your own collection, you can show them to your friends and relatives. You may even have your own exhibition in the future. One way to let the people know about your collection is by putting up your own website. You can create the website, where you can exhibit all of your collected stamps and you can also give the notes about the stamps and your efforts to collect them. How to Become a Stamp Collector Stamp collecting is one of the most popular hobbies of many Americans and other cultures. It may be strange to some people who do not know the enjoyment people get from collecting the stamps. Stamp collectors find the satisfaction while see their huge collection of stamps from different countries, each depicting their own origins and purpose of producing those stamps.
If you have a hobby of collecting different items, stamps may excite you the same way others do. People who engage in collecting stamps do not just enjoy the hobby; they learn and gain knowledge on art, history, and stories about different places. If you want to be a serious stamp collector, you may have to consider collecting commemorative stamps. These stamps are produced by certain country to illustrate a memorable event, like a person or an important object that may be a part of their history. Why should a person want to be a stamp collector? Anyone can be a stamp collector. People of all ages can try with this hobby. One main reason for choose the collection of stamps is that it is considered as one of the most affordable hobby. People may collect coins, cars, tags, pins and many more but stamps are considered one of the most inexpensive hobbies of collection. Stamp collectors come in all ages. It is not limited to certain group or age bracket. Even kids can become stamp collectors on their own little ways. Stamp collectors even start this hobby at a young age. The important thing is the passion you have for collecting stamps regardless of their price and origin. A stamp collector may find old stamps that he can include in his collections. You may even get these stamps for less than a dollar. There are few collectible items, which are considered as inexpensive and the stamp collecting is one of them. A stamp collector may also benefit by learning many things from the stamps he collects. Collecting a stamp may provide the interest to research about the stamp like, why it was produced and about the events that are featured on a specific stamp. You will enjoy and at the same time learn many things from them. Being a stamp collector is not a difficult task. There are many places where you can get your own collection of stamps. Postage stamps used for airmail may also be collected. Stamp collectors will have to compile them depending on the country they came from. There are also sites and message boards in the Internet that features the details of stamp collecting. People can exchange stamps by using these sites and some make use of these sites to display their collections. Others may consider for selling their stamps to make the hobby as their source of income. If you would like to be a stamp collector, you should know all information about stamps. It does not necessarily require knowing everything. One important thing to remember is to know how to take care of the collections. Stamp collectors must be disciplined when it comes to taking care of their stamps. That is because stamps are very fragile as they are made from paper and other thin materials. It becomes a responsibility of stamp collector to take care of the quality of the stamps. If you would like to be a stamp collector, you should also have the necessary supplies required for handling the stamps. If you are a beginner, the album is the first accessory you need to have. This will organize and compile all the collected stamps. The album will also ensure the safety of the stamps from dirt and moist. Anyone can be a stamp collector. It is an educational and informative hobby and even kids will also be benefited from it. It does not only give fun and knowledge but it is also a way to discover the artistic side of every person. Stamp Collecting is Fun! Stamp Collecting can start with a simple gift of stamps given by another person. This may provide him the interest to collect more stamps and may become a stamp collector by adopting this as a hobby in the future.
Stamp collection is considered as one of the most popular hobbies that still exist in this modern world. Earlier the stamp collecting was popular among the royalties in Western Europe . There was a time when all kinds of people has become interested in stamp collecting and treated it as their personal hobby. Some people may wonder about the collection of stamps. The reason they may point out is that the stamps are nothing but a pieces of paper with pictures of some significant persons or events. Many people may think what way a person will be benefited or achieve by collecting these kinds of items. There should be many reasons for the people, who are engaged in collecting the stamps. Most of the people are collecting the stamps because they find it as fun and enjoyable. The designs of stamps are really appealing to every collector. There are very attractive designs with different colorful pictures and backgrounds. In addition, from the attractive designs, it also gives the information about a significant person, event, sports, and many things for a person could find interesting. Nevertheless, the most common stamp collectors are preferred to collect the stamps with the illustration of people, places, and events in the stamps, which may represent some valuable information regarding the history of a certain country or group. Stamp collecting provides resourceful knowledge as well as a person is having fun. He may not realize that he is learning and allotting some time to valuate such collections. For beginners, here are some tips to collect stamps: 1. A person can be a generalist and start collecting a variety of stamps that may feature many things. In this way, he may have an idea on what type of stamps he may have to specialize in collecting. He may place all his collection in an album and categorize each stamp according to topics or themes he has chosen. 2. If somebody loves to travel to different places, he may start collecting stamps from those places he has visited. There are particular areas and locations that offer stamps featuring the history of that place and significant persons those are lived in that place. 3. He may follow collecting stamps, where he finds interest and ambition. He may focus in collecting stuffs that he truly enjoys and having fun about that. He may find those stamps are featuring his favorite sport, sport icon, cars, fishes, and many more. 4. One advantage of collecting stamps is that a person can save more money and time because these items are affordable to purchase and easy to find. 5. He may join a special organization or club that have gatherings occasionally and which themes can apply to his interests. He may meet people who are collecting the same stamps s well as he collects. He may trade or exchange his stamps with other stamp collectors and he can collect the knowledge, tips and advice for to take care of his stamps. 6. He may collect stamps from friends those are affectionate with this kind of hobby. He may enjoy it by sharing the stamps he collected and citing the information, which is represented in the stamp. He may also ask his friends for information for to find more stamps, which are related to his collections. 7. He may collect as his own by searching in the Internet to find availability of more stamps with the most affordable price. He may look for stamps anytime he needs it. It is considered as a passive hobby where he can relax and reduce stress. It also gives the feeling of accomplishment for a person. 8. He may find the stamp collecting as a lifetime hobby. There is always something to know and learn about collecting stamps. It has a wide coverage of different things and persons. He may change the theme into other topics, when he thinks to bring another dimension to his stamp collecting. There are many ways to collect stamps. It is important to do something for those, who are really interested in collecting the stamps. It is even recommended to start at a younger age, by which he will be surprised of the many things that he may have to learn from this hobby. Stamp Collecting in Channel Island
People have different hobby. They can dedicate their free time to anything that makes them interested and happy. As such, the choice of hobby of any person will also tell a lot about his or her personality. An athletic person will spend the pastime playing sports and games. The creative ones will devote their time to arts and crafts.
There are a number people out there who would dedicate their time into collecting things. Stamp collecting for one is one of the most famous hobbies in the world. Comprising of more than 20 million enthusiasts at the United States alone, it is clear that this is really popular.
What Is Stamp Collecting?
Stamp collecting is all about stamps and everything related to it. Thus, a stamp collector will aim to collect as much stamps to comprise a considerable collection. It is to be contrasted with philately which is concerned mainly with the study of stamps and everything related to it.
Starting a hobby of collecting stamps is not difficult. All you have to do is collect all the letters in the household. Remove the stamps from the envelope, gather them and you have your first items.
Most stamp collectors may start the hobby just for fun or out of curiosity. It cannot be denied that there are lots of stamps out there that are really interesting. They can showcase all sorts of information and data. They can cover the historical events, important figures, artworks, animals, insects, planets, sports or just about anything under the sun. The illustration and the subject give so much satisfaction to the interest. The beginner will simply find out later that he or she has been hooked on the hobby.
Collecting Specialties
Most collectors will focus their collection to a certain type. There are actually hundreds and thousands of stamps out there. It will be helpful to narrow down the choices to have some more focus in the collection.
There are different areas where collecting may be focused on.
Postage Stamps
These are the usual stamps used by countries at a specific time.
Postal Stationery
Postal stationeries are some sort of post cards and air letter sheets which the government issued. The earliest of these were issued back in the year 1819.
Federal Duck Stamps
These are stamps used for duck hunting licenses. They are applied mainly on Unites States and Canada . Every year, a wildlife artist and his or her design is selected among many competitors and shall be showcased in the Duck stamp.
Souvenir Sheets
They are stamps released in a format of a sheet forming a big picture.
First Day Covers
Also known as the FDC’s, these are envelopes with stamps that were cancelled on the day the stamp was issued.
It becomes more challenging as they take on the search for specific stamps. Often, this challenge makes the collector desire for more.
Aiming for More
To satisfy this desire for more, it is necessary that the collector knows all the details of the stamps. The most useful tool to use here is the stamp catalogue. This could showcase the stamps of a particular region or even worldwide coverage. It provides stamp details such as the official name, date of issuance, material, face value and actual value.
The value of a stamp is often determined by the conditions of its issuance. Most stamps are for ordinary release. The valuable ones are those that came out in a very limited edition. They can be very rare and hard-to-find, making their market value very high.
Take a particular place in United States , the Channel Island for example. The postage service in the locality of Channel Island will usually provide ordinary stamps for mail purposes of the citizens.
However, every now and then, the postage service may release a special commemoration stamp. This may commemorate an event or a figure very special to Channel Island . The Channel Island for example has a special Channel Island 1940-45 Occupation Stamp.
It tells a lot about the history of Channel Island . Thus, it is also very much expected that the residents of Channel Island will especially aim for that and more.
There are many stamp collectors out there, millions actually, who have different goals and aims in pursuing their hobby. They may have different history, origin and languages. Still, the very same hobby unites them all as they share the same sentiments and love for collecting stamps. Types of stamps Stamps can be subdivided by type: Definitives Commemoratives Charity stamps Air stamps Postage due stamps Telegraph stamps Official stamps Express stamps Newspaper stamps Fiscal stamps Regionals Etc. Stamps can also be subdivided by their appearance: Sheet, Block, Coil, Booklet, Souvenir sheet, Booklet panes, Peel and stick (Self-adhesives) Personalized stamps Marriage, anniversary, birthday, birth, communion, end-of-year parties, there are many occasions to send mail to your close friends. 10 Low-Cost Ways to Start Collecting Stamps If you have recently started collecting stamps, or are thinking about starting, you may be wondering if the hobby is expensive. Can you enjoy it with limited financial resources? What if you have no money at all for the hobby? One of the biggest questions any stamp collector faces is where to find stamps inexpensively. If you intent to save stamps of the United States or the world and want to save used as well as unused stamps, the opportunities are really great. Not all collections consist mainly of unused stamps that you buy in the post office. Used stamps are worth saving, have value, and they may cost you nothing. Many stamp collectors save only used stamps. Others save both used and unused ones. Others save stamps only from one country or one part of the world. Some collectors save stamps by "topic," for example, stamps that depict horse or trains or birds. There are any number of different types of collections. 1. All postally used stamps started out being received in someone's mailbox, at no cost to the person receiving them. The first place to search for stamps, then, is your own mailbox. Don't be discouraged when you notice that many senders use postage meters or the imprint "Bulk Rate Postage Paid' on their envelopes to enjoy a better postal rate or to keep from affixing stamps. Also, when people do use real stamps, they often use the same common small ones. You can begin to change this by asking people who write to you to use commemorative stamps on their mail. These are normally the larger stamps issued to honor famous people, places, or events. These stamps are printed in lesser quantities than the common smaller (definitive) stamps and usually are of much more interest to collects. Many people will remember to ask for commemorative stamps at the post office when mailing letters to you or your family if you let them know you are a stamp collector. Also, if you write away for offers that require postage or a self-addressed, stamped envelope, you can put commemoratives on your return envelope, knowing that they will come back to you later. 2. Neighbors, friends, and relatives are another good source of stamps. The majority of people just throw away stamps when they receive them on mail and are only too happy to save them for someone who appreciates them. You may even know someone who gets letters from other countries who can save these stamps, too. Always be on the lookout for potentially good stamp contacts, and don't be afraid to ask them to go through their mail for you before they throw away all the envelopes. 3. Office mail maybe even better. You may know someone who works in an office that gets a lot of mail. Out of 100 letters a day, there may be ten or twenty good stamps that are being thrown away. Many businesses get a lot of foreign mail and regularly throw away stamps that have interest and/or value to a collector. 4. Ask your parents if they have any old letters, which may have stamps on the envelopes. When taking stamps off envelopes, always tear off the corner so that there is paper all around the stamp, and the stamp and all its perforations are undamaged. Anyone who is saving stamps for you should be told that this is the way to do it; otherwise, he/she may try to peel the stamp off the envelope. This will cause thin spots or tears, both of which ruin a stamp's appearance and lessen its value to collectors. If you run across envelopes that are very old or have postal markings that may be of particular interest, it is best to save the entire envelope until you can find out if the stamp is worth more attached to the cover. Now that you have stamps on paper, what do you do with them? The most common way to get stamps off paper is to soak them in cool water, then dry them on paper. To understand more about soaking stamps, it is best to find a handbook on stamp collecting at the library. There is a lot to learn about stamps as you get more and more of the. For example, different shades of color may exist on stamps with the same design, or them may have different perforation measurements (number of holes per side). Major varieties of stamps and "catalog values" are listed in stamp catalogs, which are available in most libraries. The most common one, the Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue, has a very good section in front that explains how stamps are made and how
Thursday, October 15, 2009
stamp directory
How to Get Started with Your Stamp Collection - Simple Tips Collecting stamp is a famous hobby as well as an easy activity, which provides many lighter moments. If you would like to start your own collection of stamps, here is the list of procedures to get started:
1. First you need to decide on what kind of topic you would like to use for your collection to get started with this hobby. It is also recommended to start with general but choosing a specific theme for your stamps will be more exciting. If you would like to collect postage stamps from other countries, you may start narrowing down your collection for the stamps coming from a specific country. 2. You can also start the stamp collection by buying new stamps from the market. If you are aiming for the stamps of the specific country will help you to get a good start on your collection and will help to prevent the duplication of your collection. Buying a whole pack will give you different designs and will make more interesting for you and motivate you to collect more. 3. If you have limited budget for starting the stamp collection you may have to collect the used stamps from your friends and relatives, which they have received from the mails. They can also help you by asking their friends to donate the stamps to you, which will be exciting since the stamps came from people will be with different themes and special to you. This will make you to valuate the sentimental values of the collected stamps. 4. Once your friends and relatives are informed that you are collecting the stamps, they will make you to learn that they will provide you stamps as a gift for occasions. This kind of helps will make the collection easier for you. Some times your friends and relatives may make use of their maximum effort for getting special editions or commemorative stamps to make you happy and surprise. 5. You may then narrow down your collections by considering the new or old stamps, which one is more preferable to you. Many people prefer to collect more old stamps in their collection than the new stamps. On the other hand, the new stamps are easier to find and manage. Once you have decided the type of stamps to keep in your collection, you should not throw away the other stamps because, you can exchange them with other collectors to get the stamps as per your choice. 6. One benefit of stamp collecting is that you need not spend much money for the hobby. You may buy inexpensive tools and supplies, which you need for your collections. For starters, an album is the first thing to acquire. The most popular type of the album is the loose-leaf album. A loose-leaf album has a binder that has removable sheets. This will make the stamps easier to manage and compile. 7. It is most important to learn removing the used stamps from envelopes to place them in your album. You may the cut the envelope along with the stamp but it is important to leave the space between the scissors and the edges of the stamps. Now, you can place the stamp by the face turned down in a bowl with warm water. When it becomes completely wet, you can peel off the stamp and place it in the album after drying it properly. 8. There are many resources where you can get informations about stamps and stamp collection. The Internet is the most effective way to search for stamps and determine the place you can get the cheapest and even those stamps, which are hard to find. You can also make use of the Internet to make friendship with other stamp collectors, which will help you become more interested in the hobby and they may help you in finding the stamps you are looking for. You can also exchange stamps with one another making your collection bigger and more exciting. The best part of the collection is displaying them to your friends and loved ones. Once you have your own collection, you can show them to your friends and relatives. You may even have your own exhibition in the future. One way to let the people know about your collection is by putting up your own website. You can create the website, where you can exhibit all of your collected stamps and you can also give the notes about the stamps and your efforts to collect them. How to Become a Stamp Collector Stamp collecting is one of the most popular hobbies of many Americans and other cultures. It may be strange to some people who do not know the enjoyment people get from collecting the stamps. Stamp collectors find the satisfaction while see their huge collection of stamps from different countries, each depicting their own origins and purpose of producing those stamps.
If you have a hobby of collecting different items, stamps may excite you the same way others do. People who engage in collecting stamps do not just enjoy the hobby; they learn and gain knowledge on art, history, and stories about different places. If you want to be a serious stamp collector, you may have to consider collecting commemorative stamps. These stamps are produced by certain country to illustrate a memorable event, like a person or an important object that may be a part of their history. Why should a person want to be a stamp collector? Anyone can be a stamp collector. People of all ages can try with this hobby. One main reason for choose the collection of stamps is that it is considered as one of the most affordable hobby. People may collect coins, cars, tags, pins and many more but stamps are considered one of the most inexpensive hobbies of collection. Stamp collectors come in all ages. It is not limited to certain group or age bracket. Even kids can become stamp collectors on their own little ways. Stamp collectors even start this hobby at a young age. The important thing is the passion you have for collecting stamps regardless of their price and origin. A stamp collector may find old stamps that he can include in his collections. You may even get these stamps for less than a dollar. There are few collectible items, which are considered as inexpensive and the stamp collecting is one of them. A stamp collector may also benefit by learning many things from the stamps he collects. Collecting a stamp may provide the interest to research about the stamp like, why it was produced and about the events that are featured on a specific stamp. You will enjoy and at the same time learn many things from them. Being a stamp collector is not a difficult task. There are many places where you can get your own collection of stamps. Postage stamps used for airmail may also be collected. Stamp collectors will have to compile them depending on the country they came from. There are also sites and message boards in the Internet that features the details of stamp collecting. People can exchange stamps by using these sites and some make use of these sites to display their collections. Others may consider for selling their stamps to make the hobby as their source of income. If you would like to be a stamp collector, you should know all information about stamps. It does not necessarily require knowing everything. One important thing to remember is to know how to take care of the collections. Stamp collectors must be disciplined when it comes to taking care of their stamps. That is because stamps are very fragile as they are made from paper and other thin materials. It becomes a responsibility of stamp collector to take care of the quality of the stamps. If you would like to be a stamp collector, you should also have the necessary supplies required for handling the stamps. If you are a beginner, the album is the first accessory you need to have. This will organize and compile all the collected stamps. The album will also ensure the safety of the stamps from dirt and moist. Anyone can be a stamp collector. It is an educational and informative hobby and even kids will also be benefited from it. It does not only give fun and knowledge but it is also a way to discover the artistic side of every person. Stamp Collecting is Fun! Stamp Collecting can start with a simple gift of stamps given by another person. This may provide him the interest to collect more stamps and may become a stamp collector by adopting this as a hobby in the future.
Stamp collection is considered as one of the most popular hobbies that still exist in this modern world. Earlier the stamp collecting was popular among the royalties in Western Europe . There was a time when all kinds of people has become interested in stamp collecting and treated it as their personal hobby. Some people may wonder about the collection of stamps. The reason they may point out is that the stamps are nothing but a pieces of paper with pictures of some significant persons or events. Many people may think what way a person will be benefited or achieve by collecting these kinds of items. There should be many reasons for the people, who are engaged in collecting the stamps. Most of the people are collecting the stamps because they find it as fun and enjoyable. The designs of stamps are really appealing to every collector. There are very attractive designs with different colorful pictures and backgrounds. In addition, from the attractive designs, it also gives the information about a significant person, event, sports, and many things for a person could find interesting. Nevertheless, the most common stamp collectors are preferred to collect the stamps with the illustration of people, places, and events in the stamps, which may represent some valuable information regarding the history of a certain country or group. Stamp collecting provides resourceful knowledge as well as a person is having fun. He may not realize that he is learning and allotting some time to valuate such collections. For beginners, here are some tips to collect stamps: 1. A person can be a generalist and start collecting a variety of stamps that may feature many things. In this way, he may have an idea on what type of stamps he may have to specialize in collecting. He may place all his collection in an album and categorize each stamp according to topics or themes he has chosen. 2. If somebody loves to travel to different places, he may start collecting stamps from those places he has visited. There are particular areas and locations that offer stamps featuring the history of that place and significant persons those are lived in that place. 3. He may follow collecting stamps, where he finds interest and ambition. He may focus in collecting stuffs that he truly enjoys and having fun about that. He may find those stamps are featuring his favorite sport, sport icon, cars, fishes, and many more. 4. One advantage of collecting stamps is that a person can save more money and time because these items are affordable to purchase and easy to find. 5. He may join a special organization or club that have gatherings occasionally and which themes can apply to his interests. He may meet people who are collecting the same stamps s well as he collects. He may trade or exchange his stamps with other stamp collectors and he can collect the knowledge, tips and advice for to take care of his stamps. 6. He may collect stamps from friends those are affectionate with this kind of hobby. He may enjoy it by sharing the stamps he collected and citing the information, which is represented in the stamp. He may also ask his friends for information for to find more stamps, which are related to his collections. 7. He may collect as his own by searching in the Internet to find availability of more stamps with the most affordable price. He may look for stamps anytime he needs it. It is considered as a passive hobby where he can relax and reduce stress. It also gives the feeling of accomplishment for a person. 8. He may find the stamp collecting as a lifetime hobby. There is always something to know and learn about collecting stamps. It has a wide coverage of different things and persons. He may change the theme into other topics, when he thinks to bring another dimension to his stamp collecting. There are many ways to collect stamps. It is important to do something for those, who are really interested in collecting the stamps. It is even recommended to start at a younger age, by which he will be surprised of the many things that he may have to learn from this hobby. Stamp Collecting in Channel Island
People have different hobby. They can dedicate their free time to anything that makes them interested and happy. As such, the choice of hobby of any person will also tell a lot about his or her personality. An athletic person will spend the pastime playing sports and games. The creative ones will devote their time to arts and crafts.
There are a number people out there who would dedicate their time into collecting things. Stamp collecting for one is one of the most famous hobbies in the world. Comprising of more than 20 million enthusiasts at the United States alone, it is clear that this is really popular.
What Is Stamp Collecting?
Stamp collecting is all about stamps and everything related to it. Thus, a stamp collector will aim to collect as much stamps to comprise a considerable collection. It is to be contrasted with philately which is concerned mainly with the study of stamps and everything related to it.
Starting a hobby of collecting stamps is not difficult. All you have to do is collect all the letters in the household. Remove the stamps from the envelope, gather them and you have your first items.
Most stamp collectors may start the hobby just for fun or out of curiosity. It cannot be denied that there are lots of stamps out there that are really interesting. They can showcase all sorts of information and data. They can cover the historical events, important figures, artworks, animals, insects, planets, sports or just about anything under the sun. The illustration and the subject give so much satisfaction to the interest. The beginner will simply find out later that he or she has been hooked on the hobby.
Collecting Specialties
Most collectors will focus their collection to a certain type. There are actually hundreds and thousands of stamps out there. It will be helpful to narrow down the choices to have some more focus in the collection.
There are different areas where collecting may be focused on.
Postage Stamps
These are the usual stamps used by countries at a specific time.
Postal Stationery
Postal stationeries are some sort of post cards and air letter sheets which the government issued. The earliest of these were issued back in the year 1819.
Federal Duck Stamps
These are stamps used for duck hunting licenses. They are applied mainly on Unites States and Canada . Every year, a wildlife artist and his or her design is selected among many competitors and shall be showcased in the Duck stamp.
Souvenir Sheets
They are stamps released in a format of a sheet forming a big picture.
First Day Covers
Also known as the FDC’s, these are envelopes with stamps that were cancelled on the day the stamp was issued.
It becomes more challenging as they take on the search for specific stamps. Often, this challenge makes the collector desire for more.
Aiming for More
To satisfy this desire for more, it is necessary that the collector knows all the details of the stamps. The most useful tool to use here is the stamp catalogue. This could showcase the stamps of a particular region or even worldwide coverage. It provides stamp details such as the official name, date of issuance, material, face value and actual value.
The value of a stamp is often determined by the conditions of its issuance. Most stamps are for ordinary release. The valuable ones are those that came out in a very limited edition. They can be very rare and hard-to-find, making their market value very high.
Take a particular place in United States , the Channel Island for example. The postage service in the locality of Channel Island will usually provide ordinary stamps for mail purposes of the citizens.
However, every now and then, the postage service may release a special commemoration stamp. This may commemorate an event or a figure very special to Channel Island . The Channel Island for example has a special Channel Island 1940-45 Occupation Stamp.
It tells a lot about the history of Channel Island . Thus, it is also very much expected that the residents of Channel Island will especially aim for that and more.
There are many stamp collectors out there, millions actually, who have different goals and aims in pursuing their hobby. They may have different history, origin and languages. Still, the very same hobby unites them all as they share the same sentiments and love for collecting stamps. Types of stamps Stamps can be subdivided by type: Definitives Commemoratives Charity stamps Air stamps Postage due stamps Telegraph stamps Official stamps Express stamps Newspaper stamps Fiscal stamps Regionals Etc. Stamps can also be subdivided by their appearance: Sheet, Block, Coil, Booklet, Souvenir sheet, Booklet panes, Peel and stick (Self-adhesives) Personalized stamps Marriage, anniversary, birthday, birth, communion, end-of-year parties, there are many occasions to send mail to your close friends. 10 Low-Cost Ways to Start Collecting Stamps If you have recently started collecting stamps, or are thinking about starting, you may be wondering if the hobby is expensive. Can you enjoy it with limited financial resources? What if you have no money at all for the hobby? One of the biggest questions any stamp collector faces is where to find stamps inexpensively. If you intent to save stamps of the United States or the world and want to save used as well as unused stamps, the opportunities are really great. Not all collections consist mainly of unused stamps that you buy in the post office. Used stamps are worth saving, have value, and they may cost you nothing. Many stamp collectors save only used stamps. Others save both used and unused ones. Others save stamps only from one country or one part of the world. Some collectors save stamps by "topic," for example, stamps that depict horse or trains or birds. There are any number of different types of collections. 1. All postally used stamps started out being received in someone's mailbox, at no cost to the person receiving them. The first place to search for stamps, then, is your own mailbox. Don't be discouraged when you notice that many senders use postage meters or the imprint "Bulk Rate Postage Paid' on their envelopes to enjoy a better postal rate or to keep from affixing stamps. Also, when people do use real stamps, they often use the same common small ones. You can begin to change this by asking people who write to you to use commemorative stamps on their mail. These are normally the larger stamps issued to honor famous people, places, or events. These stamps are printed in lesser quantities than the common smaller (definitive) stamps and usually are of much more interest to collects. Many people will remember to ask for commemorative stamps at the post office when mailing letters to you or your family if you let them know you are a stamp collector. Also, if you write away for offers that require postage or a self-addressed, stamped envelope, you can put commemoratives on your return envelope, knowing that they will come back to you later. 2. Neighbors, friends, and relatives are another good source of stamps. The majority of people just throw away stamps when they receive them on mail and are only too happy to save them for someone who appreciates them. You may even know someone who gets letters from other countries who can save these stamps, too. Always be on the lookout for potentially good stamp contacts, and don't be afraid to ask them to go through their mail for you before they throw away all the envelopes. 3. Office mail maybe even better. You may know someone who works in an office that gets a lot of mail. Out of 100 letters a day, there may be ten or twenty good stamps that are being thrown away. Many businesses get a lot of foreign mail and regularly throw away stamps that have interest and/or value to a collector. 4. Ask your parents if they have any old letters, which may have stamps on the envelopes. When taking stamps off envelopes, always tear off the corner so that there is paper all around the stamp, and the stamp and all its perforations are undamaged. Anyone who is saving stamps for you should be told that this is the way to do it; otherwise, he/she may try to peel the stamp off the envelope. This will cause thin spots or tears, both of which ruin a stamp's appearance and lessen its value to collectors. If you run across envelopes that are very old or have postal markings that may be of particular interest, it is best to save the entire envelope until you can find out if the stamp is worth more attached to the cover. Now that you have stamps on paper, what do you do with them? The most common way to get stamps off paper is to soak them in cool water, then dry them on paper. To understand more about soaking stamps, it is best to find a handbook on stamp collecting at the library. There is a lot to learn about stamps as you get more and more of the. For example, different shades of color may exist on stamps with the same design, or them may have different perforation measurements (number of holes per side). Major varieties of stamps and "catalog values" are listed in stamp catalogs, which are available in most libraries. The most common one, the Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue, has a very good section in front that explains how stamps are made and how
1. First you need to decide on what kind of topic you would like to use for your collection to get started with this hobby. It is also recommended to start with general but choosing a specific theme for your stamps will be more exciting. If you would like to collect postage stamps from other countries, you may start narrowing down your collection for the stamps coming from a specific country. 2. You can also start the stamp collection by buying new stamps from the market. If you are aiming for the stamps of the specific country will help you to get a good start on your collection and will help to prevent the duplication of your collection. Buying a whole pack will give you different designs and will make more interesting for you and motivate you to collect more. 3. If you have limited budget for starting the stamp collection you may have to collect the used stamps from your friends and relatives, which they have received from the mails. They can also help you by asking their friends to donate the stamps to you, which will be exciting since the stamps came from people will be with different themes and special to you. This will make you to valuate the sentimental values of the collected stamps. 4. Once your friends and relatives are informed that you are collecting the stamps, they will make you to learn that they will provide you stamps as a gift for occasions. This kind of helps will make the collection easier for you. Some times your friends and relatives may make use of their maximum effort for getting special editions or commemorative stamps to make you happy and surprise. 5. You may then narrow down your collections by considering the new or old stamps, which one is more preferable to you. Many people prefer to collect more old stamps in their collection than the new stamps. On the other hand, the new stamps are easier to find and manage. Once you have decided the type of stamps to keep in your collection, you should not throw away the other stamps because, you can exchange them with other collectors to get the stamps as per your choice. 6. One benefit of stamp collecting is that you need not spend much money for the hobby. You may buy inexpensive tools and supplies, which you need for your collections. For starters, an album is the first thing to acquire. The most popular type of the album is the loose-leaf album. A loose-leaf album has a binder that has removable sheets. This will make the stamps easier to manage and compile. 7. It is most important to learn removing the used stamps from envelopes to place them in your album. You may the cut the envelope along with the stamp but it is important to leave the space between the scissors and the edges of the stamps. Now, you can place the stamp by the face turned down in a bowl with warm water. When it becomes completely wet, you can peel off the stamp and place it in the album after drying it properly. 8. There are many resources where you can get informations about stamps and stamp collection. The Internet is the most effective way to search for stamps and determine the place you can get the cheapest and even those stamps, which are hard to find. You can also make use of the Internet to make friendship with other stamp collectors, which will help you become more interested in the hobby and they may help you in finding the stamps you are looking for. You can also exchange stamps with one another making your collection bigger and more exciting. The best part of the collection is displaying them to your friends and loved ones. Once you have your own collection, you can show them to your friends and relatives. You may even have your own exhibition in the future. One way to let the people know about your collection is by putting up your own website. You can create the website, where you can exhibit all of your collected stamps and you can also give the notes about the stamps and your efforts to collect them. How to Become a Stamp Collector Stamp collecting is one of the most popular hobbies of many Americans and other cultures. It may be strange to some people who do not know the enjoyment people get from collecting the stamps. Stamp collectors find the satisfaction while see their huge collection of stamps from different countries, each depicting their own origins and purpose of producing those stamps.
If you have a hobby of collecting different items, stamps may excite you the same way others do. People who engage in collecting stamps do not just enjoy the hobby; they learn and gain knowledge on art, history, and stories about different places. If you want to be a serious stamp collector, you may have to consider collecting commemorative stamps. These stamps are produced by certain country to illustrate a memorable event, like a person or an important object that may be a part of their history. Why should a person want to be a stamp collector? Anyone can be a stamp collector. People of all ages can try with this hobby. One main reason for choose the collection of stamps is that it is considered as one of the most affordable hobby. People may collect coins, cars, tags, pins and many more but stamps are considered one of the most inexpensive hobbies of collection. Stamp collectors come in all ages. It is not limited to certain group or age bracket. Even kids can become stamp collectors on their own little ways. Stamp collectors even start this hobby at a young age. The important thing is the passion you have for collecting stamps regardless of their price and origin. A stamp collector may find old stamps that he can include in his collections. You may even get these stamps for less than a dollar. There are few collectible items, which are considered as inexpensive and the stamp collecting is one of them. A stamp collector may also benefit by learning many things from the stamps he collects. Collecting a stamp may provide the interest to research about the stamp like, why it was produced and about the events that are featured on a specific stamp. You will enjoy and at the same time learn many things from them. Being a stamp collector is not a difficult task. There are many places where you can get your own collection of stamps. Postage stamps used for airmail may also be collected. Stamp collectors will have to compile them depending on the country they came from. There are also sites and message boards in the Internet that features the details of stamp collecting. People can exchange stamps by using these sites and some make use of these sites to display their collections. Others may consider for selling their stamps to make the hobby as their source of income. If you would like to be a stamp collector, you should know all information about stamps. It does not necessarily require knowing everything. One important thing to remember is to know how to take care of the collections. Stamp collectors must be disciplined when it comes to taking care of their stamps. That is because stamps are very fragile as they are made from paper and other thin materials. It becomes a responsibility of stamp collector to take care of the quality of the stamps. If you would like to be a stamp collector, you should also have the necessary supplies required for handling the stamps. If you are a beginner, the album is the first accessory you need to have. This will organize and compile all the collected stamps. The album will also ensure the safety of the stamps from dirt and moist. Anyone can be a stamp collector. It is an educational and informative hobby and even kids will also be benefited from it. It does not only give fun and knowledge but it is also a way to discover the artistic side of every person. Stamp Collecting is Fun! Stamp Collecting can start with a simple gift of stamps given by another person. This may provide him the interest to collect more stamps and may become a stamp collector by adopting this as a hobby in the future.
Stamp collection is considered as one of the most popular hobbies that still exist in this modern world. Earlier the stamp collecting was popular among the royalties in Western Europe . There was a time when all kinds of people has become interested in stamp collecting and treated it as their personal hobby. Some people may wonder about the collection of stamps. The reason they may point out is that the stamps are nothing but a pieces of paper with pictures of some significant persons or events. Many people may think what way a person will be benefited or achieve by collecting these kinds of items. There should be many reasons for the people, who are engaged in collecting the stamps. Most of the people are collecting the stamps because they find it as fun and enjoyable. The designs of stamps are really appealing to every collector. There are very attractive designs with different colorful pictures and backgrounds. In addition, from the attractive designs, it also gives the information about a significant person, event, sports, and many things for a person could find interesting. Nevertheless, the most common stamp collectors are preferred to collect the stamps with the illustration of people, places, and events in the stamps, which may represent some valuable information regarding the history of a certain country or group. Stamp collecting provides resourceful knowledge as well as a person is having fun. He may not realize that he is learning and allotting some time to valuate such collections. For beginners, here are some tips to collect stamps: 1. A person can be a generalist and start collecting a variety of stamps that may feature many things. In this way, he may have an idea on what type of stamps he may have to specialize in collecting. He may place all his collection in an album and categorize each stamp according to topics or themes he has chosen. 2. If somebody loves to travel to different places, he may start collecting stamps from those places he has visited. There are particular areas and locations that offer stamps featuring the history of that place and significant persons those are lived in that place. 3. He may follow collecting stamps, where he finds interest and ambition. He may focus in collecting stuffs that he truly enjoys and having fun about that. He may find those stamps are featuring his favorite sport, sport icon, cars, fishes, and many more. 4. One advantage of collecting stamps is that a person can save more money and time because these items are affordable to purchase and easy to find. 5. He may join a special organization or club that have gatherings occasionally and which themes can apply to his interests. He may meet people who are collecting the same stamps s well as he collects. He may trade or exchange his stamps with other stamp collectors and he can collect the knowledge, tips and advice for to take care of his stamps. 6. He may collect stamps from friends those are affectionate with this kind of hobby. He may enjoy it by sharing the stamps he collected and citing the information, which is represented in the stamp. He may also ask his friends for information for to find more stamps, which are related to his collections. 7. He may collect as his own by searching in the Internet to find availability of more stamps with the most affordable price. He may look for stamps anytime he needs it. It is considered as a passive hobby where he can relax and reduce stress. It also gives the feeling of accomplishment for a person. 8. He may find the stamp collecting as a lifetime hobby. There is always something to know and learn about collecting stamps. It has a wide coverage of different things and persons. He may change the theme into other topics, when he thinks to bring another dimension to his stamp collecting. There are many ways to collect stamps. It is important to do something for those, who are really interested in collecting the stamps. It is even recommended to start at a younger age, by which he will be surprised of the many things that he may have to learn from this hobby. Stamp Collecting in Channel Island
People have different hobby. They can dedicate their free time to anything that makes them interested and happy. As such, the choice of hobby of any person will also tell a lot about his or her personality. An athletic person will spend the pastime playing sports and games. The creative ones will devote their time to arts and crafts.
There are a number people out there who would dedicate their time into collecting things. Stamp collecting for one is one of the most famous hobbies in the world. Comprising of more than 20 million enthusiasts at the United States alone, it is clear that this is really popular.
What Is Stamp Collecting?
Stamp collecting is all about stamps and everything related to it. Thus, a stamp collector will aim to collect as much stamps to comprise a considerable collection. It is to be contrasted with philately which is concerned mainly with the study of stamps and everything related to it.
Starting a hobby of collecting stamps is not difficult. All you have to do is collect all the letters in the household. Remove the stamps from the envelope, gather them and you have your first items.
Most stamp collectors may start the hobby just for fun or out of curiosity. It cannot be denied that there are lots of stamps out there that are really interesting. They can showcase all sorts of information and data. They can cover the historical events, important figures, artworks, animals, insects, planets, sports or just about anything under the sun. The illustration and the subject give so much satisfaction to the interest. The beginner will simply find out later that he or she has been hooked on the hobby.
Collecting Specialties
Most collectors will focus their collection to a certain type. There are actually hundreds and thousands of stamps out there. It will be helpful to narrow down the choices to have some more focus in the collection.
There are different areas where collecting may be focused on.
Postage Stamps
These are the usual stamps used by countries at a specific time.
Postal Stationery
Postal stationeries are some sort of post cards and air letter sheets which the government issued. The earliest of these were issued back in the year 1819.
Federal Duck Stamps
These are stamps used for duck hunting licenses. They are applied mainly on Unites States and Canada . Every year, a wildlife artist and his or her design is selected among many competitors and shall be showcased in the Duck stamp.
Souvenir Sheets
They are stamps released in a format of a sheet forming a big picture.
First Day Covers
Also known as the FDC’s, these are envelopes with stamps that were cancelled on the day the stamp was issued.
It becomes more challenging as they take on the search for specific stamps. Often, this challenge makes the collector desire for more.
Aiming for More
To satisfy this desire for more, it is necessary that the collector knows all the details of the stamps. The most useful tool to use here is the stamp catalogue. This could showcase the stamps of a particular region or even worldwide coverage. It provides stamp details such as the official name, date of issuance, material, face value and actual value.
The value of a stamp is often determined by the conditions of its issuance. Most stamps are for ordinary release. The valuable ones are those that came out in a very limited edition. They can be very rare and hard-to-find, making their market value very high.
Take a particular place in United States , the Channel Island for example. The postage service in the locality of Channel Island will usually provide ordinary stamps for mail purposes of the citizens.
However, every now and then, the postage service may release a special commemoration stamp. This may commemorate an event or a figure very special to Channel Island . The Channel Island for example has a special Channel Island 1940-45 Occupation Stamp.
It tells a lot about the history of Channel Island . Thus, it is also very much expected that the residents of Channel Island will especially aim for that and more.
There are many stamp collectors out there, millions actually, who have different goals and aims in pursuing their hobby. They may have different history, origin and languages. Still, the very same hobby unites them all as they share the same sentiments and love for collecting stamps. Types of stamps Stamps can be subdivided by type: Definitives Commemoratives Charity stamps Air stamps Postage due stamps Telegraph stamps Official stamps Express stamps Newspaper stamps Fiscal stamps Regionals Etc. Stamps can also be subdivided by their appearance: Sheet, Block, Coil, Booklet, Souvenir sheet, Booklet panes, Peel and stick (Self-adhesives) Personalized stamps Marriage, anniversary, birthday, birth, communion, end-of-year parties, there are many occasions to send mail to your close friends. 10 Low-Cost Ways to Start Collecting Stamps If you have recently started collecting stamps, or are thinking about starting, you may be wondering if the hobby is expensive. Can you enjoy it with limited financial resources? What if you have no money at all for the hobby? One of the biggest questions any stamp collector faces is where to find stamps inexpensively. If you intent to save stamps of the United States or the world and want to save used as well as unused stamps, the opportunities are really great. Not all collections consist mainly of unused stamps that you buy in the post office. Used stamps are worth saving, have value, and they may cost you nothing. Many stamp collectors save only used stamps. Others save both used and unused ones. Others save stamps only from one country or one part of the world. Some collectors save stamps by "topic," for example, stamps that depict horse or trains or birds. There are any number of different types of collections. 1. All postally used stamps started out being received in someone's mailbox, at no cost to the person receiving them. The first place to search for stamps, then, is your own mailbox. Don't be discouraged when you notice that many senders use postage meters or the imprint "Bulk Rate Postage Paid' on their envelopes to enjoy a better postal rate or to keep from affixing stamps. Also, when people do use real stamps, they often use the same common small ones. You can begin to change this by asking people who write to you to use commemorative stamps on their mail. These are normally the larger stamps issued to honor famous people, places, or events. These stamps are printed in lesser quantities than the common smaller (definitive) stamps and usually are of much more interest to collects. Many people will remember to ask for commemorative stamps at the post office when mailing letters to you or your family if you let them know you are a stamp collector. Also, if you write away for offers that require postage or a self-addressed, stamped envelope, you can put commemoratives on your return envelope, knowing that they will come back to you later. 2. Neighbors, friends, and relatives are another good source of stamps. The majority of people just throw away stamps when they receive them on mail and are only too happy to save them for someone who appreciates them. You may even know someone who gets letters from other countries who can save these stamps, too. Always be on the lookout for potentially good stamp contacts, and don't be afraid to ask them to go through their mail for you before they throw away all the envelopes. 3. Office mail maybe even better. You may know someone who works in an office that gets a lot of mail. Out of 100 letters a day, there may be ten or twenty good stamps that are being thrown away. Many businesses get a lot of foreign mail and regularly throw away stamps that have interest and/or value to a collector. 4. Ask your parents if they have any old letters, which may have stamps on the envelopes. When taking stamps off envelopes, always tear off the corner so that there is paper all around the stamp, and the stamp and all its perforations are undamaged. Anyone who is saving stamps for you should be told that this is the way to do it; otherwise, he/she may try to peel the stamp off the envelope. This will cause thin spots or tears, both of which ruin a stamp's appearance and lessen its value to collectors. If you run across envelopes that are very old or have postal markings that may be of particular interest, it is best to save the entire envelope until you can find out if the stamp is worth more attached to the cover. Now that you have stamps on paper, what do you do with them? The most common way to get stamps off paper is to soak them in cool water, then dry them on paper. To understand more about soaking stamps, it is best to find a handbook on stamp collecting at the library. There is a lot to learn about stamps as you get more and more of the. For example, different shades of color may exist on stamps with the same design, or them may have different perforation measurements (number of holes per side). Major varieties of stamps and "catalog values" are listed in stamp catalogs, which are available in most libraries. The most common one, the Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue, has a very good section in front that explains how stamps are made and how
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
stamp magasine
How to Get Started with Your Stamp Collection - Simple TipsCollecting stamp is a famous hobby as well as an easy activity, which provides many lighter moments. If you would like to start your own collection of stamps, here is the list of procedures to get started:1. First you need to decide on what kind of topic you would like to use for your collection to get started with this hobby. It is also recommended to start with general but choosing a specific theme for your stamps will be more exciting. If you would like to collect postage stamps from other countries, you may start narrowing down your collection for the stamps coming from a specific country.2. You can also start the stamp collection by buying new stamps from the market. If you are aiming for the stamps of the specific country will help you to get a good start on your collection and will help to prevent the duplication of your collection. Buying a whole pack will give you different designs and will make more interesting for you and motivate you to collect more.3. If you have limited budget for starting the stamp collection you may have to collect the used stamps from your friends and relatives, which they have received from the mails. They can also help you by asking their friends to donate the stamps to you, which will be exciting since the stamps came from people will be with different themes and special to you. This will make you to valuate the sentimental values of the collected stamps.4. Once your friends and relatives are informed that you are collecting the stamps, they will make you to learn that they will provide you stamps as a gift for occasions. This kind of helps will make the collection easier for you. Some times your friends and relatives may make use of their maximum effort for getting special editions or commemorative stamps to make you happy and surprise.5. You may then narrow down your collections by considering the new or old stamps, which one is more preferable to you. Many people prefer to collect more old stamps in their collection than the new stamps. On the other hand, the new stamps are easier to find and manage. Once you have decided the type of stamps to keep in your collection, you should not throw away the other stamps because, you can exchange them with other collectors to get the stamps as per your choice.6. One benefit of stamp collecting is that you need not spend much money for the hobby. You may buy inexpensive tools and supplies, which you need for your collections. For starters, an album is the first thing to acquire. The most popular type of the album is the loose-leaf album. A loose-leaf album has a binder that has removable sheets. This will make the stamps easier to manage and compile.7. It is most important to learn removing the used stamps from envelopes to place them in your album. You may the cut the envelope along with the stamp but it is important to leave the space between the scissors and the edges of the stamps. Now, you can place the stamp by the face turned down in a bowl with warm water. When it becomes completely wet, you can peel off the stamp and place it in the album after drying it properly.8. There are many resources where you can get informations about stamps and stamp collection. The Internet is the most effective way to search for stamps and determine the place you can get the cheapest and even those stamps, which are hard to find. You can also make use of the Internet to make friendship with other stamp collectors, which will help you become more interested in the hobby and they may help you in finding the stamps you are looking for. You can also exchange stamps with one another making your collection bigger and more exciting.The best part of the collection is displaying them to your friends and loved ones. Once you have your own collection, you can show them to your friends and relatives. You may even have your own exhibition in the future. One way to let the people know about your collection is by putting up your own website. You can create the website, where you can exhibit all of your collected stamps and you can also give the notes about the stamps and your efforts to collect them.How to Become a Stamp CollectorStamp collecting is one of the most popular hobbies of many Americans and other cultures. It may be strange to some people who do not know the enjoyment people get from collecting the stamps. Stamp collectors find the satisfaction while see their huge collection of stamps from different countries, each depicting their own origins and purpose of producing those stamps.If you have a hobby of collecting different items, stamps may excite you the same way others do. People who engage in collecting stamps do not just enjoy the hobby; they learn and gain knowledge on art, history, and stories about different places.If you want to be a serious stamp collector, you may have to consider collecting commemorative stamps. These stamps are produced by certain country to illustrate a memorable event, like a person or an important object that may be a part of their history.Why should a person want to be a stamp collector?Anyone can be a stamp collector. People of all ages can try with this hobby. One main reason for choose the collection of stamps is that it is considered as one of the most affordable hobby. People may collect coins, cars, tags, pins and many more but stamps are considered one of the most inexpensive hobbies of collection.Stamp collectors come in all ages. It is not limited to certain group or age bracket. Even kids can become stamp collectors on their own little ways. Stamp collectors even start this hobby at a young age. The important thing is the passion you have for collecting stamps regardless of their price and origin.A stamp collector may find old stamps that he can include in his collections. You may even get these stamps for less than a dollar. There are few collectible items, which are considered as inexpensive and the stamp collecting is one of them.A stamp collector may also benefit by learning many things from the stamps he collects. Collecting a stamp may provide the interest to research about the stamp like, why it was produced and about the events that are featured on a specific stamp. You will enjoy and at the same time learn many things from them.Being a stamp collector is not a difficult task. There are many places where you can get your own collection of stamps. Postage stamps used for airmail may also be collected. Stamp collectors will have to compile them depending on the country they came from.There are also sites and message boards in the Internet that features the details of stamp collecting. People can exchange stamps by using these sites and some make use of these sites to display their collections. Others may consider for selling their stamps to make the hobby as their source of income.If you would like to be a stamp collector, you should know all information about stamps. It does not necessarily require knowing everything. One important thing to remember is to know how to take care of the collections.Stamp collectors must be disciplined when it comes to taking care of their stamps. That is because stamps are very fragile as they are made from paper and other thin materials. It becomes a responsibility of stamp collector to take care of the quality of the stamps.If you would like to be a stamp collector, you should also have the necessary supplies required for handling the stamps. If you are a beginner, the album is the first accessory you need to have. This will organize and compile all the collected stamps. The album will also ensure the safety of the stamps from dirt and moist.Anyone can be a stamp collector. It is an educational and informative hobby and even kids will also be benefited from it. It does not only give fun and knowledge but it is also a way to discover the artistic side of every person.Stamp Collecting is Fun!Stamp Collecting can start with a simple gift of stamps given by another person. This may provide him the interest to collect more stamps and may become a stamp collector by adopting this as a hobby in the future. Stamp collection is considered as one of the most popular hobbies that still exist in this modern world. Earlier the stamp collecting was popular among the royalties in Western Europe. There was a time when all kinds of people has become interested in stamp collecting and treated it as their personal hobby.Some people may wonder about the collection of stamps. The reason they may point out is that the stamps are nothing but a pieces of paper with pictures of some significant persons or events. Many people may think what way a person will be benefited or achieve by collecting these kinds of items. There should be many reasons for the people, who are engaged in collecting the stamps. Most of the people are collecting the stamps because they find it as fun and enjoyable.The designs of stamps are really appealing to every collector. There are very attractive designs with different colorful pictures and backgrounds. In addition, from the attractive designs, it also gives the information about a significant person, event, sports, and many things for a person could find interesting.Nevertheless, the most common stamp collectors are preferred to collect the stamps with the illustration of people, places, and events in the stamps, which may represent some valuable information regarding the history of a certain country or group. Stamp collecting provides resourceful knowledge as well as a person is having fun. He may not realize that he is learning and allotting some time to valuate such collections.For beginners, here are some tips to collect stamps:1. A person can be a generalist and start collecting a variety of stamps that may feature many things. In this way, he may have an idea on what type of stamps he may have to specialize in collecting. He may place all his collection in an album and categorize each stamp according to topics or themes he has chosen.2. If somebody loves to travel to different places, he may start collecting stamps from those places he has visited. There are particular areas and locations that offer stamps featuring the history of that place and significant persons those are lived in that place.3. He may follow collecting stamps, where he finds interest and ambition. He may focus in collecting stuffs that he truly enjoys and having fun about that. He may find those stamps are featuring his favorite sport, sport icon, cars, fishes, and many more.4. One advantage of collecting stamps is that a person can save more money and time because these items are affordable to purchase and easy to find.5. He may join a special organization or club that have gatherings occasionally and which themes can apply to his interests. He may meet people who are collecting the same stamps s well as he collects. He may trade or exchange his stamps with other stamp collectors and he can collect the knowledge, tips and advice for to take care of his stamps.6. He may collect stamps from friends those are affectionate with this kind of hobby. He may enjoy it by sharing the stamps he collected and citing the information, which is represented in the stamp. He may also ask his friends for information for to find more stamps, which are related to his collections.7. He may collect as his own by searching in the Internet to find availability of more stamps with the most affordable price. He may look for stamps anytime he needs it. It is considered as a passive hobby where he can relax and reduce stress. It also gives the feeling of accomplishment for a person.8. He may find the stamp collecting as a lifetime hobby. There is always something to know and learn about collecting stamps. It has a wide coverage of different things and persons. He may change the theme into other topics, when he thinks to bring another dimension to his stamp collecting.There are many ways to collect stamps. It is important to do something for those, who are really interested in collecting the stamps. It is even recommended to start at a younger age, by which he will be surprised of the many things that he may have to learn from this hobby.Stamp Collecting in Channel Island People have different hobby. They can dedicate their free time to anything that makes them interested and happy. As such, the choice of hobby of any person will also tell a lot about his or her personality. An athletic person will spend the pastime playing sports and games. The creative ones will devote their time to arts and crafts. There are a number people out there who would dedicate their time into collecting things. Stamp collecting for one is one of the most famous hobbies in the world. Comprising of more than 20 million enthusiasts at the United States alone, it is clear that this is really popular.What Is Stamp Collecting?Stamp collecting is all about stamps and everything related to it. Thus, a stamp collector will aim to collect as much stamps to comprise a considerable collection. It is to be contrasted with philately which is concerned mainly with the study of stamps and everything related to it.Starting a hobby of collecting stamps is not difficult. All you have to do is collect all the letters in the household. Remove the stamps from the envelope, gather them and you have your first items.Most stamp collectors may start the hobby just for fun or out of curiosity. It cannot be denied that there are lots of stamps out there that are really interesting. They can showcase all sorts of information and data. They can cover the historical events, important figures, artworks, animals, insects, planets, sports or just about anything under the sun. The illustration and the subject give so much satisfaction to the interest. The beginner will simply find out later that he or she has been hooked on the hobby. Collecting SpecialtiesMost collectors will focus their collection to a certain type. There are actually hundreds and thousands of stamps out there. It will be helpful to narrow down the choices to have some more focus in the collection. There are different areas where collecting may be focused on.Postage StampsThese are the usual stamps used by countries at a specific time.Postal StationeryPostal stationeries are some sort of post cards and air letter sheets which the government issued. The earliest of these were issued back in the year 1819.Federal Duck StampsThese are stamps used for duck hunting licenses. They are applied mainly on Unites States and Canada. Every year, a wildlife artist and his or her design is selected among many competitors and shall be showcased in the Duck stamp.Souvenir SheetsThey are stamps released in a format of a sheet forming a big picture. First Day CoversAlso known as the FDC’s, these are envelopes with stamps that were cancelled on the day the stamp was issued. It becomes more challenging as they take on the search for specific stamps. Often, this challenge makes the collector desire for more.Aiming for MoreTo satisfy this desire for more, it is necessary that the collector knows all the details of the stamps. The most useful tool to use here is the stamp catalogue. This could showcase the stamps of a particular region or even worldwide coverage. It provides stamp details such as the official name, date of issuance, material, face value and actual value.The value of a stamp is often determined by the conditions of its issuance. Most stamps are for ordinary release. The valuable ones are those that came out in a very limited edition. They can be very rare and hard-to-find, making their market value very high. Take a particular place in United States, the Channel Island for example. The postage service in the locality of Channel Island will usually provide ordinary stamps for mail purposes of the citizens. However, every now and then, the postage service may release a special commemoration stamp. This may commemorate an event or a figure very special to Channel Island. The Channel Island for example has a special Channel Island 1940-45 Occupation Stamp. It tells a lot about the history of Channel Island. Thus, it is also very much expected that the residents of Channel Island will especially aim for that and more.There are many stamp collectors out there, millions actually, who have different goals and aims in pursuing their hobby. They may have different history, origin and languages. Still, the very same hobby unites them all as they share the same sentiments and love for collecting stamps.Types of stampsStamps can be subdivided by type:DefinitivesCommemorativesCharity stampsAir stampsPostage due stampsTelegraph stampsOfficial stampsExpress stampsNewspaper stampsFiscal stampsRegionalsEtc.Stamps can also be subdivided by their appearance:Sheet, Block, Coil, Booklet, Souvenir sheet, Booklet panes, Peel and stick (Self-adhesives)Personalized stampsMarriage, anniversary, birthday, birth, communion, end-of-year parties, there are many occasions to send mail to your close friends.10 Low-Cost Ways to Start Collecting StampsIf you have recently started collecting stamps, or are thinking about starting, you may be wondering if the hobby is expensive. Can you enjoy it with limited financial resources? What if you have no money at all for the hobby?One of the biggest questions any stamp collector faces is where to find stamps inexpensively. If you intent to save stamps of the United States or the world and want to save used as well as unused stamps, the opportunities are really great. Not all collections consist mainly of unused stamps that you buy in the post office. Used stamps are worth saving, have value, and they may cost you nothing.Many stamp collectors save only used stamps. Others save both used and unused ones. Others save stamps only from one country or one part of the world. Some collectors save stamps by "topic," for example, stamps that depict horse or trains or birds. There are any number of different types of collections.1. All postally used stamps started out being received in someone's mailbox, at no cost to the person receiving them. The first place to search for stamps, then, is your own mailbox. Don't be discouraged when you notice that many senders use postage meters or the imprint "Bulk Rate Postage Paid' on their envelopes to enjoy a better postal rate or to keep from affixing stamps. Also, when people do use real stamps, they often use the same common small ones.You can begin to change this by asking people who write to you to use commemorative stamps on their mail. These are normally the larger stamps issued to honor famous people, places, or events. These stamps are printed in lesser quantities than the common smaller (definitive) stamps and usually are of much more interest to collects. Many people will remember to ask for commemorative stamps at the post office when mailing letters to you or your family if you let them know you are a stamp collector. Also, if you write away for offers that require postage or a self-addressed, stamped envelope, you can put commemoratives on your return envelope, knowing that they will come back to you later.2. Neighbors, friends, and relatives are another good source of stamps. The majority of people just throw away stamps when they receive them on mail and are only too happy to save them for someone who appreciates them. You may even know someone who gets letters from other countries who can save these stamps, too. Always be on the lookout for potentially good stamp contacts, and don't be afraid to ask them to go through their mail for you before they throw away all the envelopes.3. Office mail maybe even better. You may know someone who works in an office that gets a lot of mail. Out of 100 letters a day, there may be ten or twenty good stamps that are being thrown away. Many businesses get a lot of foreign mail and regularly throw away stamps that have interest and/or value to a collector.4. Ask your parents if they have any old letters, which may have stamps on the envelopes. When taking stamps off envelopes, always tear off the corner so that there is paper all around the stamp, and the stamp and all its perforations are undamaged. Anyone who is saving stamps for you should be told that this is the way to do it; otherwise, he/she may try to peel the stamp off the envelope. This will cause thin spots or tears, both of which ruin a stamp's appearance and lessen its value to collectors. If you run across envelopes that are very old or have postal markings that may be of particular interest, it is best to save the entire envelope until you can find out if the stamp is worth more attached to the cover.Now that you have stamps on paper, what do you do with them? The most common way to get stamps off paper is to soak them in cool water, then dry them on paper. To understand more about soaking stamps, it is best to find a handbook on stamp collecting at the library.There is a lot to learn about stamps as you get more and more of the. For example, different shades of color may exist on stamps with the same design, or them may have different perforation measurements (number of holes per side). Major varieties of stamps and "catalog values" are listed in stamp catalogs, which are available in most libraries. The most common one, the Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue, has a very good section in front that explains how stamps are made and how to tell varieties apart, as well as how to use the catalog. Having access to a catalog in a nearby library is very useful until you decide if you want one of your own.5. Longtime collectors may be another source of stamps. Usually a person who has been a collector for a number of years has developed many sources for stamps. The collector may have thousands of duplicates, some of which may be very inexpensive while others may have more value. Often older collectors are willing to help new philatelists get started by giving them stamps, or at least providing packets of stamps mush more cheaply than can be purchased in stores or by mail.6. Many stamp companies advertise free stamps. However, these ads must be read carefully before you send away from anything. Usually these ads offer "approvals," which means they will send you the free stamps advertised, plus an assortment of other stamps which you may either buy or return. By sending for the free stamps, you have already agreed that you will return the other stamps within a reasonable period of time if you do not buy anything. Usually you must pay the return postage. This is a convenient way to buy stamps from your own home.7. Stamp clubs are another place to get stamps. A club may offer stamps as prizes, or have inexpensive stamps as prizes, or have inexpensive stamps you can afford to buy.Some stamp clubs sponsor junior clubs that meet at schools or the local YMCA or community center. If you are fortunate enough to have one of these in your area, it can be a great source of both stamps and advice.8. One way to increase your sources for stamps and also have a lot of fun is to help start a local club, if one does not already exist. All it takes are our or five other stamp collectors who are interested in getting together to learn about and trade stamps and ideas.9. Obtaining a pen pal in another country is a very good way to get stamps from that country. His or her extra stamps may seem really common in that country, but over here they are much scarcer. Your own stamps may look fairly common to you, but he or she is sure to appreciate them.10. Trading off your duplicate stamps can be a lot of fun. Even if you don't know many collectors where you live, stamps are so lightweight that they can easily be trades by mail. Check out the stamp newspapers and magazines available at your local library for classified ads that list stamp trades. You may find, for example, that another collector will send you 100 large foreign stamps if you send 100 U.S. commemoratives. Usually schools do not subscribe to any of the periodical stamp publications, so you will have to go to your public library. (Many stamp publications also offer to send one free sample issue if your request it, because they are always looking for potential new subscribers.)Collecting stamps need not be an expensive hobby. Thousands of stamps are issued every year, and while some of them cost many dollars, others cost just a few cents each. Nobody expects you to try to save every stamp that exists, and they key to enjoying philately is to save whatever you enjoy the most! With free stamps and a few inexpensive accessories, such as a small album and a package of stamp hinges, even collectors with little money can have a great time. Don't forget to mention stamps, stamp albums, and hinges before your birthday or Christmas! Also remember that a great many inexpensive stamps in the past have turned into ore valuable stamps over the years.You never know what will happen in stamp collecting!Top 10 Things Every Stamp Collect Should KnowIf you know nothing else about the hobby, you should know these ten things. Always use tongs, never glue down a stamp, don't cram your stamps into a box, and more advice to help you start your collection.1. Carefully handle your stamps.Throwing your stamps into a box or drawer may cause them to tear, become creased, or soiled reducing their value. Always store your collection in albums specifically designed for postage stamps.2. Always use tongs to handle your stamps.Grease or moisture from your fingers can damage the glue or gum of the stamp, again, reducing their value. Stamp tongs are relatively inexpensive, well worth the price to protect your collection.3. Never lick, glue, or tape a stamp into your album.Adhering a stamp to your album in this manner will not allow you to remove the stamp at a later time, without causing damage to the stamp. Always use some type of stamp hinge or mount to place your stamps in your albums.4. Use little moisture when adhearing your stamp mounts.Soaking your stamp mounts will cause them to become soggy and unusable, or worse still, may cause damage to your stamps. Only slightly wet your mount regardless of the type you are using.5. Never completely seal your stamp mount.Stamps are made from paper and paper can become brittle or may even decompose when kept air-tight. Always leave an open area when using mounts.6. Store your stamps in a cool dry place.Humidity and moisture are the worst causes of damage to postage stamps. Once they are introduced to your collection, stamp gum will become tacky and your stamps will stick together. Once stamps become stuck together, there is no safe way to take them apart.7. Buy the largest high quality album that you can afford.Buying a smaller album means at some point, when your collection becomes larger, you will have to transfer all of your stamps to a new album. Unless you will later have the time and money, it is best to buy a larger album from the very beginning.8. Do not soak your stamps until you are sure their ink will not run.Some stamps when soaked in water or watermark detection fluid will have fugitive inks that run. Always make sure it is safe to soak your stamps beforehand by consulting your catalog.9. Never remove a stamp from a cover before checking for special markings.Older covers should be checked to make sure they do not have any special postmarks before soaking the stamps off the paper. Some stamps are more valuable if left on the cover, such as those found on cachets.10. If you aren't sure...ask!If you are having difficulty identifying your stamps or just have a general philatelic question, it never hurts to ask a stamp professional. With more than 16 million collectors in the United States alone, there is always someone who would love to share their knowledge of thehobby with you.Top 7 Ways to Start a Stamp CollectionIt doesn't cost much to start a stamp collection. In fact, it could cost nothing. There are many low cost, and even free, stamp resources out there, you just have to know where to look.1. Remove Stamps from MailPerhaps, the easiest means of obtaining stamps is by removing them from your letters. Simply cut around the stamp in the shape of a square or rectangle. Then, soak the cut stamps in a bowl of luke warm water for ten minutes. Once the stamps fall off of their paper backing, dip then in cool water, and allow them to dry. It is best that you put the stamps in a drying book or dry them between layers of paper towels, so they will flatten.Don't receive that much mail? Try contacting family members, local businesses, schools, and other organizations. They may be willing to save their own mail for your collection.2. Get Free Stamps Online (Kids)The International Society of Worldwide Stamp Collectors will give any child, under the age of seventeen, a free stamp packet. Just have the child send in a self-addressed stamped envelope if they reside in the United States, or an international reply coupon if they live outside the U.S., to help with postage fees.The ISWSC, also, supplies free stamps to school stamp clubs and other collecting groups for youngsters. Group leaders will have to write the ISWSC mentioning the number of kids involved, their ages and interests.More: Free Stamps from the International Society of Worldwide Stamp Collectors3. Get Free Stamps Online (Anyone)Interested in free stamps and not under the age of 17? Arpin Philately offers beginning collectors a choice of four different free stamp packets: 50 Canadian Issues, 20 U.S. Issues, 50 Aviation Stamps, or 100 Worldwide Stamps. Choosing a packet enrolls you in their stamp approval program, but you can cancel at anytime.What are stamp approvals? A stamp approval is a selection of stamps, sent through the mail, you can review for a period of time. Then, any stamps you don't want are sent back, along with, payment for those you keep. Approval stamps are a great way give to view a variety of stamps on a monthly basis.More: Free Stamps from Arpin Philately4. Get a Free Stamp CatalogNow that you have your stamps, you need to identify them. Mystic Stamp Company offers a free printed copy of their United States Stamp Catalog. Each catalog contains 128 pages of color photographs, a complete listing of U.S. postage stamps, valuable collecting tips, and fascinating philatelic history. The catalogs are send, postage free, to your home address, and all it takes is a few seconds to fill out an online form.More: Free Color Stamp Catalog From Mystic5. Download Album PagesNeed a place to put your stamps, and don't want to risk possibly damaging them in a shoe box? Try downloading, blank stamp album pages. The International Society of Worldwide Stamp Collector's offers a nice selection of blank album pages that can be customized to your collection. The interactive pages require Adobe Acrobat Reader to view, but luckly for us the ISWSC has a link to download the program.More: Create Your Own Album Pages6. Download Album Pages (Kids)Planes, trains, lions, tigers, and space ships, oh my! Kids will love the fun themed album pages offered by the American Stamp Dealers Association. Just click and print. The hardest part will be deciding which pages to use.More: Fun Kid-Friendly Stamp Album Pages7. Order Free Stamp MountsNow that you have your stamps, catalog, and album pages, you need a way to mount your stamps in your album. You should never tape, glue, or paste stamps onto your album pages. Washington Press, makers of StampMount brand mounts, will supply you with a package of mounts free of charge. All you need to do is fill out a quick one page online form. Not sure how to use your mounts? The Guide to Using Stamp Mounts will walk you through the stamp mounting process.More: Free Album Mounts Through the MailTopical Stamp CollectingThe BasicsWhat is Topical Collecting?A topical (or thematic) collection "consists of stamps and other philatelic material which are chosen for their designs, rather than for the countries that issued them or the class of postal service they provide." That is the formal definition set down by the American Topical Association, the world’s largest organization of topical stamp collectors and sponsor of this course.Stamps with a common theme*In its wording, or*In its pictorial designTopical Stamp CollectingThe BasicsA topical collector does not care if*The stamp was issued for regular postage or air post*In what year the stamp was issued*By what country the stamp was issued*Scope of your collection is totally up to you-Collect purely for our own pleasure-Classify the material as you want-No two topical collections can ever be the sameTopical vs. ThematicNo recognized difference between termsBoth involved acquisition and arrangement of stamps and other philatelic materialsThen, various topical organizations began to refine arrangement methodsTwo types of collections identified:SubjectThematicBoth consist of stamps and other philatelic material relating to subjectSubject collection generally arranged chronologically by country of issuePurpose-of-issue collection limited to stamps recognizing organizations, such as EUROPA, International Red Cross, or Rotary InternationalThematic collection tells a storyDevelops a themeSome topics more than others lend themselves to this approachAviation collection arranged by aircraft typeFlowers arranged by genus, family, and speciesArt arranged by school or paintingPros and cons of eachThematic approach may require breaking up a set of stamps; Subject approach would accept keeping the set together – YOU DECIDECollection based on a person would have Subject approach in country order and Thematic approach beginning with person’s birth and moving chronologically – YOU DECIDEAlso, re: collection based on a person, Thematic approach encourages material relating to ancestors and associates as well as key places and events associated with the personality; Subject approach may not be that broad – YOU DECIDESelecting a topicAs noted in the course introduction, you probably are able to parallel anything you like or like to do outside of stamp collecting with a topical stamp collection.Although many hundreds of topics have been identified and noted in various lists, you are free to develop your ownA 1962 poll returned 350 topicsA 1974 poll returned 772 topicsInformation sent in for the ATA 2002 Membership Directory listed 1,202 topics!You are free to work in the more traditional areasAmericana ( U.S. subjects appearing on foreign stamps)AnimalsBiology (Plants and Animals)SpaceMusicRailroadsShipsYou may want to test your research (both library research and stamp research) by developing your own topicsU.S. Military Academy graduates … an actual topical collection that was a major award winner. On yes, it includes non-Americans who were alumni of the academy..Dogs of the presidents … research the species and build the collection from that, for examplePort-siders … left-handed peopleFor the first of the many times you will see this statement here, "there are no rules" as to what to collect or how to collect it.If infatuated by waterfalls, that makes a great topic for youIf your work involves heavy trucks, there is a wonderful topicIf you inherited an heirloom quill pen, wouldn’t a topical collection along those lines fit you?ConsiderationsPotential size of the collectionDogs of the Presidents necessarily will be a much more limited topic than the more general "dogs."World Cup play will be more limited in scope than soccerToo large a scope soon may appear overwhelming to you; too small a scope may run you out of possible additions to your collection in a relatively short timeIf you begin with a collection with too large a scope for you, reduce it … remember: "there are no rules" as to what to collect or how to collect it.If you with begin a collection you find to be too limiting, stand back and figure how to increase the scope … or even begin another collection. Some collectors have multiple collections; others focus heavily on one.Acquiring your collection's first stampsNo matter what you know about the subject of your topical collectionDo a quick review at your local libraryNote which books and periodicals are available in that areaTake copious notes … which will help you begin an outline of your new collectionIf your library has a recent copy of a major stamp catalog, use it to obtain an idea of just what is available in our topic If not available locally, seek out older editions at least to launch you with your collection.Major U.S. catalog published by ScottStanley Gibbons in U.K/Yvert et Tellier in FranceMichel in GermanyA catalog will not provide you all the answers; just get you off to a good startNot all stamps are fully described in the catalogs, each catalog has its own editorial policySeek out prepared checklists, such as those available through the American Topical AssociationMore than 400 different checklists maintained by the ATARange from a single page for mini-topics to more than 50 pagesGenerally arranged by country with Scott catalog numbers to help when ordering from a stamp dealerMay also include date of issue and/or a brief description of stamp or set.Mint (unused) or used … and other decisionsCollecting mint stamps only, used only, or a combination of the twoIf you include used stamps, do not include heavily cancelled stampsIf used are light canceled, see if "canceled to order" (CTO) … a procedure where the issuing government creates a used stamp without that stamps having seen postal duty.They generally have gum on the backPostally used stamps are preferred over CTOMint stamps are the most attractive
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How to Get Started with Your Stamp Collection - Simple TipsCollecting stamp is a famous hobby as well as an easy activity, which provides many lighter moments. If you would like to start your own collection of stamps, here is the list of procedures to get started:1. First you need to decide on what kind of topic you would like to use for your collection to get started with this hobby. It is also recommended to start with general but choosing a specific theme for your stamps will be more exciting. If you would like to collect postage stamps from other countries, you may start narrowing down your collection for the stamps coming from a specific country.2. You can also start the stamp collection by buying new stamps from the market. If you are aiming for the stamps of the specific country will help you to get a good start on your collection and will help to prevent the duplication of your collection. Buying a whole pack will give you different designs and will make more interesting for you and motivate you to collect more.3. If you have limited budget for starting the stamp collection you may have to collect the used stamps from your friends and relatives, which they have received from the mails. They can also help you by asking their friends to donate the stamps to you, which will be exciting since the stamps came from people will be with different themes and special to you. This will make you to valuate the sentimental values of the collected stamps.4. Once your friends and relatives are informed that you are collecting the stamps, they will make you to learn that they will provide you stamps as a gift for occasions. This kind of helps will make the collection easier for you. Some times your friends and relatives may make use of their maximum effort for getting special editions or commemorative stamps to make you happy and surprise.5. You may then narrow down your collections by considering the new or old stamps, which one is more preferable to you. Many people prefer to collect more old stamps in their collection than the new stamps. On the other hand, the new stamps are easier to find and manage. Once you have decided the type of stamps to keep in your collection, you should not throw away the other stamps because, you can exchange them with other collectors to get the stamps as per your choice.6. One benefit of stamp collecting is that you need not spend much money for the hobby. You may buy inexpensive tools and supplies, which you need for your collections. For starters, an album is the first thing to acquire. The most popular type of the album is the loose-leaf album. A loose-leaf album has a binder that has removable sheets. This will make the stamps easier to manage and compile.7. It is most important to learn removing the used stamps from envelopes to place them in your album. You may the cut the envelope along with the stamp but it is important to leave the space between the scissors and the edges of the stamps. Now, you can place the stamp by the face turned down in a bowl with warm water. When it becomes completely wet, you can peel off the stamp and place it in the album after drying it properly.8. There are many resources where you can get informations about stamps and stamp collection. The Internet is the most effective way to search for stamps and determine the place you can get the cheapest and even those stamps, which are hard to find. You can also make use of the Internet to make friendship with other stamp collectors, which will help you become more interested in the hobby and they may help you in finding the stamps you are looking for. You can also exchange stamps with one another making your collection bigger and more exciting.The best part of the collection is displaying them to your friends and loved ones. Once you have your own collection, you can show them to your friends and relatives. You may even have your own exhibition in the future. One way to let the people know about your collection is by putting up your own website. You can create the website, where you can exhibit all of your collected stamps and you can also give the notes about the stamps and your efforts to collect them.How to Become a Stamp CollectorStamp collecting is one of the most popular hobbies of many Americans and other cultures. It may be strange to some people who do not know the enjoyment people get from collecting the stamps. Stamp collectors find the satisfaction while see their huge collection of stamps from different countries, each depicting their own origins and purpose of producing those stamps.If you have a hobby of collecting different items, stamps may excite you the same way others do. People who engage in collecting stamps do not just enjoy the hobby; they learn and gain knowledge on art, history, and stories about different places.If you want to be a serious stamp collector, you may have to consider collecting commemorative stamps. These stamps are produced by certain country to illustrate a memorable event, like a person or an important object that may be a part of their history.Why should a person want to be a stamp collector?Anyone can be a stamp collector. People of all ages can try with this hobby. One main reason for choose the collection of stamps is that it is considered as one of the most affordable hobby. People may collect coins, cars, tags, pins and many more but stamps are considered one of the most inexpensive hobbies of collection.Stamp collectors come in all ages. It is not limited to certain group or age bracket. Even kids can become stamp collectors on their own little ways. Stamp collectors even start this hobby at a young age. The important thing is the passion you have for collecting stamps regardless of their price and origin.A stamp collector may find old stamps that he can include in his collections. You may even get these stamps for less than a dollar. There are few collectible items, which are considered as inexpensive and the stamp collecting is one of them.A stamp collector may also benefit by learning many things from the stamps he collects. Collecting a stamp may provide the interest to research about the stamp like, why it was produced and about the events that are featured on a specific stamp. You will enjoy and at the same time learn many things from them.Being a stamp collector is not a difficult task. There are many places where you can get your own collection of stamps. Postage stamps used for airmail may also be collected. Stamp collectors will have to compile them depending on the country they came from.There are also sites and message boards in the Internet that features the details of stamp collecting. People can exchange stamps by using these sites and some make use of these sites to display their collections. Others may consider for selling their stamps to make the hobby as their source of income.If you would like to be a stamp collector, you should know all information about stamps. It does not necessarily require knowing everything. One important thing to remember is to know how to take care of the collections.Stamp collectors must be disciplined when it comes to taking care of their stamps. That is because stamps are very fragile as they are made from paper and other thin materials. It becomes a responsibility of stamp collector to take care of the quality of the stamps.If you would like to be a stamp collector, you should also have the necessary supplies required for handling the stamps. If you are a beginner, the album is the first accessory you need to have. This will organize and compile all the collected stamps. The album will also ensure the safety of the stamps from dirt and moist.Anyone can be a stamp collector. It is an educational and informative hobby and even kids will also be benefited from it. It does not only give fun and knowledge but it is also a way to discover the artistic side of every person.Stamp Collecting is Fun!Stamp Collecting can start with a simple gift of stamps given by another person. This may provide him the interest to collect more stamps and may become a stamp collector by adopting this as a hobby in the future. Stamp collection is considered as one of the most popular hobbies that still exist in this modern world. Earlier the stamp collecting was popular among the royalties in Western Europe. There was a time when all kinds of people has become interested in stamp collecting and treated it as their personal hobby.Some people may wonder about the collection of stamps. The reason they may point out is that the stamps are nothing but a pieces of paper with pictures of some significant persons or events. Many people may think what way a person will be benefited or achieve by collecting these kinds of items. There should be many reasons for the people, who are engaged in collecting the stamps. Most of the people are collecting the stamps because they find it as fun and enjoyable.The designs of stamps are really appealing to every collector. There are very attractive designs with different colorful pictures and backgrounds. In addition, from the attractive designs, it also gives the information about a significant person, event, sports, and many things for a person could find interesting.Nevertheless, the most common stamp collectors are preferred to collect the stamps with the illustration of people, places, and events in the stamps, which may represent some valuable information regarding the history of a certain country or group. Stamp collecting provides resourceful knowledge as well as a person is having fun. He may not realize that he is learning and allotting some time to valuate such collections.For beginners, here are some tips to collect stamps:1. A person can be a generalist and start collecting a variety of stamps that may feature many things. In this way, he may have an idea on what type of stamps he may have to specialize in collecting. He may place all his collection in an album and categorize each stamp according to topics or themes he has chosen.2. If somebody loves to travel to different places, he may start collecting stamps from those places he has visited. There are particular areas and locations that offer stamps featuring the history of that place and significant persons those are lived in that place.3. He may follow collecting stamps, where he finds interest and ambition. He may focus in collecting stuffs that he truly enjoys and having fun about that. He may find those stamps are featuring his favorite sport, sport icon, cars, fishes, and many more.4. One advantage of collecting stamps is that a person can save more money and time because these items are affordable to purchase and easy to find.5. He may join a special organization or club that have gatherings occasionally and which themes can apply to his interests. He may meet people who are collecting the same stamps s well as he collects. He may trade or exchange his stamps with other stamp collectors and he can collect the knowledge, tips and advice for to take care of his stamps.6. He may collect stamps from friends those are affectionate with this kind of hobby. He may enjoy it by sharing the stamps he collected and citing the information, which is represented in the stamp. He may also ask his friends for information for to find more stamps, which are related to his collections.7. He may collect as his own by searching in the Internet to find availability of more stamps with the most affordable price. He may look for stamps anytime he needs it. It is considered as a passive hobby where he can relax and reduce stress. It also gives the feeling of accomplishment for a person.8. He may find the stamp collecting as a lifetime hobby. There is always something to know and learn about collecting stamps. It has a wide coverage of different things and persons. He may change the theme into other topics, when he thinks to bring another dimension to his stamp collecting.There are many ways to collect stamps. It is important to do something for those, who are really interested in collecting the stamps. It is even recommended to start at a younger age, by which he will be surprised of the many things that he may have to learn from this hobby.Stamp Collecting in Channel Island People have different hobby. They can dedicate their free time to anything that makes them interested and happy. As such, the choice of hobby of any person will also tell a lot about his or her personality. An athletic person will spend the pastime playing sports and games. The creative ones will devote their time to arts and crafts. There are a number people out there who would dedicate their time into collecting things. Stamp collecting for one is one of the most famous hobbies in the world. Comprising of more than 20 million enthusiasts at the United States alone, it is clear that this is really popular.What Is Stamp Collecting?Stamp collecting is all about stamps and everything related to it. Thus, a stamp collector will aim to collect as much stamps to comprise a considerable collection. It is to be contrasted with philately which is concerned mainly with the study of stamps and everything related to it.Starting a hobby of collecting stamps is not difficult. All you have to do is collect all the letters in the household. Remove the stamps from the envelope, gather them and you have your first items.Most stamp collectors may start the hobby just for fun or out of curiosity. It cannot be denied that there are lots of stamps out there that are really interesting. They can showcase all sorts of information and data. They can cover the historical events, important figures, artworks, animals, insects, planets, sports or just about anything under the sun. The illustration and the subject give so much satisfaction to the interest. The beginner will simply find out later that he or she has been hooked on the hobby. Collecting SpecialtiesMost collectors will focus their collection to a certain type. There are actually hundreds and thousands of stamps out there. It will be helpful to narrow down the choices to have some more focus in the collection. There are different areas where collecting may be focused on.Postage StampsThese are the usual stamps used by countries at a specific time.Postal StationeryPostal stationeries are some sort of post cards and air letter sheets which the government issued. The earliest of these were issued back in the year 1819.Federal Duck StampsThese are stamps used for duck hunting licenses. They are applied mainly on Unites States and Canada. Every year, a wildlife artist and his or her design is selected among many competitors and shall be showcased in the Duck stamp.Souvenir SheetsThey are stamps released in a format of a sheet forming a big picture. First Day CoversAlso known as the FDC’s, these are envelopes with stamps that were cancelled on the day the stamp was issued. It becomes more challenging as they take on the search for specific stamps. Often, this challenge makes the collector desire for more.Aiming for MoreTo satisfy this desire for more, it is necessary that the collector knows all the details of the stamps. The most useful tool to use here is the stamp catalogue. This could showcase the stamps of a particular region or even worldwide coverage. It provides stamp details such as the official name, date of issuance, material, face value and actual value.The value of a stamp is often determined by the conditions of its issuance. Most stamps are for ordinary release. The valuable ones are those that came out in a very limited edition. They can be very rare and hard-to-find, making their market value very high. Take a particular place in United States, the Channel Island for example. The postage service in the locality of Channel Island will usually provide ordinary stamps for mail purposes of the citizens. However, every now and then, the postage service may release a special commemoration stamp. This may commemorate an event or a figure very special to Channel Island. The Channel Island for example has a special Channel Island 1940-45 Occupation Stamp. It tells a lot about the history of Channel Island. Thus, it is also very much expected that the residents of Channel Island will especially aim for that and more.There are many stamp collectors out there, millions actually, who have different goals and aims in pursuing their hobby. They may have different history, origin and languages. Still, the very same hobby unites them all as they share the same sentiments and love for collecting stamps.Types of stampsStamps can be subdivided by type:DefinitivesCommemorativesCharity stampsAir stampsPostage due stampsTelegraph stampsOfficial stampsExpress stampsNewspaper stampsFiscal stampsRegionalsEtc.Stamps can also be subdivided by their appearance:Sheet, Block, Coil, Booklet, Souvenir sheet, Booklet panes, Peel and stick (Self-adhesives)Personalized stampsMarriage, anniversary, birthday, birth, communion, end-of-year parties, there are many occasions to send mail to your close friends.10 Low-Cost Ways to Start Collecting StampsIf you have recently started collecting stamps, or are thinking about starting, you may be wondering if the hobby is expensive. Can you enjoy it with limited financial resources? What if you have no money at all for the hobby?One of the biggest questions any stamp collector faces is where to find stamps inexpensively. If you intent to save stamps of the United States or the world and want to save used as well as unused stamps, the opportunities are really great. Not all collections consist mainly of unused stamps that you buy in the post office. Used stamps are worth saving, have value, and they may cost you nothing.Many stamp collectors save only used stamps. Others save both used and unused ones. Others save stamps only from one country or one part of the world. Some collectors save stamps by "topic," for example, stamps that depict horse or trains or birds. There are any number of different types of collections.1. All postally used stamps started out being received in someone's mailbox, at no cost to the person receiving them. The first place to search for stamps, then, is your own mailbox. Don't be discouraged when you notice that many senders use postage meters or the imprint "Bulk Rate Postage Paid' on their envelopes to enjoy a better postal rate or to keep from affixing stamps. Also, when people do use real stamps, they often use the same common small ones.You can begin to change this by asking people who write to you to use commemorative stamps on their mail. These are normally the larger stamps issued to honor famous people, places, or events. These stamps are printed in lesser quantities than the common smaller (definitive) stamps and usually are of much more interest to collects. Many people will remember to ask for commemorative stamps at the post office when mailing letters to you or your family if you let them know you are a stamp collector. Also, if you write away for offers that require postage or a self-addressed, stamped envelope, you can put commemoratives on your return envelope, knowing that they will come back to you later.2. Neighbors, friends, and relatives are another good source of stamps. The majority of people just throw away stamps when they receive them on mail and are only too happy to save them for someone who appreciates them. You may even know someone who gets letters from other countries who can save these stamps, too. Always be on the lookout for potentially good stamp contacts, and don't be afraid to ask them to go through their mail for you before they throw away all the envelopes.3. Office mail maybe even better. You may know someone who works in an office that gets a lot of mail. Out of 100 letters a day, there may be ten or twenty good stamps that are being thrown away. Many businesses get a lot of foreign mail and regularly throw away stamps that have interest and/or value to a collector.4. Ask your parents if they have any old letters, which may have stamps on the envelopes. When taking stamps off envelopes, always tear off the corner so that there is paper all around the stamp, and the stamp and all its perforations are undamaged. Anyone who is saving stamps for you should be told that this is the way to do it; otherwise, he/she may try to peel the stamp off the envelope. This will cause thin spots or tears, both of which ruin a stamp's appearance and lessen its value to collectors. If you run across envelopes that are very old or have postal markings that may be of particular interest, it is best to save the entire envelope until you can find out if the stamp is worth more attached to the cover.Now that you have stamps on paper, what do you do with them? The most common way to get stamps off paper is to soak them in cool water, then dry them on paper. To understand more about soaking stamps, it is best to find a handbook on stamp collecting at the library.There is a lot to learn about stamps as you get more and more of the. For example, different shades of color may exist on stamps with the same design, or them may have different perforation measurements (number of holes per side). Major varieties of stamps and "catalog values" are listed in stamp catalogs, which are available in most libraries. The most common one, the Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue, has a very good section in front that explains how stamps are made and how to tell varieties apart, as well as how to use the catalog. Having access to a catalog in a nearby library is very useful until you decide if you want one of your own.5. Longtime collectors may be another source of stamps. Usually a person who has been a collector for a number of years has developed many sources for stamps. The collector may have thousands of duplicates, some of which may be very inexpensive while others may have more value. Often older collectors are willing to help new philatelists get started by giving them stamps, or at least providing packets of stamps mush more cheaply than can be purchased in stores or by mail.6. Many stamp companies advertise free stamps. However, these ads must be read carefully before you send away from anything. Usually these ads offer "approvals," which means they will send you the free stamps advertised, plus an assortment of other stamps which you may either buy or return. By sending for the free stamps, you have already agreed that you will return the other stamps within a reasonable period of time if you do not buy anything. Usually you must pay the return postage. This is a convenient way to buy stamps from your own home.7. Stamp clubs are another place to get stamps. A club may offer stamps as prizes, or have inexpensive stamps as prizes, or have inexpensive stamps you can afford to buy.Some stamp clubs sponsor junior clubs that meet at schools or the local YMCA or community center. If you are fortunate enough to have one of these in your area, it can be a great source of both stamps and advice.8. One way to increase your sources for stamps and also have a lot of fun is to help start a local club, if one does not already exist. All it takes are our or five other stamp collectors who are interested in getting together to learn about and trade stamps and ideas.9. Obtaining a pen pal in another country is a very good way to get stamps from that country. His or her extra stamps may seem really common in that country, but over here they are much scarcer. Your own stamps may look fairly common to you, but he or she is sure to appreciate them.10. Trading off your duplicate stamps can be a lot of fun. Even if you don't know many collectors where you live, stamps are so lightweight that they can easily be trades by mail. Check out the stamp newspapers and magazines available at your local library for classified ads that list stamp trades. You may find, for example, that another collector will send you 100 large foreign stamps if you send 100 U.S. commemoratives. Usually schools do not subscribe to any of the periodical stamp publications, so you will have to go to your public library. (Many stamp publications also offer to send one free sample issue if your request it, because they are always looking for potential new subscribers.)Collecting stamps need not be an expensive hobby. Thousands of stamps are issued every year, and while some of them cost many dollars, others cost just a few cents each. Nobody expects you to try to save every stamp that exists, and they key to enjoying philately is to save whatever you enjoy the most! With free stamps and a few inexpensive accessories, such as a small album and a package of stamp hinges, even collectors with little money can have a great time. Don't forget to mention stamps, stamp albums, and hinges before your birthday or Christmas! Also remember that a great many inexpensive stamps in the past have turned into ore valuable stamps over the years.You never know what will happen in stamp collecting!Top 10 Things Every Stamp Collect Should KnowIf you know nothing else about the hobby, you should know these ten things. Always use tongs, never glue down a stamp, don't cram your stamps into a box, and more advice to help you start your collection.1. Carefully handle your stamps.Throwing your stamps into a box or drawer may cause them to tear, become creased, or soiled reducing their value. Always store your collection in albums specifically designed for postage stamps.2. Always use tongs to handle your stamps.Grease or moisture from your fingers can damage the glue or gum of the stamp, again, reducing their value. Stamp tongs are relatively inexpensive, well worth the price to protect your collection.3. Never lick, glue, or tape a stamp into your album.Adhering a stamp to your album in this manner will not allow you to remove the stamp at a later time, without causing damage to the stamp. Always use some type of stamp hinge or mount to place your stamps in your albums.4. Use little moisture when adhearing your stamp mounts.Soaking your stamp mounts will cause them to become soggy and unusable, or worse still, may cause damage to your stamps. Only slightly wet your mount regardless of the type you are using.5. Never completely seal your stamp mount.Stamps are made from paper and paper can become brittle or may even decompose when kept air-tight. Always leave an open area when using mounts.6. Store your stamps in a cool dry place.Humidity and moisture are the worst causes of damage to postage stamps. Once they are introduced to your collection, stamp gum will become tacky and your stamps will stick together. Once stamps become stuck together, there is no safe way to take them apart.7. Buy the largest high quality album that you can afford.Buying a smaller album means at some point, when your collection becomes larger, you will have to transfer all of your stamps to a new album. Unless you will later have the time and money, it is best to buy a larger album from the very beginning.8. Do not soak your stamps until you are sure their ink will not run.Some stamps when soaked in water or watermark detection fluid will have fugitive inks that run. Always make sure it is safe to soak your stamps beforehand by consulting your catalog.9. Never remove a stamp from a cover before checking for special markings.Older covers should be checked to make sure they do not have any special postmarks before soaking the stamps off the paper. Some stamps are more valuable if left on the cover, such as those found on cachets.10. If you aren't sure...ask!If you are having difficulty identifying your stamps or just have a general philatelic question, it never hurts to ask a stamp professional. With more than 16 million collectors in the United States alone, there is always someone who would love to share their knowledge of thehobby with you.Top 7 Ways to Start a Stamp CollectionIt doesn't cost much to start a stamp collection. In fact, it could cost nothing. There are many low cost, and even free, stamp resources out there, you just have to know where to look.1. Remove Stamps from MailPerhaps, the easiest means of obtaining stamps is by removing them from your letters. Simply cut around the stamp in the shape of a square or rectangle. Then, soak the cut stamps in a bowl of luke warm water for ten minutes. Once the stamps fall off of their paper backing, dip then in cool water, and allow them to dry. It is best that you put the stamps in a drying book or dry them between layers of paper towels, so they will flatten.Don't receive that much mail? Try contacting family members, local businesses, schools, and other organizations. They may be willing to save their own mail for your collection.2. Get Free Stamps Online (Kids)The International Society of Worldwide Stamp Collectors will give any child, under the age of seventeen, a free stamp packet. Just have the child send in a self-addressed stamped envelope if they reside in the United States, or an international reply coupon if they live outside the U.S., to help with postage fees.The ISWSC, also, supplies free stamps to school stamp clubs and other collecting groups for youngsters. Group leaders will have to write the ISWSC mentioning the number of kids involved, their ages and interests.More: Free Stamps from the International Society of Worldwide Stamp Collectors3. Get Free Stamps Online (Anyone)Interested in free stamps and not under the age of 17? Arpin Philately offers beginning collectors a choice of four different free stamp packets: 50 Canadian Issues, 20 U.S. Issues, 50 Aviation Stamps, or 100 Worldwide Stamps. Choosing a packet enrolls you in their stamp approval program, but you can cancel at anytime.What are stamp approvals? A stamp approval is a selection of stamps, sent through the mail, you can review for a period of time. Then, any stamps you don't want are sent back, along with, payment for those you keep. Approval stamps are a great way give to view a variety of stamps on a monthly basis.More: Free Stamps from Arpin Philately4. Get a Free Stamp CatalogNow that you have your stamps, you need to identify them. Mystic Stamp Company offers a free printed copy of their United States Stamp Catalog. Each catalog contains 128 pages of color photographs, a complete listing of U.S. postage stamps, valuable collecting tips, and fascinating philatelic history. The catalogs are send, postage free, to your home address, and all it takes is a few seconds to fill out an online form.More: Free Color Stamp Catalog From Mystic5. Download Album PagesNeed a place to put your stamps, and don't want to risk possibly damaging them in a shoe box? Try downloading, blank stamp album pages. The International Society of Worldwide Stamp Collector's offers a nice selection of blank album pages that can be customized to your collection. The interactive pages require Adobe Acrobat Reader to view, but luckly for us the ISWSC has a link to download the program.More: Create Your Own Album Pages6. Download Album Pages (Kids)Planes, trains, lions, tigers, and space ships, oh my! Kids will love the fun themed album pages offered by the American Stamp Dealers Association. Just click and print. The hardest part will be deciding which pages to use.More: Fun Kid-Friendly Stamp Album Pages7. Order Free Stamp MountsNow that you have your stamps, catalog, and album pages, you need a way to mount your stamps in your album. You should never tape, glue, or paste stamps onto your album pages. Washington Press, makers of StampMount brand mounts, will supply you with a package of mounts free of charge. All you need to do is fill out a quick one page online form. Not sure how to use your mounts? The Guide to Using Stamp Mounts will walk you through the stamp mounting process.More: Free Album Mounts Through the MailTopical Stamp CollectingThe BasicsWhat is Topical Collecting?A topical (or thematic) collection "consists of stamps and other philatelic material which are chosen for their designs, rather than for the countries that issued them or the class of postal service they provide." That is the formal definition set down by the American Topical Association, the world’s largest organization of topical stamp collectors and sponsor of this course.Stamps with a common theme*In its wording, or*In its pictorial designTopical Stamp CollectingThe BasicsA topical collector does not care if*The stamp was issued for regular postage or air post*In what year the stamp was issued*By what country the stamp was issued*Scope of your collection is totally up to you-Collect purely for our own pleasure-Classify the material as you want-No two topical collections can ever be the sameTopical vs. ThematicNo recognized difference between termsBoth involved acquisition and arrangement of stamps and other philatelic materialsThen, various topical organizations began to refine arrangement methodsTwo types of collections identified:SubjectThematicBoth consist of stamps and other philatelic material relating to subjectSubject collection generally arranged chronologically by country of issuePurpose-of-issue collection limited to stamps recognizing organizations, such as EUROPA, International Red Cross, or Rotary InternationalThematic collection tells a storyDevelops a themeSome topics more than others lend themselves to this approachAviation collection arranged by aircraft typeFlowers arranged by genus, family, and speciesArt arranged by school or paintingPros and cons of eachThematic approach may require breaking up a set of stamps; Subject approach would accept keeping the set together – YOU DECIDECollection based on a person would have Subject approach in country order and Thematic approach beginning with person’s birth and moving chronologically – YOU DECIDEAlso, re: collection based on a person, Thematic approach encourages material relating to ancestors and associates as well as key places and events associated with the personality; Subject approach may not be that broad – YOU DECIDESelecting a topicAs noted in the course introduction, you probably are able to parallel anything you like or like to do outside of stamp collecting with a topical stamp collection.Although many hundreds of topics have been identified and noted in various lists, you are free to develop your ownA 1962 poll returned 350 topicsA 1974 poll returned 772 topicsInformation sent in for the ATA 2002 Membership Directory listed 1,202 topics!You are free to work in the more traditional areasAmericana ( U.S. subjects appearing on foreign stamps)AnimalsBiology (Plants and Animals)SpaceMusicRailroadsShipsYou may want to test your research (both library research and stamp research) by developing your own topicsU.S. Military Academy graduates … an actual topical collection that was a major award winner. On yes, it includes non-Americans who were alumni of the academy..Dogs of the presidents … research the species and build the collection from that, for examplePort-siders … left-handed peopleFor the first of the many times you will see this statement here, "there are no rules" as to what to collect or how to collect it.If infatuated by waterfalls, that makes a great topic for youIf your work involves heavy trucks, there is a wonderful topicIf you inherited an heirloom quill pen, wouldn’t a topical collection along those lines fit you?ConsiderationsPotential size of the collectionDogs of the Presidents necessarily will be a much more limited topic than the more general "dogs."World Cup play will be more limited in scope than soccerToo large a scope soon may appear overwhelming to you; too small a scope may run you out of possible additions to your collection in a relatively short timeIf you begin with a collection with too large a scope for you, reduce it … remember: "there are no rules" as to what to collect or how to collect it.If you with begin a collection you find to be too limiting, stand back and figure how to increase the scope … or even begin another collection. Some collectors have multiple collections; others focus heavily on one.Acquiring your collection's first stampsNo matter what you know about the subject of your topical collectionDo a quick review at your local libraryNote which books and periodicals are available in that areaTake copious notes … which will help you begin an outline of your new collectionIf your library has a recent copy of a major stamp catalog, use it to obtain an idea of just what is available in our topic If not available locally, seek out older editions at least to launch you with your collection.Major U.S. catalog published by ScottStanley Gibbons in U.K/Yvert et Tellier in FranceMichel in GermanyA catalog will not provide you all the answers; just get you off to a good startNot all stamps are fully described in the catalogs, each catalog has its own editorial policySeek out prepared checklists, such as those available through the American Topical AssociationMore than 400 different checklists maintained by the ATARange from a single page for mini-topics to more than 50 pagesGenerally arranged by country with Scott catalog numbers to help when ordering from a stamp dealerMay also include date of issue and/or a brief description of stamp or set.Mint (unused) or used … and other decisionsCollecting mint stamps only, used only, or a combination of the twoIf you include used stamps, do not include heavily cancelled stampsIf used are light canceled, see if "canceled to order" (CTO) … a procedure where the issuing government creates a used stamp without that stamps having seen postal duty.They generally have gum on the backPostally used stamps are preferred over CTOMint stamps are the most attractive
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How to Get Started with Your Stamp Collection - Simple TipsCollecting stamp is a famous hobby as well as an easy activity, which provides many lighter moments. If you would like to start your own collection of stamps, here is the list of procedures to get started:1. First you need to decide on what kind of topic you would like to use for your collection to get started with this hobby. It is also recommended to start with general but choosing a specific theme for your stamps will be more exciting. If you would like to collect postage stamps from other countries, you may start narrowing down your collection for the stamps coming from a specific country.2. You can also start the stamp collection by buying new stamps from the market. If you are aiming for the stamps of the specific country will help you to get a good start on your collection and will help to prevent the duplication of your collection. Buying a whole pack will give you different designs and will make more interesting for you and motivate you to collect more.3. If you have limited budget for starting the stamp collection you may have to collect the used stamps from your friends and relatives, which they have received from the mails. They can also help you by asking their friends to donate the stamps to you, which will be exciting since the stamps came from people will be with different themes and special to you. This will make you to valuate the sentimental values of the collected stamps.4. Once your friends and relatives are informed that you are collecting the stamps, they will make you to learn that they will provide you stamps as a gift for occasions. This kind of helps will make the collection easier for you. Some times your friends and relatives may make use of their maximum effort for getting special editions or commemorative stamps to make you happy and surprise.5. You may then narrow down your collections by considering the new or old stamps, which one is more preferable to you. Many people prefer to collect more old stamps in their collection than the new stamps. On the other hand, the new stamps are easier to find and manage. Once you have decided the type of stamps to keep in your collection, you should not throw away the other stamps because, you can exchange them with other collectors to get the stamps as per your choice.6. One benefit of stamp collecting is that you need not spend much money for the hobby. You may buy inexpensive tools and supplies, which you need for your collections. For starters, an album is the first thing to acquire. The most popular type of the album is the loose-leaf album. A loose-leaf album has a binder that has removable sheets. This will make the stamps easier to manage and compile.7. It is most important to learn removing the used stamps from envelopes to place them in your album. You may the cut the envelope along with the stamp but it is important to leave the space between the scissors and the edges of the stamps. Now, you can place the stamp by the face turned down in a bowl with warm water. When it becomes completely wet, you can peel off the stamp and place it in the album after drying it properly.8. There are many resources where you can get informations about stamps and stamp collection. The Internet is the most effective way to search for stamps and determine the place you can get the cheapest and even those stamps, which are hard to find. You can also make use of the Internet to make friendship with other stamp collectors, which will help you become more interested in the hobby and they may help you in finding the stamps you are looking for. You can also exchange stamps with one another making your collection bigger and more exciting.The best part of the collection is displaying them to your friends and loved ones. Once you have your own collection, you can show them to your friends and relatives. You may even have your own exhibition in the future. One way to let the people know about your collection is by putting up your own website. You can create the website, where you can exhibit all of your collected stamps and you can also give the notes about the stamps and your efforts to collect them.How to Become a Stamp CollectorStamp collecting is one of the most popular hobbies of many Americans and other cultures. It may be strange to some people who do not know the enjoyment people get from collecting the stamps. Stamp collectors find the satisfaction while see their huge collection of stamps from different countries, each depicting their own origins and purpose of producing those stamps.If you have a hobby of collecting different items, stamps may excite you the same way others do. People who engage in collecting stamps do not just enjoy the hobby; they learn and gain knowledge on art, history, and stories about different places.If you want to be a serious stamp collector, you may have to consider collecting commemorative stamps. These stamps are produced by certain country to illustrate a memorable event, like a person or an important object that may be a part of their history.Why should a person want to be a stamp collector?Anyone can be a stamp collector. People of all ages can try with this hobby. One main reason for choose the collection of stamps is that it is considered as one of the most affordable hobby. People may collect coins, cars, tags, pins and many more but stamps are considered one of the most inexpensive hobbies of collection.Stamp collectors come in all ages. It is not limited to certain group or age bracket. Even kids can become stamp collectors on their own little ways. Stamp collectors even start this hobby at a young age. The important thing is the passion you have for collecting stamps regardless of their price and origin.A stamp collector may find old stamps that he can include in his collections. You may even get these stamps for less than a dollar. There are few collectible items, which are considered as inexpensive and the stamp collecting is one of them.A stamp collector may also benefit by learning many things from the stamps he collects. Collecting a stamp may provide the interest to research about the stamp like, why it was produced and about the events that are featured on a specific stamp. You will enjoy and at the same time learn many things from them.Being a stamp collector is not a difficult task. There are many places where you can get your own collection of stamps. Postage stamps used for airmail may also be collected. Stamp collectors will have to compile them depending on the country they came from.There are also sites and message boards in the Internet that features the details of stamp collecting. People can exchange stamps by using these sites and some make use of these sites to display their collections. Others may consider for selling their stamps to make the hobby as their source of income.If you would like to be a stamp collector, you should know all information about stamps. It does not necessarily require knowing everything. One important thing to remember is to know how to take care of the collections.Stamp collectors must be disciplined when it comes to taking care of their stamps. That is because stamps are very fragile as they are made from paper and other thin materials. It becomes a responsibility of stamp collector to take care of the quality of the stamps.If you would like to be a stamp collector, you should also have the necessary supplies required for handling the stamps. If you are a beginner, the album is the first accessory you need to have. This will organize and compile all the collected stamps. The album will also ensure the safety of the stamps from dirt and moist.Anyone can be a stamp collector. It is an educational and informative hobby and even kids will also be benefited from it. It does not only give fun and knowledge but it is also a way to discover the artistic side of every person.Stamp Collecting is Fun!Stamp Collecting can start with a simple gift of stamps given by another person. This may provide him the interest to collect more stamps and may become a stamp collector by adopting this as a hobby in the future. Stamp collection is considered as one of the most popular hobbies that still exist in this modern world. Earlier the stamp collecting was popular among the royalties in Western Europe. There was a time when all kinds of people has become interested in stamp collecting and treated it as their personal hobby.Some people may wonder about the collection of stamps. The reason they may point out is that the stamps are nothing but a pieces of paper with pictures of some significant persons or events. Many people may think what way a person will be benefited or achieve by collecting these kinds of items. There should be many reasons for the people, who are engaged in collecting the stamps. Most of the people are collecting the stamps because they find it as fun and enjoyable.The designs of stamps are really appealing to every collector. There are very attractive designs with different colorful pictures and backgrounds. In addition, from the attractive designs, it also gives the information about a significant person, event, sports, and many things for a person could find interesting.Nevertheless, the most common stamp collectors are preferred to collect the stamps with the illustration of people, places, and events in the stamps, which may represent some valuable information regarding the history of a certain country or group. Stamp collecting provides resourceful knowledge as well as a person is having fun. He may not realize that he is learning and allotting some time to valuate such collections.For beginners, here are some tips to collect stamps:1. A person can be a generalist and start collecting a variety of stamps that may feature many things. In this way, he may have an idea on what type of stamps he may have to specialize in collecting. He may place all his collection in an album and categorize each stamp according to topics or themes he has chosen.2. If somebody loves to travel to different places, he may start collecting stamps from those places he has visited. There are particular areas and locations that offer stamps featuring the history of that place and significant persons those are lived in that place.3. He may follow collecting stamps, where he finds interest and ambition. He may focus in collecting stuffs that he truly enjoys and having fun about that. He may find those stamps are featuring his favorite sport, sport icon, cars, fishes, and many more.4. One advantage of collecting stamps is that a person can save more money and time because these items are affordable to purchase and easy to find.5. He may join a special organization or club that have gatherings occasionally and which themes can apply to his interests. He may meet people who are collecting the same stamps s well as he collects. He may trade or exchange his stamps with other stamp collectors and he can collect the knowledge, tips and advice for to take care of his stamps.6. He may collect stamps from friends those are affectionate with this kind of hobby. He may enjoy it by sharing the stamps he collected and citing the information, which is represented in the stamp. He may also ask his friends for information for to find more stamps, which are related to his collections.7. He may collect as his own by searching in the Internet to find availability of more stamps with the most affordable price. He may look for stamps anytime he needs it. It is considered as a passive hobby where he can relax and reduce stress. It also gives the feeling of accomplishment for a person.8. He may find the stamp collecting as a lifetime hobby. There is always something to know and learn about collecting stamps. It has a wide coverage of different things and persons. He may change the theme into other topics, when he thinks to bring another dimension to his stamp collecting.There are many ways to collect stamps. It is important to do something for those, who are really interested in collecting the stamps. It is even recommended to start at a younger age, by which he will be surprised of the many things that he may have to learn from this hobby.Stamp Collecting in Channel Island People have different hobby. They can dedicate their free time to anything that makes them interested and happy. As such, the choice of hobby of any person will also tell a lot about his or her personality. An athletic person will spend the pastime playing sports and games. The creative ones will devote their time to arts and crafts. There are a number people out there who would dedicate their time into collecting things. Stamp collecting for one is one of the most famous hobbies in the world. Comprising of more than 20 million enthusiasts at the United States alone, it is clear that this is really popular.What Is Stamp Collecting?Stamp collecting is all about stamps and everything related to it. Thus, a stamp collector will aim to collect as much stamps to comprise a considerable collection. It is to be contrasted with philately which is concerned mainly with the study of stamps and everything related to it.Starting a hobby of collecting stamps is not difficult. All you have to do is collect all the letters in the household. Remove the stamps from the envelope, gather them and you have your first items.Most stamp collectors may start the hobby just for fun or out of curiosity. It cannot be denied that there are lots of stamps out there that are really interesting. They can showcase all sorts of information and data. They can cover the historical events, important figures, artworks, animals, insects, planets, sports or just about anything under the sun. The illustration and the subject give so much satisfaction to the interest. The beginner will simply find out later that he or she has been hooked on the hobby. Collecting SpecialtiesMost collectors will focus their collection to a certain type. There are actually hundreds and thousands of stamps out there. It will be helpful to narrow down the choices to have some more focus in the collection. There are different areas where collecting may be focused on.Postage StampsThese are the usual stamps used by countries at a specific time.Postal StationeryPostal stationeries are some sort of post cards and air letter sheets which the government issued. The earliest of these were issued back in the year 1819.Federal Duck StampsThese are stamps used for duck hunting licenses. They are applied mainly on Unites States and Canada. Every year, a wildlife artist and his or her design is selected among many competitors and shall be showcased in the Duck stamp.Souvenir SheetsThey are stamps released in a format of a sheet forming a big picture. First Day CoversAlso known as the FDC’s, these are envelopes with stamps that were cancelled on the day the stamp was issued. It becomes more challenging as they take on the search for specific stamps. Often, this challenge makes the collector desire for more.Aiming for MoreTo satisfy this desire for more, it is necessary that the collector knows all the details of the stamps. The most useful tool to use here is the stamp catalogue. This could showcase the stamps of a particular region or even worldwide coverage. It provides stamp details such as the official name, date of issuance, material, face value and actual value.The value of a stamp is often determined by the conditions of its issuance. Most stamps are for ordinary release. The valuable ones are those that came out in a very limited edition. They can be very rare and hard-to-find, making their market value very high. Take a particular place in United States, the Channel Island for example. The postage service in the locality of Channel Island will usually provide ordinary stamps for mail purposes of the citizens. However, every now and then, the postage service may release a special commemoration stamp. This may commemorate an event or a figure very special to Channel Island. The Channel Island for example has a special Channel Island 1940-45 Occupation Stamp. It tells a lot about the history of Channel Island. Thus, it is also very much expected that the residents of Channel Island will especially aim for that and more.There are many stamp collectors out there, millions actually, who have different goals and aims in pursuing their hobby. They may have different history, origin and languages. Still, the very same hobby unites them all as they share the same sentiments and love for collecting stamps.Types of stampsStamps can be subdivided by type:DefinitivesCommemorativesCharity stampsAir stampsPostage due stampsTelegraph stampsOfficial stampsExpress stampsNewspaper stampsFiscal stampsRegionalsEtc.Stamps can also be subdivided by their appearance:Sheet, Block, Coil, Booklet, Souvenir sheet, Booklet panes, Peel and stick (Self-adhesives)Personalized stampsMarriage, anniversary, birthday, birth, communion, end-of-year parties, there are many occasions to send mail to your close friends.10 Low-Cost Ways to Start Collecting StampsIf you have recently started collecting stamps, or are thinking about starting, you may be wondering if the hobby is expensive. Can you enjoy it with limited financial resources? What if you have no money at all for the hobby?One of the biggest questions any stamp collector faces is where to find stamps inexpensively. If you intent to save stamps of the United States or the world and want to save used as well as unused stamps, the opportunities are really great. Not all collections consist mainly of unused stamps that you buy in the post office. Used stamps are worth saving, have value, and they may cost you nothing.Many stamp collectors save only used stamps. Others save both used and unused ones. Others save stamps only from one country or one part of the world. Some collectors save stamps by "topic," for example, stamps that depict horse or trains or birds. There are any number of different types of collections.1. All postally used stamps started out being received in someone's mailbox, at no cost to the person receiving them. The first place to search for stamps, then, is your own mailbox. Don't be discouraged when you notice that many senders use postage meters or the imprint "Bulk Rate Postage Paid' on their envelopes to enjoy a better postal rate or to keep from affixing stamps. Also, when people do use real stamps, they often use the same common small ones.You can begin to change this by asking people who write to you to use commemorative stamps on their mail. These are normally the larger stamps issued to honor famous people, places, or events. These stamps are printed in lesser quantities than the common smaller (definitive) stamps and usually are of much more interest to collects. Many people will remember to ask for commemorative stamps at the post office when mailing letters to you or your family if you let them know you are a stamp collector. Also, if you write away for offers that require postage or a self-addressed, stamped envelope, you can put commemoratives on your return envelope, knowing that they will come back to you later.2. Neighbors, friends, and relatives are another good source of stamps. The majority of people just throw away stamps when they receive them on mail and are only too happy to save them for someone who appreciates them. You may even know someone who gets letters from other countries who can save these stamps, too. Always be on the lookout for potentially good stamp contacts, and don't be afraid to ask them to go through their mail for you before they throw away all the envelopes.3. Office mail maybe even better. You may know someone who works in an office that gets a lot of mail. Out of 100 letters a day, there may be ten or twenty good stamps that are being thrown away. Many businesses get a lot of foreign mail and regularly throw away stamps that have interest and/or value to a collector.4. Ask your parents if they have any old letters, which may have stamps on the envelopes. When taking stamps off envelopes, always tear off the corner so that there is paper all around the stamp, and the stamp and all its perforations are undamaged. Anyone who is saving stamps for you should be told that this is the way to do it; otherwise, he/she may try to peel the stamp off the envelope. This will cause thin spots or tears, both of which ruin a stamp's appearance and lessen its value to collectors. If you run across envelopes that are very old or have postal markings that may be of particular interest, it is best to save the entire envelope until you can find out if the stamp is worth more attached to the cover.Now that you have stamps on paper, what do you do with them? The most common way to get stamps off paper is to soak them in cool water, then dry them on paper. To understand more about soaking stamps, it is best to find a handbook on stamp collecting at the library.There is a lot to learn about stamps as you get more and more of the. For example, different shades of color may exist on stamps with the same design, or them may have different perforation measurements (number of holes per side). Major varieties of stamps and "catalog values" are listed in stamp catalogs, which are available in most libraries. The most common one, the Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue, has a very good section in front that explains how stamps are made and how to tell varieties apart, as well as how to use the catalog. Having access to a catalog in a nearby library is very useful until you decide if you want one of your own.5. Longtime collectors may be another source of stamps. Usually a person who has been a collector for a number of years has developed many sources for stamps. The collector may have thousands of duplicates, some of which may be very inexpensive while others may have more value. Often older collectors are willing to help new philatelists get started by giving them stamps, or at least providing packets of stamps mush more cheaply than can be purchased in stores or by mail.6. Many stamp companies advertise free stamps. However, these ads must be read carefully before you send away from anything. Usually these ads offer "approvals," which means they will send you the free stamps advertised, plus an assortment of other stamps which you may either buy or return. By sending for the free stamps, you have already agreed that you will return the other stamps within a reasonable period of time if you do not buy anything. Usually you must pay the return postage. This is a convenient way to buy stamps from your own home.7. Stamp clubs are another place to get stamps. A club may offer stamps as prizes, or have inexpensive stamps as prizes, or have inexpensive stamps you can afford to buy.Some stamp clubs sponsor junior clubs that meet at schools or the local YMCA or community center. If you are fortunate enough to have one of these in your area, it can be a great source of both stamps and advice.8. One way to increase your sources for stamps and also have a lot of fun is to help start a local club, if one does not already exist. All it takes are our or five other stamp collectors who are interested in getting together to learn about and trade stamps and ideas.9. Obtaining a pen pal in another country is a very good way to get stamps from that country. His or her extra stamps may seem really common in that country, but over here they are much scarcer. Your own stamps may look fairly common to you, but he or she is sure to appreciate them.10. Trading off your duplicate stamps can be a lot of fun. Even if you don't know many collectors where you live, stamps are so lightweight that they can easily be trades by mail. Check out the stamp newspapers and magazines available at your local library for classified ads that list stamp trades. You may find, for example, that another collector will send you 100 large foreign stamps if you send 100 U.S. commemoratives. Usually schools do not subscribe to any of the periodical stamp publications, so you will have to go to your public library. (Many stamp publications also offer to send one free sample issue if your request it, because they are always looking for potential new subscribers.)Collecting stamps need not be an expensive hobby. Thousands of stamps are issued every year, and while some of them cost many dollars, others cost just a few cents each. Nobody expects you to try to save every stamp that exists, and they key to enjoying philately is to save whatever you enjoy the most! With free stamps and a few inexpensive accessories, such as a small album and a package of stamp hinges, even collectors with little money can have a great time. Don't forget to mention stamps, stamp albums, and hinges before your birthday or Christmas! Also remember that a great many inexpensive stamps in the past have turned into ore valuable stamps over the years.You never know what will happen in stamp collecting!Top 10 Things Every Stamp Collect Should KnowIf you know nothing else about the hobby, you should know these ten things. Always use tongs, never glue down a stamp, don't cram your stamps into a box, and more advice to help you start your collection.1. Carefully handle your stamps.Throwing your stamps into a box or drawer may cause them to tear, become creased, or soiled reducing their value. Always store your collection in albums specifically designed for postage stamps.2. Always use tongs to handle your stamps.Grease or moisture from your fingers can damage the glue or gum of the stamp, again, reducing their value. Stamp tongs are relatively inexpensive, well worth the price to protect your collection.3. Never lick, glue, or tape a stamp into your album.Adhering a stamp to your album in this manner will not allow you to remove the stamp at a later time, without causing damage to the stamp. Always use some type of stamp hinge or mount to place your stamps in your albums.4. Use little moisture when adhearing your stamp mounts.Soaking your stamp mounts will cause them to become soggy and unusable, or worse still, may cause damage to your stamps. Only slightly wet your mount regardless of the type you are using.5. Never completely seal your stamp mount.Stamps are made from paper and paper can become brittle or may even decompose when kept air-tight. Always leave an open area when using mounts.6. Store your stamps in a cool dry place.Humidity and moisture are the worst causes of damage to postage stamps. Once they are introduced to your collection, stamp gum will become tacky and your stamps will stick together. Once stamps become stuck together, there is no safe way to take them apart.7. Buy the largest high quality album that you can afford.Buying a smaller album means at some point, when your collection becomes larger, you will have to transfer all of your stamps to a new album. Unless you will later have the time and money, it is best to buy a larger album from the very beginning.8. Do not soak your stamps until you are sure their ink will not run.Some stamps when soaked in water or watermark detection fluid will have fugitive inks that run. Always make sure it is safe to soak your stamps beforehand by consulting your catalog.9. Never remove a stamp from a cover before checking for special markings.Older covers should be checked to make sure they do not have any special postmarks before soaking the stamps off the paper. Some stamps are more valuable if left on the cover, such as those found on cachets.10. If you aren't sure...ask!If you are having difficulty identifying your stamps or just have a general philatelic question, it never hurts to ask a stamp professional. With more than 16 million collectors in the United States alone, there is always someone who would love to share their knowledge of thehobby with you.Top 7 Ways to Start a Stamp CollectionIt doesn't cost much to start a stamp collection. In fact, it could cost nothing. There are many low cost, and even free, stamp resources out there, you just have to know where to look.1. Remove Stamps from MailPerhaps, the easiest means of obtaining stamps is by removing them from your letters. Simply cut around the stamp in the shape of a square or rectangle. Then, soak the cut stamps in a bowl of luke warm water for ten minutes. Once the stamps fall off of their paper backing, dip then in cool water, and allow them to dry. It is best that you put the stamps in a drying book or dry them between layers of paper towels, so they will flatten.Don't receive that much mail? Try contacting family members, local businesses, schools, and other organizations. They may be willing to save their own mail for your collection.2. Get Free Stamps Online (Kids)The International Society of Worldwide Stamp Collectors will give any child, under the age of seventeen, a free stamp packet. Just have the child send in a self-addressed stamped envelope if they reside in the United States, or an international reply coupon if they live outside the U.S., to help with postage fees.The ISWSC, also, supplies free stamps to school stamp clubs and other collecting groups for youngsters. Group leaders will have to write the ISWSC mentioning the number of kids involved, their ages and interests.More: Free Stamps from the International Society of Worldwide Stamp Collectors3. Get Free Stamps Online (Anyone)Interested in free stamps and not under the age of 17? Arpin Philately offers beginning collectors a choice of four different free stamp packets: 50 Canadian Issues, 20 U.S. Issues, 50 Aviation Stamps, or 100 Worldwide Stamps. Choosing a packet enrolls you in their stamp approval program, but you can cancel at anytime.What are stamp approvals? A stamp approval is a selection of stamps, sent through the mail, you can review for a period of time. Then, any stamps you don't want are sent back, along with, payment for those you keep. Approval stamps are a great way give to view a variety of stamps on a monthly basis.More: Free Stamps from Arpin Philately4. Get a Free Stamp CatalogNow that you have your stamps, you need to identify them. Mystic Stamp Company offers a free printed copy of their United States Stamp Catalog. Each catalog contains 128 pages of color photographs, a complete listing of U.S. postage stamps, valuable collecting tips, and fascinating philatelic history. The catalogs are send, postage free, to your home address, and all it takes is a few seconds to fill out an online form.More: Free Color Stamp Catalog From Mystic5. Download Album PagesNeed a place to put your stamps, and don't want to risk possibly damaging them in a shoe box? Try downloading, blank stamp album pages. The International Society of Worldwide Stamp Collector's offers a nice selection of blank album pages that can be customized to your collection. The interactive pages require Adobe Acrobat Reader to view, but luckly for us the ISWSC has a link to download the program.More: Create Your Own Album Pages6. Download Album Pages (Kids)Planes, trains, lions, tigers, and space ships, oh my! Kids will love the fun themed album pages offered by the American Stamp Dealers Association. Just click and print. The hardest part will be deciding which pages to use.More: Fun Kid-Friendly Stamp Album Pages7. Order Free Stamp MountsNow that you have your stamps, catalog, and album pages, you need a way to mount your stamps in your album. You should never tape, glue, or paste stamps onto your album pages. Washington Press, makers of StampMount brand mounts, will supply you with a package of mounts free of charge. All you need to do is fill out a quick one page online form. Not sure how to use your mounts? The Guide to Using Stamp Mounts will walk you through the stamp mounting process.More: Free Album Mounts Through the MailTopical Stamp CollectingThe BasicsWhat is Topical Collecting?A topical (or thematic) collection "consists of stamps and other philatelic material which are chosen for their designs, rather than for the countries that issued them or the class of postal service they provide." That is the formal definition set down by the American Topical Association, the world’s largest organization of topical stamp collectors and sponsor of this course.Stamps with a common theme*In its wording, or*In its pictorial designTopical Stamp CollectingThe BasicsA topical collector does not care if*The stamp was issued for regular postage or air post*In what year the stamp was issued*By what country the stamp was issued*Scope of your collection is totally up to you-Collect purely for our own pleasure-Classify the material as you want-No two topical collections can ever be the sameTopical vs. ThematicNo recognized difference between termsBoth involved acquisition and arrangement of stamps and other philatelic materialsThen, various topical organizations began to refine arrangement methodsTwo types of collections identified:SubjectThematicBoth consist of stamps and other philatelic material relating to subjectSubject collection generally arranged chronologically by country of issuePurpose-of-issue collection limited to stamps recognizing organizations, such as EUROPA, International Red Cross, or Rotary InternationalThematic collection tells a storyDevelops a themeSome topics more than others lend themselves to this approachAviation collection arranged by aircraft typeFlowers arranged by genus, family, and speciesArt arranged by school or paintingPros and cons of eachThematic approach may require breaking up a set of stamps; Subject approach would accept keeping the set together – YOU DECIDECollection based on a person would have Subject approach in country order and Thematic approach beginning with person’s birth and moving chronologically – YOU DECIDEAlso, re: collection based on a person, Thematic approach encourages material relating to ancestors and associates as well as key places and events associated with the personality; Subject approach may not be that broad – YOU DECIDESelecting a topicAs noted in the course introduction, you probably are able to parallel anything you like or like to do outside of stamp collecting with a topical stamp collection.Although many hundreds of topics have been identified and noted in various lists, you are free to develop your ownA 1962 poll returned 350 topicsA 1974 poll returned 772 topicsInformation sent in for the ATA 2002 Membership Directory listed 1,202 topics!You are free to work in the more traditional areasAmericana ( U.S. subjects appearing on foreign stamps)AnimalsBiology (Plants and Animals)SpaceMusicRailroadsShipsYou may want to test your research (both library research and stamp research) by developing your own topicsU.S. Military Academy graduates … an actual topical collection that was a major award winner. On yes, it includes non-Americans who were alumni of the academy..Dogs of the presidents … research the species and build the collection from that, for examplePort-siders … left-handed peopleFor the first of the many times you will see this statement here, "there are no rules" as to what to collect or how to collect it.If infatuated by waterfalls, that makes a great topic for youIf your work involves heavy trucks, there is a wonderful topicIf you inherited an heirloom quill pen, wouldn’t a topical collection along those lines fit you?ConsiderationsPotential size of the collectionDogs of the Presidents necessarily will be a much more limited topic than the more general "dogs."World Cup play will be more limited in scope than soccerToo large a scope soon may appear overwhelming to you; too small a scope may run you out of possible additions to your collection in a relatively short timeIf you begin with a collection with too large a scope for you, reduce it … remember: "there are no rules" as to what to collect or how to collect it.If you with begin a collection you find to be too limiting, stand back and figure how to increase the scope … or even begin another collection. Some collectors have multiple collections; others focus heavily on one.Acquiring your collection's first stampsNo matter what you know about the subject of your topical collectionDo a quick review at your local libraryNote which books and periodicals are available in that areaTake copious notes … which will help you begin an outline of your new collectionIf your library has a recent copy of a major stamp catalog, use it to obtain an idea of just what is available in our topic If not available locally, seek out older editions at least to launch you with your collection.Major U.S. catalog published by ScottStanley Gibbons in U.K/Yvert et Tellier in FranceMichel in GermanyA catalog will not provide you all the answers; just get you off to a good startNot all stamps are fully described in the catalogs, each catalog has its own editorial policySeek out prepared checklists, such as those available through the American Topical AssociationMore than 400 different checklists maintained by the ATARange from a single page for mini-topics to more than 50 pagesGenerally arranged by country with Scott catalog numbers to help when ordering from a stamp dealerMay also include date of issue and/or a brief description of stamp or set.Mint (unused) or used … and other decisionsCollecting mint stamps only, used only, or a combination of the twoIf you include used stamps, do not include heavily cancelled stampsIf used are light canceled, see if "canceled to order" (CTO) … a procedure where the issuing government creates a used stamp without that stamps having seen postal duty.They generally have gum on the backPostally used stamps are preferred over CTOMint stamps are the most attractive
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How to Get Started with Your Stamp Collection - Simple TipsCollecting stamp is a famous hobby as well as an easy activity, which provides many lighter moments. If you would like to start your own collection of stamps, here is the list of procedures to get started:1. First you need to decide on what kind of topic you would like to use for your collection to get started with this hobby. It is also recommended to start with general but choosing a specific theme for your stamps will be more exciting. If you would like to collect postage stamps from other countries, you may start narrowing down your collection for the stamps coming from a specific country.2. You can also start the stamp collection by buying new stamps from the market. If you are aiming for the stamps of the specific country will help you to get a good start on your collection and will help to prevent the duplication of your collection. Buying a whole pack will give you different designs and will make more interesting for you and motivate you to collect more.3. If you have limited budget for starting the stamp collection you may have to collect the used stamps from your friends and relatives, which they have received from the mails. They can also help you by asking their friends to donate the stamps to you, which will be exciting since the stamps came from people will be with different themes and special to you. This will make you to valuate the sentimental values of the collected stamps.4. Once your friends and relatives are informed that you are collecting the stamps, they will make you to learn that they will provide you stamps as a gift for occasions. This kind of helps will make the collection easier for you. Some times your friends and relatives may make use of their maximum effort for getting special editions or commemorative stamps to make you happy and surprise.5. You may then narrow down your collections by considering the new or old stamps, which one is more preferable to you. Many people prefer to collect more old stamps in their collection than the new stamps. On the other hand, the new stamps are easier to find and manage. Once you have decided the type of stamps to keep in your collection, you should not throw away the other stamps because, you can exchange them with other collectors to get the stamps as per your choice.6. One benefit of stamp collecting is that you need not spend much money for the hobby. You may buy inexpensive tools and supplies, which you need for your collections. For starters, an album is the first thing to acquire. The most popular type of the album is the loose-leaf album. A loose-leaf album has a binder that has removable sheets. This will make the stamps easier to manage and compile.7. It is most important to learn removing the used stamps from envelopes to place them in your album. You may the cut the envelope along with the stamp but it is important to leave the space between the scissors and the edges of the stamps. Now, you can place the stamp by the face turned down in a bowl with warm water. When it becomes completely wet, you can peel off the stamp and place it in the album after drying it properly.8. There are many resources where you can get informations about stamps and stamp collection. The Internet is the most effective way to search for stamps and determine the place you can get the cheapest and even those stamps, which are hard to find. You can also make use of the Internet to make friendship with other stamp collectors, which will help you become more interested in the hobby and they may help you in finding the stamps you are looking for. You can also exchange stamps with one another making your collection bigger and more exciting.The best part of the collection is displaying them to your friends and loved ones. Once you have your own collection, you can show them to your friends and relatives. You may even have your own exhibition in the future. One way to let the people know about your collection is by putting up your own website. You can create the website, where you can exhibit all of your collected stamps and you can also give the notes about the stamps and your efforts to collect them.How to Become a Stamp CollectorStamp collecting is one of the most popular hobbies of many Americans and other cultures. It may be strange to some people who do not know the enjoyment people get from collecting the stamps. Stamp collectors find the satisfaction while see their huge collection of stamps from different countries, each depicting their own origins and purpose of producing those stamps.If you have a hobby of collecting different items, stamps may excite you the same way others do. People who engage in collecting stamps do not just enjoy the hobby; they learn and gain knowledge on art, history, and stories about different places.If you want to be a serious stamp collector, you may have to consider collecting commemorative stamps. These stamps are produced by certain country to illustrate a memorable event, like a person or an important object that may be a part of their history.Why should a person want to be a stamp collector?Anyone can be a stamp collector. People of all ages can try with this hobby. One main reason for choose the collection of stamps is that it is considered as one of the most affordable hobby. People may collect coins, cars, tags, pins and many more but stamps are considered one of the most inexpensive hobbies of collection.Stamp collectors come in all ages. It is not limited to certain group or age bracket. Even kids can become stamp collectors on their own little ways. Stamp collectors even start this hobby at a young age. The important thing is the passion you have for collecting stamps regardless of their price and origin.A stamp collector may find old stamps that he can include in his collections. You may even get these stamps for less than a dollar. There are few collectible items, which are considered as inexpensive and the stamp collecting is one of them.A stamp collector may also benefit by learning many things from the stamps he collects. Collecting a stamp may provide the interest to research about the stamp like, why it was produced and about the events that are featured on a specific stamp. You will enjoy and at the same time learn many things from them.Being a stamp collector is not a difficult task. There are many places where you can get your own collection of stamps. Postage stamps used for airmail may also be collected. Stamp collectors will have to compile them depending on the country they came from.There are also sites and message boards in the Internet that features the details of stamp collecting. People can exchange stamps by using these sites and some make use of these sites to display their collections. Others may consider for selling their stamps to make the hobby as their source of income.If you would like to be a stamp collector, you should know all information about stamps. It does not necessarily require knowing everything. One important thing to remember is to know how to take care of the collections.Stamp collectors must be disciplined when it comes to taking care of their stamps. That is because stamps are very fragile as they are made from paper and other thin materials. It becomes a responsibility of stamp collector to take care of the quality of the stamps.If you would like to be a stamp collector, you should also have the necessary supplies required for handling the stamps. If you are a beginner, the album is the first accessory you need to have. This will organize and compile all the collected stamps. The album will also ensure the safety of the stamps from dirt and moist.Anyone can be a stamp collector. It is an educational and informative hobby and even kids will also be benefited from it. It does not only give fun and knowledge but it is also a way to discover the artistic side of every person.Stamp Collecting is Fun!Stamp Collecting can start with a simple gift of stamps given by another person. This may provide him the interest to collect more stamps and may become a stamp collector by adopting this as a hobby in the future. Stamp collection is considered as one of the most popular hobbies that still exist in this modern world. Earlier the stamp collecting was popular among the royalties in Western Europe. There was a time when all kinds of people has become interested in stamp collecting and treated it as their personal hobby.Some people may wonder about the collection of stamps. The reason they may point out is that the stamps are nothing but a pieces of paper with pictures of some significant persons or events. Many people may think what way a person will be benefited or achieve by collecting these kinds of items. There should be many reasons for the people, who are engaged in collecting the stamps. Most of the people are collecting the stamps because they find it as fun and enjoyable.The designs of stamps are really appealing to every collector. There are very attractive designs with different colorful pictures and backgrounds. In addition, from the attractive designs, it also gives the information about a significant person, event, sports, and many things for a person could find interesting.Nevertheless, the most common stamp collectors are preferred to collect the stamps with the illustration of people, places, and events in the stamps, which may represent some valuable information regarding the history of a certain country or group. Stamp collecting provides resourceful knowledge as well as a person is having fun. He may not realize that he is learning and allotting some time to valuate such collections.For beginners, here are some tips to collect stamps:1. A person can be a generalist and start collecting a variety of stamps that may feature many things. In this way, he may have an idea on what type of stamps he may have to specialize in collecting. He may place all his collection in an album and categorize each stamp according to topics or themes he has chosen.2. If somebody loves to travel to different places, he may start collecting stamps from those places he has visited. There are particular areas and locations that offer stamps featuring the history of that place and significant persons those are lived in that place.3. He may follow collecting stamps, where he finds interest and ambition. He may focus in collecting stuffs that he truly enjoys and having fun about that. He may find those stamps are featuring his favorite sport, sport icon, cars, fishes, and many more.4. One advantage of collecting stamps is that a person can save more money and time because these items are affordable to purchase and easy to find.5. He may join a special organization or club that have gatherings occasionally and which themes can apply to his interests. He may meet people who are collecting the same stamps s well as he collects. He may trade or exchange his stamps with other stamp collectors and he can collect the knowledge, tips and advice for to take care of his stamps.6. He may collect stamps from friends those are affectionate with this kind of hobby. He may enjoy it by sharing the stamps he collected and citing the information, which is represented in the stamp. He may also ask his friends for information for to find more stamps, which are related to his collections.7. He may collect as his own by searching in the Internet to find availability of more stamps with the most affordable price. He may look for stamps anytime he needs it. It is considered as a passive hobby where he can relax and reduce stress. It also gives the feeling of accomplishment for a person.8. He may find the stamp collecting as a lifetime hobby. There is always something to know and learn about collecting stamps. It has a wide coverage of different things and persons. He may change the theme into other topics, when he thinks to bring another dimension to his stamp collecting.There are many ways to collect stamps. It is important to do something for those, who are really interested in collecting the stamps. It is even recommended to start at a younger age, by which he will be surprised of the many things that he may have to learn from this hobby.Stamp Collecting in Channel Island People have different hobby. They can dedicate their free time to anything that makes them interested and happy. As such, the choice of hobby of any person will also tell a lot about his or her personality. An athletic person will spend the pastime playing sports and games. The creative ones will devote their time to arts and crafts. There are a number people out there who would dedicate their time into collecting things. Stamp collecting for one is one of the most famous hobbies in the world. Comprising of more than 20 million enthusiasts at the United States alone, it is clear that this is really popular.What Is Stamp Collecting?Stamp collecting is all about stamps and everything related to it. Thus, a stamp collector will aim to collect as much stamps to comprise a considerable collection. It is to be contrasted with philately which is concerned mainly with the study of stamps and everything related to it.Starting a hobby of collecting stamps is not difficult. All you have to do is collect all the letters in the household. Remove the stamps from the envelope, gather them and you have your first items.Most stamp collectors may start the hobby just for fun or out of curiosity. It cannot be denied that there are lots of stamps out there that are really interesting. They can showcase all sorts of information and data. They can cover the historical events, important figures, artworks, animals, insects, planets, sports or just about anything under the sun. The illustration and the subject give so much satisfaction to the interest. The beginner will simply find out later that he or she has been hooked on the hobby. Collecting SpecialtiesMost collectors will focus their collection to a certain type. There are actually hundreds and thousands of stamps out there. It will be helpful to narrow down the choices to have some more focus in the collection. There are different areas where collecting may be focused on.Postage StampsThese are the usual stamps used by countries at a specific time.Postal StationeryPostal stationeries are some sort of post cards and air letter sheets which the government issued. The earliest of these were issued back in the year 1819.Federal Duck StampsThese are stamps used for duck hunting licenses. They are applied mainly on Unites States and Canada. Every year, a wildlife artist and his or her design is selected among many competitors and shall be showcased in the Duck stamp.Souvenir SheetsThey are stamps released in a format of a sheet forming a big picture. First Day CoversAlso known as the FDC’s, these are envelopes with stamps that were cancelled on the day the stamp was issued. It becomes more challenging as they take on the search for specific stamps. Often, this challenge makes the collector desire for more.Aiming for MoreTo satisfy this desire for more, it is necessary that the collector knows all the details of the stamps. The most useful tool to use here is the stamp catalogue. This could showcase the stamps of a particular region or even worldwide coverage. It provides stamp details such as the official name, date of issuance, material, face value and actual value.The value of a stamp is often determined by the conditions of its issuance. Most stamps are for ordinary release. The valuable ones are those that came out in a very limited edition. They can be very rare and hard-to-find, making their market value very high. Take a particular place in United States, the Channel Island for example. The postage service in the locality of Channel Island will usually provide ordinary stamps for mail purposes of the citizens. However, every now and then, the postage service may release a special commemoration stamp. This may commemorate an event or a figure very special to Channel Island. The Channel Island for example has a special Channel Island 1940-45 Occupation Stamp. It tells a lot about the history of Channel Island. Thus, it is also very much expected that the residents of Channel Island will especially aim for that and more.There are many stamp collectors out there, millions actually, who have different goals and aims in pursuing their hobby. They may have different history, origin and languages. Still, the very same hobby unites them all as they share the same sentiments and love for collecting stamps.Types of stampsStamps can be subdivided by type:DefinitivesCommemorativesCharity stampsAir stampsPostage due stampsTelegraph stampsOfficial stampsExpress stampsNewspaper stampsFiscal stampsRegionalsEtc.Stamps can also be subdivided by their appearance:Sheet, Block, Coil, Booklet, Souvenir sheet, Booklet panes, Peel and stick (Self-adhesives)Personalized stampsMarriage, anniversary, birthday, birth, communion, end-of-year parties, there are many occasions to send mail to your close friends.10 Low-Cost Ways to Start Collecting StampsIf you have recently started collecting stamps, or are thinking about starting, you may be wondering if the hobby is expensive. Can you enjoy it with limited financial resources? What if you have no money at all for the hobby?One of the biggest questions any stamp collector faces is where to find stamps inexpensively. If you intent to save stamps of the United States or the world and want to save used as well as unused stamps, the opportunities are really great. Not all collections consist mainly of unused stamps that you buy in the post office. Used stamps are worth saving, have value, and they may cost you nothing.Many stamp collectors save only used stamps. Others save both used and unused ones. Others save stamps only from one country or one part of the world. Some collectors save stamps by "topic," for example, stamps that depict horse or trains or birds. There are any number of different types of collections.1. All postally used stamps started out being received in someone's mailbox, at no cost to the person receiving them. The first place to search for stamps, then, is your own mailbox. Don't be discouraged when you notice that many senders use postage meters or the imprint "Bulk Rate Postage Paid' on their envelopes to enjoy a better postal rate or to keep from affixing stamps. Also, when people do use real stamps, they often use the same common small ones.You can begin to change this by asking people who write to you to use commemorative stamps on their mail. These are normally the larger stamps issued to honor famous people, places, or events. These stamps are printed in lesser quantities than the common smaller (definitive) stamps and usually are of much more interest to collects. Many people will remember to ask for commemorative stamps at the post office when mailing letters to you or your family if you let them know you are a stamp collector. Also, if you write away for offers that require postage or a self-addressed, stamped envelope, you can put commemoratives on your return envelope, knowing that they will come back to you later.2. Neighbors, friends, and relatives are another good source of stamps. The majority of people just throw away stamps when they receive them on mail and are only too happy to save them for someone who appreciates them. You may even know someone who gets letters from other countries who can save these stamps, too. Always be on the lookout for potentially good stamp contacts, and don't be afraid to ask them to go through their mail for you before they throw away all the envelopes.3. Office mail maybe even better. You may know someone who works in an office that gets a lot of mail. Out of 100 letters a day, there may be ten or twenty good stamps that are being thrown away. Many businesses get a lot of foreign mail and regularly throw away stamps that have interest and/or value to a collector.4. Ask your parents if they have any old letters, which may have stamps on the envelopes. When taking stamps off envelopes, always tear off the corner so that there is paper all around the stamp, and the stamp and all its perforations are undamaged. Anyone who is saving stamps for you should be told that this is the way to do it; otherwise, he/she may try to peel the stamp off the envelope. This will cause thin spots or tears, both of which ruin a stamp's appearance and lessen its value to collectors. If you run across envelopes that are very old or have postal markings that may be of particular interest, it is best to save the entire envelope until you can find out if the stamp is worth more attached to the cover.Now that you have stamps on paper, what do you do with them? The most common way to get stamps off paper is to soak them in cool water, then dry them on paper. To understand more about soaking stamps, it is best to find a handbook on stamp collecting at the library.There is a lot to learn about stamps as you get more and more of the. For example, different shades of color may exist on stamps with the same design, or them may have different perforation measurements (number of holes per side). Major varieties of stamps and "catalog values" are listed in stamp catalogs, which are available in most libraries. The most common one, the Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue, has a very good section in front that explains how stamps are made and how to tell varieties apart, as well as how to use the catalog. Having access to a catalog in a nearby library is very useful until you decide if you want one of your own.5. Longtime collectors may be another source of stamps. Usually a person who has been a collector for a number of years has developed many sources for stamps. The collector may have thousands of duplicates, some of which may be very inexpensive while others may have more value. Often older collectors are willing to help new philatelists get started by giving them stamps, or at least providing packets of stamps mush more cheaply than can be purchased in stores or by mail.6. Many stamp companies advertise free stamps. However, these ads must be read carefully before you send away from anything. Usually these ads offer "approvals," which means they will send you the free stamps advertised, plus an assortment of other stamps which you may either buy or return. By sending for the free stamps, you have already agreed that you will return the other stamps within a reasonable period of time if you do not buy anything. Usually you must pay the return postage. This is a convenient way to buy stamps from your own home.7. Stamp clubs are another place to get stamps. A club may offer stamps as prizes, or have inexpensive stamps as prizes, or have inexpensive stamps you can afford to buy.Some stamp clubs sponsor junior clubs that meet at schools or the local YMCA or community center. If you are fortunate enough to have one of these in your area, it can be a great source of both stamps and advice.8. One way to increase your sources for stamps and also have a lot of fun is to help start a local club, if one does not already exist. All it takes are our or five other stamp collectors who are interested in getting together to learn about and trade stamps and ideas.9. Obtaining a pen pal in another country is a very good way to get stamps from that country. His or her extra stamps may seem really common in that country, but over here they are much scarcer. Your own stamps may look fairly common to you, but he or she is sure to appreciate them.10. Trading off your duplicate stamps can be a lot of fun. Even if you don't know many collectors where you live, stamps are so lightweight that they can easily be trades by mail. Check out the stamp newspapers and magazines available at your local library for classified ads that list stamp trades. You may find, for example, that another collector will send you 100 large foreign stamps if you send 100 U.S. commemoratives. Usually schools do not subscribe to any of the periodical stamp publications, so you will have to go to your public library. (Many stamp publications also offer to send one free sample issue if your request it, because they are always looking for potential new subscribers.)Collecting stamps need not be an expensive hobby. Thousands of stamps are issued every year, and while some of them cost many dollars, others cost just a few cents each. Nobody expects you to try to save every stamp that exists, and they key to enjoying philately is to save whatever you enjoy the most! With free stamps and a few inexpensive accessories, such as a small album and a package of stamp hinges, even collectors with little money can have a great time. Don't forget to mention stamps, stamp albums, and hinges before your birthday or Christmas! Also remember that a great many inexpensive stamps in the past have turned into ore valuable stamps over the years.You never know what will happen in stamp collecting!Top 10 Things Every Stamp Collect Should KnowIf you know nothing else about the hobby, you should know these ten things. Always use tongs, never glue down a stamp, don't cram your stamps into a box, and more advice to help you start your collection.1. Carefully handle your stamps.Throwing your stamps into a box or drawer may cause them to tear, become creased, or soiled reducing their value. Always store your collection in albums specifically designed for postage stamps.2. Always use tongs to handle your stamps.Grease or moisture from your fingers can damage the glue or gum of the stamp, again, reducing their value. Stamp tongs are relatively inexpensive, well worth the price to protect your collection.3. Never lick, glue, or tape a stamp into your album.Adhering a stamp to your album in this manner will not allow you to remove the stamp at a later time, without causing damage to the stamp. Always use some type of stamp hinge or mount to place your stamps in your albums.4. Use little moisture when adhearing your stamp mounts.Soaking your stamp mounts will cause them to become soggy and unusable, or worse still, may cause damage to your stamps. Only slightly wet your mount regardless of the type you are using.5. Never completely seal your stamp mount.Stamps are made from paper and paper can become brittle or may even decompose when kept air-tight. Always leave an open area when using mounts.6. Store your stamps in a cool dry place.Humidity and moisture are the worst causes of damage to postage stamps. Once they are introduced to your collection, stamp gum will become tacky and your stamps will stick together. Once stamps become stuck together, there is no safe way to take them apart.7. Buy the largest high quality album that you can afford.Buying a smaller album means at some point, when your collection becomes larger, you will have to transfer all of your stamps to a new album. Unless you will later have the time and money, it is best to buy a larger album from the very beginning.8. Do not soak your stamps until you are sure their ink will not run.Some stamps when soaked in water or watermark detection fluid will have fugitive inks that run. Always make sure it is safe to soak your stamps beforehand by consulting your catalog.9. Never remove a stamp from a cover before checking for special markings.Older covers should be checked to make sure they do not have any special postmarks before soaking the stamps off the paper. Some stamps are more valuable if left on the cover, such as those found on cachets.10. If you aren't sure...ask!If you are having difficulty identifying your stamps or just have a general philatelic question, it never hurts to ask a stamp professional. With more than 16 million collectors in the United States alone, there is always someone who would love to share their knowledge of thehobby with you.Top 7 Ways to Start a Stamp CollectionIt doesn't cost much to start a stamp collection. In fact, it could cost nothing. There are many low cost, and even free, stamp resources out there, you just have to know where to look.1. Remove Stamps from MailPerhaps, the easiest means of obtaining stamps is by removing them from your letters. Simply cut around the stamp in the shape of a square or rectangle. Then, soak the cut stamps in a bowl of luke warm water for ten minutes. Once the stamps fall off of their paper backing, dip then in cool water, and allow them to dry. It is best that you put the stamps in a drying book or dry them between layers of paper towels, so they will flatten.Don't receive that much mail? Try contacting family members, local businesses, schools, and other organizations. They may be willing to save their own mail for your collection.2. Get Free Stamps Online (Kids)The International Society of Worldwide Stamp Collectors will give any child, under the age of seventeen, a free stamp packet. Just have the child send in a self-addressed stamped envelope if they reside in the United States, or an international reply coupon if they live outside the U.S., to help with postage fees.The ISWSC, also, supplies free stamps to school stamp clubs and other collecting groups for youngsters. Group leaders will have to write the ISWSC mentioning the number of kids involved, their ages and interests.More: Free Stamps from the International Society of Worldwide Stamp Collectors3. Get Free Stamps Online (Anyone)Interested in free stamps and not under the age of 17? Arpin Philately offers beginning collectors a choice of four different free stamp packets: 50 Canadian Issues, 20 U.S. Issues, 50 Aviation Stamps, or 100 Worldwide Stamps. Choosing a packet enrolls you in their stamp approval program, but you can cancel at anytime.What are stamp approvals? A stamp approval is a selection of stamps, sent through the mail, you can review for a period of time. Then, any stamps you don't want are sent back, along with, payment for those you keep. Approval stamps are a great way give to view a variety of stamps on a monthly basis.More: Free Stamps from Arpin Philately4. Get a Free Stamp CatalogNow that you have your stamps, you need to identify them. Mystic Stamp Company offers a free printed copy of their United States Stamp Catalog. Each catalog contains 128 pages of color photographs, a complete listing of U.S. postage stamps, valuable collecting tips, and fascinating philatelic history. The catalogs are send, postage free, to your home address, and all it takes is a few seconds to fill out an online form.More: Free Color Stamp Catalog From Mystic5. Download Album PagesNeed a place to put your stamps, and don't want to risk possibly damaging them in a shoe box? Try downloading, blank stamp album pages. The International Society of Worldwide Stamp Collector's offers a nice selection of blank album pages that can be customized to your collection. The interactive pages require Adobe Acrobat Reader to view, but luckly for us the ISWSC has a link to download the program.More: Create Your Own Album Pages6. Download Album Pages (Kids)Planes, trains, lions, tigers, and space ships, oh my! Kids will love the fun themed album pages offered by the American Stamp Dealers Association. Just click and print. The hardest part will be deciding which pages to use.More: Fun Kid-Friendly Stamp Album Pages7. Order Free Stamp MountsNow that you have your stamps, catalog, and album pages, you need a way to mount your stamps in your album. You should never tape, glue, or paste stamps onto your album pages. Washington Press, makers of StampMount brand mounts, will supply you with a package of mounts free of charge. All you need to do is fill out a quick one page online form. Not sure how to use your mounts? The Guide to Using Stamp Mounts will walk you through the stamp mounting process.More: Free Album Mounts Through the MailTopical Stamp CollectingThe BasicsWhat is Topical Collecting?A topical (or thematic) collection "consists of stamps and other philatelic material which are chosen for their designs, rather than for the countries that issued them or the class of postal service they provide." That is the formal definition set down by the American Topical Association, the world’s largest organization of topical stamp collectors and sponsor of this course.Stamps with a common theme*In its wording, or*In its pictorial designTopical Stamp CollectingThe BasicsA topical collector does not care if*The stamp was issued for regular postage or air post*In what year the stamp was issued*By what country the stamp was issued*Scope of your collection is totally up to you-Collect purely for our own pleasure-Classify the material as you want-No two topical collections can ever be the sameTopical vs. ThematicNo recognized difference between termsBoth involved acquisition and arrangement of stamps and other philatelic materialsThen, various topical organizations began to refine arrangement methodsTwo types of collections identified:SubjectThematicBoth consist of stamps and other philatelic material relating to subjectSubject collection generally arranged chronologically by country of issuePurpose-of-issue collection limited to stamps recognizing organizations, such as EUROPA, International Red Cross, or Rotary InternationalThematic collection tells a storyDevelops a themeSome topics more than others lend themselves to this approachAviation collection arranged by aircraft typeFlowers arranged by genus, family, and speciesArt arranged by school or paintingPros and cons of eachThematic approach may require breaking up a set of stamps; Subject approach would accept keeping the set together – YOU DECIDECollection based on a person would have Subject approach in country order and Thematic approach beginning with person’s birth and moving chronologically – YOU DECIDEAlso, re: collection based on a person, Thematic approach encourages material relating to ancestors and associates as well as key places and events associated with the personality; Subject approach may not be that broad – YOU DECIDESelecting a topicAs noted in the course introduction, you probably are able to parallel anything you like or like to do outside of stamp collecting with a topical stamp collection.Although many hundreds of topics have been identified and noted in various lists, you are free to develop your ownA 1962 poll returned 350 topicsA 1974 poll returned 772 topicsInformation sent in for the ATA 2002 Membership Directory listed 1,202 topics!You are free to work in the more traditional areasAmericana ( U.S. subjects appearing on foreign stamps)AnimalsBiology (Plants and Animals)SpaceMusicRailroadsShipsYou may want to test your research (both library research and stamp research) by developing your own topicsU.S. Military Academy graduates … an actual topical collection that was a major award winner. On yes, it includes non-Americans who were alumni of the academy..Dogs of the presidents … research the species and build the collection from that, for examplePort-siders … left-handed peopleFor the first of the many times you will see this statement here, "there are no rules" as to what to collect or how to collect it.If infatuated by waterfalls, that makes a great topic for youIf your work involves heavy trucks, there is a wonderful topicIf you inherited an heirloom quill pen, wouldn’t a topical collection along those lines fit you?ConsiderationsPotential size of the collectionDogs of the Presidents necessarily will be a much more limited topic than the more general "dogs."World Cup play will be more limited in scope than soccerToo large a scope soon may appear overwhelming to you; too small a scope may run you out of possible additions to your collection in a relatively short timeIf you begin with a collection with too large a scope for you, reduce it … remember: "there are no rules" as to what to collect or how to collect it.If you with begin a collection you find to be too limiting, stand back and figure how to increase the scope … or even begin another collection. Some collectors have multiple collections; others focus heavily on one.Acquiring your collection's first stampsNo matter what you know about the subject of your topical collectionDo a quick review at your local libraryNote which books and periodicals are available in that areaTake copious notes … which will help you begin an outline of your new collectionIf your library has a recent copy of a major stamp catalog, use it to obtain an idea of just what is available in our topic If not available locally, seek out older editions at least to launch you with your collection.Major U.S. catalog published by ScottStanley Gibbons in U.K/Yvert et Tellier in FranceMichel in GermanyA catalog will not provide you all the answers; just get you off to a good startNot all stamps are fully described in the catalogs, each catalog has its own editorial policySeek out prepared checklists, such as those available through the American Topical AssociationMore than 400 different checklists maintained by the ATARange from a single page for mini-topics to more than 50 pagesGenerally arranged by country with Scott catalog numbers to help when ordering from a stamp dealerMay also include date of issue and/or a brief description of stamp or set.Mint (unused) or used … and other decisionsCollecting mint stamps only, used only, or a combination of the twoIf you include used stamps, do not include heavily cancelled stampsIf used are light canceled, see if "canceled to order" (CTO) … a procedure where the issuing government creates a used stamp without that stamps having seen postal duty.They generally have gum on the backPostally used stamps are preferred over CTOMint stamps are the most attractive
How to Get Started with Your Stamp Collection - Simple TipsCollecting stamp is a famous hobby as well as an easy activity, which provides many lighter moments. If you would like to start your own collection of stamps, here is the list of procedures to get started:1. First you need to decide on what kind of topic you would like to use for your collection to get started with this hobby. It is also recommended to start with general but choosing a specific theme for your stamps will be more exciting. If you would like to collect postage stamps from other countries, you may start narrowing down your collection for the stamps coming from a specific country.2. You can also start the stamp collection by buying new stamps from the market. If you are aiming for the stamps of the specific country will help you to get a good start on your collection and will help to prevent the duplication of your collection. Buying a whole pack will give you different designs and will make more interesting for you and motivate you to collect more.3. If you have limited budget for starting the stamp collection you may have to collect the used stamps from your friends and relatives, which they have received from the mails. They can also help you by asking their friends to donate the stamps to you, which will be exciting since the stamps came from people will be with different themes and special to you. This will make you to valuate the sentimental values of the collected stamps.4. Once your friends and relatives are informed that you are collecting the stamps, they will make you to learn that they will provide you stamps as a gift for occasions. This kind of helps will make the collection easier for you. Some times your friends and relatives may make use of their maximum effort for getting special editions or commemorative stamps to make you happy and surprise.5. You may then narrow down your collections by considering the new or old stamps, which one is more preferable to you. Many people prefer to collect more old stamps in their collection than the new stamps. On the other hand, the new stamps are easier to find and manage. Once you have decided the type of stamps to keep in your collection, you should not throw away the other stamps because, you can exchange them with other collectors to get the stamps as per your choice.6. One benefit of stamp collecting is that you need not spend much money for the hobby. You may buy inexpensive tools and supplies, which you need for your collections. For starters, an album is the first thing to acquire. The most popular type of the album is the loose-leaf album. A loose-leaf album has a binder that has removable sheets. This will make the stamps easier to manage and compile.7. It is most important to learn removing the used stamps from envelopes to place them in your album. You may the cut the envelope along with the stamp but it is important to leave the space between the scissors and the edges of the stamps. Now, you can place the stamp by the face turned down in a bowl with warm water. When it becomes completely wet, you can peel off the stamp and place it in the album after drying it properly.8. There are many resources where you can get informations about stamps and stamp collection. The Internet is the most effective way to search for stamps and determine the place you can get the cheapest and even those stamps, which are hard to find. You can also make use of the Internet to make friendship with other stamp collectors, which will help you become more interested in the hobby and they may help you in finding the stamps you are looking for. You can also exchange stamps with one another making your collection bigger and more exciting.The best part of the collection is displaying them to your friends and loved ones. Once you have your own collection, you can show them to your friends and relatives. You may even have your own exhibition in the future. One way to let the people know about your collection is by putting up your own website. You can create the website, where you can exhibit all of your collected stamps and you can also give the notes about the stamps and your efforts to collect them.How to Become a Stamp CollectorStamp collecting is one of the most popular hobbies of many Americans and other cultures. It may be strange to some people who do not know the enjoyment people get from collecting the stamps. Stamp collectors find the satisfaction while see their huge collection of stamps from different countries, each depicting their own origins and purpose of producing those stamps.If you have a hobby of collecting different items, stamps may excite you the same way others do. People who engage in collecting stamps do not just enjoy the hobby; they learn and gain knowledge on art, history, and stories about different places.If you want to be a serious stamp collector, you may have to consider collecting commemorative stamps. These stamps are produced by certain country to illustrate a memorable event, like a person or an important object that may be a part of their history.Why should a person want to be a stamp collector?Anyone can be a stamp collector. People of all ages can try with this hobby. One main reason for choose the collection of stamps is that it is considered as one of the most affordable hobby. People may collect coins, cars, tags, pins and many more but stamps are considered one of the most inexpensive hobbies of collection.Stamp collectors come in all ages. It is not limited to certain group or age bracket. Even kids can become stamp collectors on their own little ways. Stamp collectors even start this hobby at a young age. The important thing is the passion you have for collecting stamps regardless of their price and origin.A stamp collector may find old stamps that he can include in his collections. You may even get these stamps for less than a dollar. There are few collectible items, which are considered as inexpensive and the stamp collecting is one of them.A stamp collector may also benefit by learning many things from the stamps he collects. Collecting a stamp may provide the interest to research about the stamp like, why it was produced and about the events that are featured on a specific stamp. You will enjoy and at the same time learn many things from them.Being a stamp collector is not a difficult task. There are many places where you can get your own collection of stamps. Postage stamps used for airmail may also be collected. Stamp collectors will have to compile them depending on the country they came from.There are also sites and message boards in the Internet that features the details of stamp collecting. People can exchange stamps by using these sites and some make use of these sites to display their collections. Others may consider for selling their stamps to make the hobby as their source of income.If you would like to be a stamp collector, you should know all information about stamps. It does not necessarily require knowing everything. One important thing to remember is to know how to take care of the collections.Stamp collectors must be disciplined when it comes to taking care of their stamps. That is because stamps are very fragile as they are made from paper and other thin materials. It becomes a responsibility of stamp collector to take care of the quality of the stamps.If you would like to be a stamp collector, you should also have the necessary supplies required for handling the stamps. If you are a beginner, the album is the first accessory you need to have. This will organize and compile all the collected stamps. The album will also ensure the safety of the stamps from dirt and moist.Anyone can be a stamp collector. It is an educational and informative hobby and even kids will also be benefited from it. It does not only give fun and knowledge but it is also a way to discover the artistic side of every person.Stamp Collecting is Fun!Stamp Collecting can start with a simple gift of stamps given by another person. This may provide him the interest to collect more stamps and may become a stamp collector by adopting this as a hobby in the future. Stamp collection is considered as one of the most popular hobbies that still exist in this modern world. Earlier the stamp collecting was popular among the royalties in Western Europe. There was a time when all kinds of people has become interested in stamp collecting and treated it as their personal hobby.Some people may wonder about the collection of stamps. The reason they may point out is that the stamps are nothing but a pieces of paper with pictures of some significant persons or events. Many people may think what way a person will be benefited or achieve by collecting these kinds of items. There should be many reasons for the people, who are engaged in collecting the stamps. Most of the people are collecting the stamps because they find it as fun and enjoyable.The designs of stamps are really appealing to every collector. There are very attractive designs with different colorful pictures and backgrounds. In addition, from the attractive designs, it also gives the information about a significant person, event, sports, and many things for a person could find interesting.Nevertheless, the most common stamp collectors are preferred to collect the stamps with the illustration of people, places, and events in the stamps, which may represent some valuable information regarding the history of a certain country or group. Stamp collecting provides resourceful knowledge as well as a person is having fun. He may not realize that he is learning and allotting some time to valuate such collections.For beginners, here are some tips to collect stamps:1. A person can be a generalist and start collecting a variety of stamps that may feature many things. In this way, he may have an idea on what type of stamps he may have to specialize in collecting. He may place all his collection in an album and categorize each stamp according to topics or themes he has chosen.2. If somebody loves to travel to different places, he may start collecting stamps from those places he has visited. There are particular areas and locations that offer stamps featuring the history of that place and significant persons those are lived in that place.3. He may follow collecting stamps, where he finds interest and ambition. He may focus in collecting stuffs that he truly enjoys and having fun about that. He may find those stamps are featuring his favorite sport, sport icon, cars, fishes, and many more.4. One advantage of collecting stamps is that a person can save more money and time because these items are affordable to purchase and easy to find.5. He may join a special organization or club that have gatherings occasionally and which themes can apply to his interests. He may meet people who are collecting the same stamps s well as he collects. He may trade or exchange his stamps with other stamp collectors and he can collect the knowledge, tips and advice for to take care of his stamps.6. He may collect stamps from friends those are affectionate with this kind of hobby. He may enjoy it by sharing the stamps he collected and citing the information, which is represented in the stamp. He may also ask his friends for information for to find more stamps, which are related to his collections.7. He may collect as his own by searching in the Internet to find availability of more stamps with the most affordable price. He may look for stamps anytime he needs it. It is considered as a passive hobby where he can relax and reduce stress. It also gives the feeling of accomplishment for a person.8. He may find the stamp collecting as a lifetime hobby. There is always something to know and learn about collecting stamps. It has a wide coverage of different things and persons. He may change the theme into other topics, when he thinks to bring another dimension to his stamp collecting.There are many ways to collect stamps. It is important to do something for those, who are really interested in collecting the stamps. It is even recommended to start at a younger age, by which he will be surprised of the many things that he may have to learn from this hobby.Stamp Collecting in Channel Island People have different hobby. They can dedicate their free time to anything that makes them interested and happy. As such, the choice of hobby of any person will also tell a lot about his or her personality. An athletic person will spend the pastime playing sports and games. The creative ones will devote their time to arts and crafts. There are a number people out there who would dedicate their time into collecting things. Stamp collecting for one is one of the most famous hobbies in the world. Comprising of more than 20 million enthusiasts at the United States alone, it is clear that this is really popular.What Is Stamp Collecting?Stamp collecting is all about stamps and everything related to it. Thus, a stamp collector will aim to collect as much stamps to comprise a considerable collection. It is to be contrasted with philately which is concerned mainly with the study of stamps and everything related to it.Starting a hobby of collecting stamps is not difficult. All you have to do is collect all the letters in the household. Remove the stamps from the envelope, gather them and you have your first items.Most stamp collectors may start the hobby just for fun or out of curiosity. It cannot be denied that there are lots of stamps out there that are really interesting. They can showcase all sorts of information and data. They can cover the historical events, important figures, artworks, animals, insects, planets, sports or just about anything under the sun. The illustration and the subject give so much satisfaction to the interest. The beginner will simply find out later that he or she has been hooked on the hobby. Collecting SpecialtiesMost collectors will focus their collection to a certain type. There are actually hundreds and thousands of stamps out there. It will be helpful to narrow down the choices to have some more focus in the collection. There are different areas where collecting may be focused on.Postage StampsThese are the usual stamps used by countries at a specific time.Postal StationeryPostal stationeries are some sort of post cards and air letter sheets which the government issued. The earliest of these were issued back in the year 1819.Federal Duck StampsThese are stamps used for duck hunting licenses. They are applied mainly on Unites States and Canada. Every year, a wildlife artist and his or her design is selected among many competitors and shall be showcased in the Duck stamp.Souvenir SheetsThey are stamps released in a format of a sheet forming a big picture. First Day CoversAlso known as the FDC’s, these are envelopes with stamps that were cancelled on the day the stamp was issued. It becomes more challenging as they take on the search for specific stamps. Often, this challenge makes the collector desire for more.Aiming for MoreTo satisfy this desire for more, it is necessary that the collector knows all the details of the stamps. The most useful tool to use here is the stamp catalogue. This could showcase the stamps of a particular region or even worldwide coverage. It provides stamp details such as the official name, date of issuance, material, face value and actual value.The value of a stamp is often determined by the conditions of its issuance. Most stamps are for ordinary release. The valuable ones are those that came out in a very limited edition. They can be very rare and hard-to-find, making their market value very high. Take a particular place in United States, the Channel Island for example. The postage service in the locality of Channel Island will usually provide ordinary stamps for mail purposes of the citizens. However, every now and then, the postage service may release a special commemoration stamp. This may commemorate an event or a figure very special to Channel Island. The Channel Island for example has a special Channel Island 1940-45 Occupation Stamp. It tells a lot about the history of Channel Island. Thus, it is also very much expected that the residents of Channel Island will especially aim for that and more.There are many stamp collectors out there, millions actually, who have different goals and aims in pursuing their hobby. They may have different history, origin and languages. Still, the very same hobby unites them all as they share the same sentiments and love for collecting stamps.Types of stampsStamps can be subdivided by type:DefinitivesCommemorativesCharity stampsAir stampsPostage due stampsTelegraph stampsOfficial stampsExpress stampsNewspaper stampsFiscal stampsRegionalsEtc.Stamps can also be subdivided by their appearance:Sheet, Block, Coil, Booklet, Souvenir sheet, Booklet panes, Peel and stick (Self-adhesives)Personalized stampsMarriage, anniversary, birthday, birth, communion, end-of-year parties, there are many occasions to send mail to your close friends.10 Low-Cost Ways to Start Collecting StampsIf you have recently started collecting stamps, or are thinking about starting, you may be wondering if the hobby is expensive. Can you enjoy it with limited financial resources? What if you have no money at all for the hobby?One of the biggest questions any stamp collector faces is where to find stamps inexpensively. If you intent to save stamps of the United States or the world and want to save used as well as unused stamps, the opportunities are really great. Not all collections consist mainly of unused stamps that you buy in the post office. Used stamps are worth saving, have value, and they may cost you nothing.Many stamp collectors save only used stamps. Others save both used and unused ones. Others save stamps only from one country or one part of the world. Some collectors save stamps by "topic," for example, stamps that depict horse or trains or birds. There are any number of different types of collections.1. All postally used stamps started out being received in someone's mailbox, at no cost to the person receiving them. The first place to search for stamps, then, is your own mailbox. Don't be discouraged when you notice that many senders use postage meters or the imprint "Bulk Rate Postage Paid' on their envelopes to enjoy a better postal rate or to keep from affixing stamps. Also, when people do use real stamps, they often use the same common small ones.You can begin to change this by asking people who write to you to use commemorative stamps on their mail. These are normally the larger stamps issued to honor famous people, places, or events. These stamps are printed in lesser quantities than the common smaller (definitive) stamps and usually are of much more interest to collects. Many people will remember to ask for commemorative stamps at the post office when mailing letters to you or your family if you let them know you are a stamp collector. Also, if you write away for offers that require postage or a self-addressed, stamped envelope, you can put commemoratives on your return envelope, knowing that they will come back to you later.2. Neighbors, friends, and relatives are another good source of stamps. The majority of people just throw away stamps when they receive them on mail and are only too happy to save them for someone who appreciates them. You may even know someone who gets letters from other countries who can save these stamps, too. Always be on the lookout for potentially good stamp contacts, and don't be afraid to ask them to go through their mail for you before they throw away all the envelopes.3. Office mail maybe even better. You may know someone who works in an office that gets a lot of mail. Out of 100 letters a day, there may be ten or twenty good stamps that are being thrown away. Many businesses get a lot of foreign mail and regularly throw away stamps that have interest and/or value to a collector.4. Ask your parents if they have any old letters, which may have stamps on the envelopes. When taking stamps off envelopes, always tear off the corner so that there is paper all around the stamp, and the stamp and all its perforations are undamaged. Anyone who is saving stamps for you should be told that this is the way to do it; otherwise, he/she may try to peel the stamp off the envelope. This will cause thin spots or tears, both of which ruin a stamp's appearance and lessen its value to collectors. If you run across envelopes that are very old or have postal markings that may be of particular interest, it is best to save the entire envelope until you can find out if the stamp is worth more attached to the cover.Now that you have stamps on paper, what do you do with them? The most common way to get stamps off paper is to soak them in cool water, then dry them on paper. To understand more about soaking stamps, it is best to find a handbook on stamp collecting at the library.There is a lot to learn about stamps as you get more and more of the. For example, different shades of color may exist on stamps with the same design, or them may have different perforation measurements (number of holes per side). Major varieties of stamps and "catalog values" are listed in stamp catalogs, which are available in most libraries. The most common one, the Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue, has a very good section in front that explains how stamps are made and how to tell varieties apart, as well as how to use the catalog. Having access to a catalog in a nearby library is very useful until you decide if you want one of your own.5. Longtime collectors may be another source of stamps. Usually a person who has been a collector for a number of years has developed many sources for stamps. The collector may have thousands of duplicates, some of which may be very inexpensive while others may have more value. Often older collectors are willing to help new philatelists get started by giving them stamps, or at least providing packets of stamps mush more cheaply than can be purchased in stores or by mail.6. Many stamp companies advertise free stamps. However, these ads must be read carefully before you send away from anything. Usually these ads offer "approvals," which means they will send you the free stamps advertised, plus an assortment of other stamps which you may either buy or return. By sending for the free stamps, you have already agreed that you will return the other stamps within a reasonable period of time if you do not buy anything. Usually you must pay the return postage. This is a convenient way to buy stamps from your own home.7. Stamp clubs are another place to get stamps. A club may offer stamps as prizes, or have inexpensive stamps as prizes, or have inexpensive stamps you can afford to buy.Some stamp clubs sponsor junior clubs that meet at schools or the local YMCA or community center. If you are fortunate enough to have one of these in your area, it can be a great source of both stamps and advice.8. One way to increase your sources for stamps and also have a lot of fun is to help start a local club, if one does not already exist. All it takes are our or five other stamp collectors who are interested in getting together to learn about and trade stamps and ideas.9. Obtaining a pen pal in another country is a very good way to get stamps from that country. His or her extra stamps may seem really common in that country, but over here they are much scarcer. Your own stamps may look fairly common to you, but he or she is sure to appreciate them.10. Trading off your duplicate stamps can be a lot of fun. Even if you don't know many collectors where you live, stamps are so lightweight that they can easily be trades by mail. Check out the stamp newspapers and magazines available at your local library for classified ads that list stamp trades. You may find, for example, that another collector will send you 100 large foreign stamps if you send 100 U.S. commemoratives. Usually schools do not subscribe to any of the periodical stamp publications, so you will have to go to your public library. (Many stamp publications also offer to send one free sample issue if your request it, because they are always looking for potential new subscribers.)Collecting stamps need not be an expensive hobby. Thousands of stamps are issued every year, and while some of them cost many dollars, others cost just a few cents each. Nobody expects you to try to save every stamp that exists, and they key to enjoying philately is to save whatever you enjoy the most! With free stamps and a few inexpensive accessories, such as a small album and a package of stamp hinges, even collectors with little money can have a great time. Don't forget to mention stamps, stamp albums, and hinges before your birthday or Christmas! Also remember that a great many inexpensive stamps in the past have turned into ore valuable stamps over the years.You never know what will happen in stamp collecting!Top 10 Things Every Stamp Collect Should KnowIf you know nothing else about the hobby, you should know these ten things. Always use tongs, never glue down a stamp, don't cram your stamps into a box, and more advice to help you start your collection.1. Carefully handle your stamps.Throwing your stamps into a box or drawer may cause them to tear, become creased, or soiled reducing their value. Always store your collection in albums specifically designed for postage stamps.2. Always use tongs to handle your stamps.Grease or moisture from your fingers can damage the glue or gum of the stamp, again, reducing their value. Stamp tongs are relatively inexpensive, well worth the price to protect your collection.3. Never lick, glue, or tape a stamp into your album.Adhering a stamp to your album in this manner will not allow you to remove the stamp at a later time, without causing damage to the stamp. Always use some type of stamp hinge or mount to place your stamps in your albums.4. Use little moisture when adhearing your stamp mounts.Soaking your stamp mounts will cause them to become soggy and unusable, or worse still, may cause damage to your stamps. Only slightly wet your mount regardless of the type you are using.5. Never completely seal your stamp mount.Stamps are made from paper and paper can become brittle or may even decompose when kept air-tight. Always leave an open area when using mounts.6. Store your stamps in a cool dry place.Humidity and moisture are the worst causes of damage to postage stamps. Once they are introduced to your collection, stamp gum will become tacky and your stamps will stick together. Once stamps become stuck together, there is no safe way to take them apart.7. Buy the largest high quality album that you can afford.Buying a smaller album means at some point, when your collection becomes larger, you will have to transfer all of your stamps to a new album. Unless you will later have the time and money, it is best to buy a larger album from the very beginning.8. Do not soak your stamps until you are sure their ink will not run.Some stamps when soaked in water or watermark detection fluid will have fugitive inks that run. Always make sure it is safe to soak your stamps beforehand by consulting your catalog.9. Never remove a stamp from a cover before checking for special markings.Older covers should be checked to make sure they do not have any special postmarks before soaking the stamps off the paper. Some stamps are more valuable if left on the cover, such as those found on cachets.10. If you aren't sure...ask!If you are having difficulty identifying your stamps or just have a general philatelic question, it never hurts to ask a stamp professional. With more than 16 million collectors in the United States alone, there is always someone who would love to share their knowledge of thehobby with you.Top 7 Ways to Start a Stamp CollectionIt doesn't cost much to start a stamp collection. In fact, it could cost nothing. There are many low cost, and even free, stamp resources out there, you just have to know where to look.1. Remove Stamps from MailPerhaps, the easiest means of obtaining stamps is by removing them from your letters. Simply cut around the stamp in the shape of a square or rectangle. Then, soak the cut stamps in a bowl of luke warm water for ten minutes. Once the stamps fall off of their paper backing, dip then in cool water, and allow them to dry. It is best that you put the stamps in a drying book or dry them between layers of paper towels, so they will flatten.Don't receive that much mail? Try contacting family members, local businesses, schools, and other organizations. They may be willing to save their own mail for your collection.2. Get Free Stamps Online (Kids)The International Society of Worldwide Stamp Collectors will give any child, under the age of seventeen, a free stamp packet. Just have the child send in a self-addressed stamped envelope if they reside in the United States, or an international reply coupon if they live outside the U.S., to help with postage fees.The ISWSC, also, supplies free stamps to school stamp clubs and other collecting groups for youngsters. Group leaders will have to write the ISWSC mentioning the number of kids involved, their ages and interests.More: Free Stamps from the International Society of Worldwide Stamp Collectors3. Get Free Stamps Online (Anyone)Interested in free stamps and not under the age of 17? Arpin Philately offers beginning collectors a choice of four different free stamp packets: 50 Canadian Issues, 20 U.S. Issues, 50 Aviation Stamps, or 100 Worldwide Stamps. Choosing a packet enrolls you in their stamp approval program, but you can cancel at anytime.What are stamp approvals? A stamp approval is a selection of stamps, sent through the mail, you can review for a period of time. Then, any stamps you don't want are sent back, along with, payment for those you keep. Approval stamps are a great way give to view a variety of stamps on a monthly basis.More: Free Stamps from Arpin Philately4. Get a Free Stamp CatalogNow that you have your stamps, you need to identify them. Mystic Stamp Company offers a free printed copy of their United States Stamp Catalog. Each catalog contains 128 pages of color photographs, a complete listing of U.S. postage stamps, valuable collecting tips, and fascinating philatelic history. The catalogs are send, postage free, to your home address, and all it takes is a few seconds to fill out an online form.More: Free Color Stamp Catalog From Mystic5. Download Album PagesNeed a place to put your stamps, and don't want to risk possibly damaging them in a shoe box? Try downloading, blank stamp album pages. The International Society of Worldwide Stamp Collector's offers a nice selection of blank album pages that can be customized to your collection. The interactive pages require Adobe Acrobat Reader to view, but luckly for us the ISWSC has a link to download the program.More: Create Your Own Album Pages6. Download Album Pages (Kids)Planes, trains, lions, tigers, and space ships, oh my! Kids will love the fun themed album pages offered by the American Stamp Dealers Association. Just click and print. The hardest part will be deciding which pages to use.More: Fun Kid-Friendly Stamp Album Pages7. Order Free Stamp MountsNow that you have your stamps, catalog, and album pages, you need a way to mount your stamps in your album. You should never tape, glue, or paste stamps onto your album pages. Washington Press, makers of StampMount brand mounts, will supply you with a package of mounts free of charge. All you need to do is fill out a quick one page online form. Not sure how to use your mounts? The Guide to Using Stamp Mounts will walk you through the stamp mounting process.More: Free Album Mounts Through the MailTopical Stamp CollectingThe BasicsWhat is Topical Collecting?A topical (or thematic) collection "consists of stamps and other philatelic material which are chosen for their designs, rather than for the countries that issued them or the class of postal service they provide." That is the formal definition set down by the American Topical Association, the world’s largest organization of topical stamp collectors and sponsor of this course.Stamps with a common theme*In its wording, or*In its pictorial designTopical Stamp CollectingThe BasicsA topical collector does not care if*The stamp was issued for regular postage or air post*In what year the stamp was issued*By what country the stamp was issued*Scope of your collection is totally up to you-Collect purely for our own pleasure-Classify the material as you want-No two topical collections can ever be the sameTopical vs. ThematicNo recognized difference between termsBoth involved acquisition and arrangement of stamps and other philatelic materialsThen, various topical organizations began to refine arrangement methodsTwo types of collections identified:SubjectThematicBoth consist of stamps and other philatelic material relating to subjectSubject collection generally arranged chronologically by country of issuePurpose-of-issue collection limited to stamps recognizing organizations, such as EUROPA, International Red Cross, or Rotary InternationalThematic collection tells a storyDevelops a themeSome topics more than others lend themselves to this approachAviation collection arranged by aircraft typeFlowers arranged by genus, family, and speciesArt arranged by school or paintingPros and cons of eachThematic approach may require breaking up a set of stamps; Subject approach would accept keeping the set together – YOU DECIDECollection based on a person would have Subject approach in country order and Thematic approach beginning with person’s birth and moving chronologically – YOU DECIDEAlso, re: collection based on a person, Thematic approach encourages material relating to ancestors and associates as well as key places and events associated with the personality; Subject approach may not be that broad – YOU DECIDESelecting a topicAs noted in the course introduction, you probably are able to parallel anything you like or like to do outside of stamp collecting with a topical stamp collection.Although many hundreds of topics have been identified and noted in various lists, you are free to develop your ownA 1962 poll returned 350 topicsA 1974 poll returned 772 topicsInformation sent in for the ATA 2002 Membership Directory listed 1,202 topics!You are free to work in the more traditional areasAmericana ( U.S. subjects appearing on foreign stamps)AnimalsBiology (Plants and Animals)SpaceMusicRailroadsShipsYou may want to test your research (both library research and stamp research) by developing your own topicsU.S. Military Academy graduates … an actual topical collection that was a major award winner. On yes, it includes non-Americans who were alumni of the academy..Dogs of the presidents … research the species and build the collection from that, for examplePort-siders … left-handed peopleFor the first of the many times you will see this statement here, "there are no rules" as to what to collect or how to collect it.If infatuated by waterfalls, that makes a great topic for youIf your work involves heavy trucks, there is a wonderful topicIf you inherited an heirloom quill pen, wouldn’t a topical collection along those lines fit you?ConsiderationsPotential size of the collectionDogs of the Presidents necessarily will be a much more limited topic than the more general "dogs."World Cup play will be more limited in scope than soccerToo large a scope soon may appear overwhelming to you; too small a scope may run you out of possible additions to your collection in a relatively short timeIf you begin with a collection with too large a scope for you, reduce it … remember: "there are no rules" as to what to collect or how to collect it.If you with begin a collection you find to be too limiting, stand back and figure how to increase the scope … or even begin another collection. Some collectors have multiple collections; others focus heavily on one.Acquiring your collection's first stampsNo matter what you know about the subject of your topical collectionDo a quick review at your local libraryNote which books and periodicals are available in that areaTake copious notes … which will help you begin an outline of your new collectionIf your library has a recent copy of a major stamp catalog, use it to obtain an idea of just what is available in our topic If not available locally, seek out older editions at least to launch you with your collection.Major U.S. catalog published by ScottStanley Gibbons in U.K/Yvert et Tellier in FranceMichel in GermanyA catalog will not provide you all the answers; just get you off to a good startNot all stamps are fully described in the catalogs, each catalog has its own editorial policySeek out prepared checklists, such as those available through the American Topical AssociationMore than 400 different checklists maintained by the ATARange from a single page for mini-topics to more than 50 pagesGenerally arranged by country with Scott catalog numbers to help when ordering from a stamp dealerMay also include date of issue and/or a brief description of stamp or set.Mint (unused) or used … and other decisionsCollecting mint stamps only, used only, or a combination of the twoIf you include used stamps, do not include heavily cancelled stampsIf used are light canceled, see if "canceled to order" (CTO) … a procedure where the issuing government creates a used stamp without that stamps having seen postal duty.They generally have gum on the backPostally used stamps are preferred over CTOMint stamps are the most attractive
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How to Get Started with Your Stamp Collection - Simple TipsCollecting stamp is a famous hobby as well as an easy activity, which provides many lighter moments. If you would like to start your own collection of stamps, here is the list of procedures to get started:1. First you need to decide on what kind of topic you would like to use for your collection to get started with this hobby. It is also recommended to start with general but choosing a specific theme for your stamps will be more exciting. If you would like to collect postage stamps from other countries, you may start narrowing down your collection for the stamps coming from a specific country.2. You can also start the stamp collection by buying new stamps from the market. If you are aiming for the stamps of the specific country will help you to get a good start on your collection and will help to prevent the duplication of your collection. Buying a whole pack will give you different designs and will make more interesting for you and motivate you to collect more.3. If you have limited budget for starting the stamp collection you may have to collect the used stamps from your friends and relatives, which they have received from the mails. They can also help you by asking their friends to donate the stamps to you, which will be exciting since the stamps came from people will be with different themes and special to you. This will make you to valuate the sentimental values of the collected stamps.4. Once your friends and relatives are informed that you are collecting the stamps, they will make you to learn that they will provide you stamps as a gift for occasions. This kind of helps will make the collection easier for you. Some times your friends and relatives may make use of their maximum effort for getting special editions or commemorative stamps to make you happy and surprise.5. You may then narrow down your collections by considering the new or old stamps, which one is more preferable to you. Many people prefer to collect more old stamps in their collection than the new stamps. On the other hand, the new stamps are easier to find and manage. Once you have decided the type of stamps to keep in your collection, you should not throw away the other stamps because, you can exchange them with other collectors to get the stamps as per your choice.6. One benefit of stamp collecting is that you need not spend much money for the hobby. You may buy inexpensive tools and supplies, which you need for your collections. For starters, an album is the first thing to acquire. The most popular type of the album is the loose-leaf album. A loose-leaf album has a binder that has removable sheets. This will make the stamps easier to manage and compile.7. It is most important to learn removing the used stamps from envelopes to place them in your album. You may the cut the envelope along with the stamp but it is important to leave the space between the scissors and the edges of the stamps. Now, you can place the stamp by the face turned down in a bowl with warm water. When it becomes completely wet, you can peel off the stamp and place it in the album after drying it properly.8. There are many resources where you can get informations about stamps and stamp collection. The Internet is the most effective way to search for stamps and determine the place you can get the cheapest and even those stamps, which are hard to find. You can also make use of the Internet to make friendship with other stamp collectors, which will help you become more interested in the hobby and they may help you in finding the stamps you are looking for. You can also exchange stamps with one another making your collection bigger and more exciting.The best part of the collection is displaying them to your friends and loved ones. Once you have your own collection, you can show them to your friends and relatives. You may even have your own exhibition in the future. One way to let the people know about your collection is by putting up your own website. You can create the website, where you can exhibit all of your collected stamps and you can also give the notes about the stamps and your efforts to collect them.How to Become a Stamp CollectorStamp collecting is one of the most popular hobbies of many Americans and other cultures. It may be strange to some people who do not know the enjoyment people get from collecting the stamps. Stamp collectors find the satisfaction while see their huge collection of stamps from different countries, each depicting their own origins and purpose of producing those stamps.If you have a hobby of collecting different items, stamps may excite you the same way others do. People who engage in collecting stamps do not just enjoy the hobby; they learn and gain knowledge on art, history, and stories about different places.If you want to be a serious stamp collector, you may have to consider collecting commemorative stamps. These stamps are produced by certain country to illustrate a memorable event, like a person or an important object that may be a part of their history.Why should a person want to be a stamp collector?Anyone can be a stamp collector. People of all ages can try with this hobby. One main reason for choose the collection of stamps is that it is considered as one of the most affordable hobby. People may collect coins, cars, tags, pins and many more but stamps are considered one of the most inexpensive hobbies of collection.Stamp collectors come in all ages. It is not limited to certain group or age bracket. Even kids can become stamp collectors on their own little ways. Stamp collectors even start this hobby at a young age. The important thing is the passion you have for collecting stamps regardless of their price and origin.A stamp collector may find old stamps that he can include in his collections. You may even get these stamps for less than a dollar. There are few collectible items, which are considered as inexpensive and the stamp collecting is one of them.A stamp collector may also benefit by learning many things from the stamps he collects. Collecting a stamp may provide the interest to research about the stamp like, why it was produced and about the events that are featured on a specific stamp. You will enjoy and at the same time learn many things from them.Being a stamp collector is not a difficult task. There are many places where you can get your own collection of stamps. Postage stamps used for airmail may also be collected. Stamp collectors will have to compile them depending on the country they came from.There are also sites and message boards in the Internet that features the details of stamp collecting. People can exchange stamps by using these sites and some make use of these sites to display their collections. Others may consider for selling their stamps to make the hobby as their source of income.If you would like to be a stamp collector, you should know all information about stamps. It does not necessarily require knowing everything. One important thing to remember is to know how to take care of the collections.Stamp collectors must be disciplined when it comes to taking care of their stamps. That is because stamps are very fragile as they are made from paper and other thin materials. It becomes a responsibility of stamp collector to take care of the quality of the stamps.If you would like to be a stamp collector, you should also have the necessary supplies required for handling the stamps. If you are a beginner, the album is the first accessory you need to have. This will organize and compile all the collected stamps. The album will also ensure the safety of the stamps from dirt and moist.Anyone can be a stamp collector. It is an educational and informative hobby and even kids will also be benefited from it. It does not only give fun and knowledge but it is also a way to discover the artistic side of every person.Stamp Collecting is Fun!Stamp Collecting can start with a simple gift of stamps given by another person. This may provide him the interest to collect more stamps and may become a stamp collector by adopting this as a hobby in the future. Stamp collection is considered as one of the most popular hobbies that still exist in this modern world. Earlier the stamp collecting was popular among the royalties in Western Europe. There was a time when all kinds of people has become interested in stamp collecting and treated it as their personal hobby.Some people may wonder about the collection of stamps. The reason they may point out is that the stamps are nothing but a pieces of paper with pictures of some significant persons or events. Many people may think what way a person will be benefited or achieve by collecting these kinds of items. There should be many reasons for the people, who are engaged in collecting the stamps. Most of the people are collecting the stamps because they find it as fun and enjoyable.The designs of stamps are really appealing to every collector. There are very attractive designs with different colorful pictures and backgrounds. In addition, from the attractive designs, it also gives the information about a significant person, event, sports, and many things for a person could find interesting.Nevertheless, the most common stamp collectors are preferred to collect the stamps with the illustration of people, places, and events in the stamps, which may represent some valuable information regarding the history of a certain country or group. Stamp collecting provides resourceful knowledge as well as a person is having fun. He may not realize that he is learning and allotting some time to valuate such collections.For beginners, here are some tips to collect stamps:1. A person can be a generalist and start collecting a variety of stamps that may feature many things. In this way, he may have an idea on what type of stamps he may have to specialize in collecting. He may place all his collection in an album and categorize each stamp according to topics or themes he has chosen.2. If somebody loves to travel to different places, he may start collecting stamps from those places he has visited. There are particular areas and locations that offer stamps featuring the history of that place and significant persons those are lived in that place.3. He may follow collecting stamps, where he finds interest and ambition. He may focus in collecting stuffs that he truly enjoys and having fun about that. He may find those stamps are featuring his favorite sport, sport icon, cars, fishes, and many more.4. One advantage of collecting stamps is that a person can save more money and time because these items are affordable to purchase and easy to find.5. He may join a special organization or club that have gatherings occasionally and which themes can apply to his interests. He may meet people who are collecting the same stamps s well as he collects. He may trade or exchange his stamps with other stamp collectors and he can collect the knowledge, tips and advice for to take care of his stamps.6. He may collect stamps from friends those are affectionate with this kind of hobby. He may enjoy it by sharing the stamps he collected and citing the information, which is represented in the stamp. He may also ask his friends for information for to find more stamps, which are related to his collections.7. He may collect as his own by searching in the Internet to find availability of more stamps with the most affordable price. He may look for stamps anytime he needs it. It is considered as a passive hobby where he can relax and reduce stress. It also gives the feeling of accomplishment for a person.8. He may find the stamp collecting as a lifetime hobby. There is always something to know and learn about collecting stamps. It has a wide coverage of different things and persons. He may change the theme into other topics, when he thinks to bring another dimension to his stamp collecting.There are many ways to collect stamps. It is important to do something for those, who are really interested in collecting the stamps. It is even recommended to start at a younger age, by which he will be surprised of the many things that he may have to learn from this hobby.Stamp Collecting in Channel Island People have different hobby. They can dedicate their free time to anything that makes them interested and happy. As such, the choice of hobby of any person will also tell a lot about his or her personality. An athletic person will spend the pastime playing sports and games. The creative ones will devote their time to arts and crafts. There are a number people out there who would dedicate their time into collecting things. Stamp collecting for one is one of the most famous hobbies in the world. Comprising of more than 20 million enthusiasts at the United States alone, it is clear that this is really popular.What Is Stamp Collecting?Stamp collecting is all about stamps and everything related to it. Thus, a stamp collector will aim to collect as much stamps to comprise a considerable collection. It is to be contrasted with philately which is concerned mainly with the study of stamps and everything related to it.Starting a hobby of collecting stamps is not difficult. All you have to do is collect all the letters in the household. Remove the stamps from the envelope, gather them and you have your first items.Most stamp collectors may start the hobby just for fun or out of curiosity. It cannot be denied that there are lots of stamps out there that are really interesting. They can showcase all sorts of information and data. They can cover the historical events, important figures, artworks, animals, insects, planets, sports or just about anything under the sun. The illustration and the subject give so much satisfaction to the interest. The beginner will simply find out later that he or she has been hooked on the hobby. Collecting SpecialtiesMost collectors will focus their collection to a certain type. There are actually hundreds and thousands of stamps out there. It will be helpful to narrow down the choices to have some more focus in the collection. There are different areas where collecting may be focused on.Postage StampsThese are the usual stamps used by countries at a specific time.Postal StationeryPostal stationeries are some sort of post cards and air letter sheets which the government issued. The earliest of these were issued back in the year 1819.Federal Duck StampsThese are stamps used for duck hunting licenses. They are applied mainly on Unites States and Canada. Every year, a wildlife artist and his or her design is selected among many competitors and shall be showcased in the Duck stamp.Souvenir SheetsThey are stamps released in a format of a sheet forming a big picture. First Day CoversAlso known as the FDC’s, these are envelopes with stamps that were cancelled on the day the stamp was issued. It becomes more challenging as they take on the search for specific stamps. Often, this challenge makes the collector desire for more.Aiming for MoreTo satisfy this desire for more, it is necessary that the collector knows all the details of the stamps. The most useful tool to use here is the stamp catalogue. This could showcase the stamps of a particular region or even worldwide coverage. It provides stamp details such as the official name, date of issuance, material, face value and actual value.The value of a stamp is often determined by the conditions of its issuance. Most stamps are for ordinary release. The valuable ones are those that came out in a very limited edition. They can be very rare and hard-to-find, making their market value very high. Take a particular place in United States, the Channel Island for example. The postage service in the locality of Channel Island will usually provide ordinary stamps for mail purposes of the citizens. However, every now and then, the postage service may release a special commemoration stamp. This may commemorate an event or a figure very special to Channel Island. The Channel Island for example has a special Channel Island 1940-45 Occupation Stamp. It tells a lot about the history of Channel Island. Thus, it is also very much expected that the residents of Channel Island will especially aim for that and more.There are many stamp collectors out there, millions actually, who have different goals and aims in pursuing their hobby. They may have different history, origin and languages. Still, the very same hobby unites them all as they share the same sentiments and love for collecting stamps.Types of stampsStamps can be subdivided by type:DefinitivesCommemorativesCharity stampsAir stampsPostage due stampsTelegraph stampsOfficial stampsExpress stampsNewspaper stampsFiscal stampsRegionalsEtc.Stamps can also be subdivided by their appearance:Sheet, Block, Coil, Booklet, Souvenir sheet, Booklet panes, Peel and stick (Self-adhesives)Personalized stampsMarriage, anniversary, birthday, birth, communion, end-of-year parties, there are many occasions to send mail to your close friends.10 Low-Cost Ways to Start Collecting StampsIf you have recently started collecting stamps, or are thinking about starting, you may be wondering if the hobby is expensive. Can you enjoy it with limited financial resources? What if you have no money at all for the hobby?One of the biggest questions any stamp collector faces is where to find stamps inexpensively. If you intent to save stamps of the United States or the world and want to save used as well as unused stamps, the opportunities are really great. Not all collections consist mainly of unused stamps that you buy in the post office. Used stamps are worth saving, have value, and they may cost you nothing.Many stamp collectors save only used stamps. Others save both used and unused ones. Others save stamps only from one country or one part of the world. Some collectors save stamps by "topic," for example, stamps that depict horse or trains or birds. There are any number of different types of collections.1. All postally used stamps started out being received in someone's mailbox, at no cost to the person receiving them. The first place to search for stamps, then, is your own mailbox. Don't be discouraged when you notice that many senders use postage meters or the imprint "Bulk Rate Postage Paid' on their envelopes to enjoy a better postal rate or to keep from affixing stamps. Also, when people do use real stamps, they often use the same common small ones.You can begin to change this by asking people who write to you to use commemorative stamps on their mail. These are normally the larger stamps issued to honor famous people, places, or events. These stamps are printed in lesser quantities than the common smaller (definitive) stamps and usually are of much more interest to collects. Many people will remember to ask for commemorative stamps at the post office when mailing letters to you or your family if you let them know you are a stamp collector. Also, if you write away for offers that require postage or a self-addressed, stamped envelope, you can put commemoratives on your return envelope, knowing that they will come back to you later.2. Neighbors, friends, and relatives are another good source of stamps. The majority of people just throw away stamps when they receive them on mail and are only too happy to save them for someone who appreciates them. You may even know someone who gets letters from other countries who can save these stamps, too. Always be on the lookout for potentially good stamp contacts, and don't be afraid to ask them to go through their mail for you before they throw away all the envelopes.3. Office mail maybe even better. You may know someone who works in an office that gets a lot of mail. Out of 100 letters a day, there may be ten or twenty good stamps that are being thrown away. Many businesses get a lot of foreign mail and regularly throw away stamps that have interest and/or value to a collector.4. Ask your parents if they have any old letters, which may have stamps on the envelopes. When taking stamps off envelopes, always tear off the corner so that there is paper all around the stamp, and the stamp and all its perforations are undamaged. Anyone who is saving stamps for you should be told that this is the way to do it; otherwise, he/she may try to peel the stamp off the envelope. This will cause thin spots or tears, both of which ruin a stamp's appearance and lessen its value to collectors. If you run across envelopes that are very old or have postal markings that may be of particular interest, it is best to save the entire envelope until you can find out if the stamp is worth more attached to the cover.Now that you have stamps on paper, what do you do with them? The most common way to get stamps off paper is to soak them in cool water, then dry them on paper. To understand more about soaking stamps, it is best to find a handbook on stamp collecting at the library.There is a lot to learn about stamps as you get more and more of the. For example, different shades of color may exist on stamps with the same design, or them may have different perforation measurements (number of holes per side). Major varieties of stamps and "catalog values" are listed in stamp catalogs, which are available in most libraries. The most common one, the Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue, has a very good section in front that explains how stamps are made and how to tell varieties apart, as well as how to use the catalog. Having access to a catalog in a nearby library is very useful until you decide if you want one of your own.5. Longtime collectors may be another source of stamps. Usually a person who has been a collector for a number of years has developed many sources for stamps. The collector may have thousands of duplicates, some of which may be very inexpensive while others may have more value. Often older collectors are willing to help new philatelists get started by giving them stamps, or at least providing packets of stamps mush more cheaply than can be purchased in stores or by mail.6. Many stamp companies advertise free stamps. However, these ads must be read carefully before you send away from anything. Usually these ads offer "approvals," which means they will send you the free stamps advertised, plus an assortment of other stamps which you may either buy or return. By sending for the free stamps, you have already agreed that you will return the other stamps within a reasonable period of time if you do not buy anything. Usually you must pay the return postage. This is a convenient way to buy stamps from your own home.7. Stamp clubs are another place to get stamps. A club may offer stamps as prizes, or have inexpensive stamps as prizes, or have inexpensive stamps you can afford to buy.Some stamp clubs sponsor junior clubs that meet at schools or the local YMCA or community center. If you are fortunate enough to have one of these in your area, it can be a great source of both stamps and advice.8. One way to increase your sources for stamps and also have a lot of fun is to help start a local club, if one does not already exist. All it takes are our or five other stamp collectors who are interested in getting together to learn about and trade stamps and ideas.9. Obtaining a pen pal in another country is a very good way to get stamps from that country. His or her extra stamps may seem really common in that country, but over here they are much scarcer. Your own stamps may look fairly common to you, but he or she is sure to appreciate them.10. Trading off your duplicate stamps can be a lot of fun. Even if you don't know many collectors where you live, stamps are so lightweight that they can easily be trades by mail. Check out the stamp newspapers and magazines available at your local library for classified ads that list stamp trades. You may find, for example, that another collector will send you 100 large foreign stamps if you send 100 U.S. commemoratives. Usually schools do not subscribe to any of the periodical stamp publications, so you will have to go to your public library. (Many stamp publications also offer to send one free sample issue if your request it, because they are always looking for potential new subscribers.)Collecting stamps need not be an expensive hobby. Thousands of stamps are issued every year, and while some of them cost many dollars, others cost just a few cents each. Nobody expects you to try to save every stamp that exists, and they key to enjoying philately is to save whatever you enjoy the most! With free stamps and a few inexpensive accessories, such as a small album and a package of stamp hinges, even collectors with little money can have a great time. Don't forget to mention stamps, stamp albums, and hinges before your birthday or Christmas! Also remember that a great many inexpensive stamps in the past have turned into ore valuable stamps over the years.You never know what will happen in stamp collecting!Top 10 Things Every Stamp Collect Should KnowIf you know nothing else about the hobby, you should know these ten things. Always use tongs, never glue down a stamp, don't cram your stamps into a box, and more advice to help you start your collection.1. Carefully handle your stamps.Throwing your stamps into a box or drawer may cause them to tear, become creased, or soiled reducing their value. Always store your collection in albums specifically designed for postage stamps.2. Always use tongs to handle your stamps.Grease or moisture from your fingers can damage the glue or gum of the stamp, again, reducing their value. Stamp tongs are relatively inexpensive, well worth the price to protect your collection.3. Never lick, glue, or tape a stamp into your album.Adhering a stamp to your album in this manner will not allow you to remove the stamp at a later time, without causing damage to the stamp. Always use some type of stamp hinge or mount to place your stamps in your albums.4. Use little moisture when adhearing your stamp mounts.Soaking your stamp mounts will cause them to become soggy and unusable, or worse still, may cause damage to your stamps. Only slightly wet your mount regardless of the type you are using.5. Never completely seal your stamp mount.Stamps are made from paper and paper can become brittle or may even decompose when kept air-tight. Always leave an open area when using mounts.6. Store your stamps in a cool dry place.Humidity and moisture are the worst causes of damage to postage stamps. Once they are introduced to your collection, stamp gum will become tacky and your stamps will stick together. Once stamps become stuck together, there is no safe way to take them apart.7. Buy the largest high quality album that you can afford.Buying a smaller album means at some point, when your collection becomes larger, you will have to transfer all of your stamps to a new album. Unless you will later have the time and money, it is best to buy a larger album from the very beginning.8. Do not soak your stamps until you are sure their ink will not run.Some stamps when soaked in water or watermark detection fluid will have fugitive inks that run. Always make sure it is safe to soak your stamps beforehand by consulting your catalog.9. Never remove a stamp from a cover before checking for special markings.Older covers should be checked to make sure they do not have any special postmarks before soaking the stamps off the paper. Some stamps are more valuable if left on the cover, such as those found on cachets.10. If you aren't sure...ask!If you are having difficulty identifying your stamps or just have a general philatelic question, it never hurts to ask a stamp professional. With more than 16 million collectors in the United States alone, there is always someone who would love to share their knowledge of thehobby with you.Top 7 Ways to Start a Stamp CollectionIt doesn't cost much to start a stamp collection. In fact, it could cost nothing. There are many low cost, and even free, stamp resources out there, you just have to know where to look.1. Remove Stamps from MailPerhaps, the easiest means of obtaining stamps is by removing them from your letters. Simply cut around the stamp in the shape of a square or rectangle. Then, soak the cut stamps in a bowl of luke warm water for ten minutes. Once the stamps fall off of their paper backing, dip then in cool water, and allow them to dry. It is best that you put the stamps in a drying book or dry them between layers of paper towels, so they will flatten.Don't receive that much mail? Try contacting family members, local businesses, schools, and other organizations. They may be willing to save their own mail for your collection.2. Get Free Stamps Online (Kids)The International Society of Worldwide Stamp Collectors will give any child, under the age of seventeen, a free stamp packet. Just have the child send in a self-addressed stamped envelope if they reside in the United States, or an international reply coupon if they live outside the U.S., to help with postage fees.The ISWSC, also, supplies free stamps to school stamp clubs and other collecting groups for youngsters. Group leaders will have to write the ISWSC mentioning the number of kids involved, their ages and interests.More: Free Stamps from the International Society of Worldwide Stamp Collectors3. Get Free Stamps Online (Anyone)Interested in free stamps and not under the age of 17? Arpin Philately offers beginning collectors a choice of four different free stamp packets: 50 Canadian Issues, 20 U.S. Issues, 50 Aviation Stamps, or 100 Worldwide Stamps. Choosing a packet enrolls you in their stamp approval program, but you can cancel at anytime.What are stamp approvals? A stamp approval is a selection of stamps, sent through the mail, you can review for a period of time. Then, any stamps you don't want are sent back, along with, payment for those you keep. Approval stamps are a great way give to view a variety of stamps on a monthly basis.More: Free Stamps from Arpin Philately4. Get a Free Stamp CatalogNow that you have your stamps, you need to identify them. Mystic Stamp Company offers a free printed copy of their United States Stamp Catalog. Each catalog contains 128 pages of color photographs, a complete listing of U.S. postage stamps, valuable collecting tips, and fascinating philatelic history. The catalogs are send, postage free, to your home address, and all it takes is a few seconds to fill out an online form.More: Free Color Stamp Catalog From Mystic5. Download Album PagesNeed a place to put your stamps, and don't want to risk possibly damaging them in a shoe box? Try downloading, blank stamp album pages. The International Society of Worldwide Stamp Collector's offers a nice selection of blank album pages that can be customized to your collection. The interactive pages require Adobe Acrobat Reader to view, but luckly for us the ISWSC has a link to download the program.More: Create Your Own Album Pages6. Download Album Pages (Kids)Planes, trains, lions, tigers, and space ships, oh my! Kids will love the fun themed album pages offered by the American Stamp Dealers Association. Just click and print. The hardest part will be deciding which pages to use.More: Fun Kid-Friendly Stamp Album Pages7. Order Free Stamp MountsNow that you have your stamps, catalog, and album pages, you need a way to mount your stamps in your album. You should never tape, glue, or paste stamps onto your album pages. Washington Press, makers of StampMount brand mounts, will supply you with a package of mounts free of charge. All you need to do is fill out a quick one page online form. Not sure how to use your mounts? The Guide to Using Stamp Mounts will walk you through the stamp mounting process.More: Free Album Mounts Through the MailTopical Stamp CollectingThe BasicsWhat is Topical Collecting?A topical (or thematic) collection "consists of stamps and other philatelic material which are chosen for their designs, rather than for the countries that issued them or the class of postal service they provide." That is the formal definition set down by the American Topical Association, the world’s largest organization of topical stamp collectors and sponsor of this course.Stamps with a common theme*In its wording, or*In its pictorial designTopical Stamp CollectingThe BasicsA topical collector does not care if*The stamp was issued for regular postage or air post*In what year the stamp was issued*By what country the stamp was issued*Scope of your collection is totally up to you-Collect purely for our own pleasure-Classify the material as you want-No two topical collections can ever be the sameTopical vs. ThematicNo recognized difference between termsBoth involved acquisition and arrangement of stamps and other philatelic materialsThen, various topical organizations began to refine arrangement methodsTwo types of collections identified:SubjectThematicBoth consist of stamps and other philatelic material relating to subjectSubject collection generally arranged chronologically by country of issuePurpose-of-issue collection limited to stamps recognizing organizations, such as EUROPA, International Red Cross, or Rotary InternationalThematic collection tells a storyDevelops a themeSome topics more than others lend themselves to this approachAviation collection arranged by aircraft typeFlowers arranged by genus, family, and speciesArt arranged by school or paintingPros and cons of eachThematic approach may require breaking up a set of stamps; Subject approach would accept keeping the set together – YOU DECIDECollection based on a person would have Subject approach in country order and Thematic approach beginning with person’s birth and moving chronologically – YOU DECIDEAlso, re: collection based on a person, Thematic approach encourages material relating to ancestors and associates as well as key places and events associated with the personality; Subject approach may not be that broad – YOU DECIDESelecting a topicAs noted in the course introduction, you probably are able to parallel anything you like or like to do outside of stamp collecting with a topical stamp collection.Although many hundreds of topics have been identified and noted in various lists, you are free to develop your ownA 1962 poll returned 350 topicsA 1974 poll returned 772 topicsInformation sent in for the ATA 2002 Membership Directory listed 1,202 topics!You are free to work in the more traditional areasAmericana ( U.S. subjects appearing on foreign stamps)AnimalsBiology (Plants and Animals)SpaceMusicRailroadsShipsYou may want to test your research (both library research and stamp research) by developing your own topicsU.S. Military Academy graduates … an actual topical collection that was a major award winner. On yes, it includes non-Americans who were alumni of the academy..Dogs of the presidents … research the species and build the collection from that, for examplePort-siders … left-handed peopleFor the first of the many times you will see this statement here, "there are no rules" as to what to collect or how to collect it.If infatuated by waterfalls, that makes a great topic for youIf your work involves heavy trucks, there is a wonderful topicIf you inherited an heirloom quill pen, wouldn’t a topical collection along those lines fit you?ConsiderationsPotential size of the collectionDogs of the Presidents necessarily will be a much more limited topic than the more general "dogs."World Cup play will be more limited in scope than soccerToo large a scope soon may appear overwhelming to you; too small a scope may run you out of possible additions to your collection in a relatively short timeIf you begin with a collection with too large a scope for you, reduce it … remember: "there are no rules" as to what to collect or how to collect it.If you with begin a collection you find to be too limiting, stand back and figure how to increase the scope … or even begin another collection. Some collectors have multiple collections; others focus heavily on one.Acquiring your collection's first stampsNo matter what you know about the subject of your topical collectionDo a quick review at your local libraryNote which books and periodicals are available in that areaTake copious notes … which will help you begin an outline of your new collectionIf your library has a recent copy of a major stamp catalog, use it to obtain an idea of just what is available in our topic If not available locally, seek out older editions at least to launch you with your collection.Major U.S. catalog published by ScottStanley Gibbons in U.K/Yvert et Tellier in FranceMichel in GermanyA catalog will not provide you all the answers; just get you off to a good startNot all stamps are fully described in the catalogs, each catalog has its own editorial policySeek out prepared checklists, such as those available through the American Topical AssociationMore than 400 different checklists maintained by the ATARange from a single page for mini-topics to more than 50 pagesGenerally arranged by country with Scott catalog numbers to help when ordering from a stamp dealerMay also include date of issue and/or a brief description of stamp or set.Mint (unused) or used … and other decisionsCollecting mint stamps only, used only, or a combination of the twoIf you include used stamps, do not include heavily cancelled stampsIf used are light canceled, see if "canceled to order" (CTO) … a procedure where the issuing government creates a used stamp without that stamps having seen postal duty.They generally have gum on the backPostally used stamps are preferred over CTOMint stamps are the most attractive
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How to Get Started with Your Stamp Collection - Simple TipsCollecting stamp is a famous hobby as well as an easy activity, which provides many lighter moments. If you would like to start your own collection of stamps, here is the list of procedures to get started:1. First you need to decide on what kind of topic you would like to use for your collection to get started with this hobby. It is also recommended to start with general but choosing a specific theme for your stamps will be more exciting. If you would like to collect postage stamps from other countries, you may start narrowing down your collection for the stamps coming from a specific country.2. You can also start the stamp collection by buying new stamps from the market. If you are aiming for the stamps of the specific country will help you to get a good start on your collection and will help to prevent the duplication of your collection. Buying a whole pack will give you different designs and will make more interesting for you and motivate you to collect more.3. If you have limited budget for starting the stamp collection you may have to collect the used stamps from your friends and relatives, which they have received from the mails. They can also help you by asking their friends to donate the stamps to you, which will be exciting since the stamps came from people will be with different themes and special to you. This will make you to valuate the sentimental values of the collected stamps.4. Once your friends and relatives are informed that you are collecting the stamps, they will make you to learn that they will provide you stamps as a gift for occasions. This kind of helps will make the collection easier for you. Some times your friends and relatives may make use of their maximum effort for getting special editions or commemorative stamps to make you happy and surprise.5. You may then narrow down your collections by considering the new or old stamps, which one is more preferable to you. Many people prefer to collect more old stamps in their collection than the new stamps. On the other hand, the new stamps are easier to find and manage. Once you have decided the type of stamps to keep in your collection, you should not throw away the other stamps because, you can exchange them with other collectors to get the stamps as per your choice.6. One benefit of stamp collecting is that you need not spend much money for the hobby. You may buy inexpensive tools and supplies, which you need for your collections. For starters, an album is the first thing to acquire. The most popular type of the album is the loose-leaf album. A loose-leaf album has a binder that has removable sheets. This will make the stamps easier to manage and compile.7. It is most important to learn removing the used stamps from envelopes to place them in your album. You may the cut the envelope along with the stamp but it is important to leave the space between the scissors and the edges of the stamps. Now, you can place the stamp by the face turned down in a bowl with warm water. When it becomes completely wet, you can peel off the stamp and place it in the album after drying it properly.8. There are many resources where you can get informations about stamps and stamp collection. The Internet is the most effective way to search for stamps and determine the place you can get the cheapest and even those stamps, which are hard to find. You can also make use of the Internet to make friendship with other stamp collectors, which will help you become more interested in the hobby and they may help you in finding the stamps you are looking for. You can also exchange stamps with one another making your collection bigger and more exciting.The best part of the collection is displaying them to your friends and loved ones. Once you have your own collection, you can show them to your friends and relatives. You may even have your own exhibition in the future. One way to let the people know about your collection is by putting up your own website. You can create the website, where you can exhibit all of your collected stamps and you can also give the notes about the stamps and your efforts to collect them.How to Become a Stamp CollectorStamp collecting is one of the most popular hobbies of many Americans and other cultures. It may be strange to some people who do not know the enjoyment people get from collecting the stamps. Stamp collectors find the satisfaction while see their huge collection of stamps from different countries, each depicting their own origins and purpose of producing those stamps.If you have a hobby of collecting different items, stamps may excite you the same way others do. People who engage in collecting stamps do not just enjoy the hobby; they learn and gain knowledge on art, history, and stories about different places.If you want to be a serious stamp collector, you may have to consider collecting commemorative stamps. These stamps are produced by certain country to illustrate a memorable event, like a person or an important object that may be a part of their history.Why should a person want to be a stamp collector?Anyone can be a stamp collector. People of all ages can try with this hobby. One main reason for choose the collection of stamps is that it is considered as one of the most affordable hobby. People may collect coins, cars, tags, pins and many more but stamps are considered one of the most inexpensive hobbies of collection.Stamp collectors come in all ages. It is not limited to certain group or age bracket. Even kids can become stamp collectors on their own little ways. Stamp collectors even start this hobby at a young age. The important thing is the passion you have for collecting stamps regardless of their price and origin.A stamp collector may find old stamps that he can include in his collections. You may even get these stamps for less than a dollar. There are few collectible items, which are considered as inexpensive and the stamp collecting is one of them.A stamp collector may also benefit by learning many things from the stamps he collects. Collecting a stamp may provide the interest to research about the stamp like, why it was produced and about the events that are featured on a specific stamp. You will enjoy and at the same time learn many things from them.Being a stamp collector is not a difficult task. There are many places where you can get your own collection of stamps. Postage stamps used for airmail may also be collected. Stamp collectors will have to compile them depending on the country they came from.There are also sites and message boards in the Internet that features the details of stamp collecting. People can exchange stamps by using these sites and some make use of these sites to display their collections. Others may consider for selling their stamps to make the hobby as their source of income.If you would like to be a stamp collector, you should know all information about stamps. It does not necessarily require knowing everything. One important thing to remember is to know how to take care of the collections.Stamp collectors must be disciplined when it comes to taking care of their stamps. That is because stamps are very fragile as they are made from paper and other thin materials. It becomes a responsibility of stamp collector to take care of the quality of the stamps.If you would like to be a stamp collector, you should also have the necessary supplies required for handling the stamps. If you are a beginner, the album is the first accessory you need to have. This will organize and compile all the collected stamps. The album will also ensure the safety of the stamps from dirt and moist.Anyone can be a stamp collector. It is an educational and informative hobby and even kids will also be benefited from it. It does not only give fun and knowledge but it is also a way to discover the artistic side of every person.Stamp Collecting is Fun!Stamp Collecting can start with a simple gift of stamps given by another person. This may provide him the interest to collect more stamps and may become a stamp collector by adopting this as a hobby in the future. Stamp collection is considered as one of the most popular hobbies that still exist in this modern world. Earlier the stamp collecting was popular among the royalties in Western Europe. There was a time when all kinds of people has become interested in stamp collecting and treated it as their personal hobby.Some people may wonder about the collection of stamps. The reason they may point out is that the stamps are nothing but a pieces of paper with pictures of some significant persons or events. Many people may think what way a person will be benefited or achieve by collecting these kinds of items. There should be many reasons for the people, who are engaged in collecting the stamps. Most of the people are collecting the stamps because they find it as fun and enjoyable.The designs of stamps are really appealing to every collector. There are very attractive designs with different colorful pictures and backgrounds. In addition, from the attractive designs, it also gives the information about a significant person, event, sports, and many things for a person could find interesting.Nevertheless, the most common stamp collectors are preferred to collect the stamps with the illustration of people, places, and events in the stamps, which may represent some valuable information regarding the history of a certain country or group. Stamp collecting provides resourceful knowledge as well as a person is having fun. He may not realize that he is learning and allotting some time to valuate such collections.For beginners, here are some tips to collect stamps:1. A person can be a generalist and start collecting a variety of stamps that may feature many things. In this way, he may have an idea on what type of stamps he may have to specialize in collecting. He may place all his collection in an album and categorize each stamp according to topics or themes he has chosen.2. If somebody loves to travel to different places, he may start collecting stamps from those places he has visited. There are particular areas and locations that offer stamps featuring the history of that place and significant persons those are lived in that place.3. He may follow collecting stamps, where he finds interest and ambition. He may focus in collecting stuffs that he truly enjoys and having fun about that. He may find those stamps are featuring his favorite sport, sport icon, cars, fishes, and many more.4. One advantage of collecting stamps is that a person can save more money and time because these items are affordable to purchase and easy to find.5. He may join a special organization or club that have gatherings occasionally and which themes can apply to his interests. He may meet people who are collecting the same stamps s well as he collects. He may trade or exchange his stamps with other stamp collectors and he can collect the knowledge, tips and advice for to take care of his stamps.6. He may collect stamps from friends those are affectionate with this kind of hobby. He may enjoy it by sharing the stamps he collected and citing the information, which is represented in the stamp. He may also ask his friends for information for to find more stamps, which are related to his collections.7. He may collect as his own by searching in the Internet to find availability of more stamps with the most affordable price. He may look for stamps anytime he needs it. It is considered as a passive hobby where he can relax and reduce stress. It also gives the feeling of accomplishment for a person.8. He may find the stamp collecting as a lifetime hobby. There is always something to know and learn about collecting stamps. It has a wide coverage of different things and persons. He may change the theme into other topics, when he thinks to bring another dimension to his stamp collecting.There are many ways to collect stamps. It is important to do something for those, who are really interested in collecting the stamps. It is even recommended to start at a younger age, by which he will be surprised of the many things that he may have to learn from this hobby.Stamp Collecting in Channel Island People have different hobby. They can dedicate their free time to anything that makes them interested and happy. As such, the choice of hobby of any person will also tell a lot about his or her personality. An athletic person will spend the pastime playing sports and games. The creative ones will devote their time to arts and crafts. There are a number people out there who would dedicate their time into collecting things. Stamp collecting for one is one of the most famous hobbies in the world. Comprising of more than 20 million enthusiasts at the United States alone, it is clear that this is really popular.What Is Stamp Collecting?Stamp collecting is all about stamps and everything related to it. Thus, a stamp collector will aim to collect as much stamps to comprise a considerable collection. It is to be contrasted with philately which is concerned mainly with the study of stamps and everything related to it.Starting a hobby of collecting stamps is not difficult. All you have to do is collect all the letters in the household. Remove the stamps from the envelope, gather them and you have your first items.Most stamp collectors may start the hobby just for fun or out of curiosity. It cannot be denied that there are lots of stamps out there that are really interesting. They can showcase all sorts of information and data. They can cover the historical events, important figures, artworks, animals, insects, planets, sports or just about anything under the sun. The illustration and the subject give so much satisfaction to the interest. The beginner will simply find out later that he or she has been hooked on the hobby. Collecting SpecialtiesMost collectors will focus their collection to a certain type. There are actually hundreds and thousands of stamps out there. It will be helpful to narrow down the choices to have some more focus in the collection. There are different areas where collecting may be focused on.Postage StampsThese are the usual stamps used by countries at a specific time.Postal StationeryPostal stationeries are some sort of post cards and air letter sheets which the government issued. The earliest of these were issued back in the year 1819.Federal Duck StampsThese are stamps used for duck hunting licenses. They are applied mainly on Unites States and Canada. Every year, a wildlife artist and his or her design is selected among many competitors and shall be showcased in the Duck stamp.Souvenir SheetsThey are stamps released in a format of a sheet forming a big picture. First Day CoversAlso known as the FDC’s, these are envelopes with stamps that were cancelled on the day the stamp was issued. It becomes more challenging as they take on the search for specific stamps. Often, this challenge makes the collector desire for more.Aiming for MoreTo satisfy this desire for more, it is necessary that the collector knows all the details of the stamps. The most useful tool to use here is the stamp catalogue. This could showcase the stamps of a particular region or even worldwide coverage. It provides stamp details such as the official name, date of issuance, material, face value and actual value.The value of a stamp is often determined by the conditions of its issuance. Most stamps are for ordinary release. The valuable ones are those that came out in a very limited edition. They can be very rare and hard-to-find, making their market value very high. Take a particular place in United States, the Channel Island for example. The postage service in the locality of Channel Island will usually provide ordinary stamps for mail purposes of the citizens. However, every now and then, the postage service may release a special commemoration stamp. This may commemorate an event or a figure very special to Channel Island. The Channel Island for example has a special Channel Island 1940-45 Occupation Stamp. It tells a lot about the history of Channel Island. Thus, it is also very much expected that the residents of Channel Island will especially aim for that and more.There are many stamp collectors out there, millions actually, who have different goals and aims in pursuing their hobby. They may have different history, origin and languages. Still, the very same hobby unites them all as they share the same sentiments and love for collecting stamps.Types of stampsStamps can be subdivided by type:DefinitivesCommemorativesCharity stampsAir stampsPostage due stampsTelegraph stampsOfficial stampsExpress stampsNewspaper stampsFiscal stampsRegionalsEtc.Stamps can also be subdivided by their appearance:Sheet, Block, Coil, Booklet, Souvenir sheet, Booklet panes, Peel and stick (Self-adhesives)Personalized stampsMarriage, anniversary, birthday, birth, communion, end-of-year parties, there are many occasions to send mail to your close friends.10 Low-Cost Ways to Start Collecting StampsIf you have recently started collecting stamps, or are thinking about starting, you may be wondering if the hobby is expensive. Can you enjoy it with limited financial resources? What if you have no money at all for the hobby?One of the biggest questions any stamp collector faces is where to find stamps inexpensively. If you intent to save stamps of the United States or the world and want to save used as well as unused stamps, the opportunities are really great. Not all collections consist mainly of unused stamps that you buy in the post office. Used stamps are worth saving, have value, and they may cost you nothing.Many stamp collectors save only used stamps. Others save both used and unused ones. Others save stamps only from one country or one part of the world. Some collectors save stamps by "topic," for example, stamps that depict horse or trains or birds. There are any number of different types of collections.1. All postally used stamps started out being received in someone's mailbox, at no cost to the person receiving them. The first place to search for stamps, then, is your own mailbox. Don't be discouraged when you notice that many senders use postage meters or the imprint "Bulk Rate Postage Paid' on their envelopes to enjoy a better postal rate or to keep from affixing stamps. Also, when people do use real stamps, they often use the same common small ones.You can begin to change this by asking people who write to you to use commemorative stamps on their mail. These are normally the larger stamps issued to honor famous people, places, or events. These stamps are printed in lesser quantities than the common smaller (definitive) stamps and usually are of much more interest to collects. Many people will remember to ask for commemorative stamps at the post office when mailing letters to you or your family if you let them know you are a stamp collector. Also, if you write away for offers that require postage or a self-addressed, stamped envelope, you can put commemoratives on your return envelope, knowing that they will come back to you later.2. Neighbors, friends, and relatives are another good source of stamps. The majority of people just throw away stamps when they receive them on mail and are only too happy to save them for someone who appreciates them. You may even know someone who gets letters from other countries who can save these stamps, too. Always be on the lookout for potentially good stamp contacts, and don't be afraid to ask them to go through their mail for you before they throw away all the envelopes.3. Office mail maybe even better. You may know someone who works in an office that gets a lot of mail. Out of 100 letters a day, there may be ten or twenty good stamps that are being thrown away. Many businesses get a lot of foreign mail and regularly throw away stamps that have interest and/or value to a collector.4. Ask your parents if they have any old letters, which may have stamps on the envelopes. When taking stamps off envelopes, always tear off the corner so that there is paper all around the stamp, and the stamp and all its perforations are undamaged. Anyone who is saving stamps for you should be told that this is the way to do it; otherwise, he/she may try to peel the stamp off the envelope. This will cause thin spots or tears, both of which ruin a stamp's appearance and lessen its value to collectors. If you run across envelopes that are very old or have postal markings that may be of particular interest, it is best to save the entire envelope until you can find out if the stamp is worth more attached to the cover.Now that you have stamps on paper, what do you do with them? The most common way to get stamps off paper is to soak them in cool water, then dry them on paper. To understand more about soaking stamps, it is best to find a handbook on stamp collecting at the library.There is a lot to learn about stamps as you get more and more of the. For example, different shades of color may exist on stamps with the same design, or them may have different perforation measurements (number of holes per side). Major varieties of stamps and "catalog values" are listed in stamp catalogs, which are available in most libraries. The most common one, the Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue, has a very good section in front that explains how stamps are made and how to tell varieties apart, as well as how to use the catalog. Having access to a catalog in a nearby library is very useful until you decide if you want one of your own.5. Longtime collectors may be another source of stamps. Usually a person who has been a collector for a number of years has developed many sources for stamps. The collector may have thousands of duplicates, some of which may be very inexpensive while others may have more value. Often older collectors are willing to help new philatelists get started by giving them stamps, or at least providing packets of stamps mush more cheaply than can be purchased in stores or by mail.6. Many stamp companies advertise free stamps. However, these ads must be read carefully before you send away from anything. Usually these ads offer "approvals," which means they will send you the free stamps advertised, plus an assortment of other stamps which you may either buy or return. By sending for the free stamps, you have already agreed that you will return the other stamps within a reasonable period of time if you do not buy anything. Usually you must pay the return postage. This is a convenient way to buy stamps from your own home.7. Stamp clubs are another place to get stamps. A club may offer stamps as prizes, or have inexpensive stamps as prizes, or have inexpensive stamps you can afford to buy.Some stamp clubs sponsor junior clubs that meet at schools or the local YMCA or community center. If you are fortunate enough to have one of these in your area, it can be a great source of both stamps and advice.8. One way to increase your sources for stamps and also have a lot of fun is to help start a local club, if one does not already exist. All it takes are our or five other stamp collectors who are interested in getting together to learn about and trade stamps and ideas.9. Obtaining a pen pal in another country is a very good way to get stamps from that country. His or her extra stamps may seem really common in that country, but over here they are much scarcer. Your own stamps may look fairly common to you, but he or she is sure to appreciate them.10. Trading off your duplicate stamps can be a lot of fun. Even if you don't know many collectors where you live, stamps are so lightweight that they can easily be trades by mail. Check out the stamp newspapers and magazines available at your local library for classified ads that list stamp trades. You may find, for example, that another collector will send you 100 large foreign stamps if you send 100 U.S. commemoratives. Usually schools do not subscribe to any of the periodical stamp publications, so you will have to go to your public library. (Many stamp publications also offer to send one free sample issue if your request it, because they are always looking for potential new subscribers.)Collecting stamps need not be an expensive hobby. Thousands of stamps are issued every year, and while some of them cost many dollars, others cost just a few cents each. Nobody expects you to try to save every stamp that exists, and they key to enjoying philately is to save whatever you enjoy the most! With free stamps and a few inexpensive accessories, such as a small album and a package of stamp hinges, even collectors with little money can have a great time. Don't forget to mention stamps, stamp albums, and hinges before your birthday or Christmas! Also remember that a great many inexpensive stamps in the past have turned into ore valuable stamps over the years.You never know what will happen in stamp collecting!Top 10 Things Every Stamp Collect Should KnowIf you know nothing else about the hobby, you should know these ten things. Always use tongs, never glue down a stamp, don't cram your stamps into a box, and more advice to help you start your collection.1. Carefully handle your stamps.Throwing your stamps into a box or drawer may cause them to tear, become creased, or soiled reducing their value. Always store your collection in albums specifically designed for postage stamps.2. Always use tongs to handle your stamps.Grease or moisture from your fingers can damage the glue or gum of the stamp, again, reducing their value. Stamp tongs are relatively inexpensive, well worth the price to protect your collection.3. Never lick, glue, or tape a stamp into your album.Adhering a stamp to your album in this manner will not allow you to remove the stamp at a later time, without causing damage to the stamp. Always use some type of stamp hinge or mount to place your stamps in your albums.4. Use little moisture when adhearing your stamp mounts.Soaking your stamp mounts will cause them to become soggy and unusable, or worse still, may cause damage to your stamps. Only slightly wet your mount regardless of the type you are using.5. Never completely seal your stamp mount.Stamps are made from paper and paper can become brittle or may even decompose when kept air-tight. Always leave an open area when using mounts.6. Store your stamps in a cool dry place.Humidity and moisture are the worst causes of damage to postage stamps. Once they are introduced to your collection, stamp gum will become tacky and your stamps will stick together. Once stamps become stuck together, there is no safe way to take them apart.7. Buy the largest high quality album that you can afford.Buying a smaller album means at some point, when your collection becomes larger, you will have to transfer all of your stamps to a new album. Unless you will later have the time and money, it is best to buy a larger album from the very beginning.8. Do not soak your stamps until you are sure their ink will not run.Some stamps when soaked in water or watermark detection fluid will have fugitive inks that run. Always make sure it is safe to soak your stamps beforehand by consulting your catalog.9. Never remove a stamp from a cover before checking for special markings.Older covers should be checked to make sure they do not have any special postmarks before soaking the stamps off the paper. Some stamps are more valuable if left on the cover, such as those found on cachets.10. If you aren't sure...ask!If you are having difficulty identifying your stamps or just have a general philatelic question, it never hurts to ask a stamp professional. With more than 16 million collectors in the United States alone, there is always someone who would love to share their knowledge of thehobby with you.Top 7 Ways to Start a Stamp CollectionIt doesn't cost much to start a stamp collection. In fact, it could cost nothing. There are many low cost, and even free, stamp resources out there, you just have to know where to look.1. Remove Stamps from MailPerhaps, the easiest means of obtaining stamps is by removing them from your letters. Simply cut around the stamp in the shape of a square or rectangle. Then, soak the cut stamps in a bowl of luke warm water for ten minutes. Once the stamps fall off of their paper backing, dip then in cool water, and allow them to dry. It is best that you put the stamps in a drying book or dry them between layers of paper towels, so they will flatten.Don't receive that much mail? Try contacting family members, local businesses, schools, and other organizations. They may be willing to save their own mail for your collection.2. Get Free Stamps Online (Kids)The International Society of Worldwide Stamp Collectors will give any child, under the age of seventeen, a free stamp packet. Just have the child send in a self-addressed stamped envelope if they reside in the United States, or an international reply coupon if they live outside the U.S., to help with postage fees.The ISWSC, also, supplies free stamps to school stamp clubs and other collecting groups for youngsters. Group leaders will have to write the ISWSC mentioning the number of kids involved, their ages and interests.More: Free Stamps from the International Society of Worldwide Stamp Collectors3. Get Free Stamps Online (Anyone)Interested in free stamps and not under the age of 17? Arpin Philately offers beginning collectors a choice of four different free stamp packets: 50 Canadian Issues, 20 U.S. Issues, 50 Aviation Stamps, or 100 Worldwide Stamps. Choosing a packet enrolls you in their stamp approval program, but you can cancel at anytime.What are stamp approvals? A stamp approval is a selection of stamps, sent through the mail, you can review for a period of time. Then, any stamps you don't want are sent back, along with, payment for those you keep. Approval stamps are a great way give to view a variety of stamps on a monthly basis.More: Free Stamps from Arpin Philately4. Get a Free Stamp CatalogNow that you have your stamps, you need to identify them. Mystic Stamp Company offers a free printed copy of their United States Stamp Catalog. Each catalog contains 128 pages of color photographs, a complete listing of U.S. postage stamps, valuable collecting tips, and fascinating philatelic history. The catalogs are send, postage free, to your home address, and all it takes is a few seconds to fill out an online form.More: Free Color Stamp Catalog From Mystic5. Download Album PagesNeed a place to put your stamps, and don't want to risk possibly damaging them in a shoe box? Try downloading, blank stamp album pages. The International Society of Worldwide Stamp Collector's offers a nice selection of blank album pages that can be customized to your collection. The interactive pages require Adobe Acrobat Reader to view, but luckly for us the ISWSC has a link to download the program.More: Create Your Own Album Pages6. Download Album Pages (Kids)Planes, trains, lions, tigers, and space ships, oh my! Kids will love the fun themed album pages offered by the American Stamp Dealers Association. Just click and print. The hardest part will be deciding which pages to use.More: Fun Kid-Friendly Stamp Album Pages7. Order Free Stamp MountsNow that you have your stamps, catalog, and album pages, you need a way to mount your stamps in your album. You should never tape, glue, or paste stamps onto your album pages. Washington Press, makers of StampMount brand mounts, will supply you with a package of mounts free of charge. All you need to do is fill out a quick one page online form. Not sure how to use your mounts? The Guide to Using Stamp Mounts will walk you through the stamp mounting process.More: Free Album Mounts Through the MailTopical Stamp CollectingThe BasicsWhat is Topical Collecting?A topical (or thematic) collection "consists of stamps and other philatelic material which are chosen for their designs, rather than for the countries that issued them or the class of postal service they provide." That is the formal definition set down by the American Topical Association, the world’s largest organization of topical stamp collectors and sponsor of this course.Stamps with a common theme*In its wording, or*In its pictorial designTopical Stamp CollectingThe BasicsA topical collector does not care if*The stamp was issued for regular postage or air post*In what year the stamp was issued*By what country the stamp was issued*Scope of your collection is totally up to you-Collect purely for our own pleasure-Classify the material as you want-No two topical collections can ever be the sameTopical vs. ThematicNo recognized difference between termsBoth involved acquisition and arrangement of stamps and other philatelic materialsThen, various topical organizations began to refine arrangement methodsTwo types of collections identified:SubjectThematicBoth consist of stamps and other philatelic material relating to subjectSubject collection generally arranged chronologically by country of issuePurpose-of-issue collection limited to stamps recognizing organizations, such as EUROPA, International Red Cross, or Rotary InternationalThematic collection tells a storyDevelops a themeSome topics more than others lend themselves to this approachAviation collection arranged by aircraft typeFlowers arranged by genus, family, and speciesArt arranged by school or paintingPros and cons of eachThematic approach may require breaking up a set of stamps; Subject approach would accept keeping the set together – YOU DECIDECollection based on a person would have Subject approach in country order and Thematic approach beginning with person’s birth and moving chronologically – YOU DECIDEAlso, re: collection based on a person, Thematic approach encourages material relating to ancestors and associates as well as key places and events associated with the personality; Subject approach may not be that broad – YOU DECIDESelecting a topicAs noted in the course introduction, you probably are able to parallel anything you like or like to do outside of stamp collecting with a topical stamp collection.Although many hundreds of topics have been identified and noted in various lists, you are free to develop your ownA 1962 poll returned 350 topicsA 1974 poll returned 772 topicsInformation sent in for the ATA 2002 Membership Directory listed 1,202 topics!You are free to work in the more traditional areasAmericana ( U.S. subjects appearing on foreign stamps)AnimalsBiology (Plants and Animals)SpaceMusicRailroadsShipsYou may want to test your research (both library research and stamp research) by developing your own topicsU.S. Military Academy graduates … an actual topical collection that was a major award winner. On yes, it includes non-Americans who were alumni of the academy..Dogs of the presidents … research the species and build the collection from that, for examplePort-siders … left-handed peopleFor the first of the many times you will see this statement here, "there are no rules" as to what to collect or how to collect it.If infatuated by waterfalls, that makes a great topic for youIf your work involves heavy trucks, there is a wonderful topicIf you inherited an heirloom quill pen, wouldn’t a topical collection along those lines fit you?ConsiderationsPotential size of the collectionDogs of the Presidents necessarily will be a much more limited topic than the more general "dogs."World Cup play will be more limited in scope than soccerToo large a scope soon may appear overwhelming to you; too small a scope may run you out of possible additions to your collection in a relatively short timeIf you begin with a collection with too large a scope for you, reduce it … remember: "there are no rules" as to what to collect or how to collect it.If you with begin a collection you find to be too limiting, stand back and figure how to increase the scope … or even begin another collection. Some collectors have multiple collections; others focus heavily on one.Acquiring your collection's first stampsNo matter what you know about the subject of your topical collectionDo a quick review at your local libraryNote which books and periodicals are available in that areaTake copious notes … which will help you begin an outline of your new collectionIf your library has a recent copy of a major stamp catalog, use it to obtain an idea of just what is available in our topic If not available locally, seek out older editions at least to launch you with your collection.Major U.S. catalog published by ScottStanley Gibbons in U.K/Yvert et Tellier in FranceMichel in GermanyA catalog will not provide you all the answers; just get you off to a good startNot all stamps are fully described in the catalogs, each catalog has its own editorial policySeek out prepared checklists, such as those available through the American Topical AssociationMore than 400 different checklists maintained by the ATARange from a single page for mini-topics to more than 50 pagesGenerally arranged by country with Scott catalog numbers to help when ordering from a stamp dealerMay also include date of issue and/or a brief description of stamp or set.Mint (unused) or used … and other decisionsCollecting mint stamps only, used only, or a combination of the twoIf you include used stamps, do not include heavily cancelled stampsIf used are light canceled, see if "canceled to order" (CTO) … a procedure where the issuing government creates a used stamp without that stamps having seen postal duty.They generally have gum on the backPostally used stamps are preferred over CTOMint stamps are the most attractive
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How to Get Started with Your Stamp Collection - Simple TipsCollecting stamp is a famous hobby as well as an easy activity, which provides many lighter moments. If you would like to start your own collection of stamps, here is the list of procedures to get started:1. First you need to decide on what kind of topic you would like to use for your collection to get started with this hobby. It is also recommended to start with general but choosing a specific theme for your stamps will be more exciting. If you would like to collect postage stamps from other countries, you may start narrowing down your collection for the stamps coming from a specific country.2. You can also start the stamp collection by buying new stamps from the market. If you are aiming for the stamps of the specific country will help you to get a good start on your collection and will help to prevent the duplication of your collection. Buying a whole pack will give you different designs and will make more interesting for you and motivate you to collect more.3. If you have limited budget for starting the stamp collection you may have to collect the used stamps from your friends and relatives, which they have received from the mails. They can also help you by asking their friends to donate the stamps to you, which will be exciting since the stamps came from people will be with different themes and special to you. This will make you to valuate the sentimental values of the collected stamps.4. Once your friends and relatives are informed that you are collecting the stamps, they will make you to learn that they will provide you stamps as a gift for occasions. This kind of helps will make the collection easier for you. Some times your friends and relatives may make use of their maximum effort for getting special editions or commemorative stamps to make you happy and surprise.5. You may then narrow down your collections by considering the new or old stamps, which one is more preferable to you. Many people prefer to collect more old stamps in their collection than the new stamps. On the other hand, the new stamps are easier to find and manage. Once you have decided the type of stamps to keep in your collection, you should not throw away the other stamps because, you can exchange them with other collectors to get the stamps as per your choice.6. One benefit of stamp collecting is that you need not spend much money for the hobby. You may buy inexpensive tools and supplies, which you need for your collections. For starters, an album is the first thing to acquire. The most popular type of the album is the loose-leaf album. A loose-leaf album has a binder that has removable sheets. This will make the stamps easier to manage and compile.7. It is most important to learn removing the used stamps from envelopes to place them in your album. You may the cut the envelope along with the stamp but it is important to leave the space between the scissors and the edges of the stamps. Now, you can place the stamp by the face turned down in a bowl with warm water. When it becomes completely wet, you can peel off the stamp and place it in the album after drying it properly.8. There are many resources where you can get informations about stamps and stamp collection. The Internet is the most effective way to search for stamps and determine the place you can get the cheapest and even those stamps, which are hard to find. You can also make use of the Internet to make friendship with other stamp collectors, which will help you become more interested in the hobby and they may help you in finding the stamps you are looking for. You can also exchange stamps with one another making your collection bigger and more exciting.The best part of the collection is displaying them to your friends and loved ones. Once you have your own collection, you can show them to your friends and relatives. You may even have your own exhibition in the future. One way to let the people know about your collection is by putting up your own website. You can create the website, where you can exhibit all of your collected stamps and you can also give the notes about the stamps and your efforts to collect them.How to Become a Stamp CollectorStamp collecting is one of the most popular hobbies of many Americans and other cultures. It may be strange to some people who do not know the enjoyment people get from collecting the stamps. Stamp collectors find the satisfaction while see their huge collection of stamps from different countries, each depicting their own origins and purpose of producing those stamps.If you have a hobby of collecting different items, stamps may excite you the same way others do. People who engage in collecting stamps do not just enjoy the hobby; they learn and gain knowledge on art, history, and stories about different places.If you want to be a serious stamp collector, you may have to consider collecting commemorative stamps. These stamps are produced by certain country to illustrate a memorable event, like a person or an important object that may be a part of their history.Why should a person want to be a stamp collector?Anyone can be a stamp collector. People of all ages can try with this hobby. One main reason for choose the collection of stamps is that it is considered as one of the most affordable hobby. People may collect coins, cars, tags, pins and many more but stamps are considered one of the most inexpensive hobbies of collection.Stamp collectors come in all ages. It is not limited to certain group or age bracket. Even kids can become stamp collectors on their own little ways. Stamp collectors even start this hobby at a young age. The important thing is the passion you have for collecting stamps regardless of their price and origin.A stamp collector may find old stamps that he can include in his collections. You may even get these stamps for less than a dollar. There are few collectible items, which are considered as inexpensive and the stamp collecting is one of them.A stamp collector may also benefit by learning many things from the stamps he collects. Collecting a stamp may provide the interest to research about the stamp like, why it was produced and about the events that are featured on a specific stamp. You will enjoy and at the same time learn many things from them.Being a stamp collector is not a difficult task. There are many places where you can get your own collection of stamps. Postage stamps used for airmail may also be collected. Stamp collectors will have to compile them depending on the country they came from.There are also sites and message boards in the Internet that features the details of stamp collecting. People can exchange stamps by using these sites and some make use of these sites to display their collections. Others may consider for selling their stamps to make the hobby as their source of income.If you would like to be a stamp collector, you should know all information about stamps. It does not necessarily require knowing everything. One important thing to remember is to know how to take care of the collections.Stamp collectors must be disciplined when it comes to taking care of their stamps. That is because stamps are very fragile as they are made from paper and other thin materials. It becomes a responsibility of stamp collector to take care of the quality of the stamps.If you would like to be a stamp collector, you should also have the necessary supplies required for handling the stamps. If you are a beginner, the album is the first accessory you need to have. This will organize and compile all the collected stamps. The album will also ensure the safety of the stamps from dirt and moist.Anyone can be a stamp collector. It is an educational and informative hobby and even kids will also be benefited from it. It does not only give fun and knowledge but it is also a way to discover the artistic side of every person.Stamp Collecting is Fun!Stamp Collecting can start with a simple gift of stamps given by another person. This may provide him the interest to collect more stamps and may become a stamp collector by adopting this as a hobby in the future. Stamp collection is considered as one of the most popular hobbies that still exist in this modern world. Earlier the stamp collecting was popular among the royalties in Western Europe. There was a time when all kinds of people has become interested in stamp collecting and treated it as their personal hobby.Some people may wonder about the collection of stamps. The reason they may point out is that the stamps are nothing but a pieces of paper with pictures of some significant persons or events. Many people may think what way a person will be benefited or achieve by collecting these kinds of items. There should be many reasons for the people, who are engaged in collecting the stamps. Most of the people are collecting the stamps because they find it as fun and enjoyable.The designs of stamps are really appealing to every collector. There are very attractive designs with different colorful pictures and backgrounds. In addition, from the attractive designs, it also gives the information about a significant person, event, sports, and many things for a person could find interesting.Nevertheless, the most common stamp collectors are preferred to collect the stamps with the illustration of people, places, and events in the stamps, which may represent some valuable information regarding the history of a certain country or group. Stamp collecting provides resourceful knowledge as well as a person is having fun. He may not realize that he is learning and allotting some time to valuate such collections.For beginners, here are some tips to collect stamps:1. A person can be a generalist and start collecting a variety of stamps that may feature many things. In this way, he may have an idea on what type of stamps he may have to specialize in collecting. He may place all his collection in an album and categorize each stamp according to topics or themes he has chosen.2. If somebody loves to travel to different places, he may start collecting stamps from those places he has visited. There are particular areas and locations that offer stamps featuring the history of that place and significant persons those are lived in that place.3. He may follow collecting stamps, where he finds interest and ambition. He may focus in collecting stuffs that he truly enjoys and having fun about that. He may find those stamps are featuring his favorite sport, sport icon, cars, fishes, and many more.4. One advantage of collecting stamps is that a person can save more money and time because these items are affordable to purchase and easy to find.5. He may join a special organization or club that have gatherings occasionally and which themes can apply to his interests. He may meet people who are collecting the same stamps s well as he collects. He may trade or exchange his stamps with other stamp collectors and he can collect the knowledge, tips and advice for to take care of his stamps.6. He may collect stamps from friends those are affectionate with this kind of hobby. He may enjoy it by sharing the stamps he collected and citing the information, which is represented in the stamp. He may also ask his friends for information for to find more stamps, which are related to his collections.7. He may collect as his own by searching in the Internet to find availability of more stamps with the most affordable price. He may look for stamps anytime he needs it. It is considered as a passive hobby where he can relax and reduce stress. It also gives the feeling of accomplishment for a person.8. He may find the stamp collecting as a lifetime hobby. There is always something to know and learn about collecting stamps. It has a wide coverage of different things and persons. He may change the theme into other topics, when he thinks to bring another dimension to his stamp collecting.There are many ways to collect stamps. It is important to do something for those, who are really interested in collecting the stamps. It is even recommended to start at a younger age, by which he will be surprised of the many things that he may have to learn from this hobby.Stamp Collecting in Channel Island People have different hobby. They can dedicate their free time to anything that makes them interested and happy. As such, the choice of hobby of any person will also tell a lot about his or her personality. An athletic person will spend the pastime playing sports and games. The creative ones will devote their time to arts and crafts. There are a number people out there who would dedicate their time into collecting things. Stamp collecting for one is one of the most famous hobbies in the world. Comprising of more than 20 million enthusiasts at the United States alone, it is clear that this is really popular.What Is Stamp Collecting?Stamp collecting is all about stamps and everything related to it. Thus, a stamp collector will aim to collect as much stamps to comprise a considerable collection. It is to be contrasted with philately which is concerned mainly with the study of stamps and everything related to it.Starting a hobby of collecting stamps is not difficult. All you have to do is collect all the letters in the household. Remove the stamps from the envelope, gather them and you have your first items.Most stamp collectors may start the hobby just for fun or out of curiosity. It cannot be denied that there are lots of stamps out there that are really interesting. They can showcase all sorts of information and data. They can cover the historical events, important figures, artworks, animals, insects, planets, sports or just about anything under the sun. The illustration and the subject give so much satisfaction to the interest. The beginner will simply find out later that he or she has been hooked on the hobby. Collecting SpecialtiesMost collectors will focus their collection to a certain type. There are actually hundreds and thousands of stamps out there. It will be helpful to narrow down the choices to have some more focus in the collection. There are different areas where collecting may be focused on.Postage StampsThese are the usual stamps used by countries at a specific time.Postal StationeryPostal stationeries are some sort of post cards and air letter sheets which the government issued. The earliest of these were issued back in the year 1819.Federal Duck StampsThese are stamps used for duck hunting licenses. They are applied mainly on Unites States and Canada. Every year, a wildlife artist and his or her design is selected among many competitors and shall be showcased in the Duck stamp.Souvenir SheetsThey are stamps released in a format of a sheet forming a big picture. First Day CoversAlso known as the FDC’s, these are envelopes with stamps that were cancelled on the day the stamp was issued. It becomes more challenging as they take on the search for specific stamps. Often, this challenge makes the collector desire for more.Aiming for MoreTo satisfy this desire for more, it is necessary that the collector knows all the details of the stamps. The most useful tool to use here is the stamp catalogue. This could showcase the stamps of a particular region or even worldwide coverage. It provides stamp details such as the official name, date of issuance, material, face value and actual value.The value of a stamp is often determined by the conditions of its issuance. Most stamps are for ordinary release. The valuable ones are those that came out in a very limited edition. They can be very rare and hard-to-find, making their market value very high. Take a particular place in United States, the Channel Island for example. The postage service in the locality of Channel Island will usually provide ordinary stamps for mail purposes of the citizens. However, every now and then, the postage service may release a special commemoration stamp. This may commemorate an event or a figure very special to Channel Island. The Channel Island for example has a special Channel Island 1940-45 Occupation Stamp. It tells a lot about the history of Channel Island. Thus, it is also very much expected that the residents of Channel Island will especially aim for that and more.There are many stamp collectors out there, millions actually, who have different goals and aims in pursuing their hobby. They may have different history, origin and languages. Still, the very same hobby unites them all as they share the same sentiments and love for collecting stamps.Types of stampsStamps can be subdivided by type:DefinitivesCommemorativesCharity stampsAir stampsPostage due stampsTelegraph stampsOfficial stampsExpress stampsNewspaper stampsFiscal stampsRegionalsEtc.Stamps can also be subdivided by their appearance:Sheet, Block, Coil, Booklet, Souvenir sheet, Booklet panes, Peel and stick (Self-adhesives)Personalized stampsMarriage, anniversary, birthday, birth, communion, end-of-year parties, there are many occasions to send mail to your close friends.10 Low-Cost Ways to Start Collecting StampsIf you have recently started collecting stamps, or are thinking about starting, you may be wondering if the hobby is expensive. Can you enjoy it with limited financial resources? What if you have no money at all for the hobby?One of the biggest questions any stamp collector faces is where to find stamps inexpensively. If you intent to save stamps of the United States or the world and want to save used as well as unused stamps, the opportunities are really great. Not all collections consist mainly of unused stamps that you buy in the post office. Used stamps are worth saving, have value, and they may cost you nothing.Many stamp collectors save only used stamps. Others save both used and unused ones. Others save stamps only from one country or one part of the world. Some collectors save stamps by "topic," for example, stamps that depict horse or trains or birds. There are any number of different types of collections.1. All postally used stamps started out being received in someone's mailbox, at no cost to the person receiving them. The first place to search for stamps, then, is your own mailbox. Don't be discouraged when you notice that many senders use postage meters or the imprint "Bulk Rate Postage Paid' on their envelopes to enjoy a better postal rate or to keep from affixing stamps. Also, when people do use real stamps, they often use the same common small ones.You can begin to change this by asking people who write to you to use commemorative stamps on their mail. These are normally the larger stamps issued to honor famous people, places, or events. These stamps are printed in lesser quantities than the common smaller (definitive) stamps and usually are of much more interest to collects. Many people will remember to ask for commemorative stamps at the post office when mailing letters to you or your family if you let them know you are a stamp collector. Also, if you write away for offers that require postage or a self-addressed, stamped envelope, you can put commemoratives on your return envelope, knowing that they will come back to you later.2. Neighbors, friends, and relatives are another good source of stamps. The majority of people just throw away stamps when they receive them on mail and are only too happy to save them for someone who appreciates them. You may even know someone who gets letters from other countries who can save these stamps, too. Always be on the lookout for potentially good stamp contacts, and don't be afraid to ask them to go through their mail for you before they throw away all the envelopes.3. Office mail maybe even better. You may know someone who works in an office that gets a lot of mail. Out of 100 letters a day, there may be ten or twenty good stamps that are being thrown away. Many businesses get a lot of foreign mail and regularly throw away stamps that have interest and/or value to a collector.4. Ask your parents if they have any old letters, which may have stamps on the envelopes. When taking stamps off envelopes, always tear off the corner so that there is paper all around the stamp, and the stamp and all its perforations are undamaged. Anyone who is saving stamps for you should be told that this is the way to do it; otherwise, he/she may try to peel the stamp off the envelope. This will cause thin spots or tears, both of which ruin a stamp's appearance and lessen its value to collectors. If you run across envelopes that are very old or have postal markings that may be of particular interest, it is best to save the entire envelope until you can find out if the stamp is worth more attached to the cover.Now that you have stamps on paper, what do you do with them? The most common way to get stamps off paper is to soak them in cool water, then dry them on paper. To understand more about soaking stamps, it is best to find a handbook on stamp collecting at the library.There is a lot to learn about stamps as you get more and more of the. For example, different shades of color may exist on stamps with the same design, or them may have different perforation measurements (number of holes per side). Major varieties of stamps and "catalog values" are listed in stamp catalogs, which are available in most libraries. The most common one, the Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue, has a very good section in front that explains how stamps are made and how to tell varieties apart, as well as how to use the catalog. Having access to a catalog in a nearby library is very useful until you decide if you want one of your own.5. Longtime collectors may be another source of stamps. Usually a person who has been a collector for a number of years has developed many sources for stamps. The collector may have thousands of duplicates, some of which may be very inexpensive while others may have more value. Often older collectors are willing to help new philatelists get started by giving them stamps, or at least providing packets of stamps mush more cheaply than can be purchased in stores or by mail.6. Many stamp companies advertise free stamps. However, these ads must be read carefully before you send away from anything. Usually these ads offer "approvals," which means they will send you the free stamps advertised, plus an assortment of other stamps which you may either buy or return. By sending for the free stamps, you have already agreed that you will return the other stamps within a reasonable period of time if you do not buy anything. Usually you must pay the return postage. This is a convenient way to buy stamps from your own home.7. Stamp clubs are another place to get stamps. A club may offer stamps as prizes, or have inexpensive stamps as prizes, or have inexpensive stamps you can afford to buy.Some stamp clubs sponsor junior clubs that meet at schools or the local YMCA or community center. If you are fortunate enough to have one of these in your area, it can be a great source of both stamps and advice.8. One way to increase your sources for stamps and also have a lot of fun is to help start a local club, if one does not already exist. All it takes are our or five other stamp collectors who are interested in getting together to learn about and trade stamps and ideas.9. Obtaining a pen pal in another country is a very good way to get stamps from that country. His or her extra stamps may seem really common in that country, but over here they are much scarcer. Your own stamps may look fairly common to you, but he or she is sure to appreciate them.10. Trading off your duplicate stamps can be a lot of fun. Even if you don't know many collectors where you live, stamps are so lightweight that they can easily be trades by mail. Check out the stamp newspapers and magazines available at your local library for classified ads that list stamp trades. You may find, for example, that another collector will send you 100 large foreign stamps if you send 100 U.S. commemoratives. Usually schools do not subscribe to any of the periodical stamp publications, so you will have to go to your public library. (Many stamp publications also offer to send one free sample issue if your request it, because they are always looking for potential new subscribers.)Collecting stamps need not be an expensive hobby. Thousands of stamps are issued every year, and while some of them cost many dollars, others cost just a few cents each. Nobody expects you to try to save every stamp that exists, and they key to enjoying philately is to save whatever you enjoy the most! With free stamps and a few inexpensive accessories, such as a small album and a package of stamp hinges, even collectors with little money can have a great time. Don't forget to mention stamps, stamp albums, and hinges before your birthday or Christmas! Also remember that a great many inexpensive stamps in the past have turned into ore valuable stamps over the years.You never know what will happen in stamp collecting!Top 10 Things Every Stamp Collect Should KnowIf you know nothing else about the hobby, you should know these ten things. Always use tongs, never glue down a stamp, don't cram your stamps into a box, and more advice to help you start your collection.1. Carefully handle your stamps.Throwing your stamps into a box or drawer may cause them to tear, become creased, or soiled reducing their value. Always store your collection in albums specifically designed for postage stamps.2. Always use tongs to handle your stamps.Grease or moisture from your fingers can damage the glue or gum of the stamp, again, reducing their value. Stamp tongs are relatively inexpensive, well worth the price to protect your collection.3. Never lick, glue, or tape a stamp into your album.Adhering a stamp to your album in this manner will not allow you to remove the stamp at a later time, without causing damage to the stamp. Always use some type of stamp hinge or mount to place your stamps in your albums.4. Use little moisture when adhearing your stamp mounts.Soaking your stamp mounts will cause them to become soggy and unusable, or worse still, may cause damage to your stamps. Only slightly wet your mount regardless of the type you are using.5. Never completely seal your stamp mount.Stamps are made from paper and paper can become brittle or may even decompose when kept air-tight. Always leave an open area when using mounts.6. Store your stamps in a cool dry place.Humidity and moisture are the worst causes of damage to postage stamps. Once they are introduced to your collection, stamp gum will become tacky and your stamps will stick together. Once stamps become stuck together, there is no safe way to take them apart.7. Buy the largest high quality album that you can afford.Buying a smaller album means at some point, when your collection becomes larger, you will have to transfer all of your stamps to a new album. Unless you will later have the time and money, it is best to buy a larger album from the very beginning.8. Do not soak your stamps until you are sure their ink will not run.Some stamps when soaked in water or watermark detection fluid will have fugitive inks that run. Always make sure it is safe to soak your stamps beforehand by consulting your catalog.9. Never remove a stamp from a cover before checking for special markings.Older covers should be checked to make sure they do not have any special postmarks before soaking the stamps off the paper. Some stamps are more valuable if left on the cover, such as those found on cachets.10. If you aren't sure...ask!If you are having difficulty identifying your stamps or just have a general philatelic question, it never hurts to ask a stamp professional. With more than 16 million collectors in the United States alone, there is always someone who would love to share their knowledge of thehobby with you.Top 7 Ways to Start a Stamp CollectionIt doesn't cost much to start a stamp collection. In fact, it could cost nothing. There are many low cost, and even free, stamp resources out there, you just have to know where to look.1. Remove Stamps from MailPerhaps, the easiest means of obtaining stamps is by removing them from your letters. Simply cut around the stamp in the shape of a square or rectangle. Then, soak the cut stamps in a bowl of luke warm water for ten minutes. Once the stamps fall off of their paper backing, dip then in cool water, and allow them to dry. It is best that you put the stamps in a drying book or dry them between layers of paper towels, so they will flatten.Don't receive that much mail? Try contacting family members, local businesses, schools, and other organizations. They may be willing to save their own mail for your collection.2. Get Free Stamps Online (Kids)The International Society of Worldwide Stamp Collectors will give any child, under the age of seventeen, a free stamp packet. Just have the child send in a self-addressed stamped envelope if they reside in the United States, or an international reply coupon if they live outside the U.S., to help with postage fees.The ISWSC, also, supplies free stamps to school stamp clubs and other collecting groups for youngsters. Group leaders will have to write the ISWSC mentioning the number of kids involved, their ages and interests.More: Free Stamps from the International Society of Worldwide Stamp Collectors3. Get Free Stamps Online (Anyone)Interested in free stamps and not under the age of 17? Arpin Philately offers beginning collectors a choice of four different free stamp packets: 50 Canadian Issues, 20 U.S. Issues, 50 Aviation Stamps, or 100 Worldwide Stamps. Choosing a packet enrolls you in their stamp approval program, but you can cancel at anytime.What are stamp approvals? A stamp approval is a selection of stamps, sent through the mail, you can review for a period of time. Then, any stamps you don't want are sent back, along with, payment for those you keep. Approval stamps are a great way give to view a variety of stamps on a monthly basis.More: Free Stamps from Arpin Philately4. Get a Free Stamp CatalogNow that you have your stamps, you need to identify them. Mystic Stamp Company offers a free printed copy of their United States Stamp Catalog. Each catalog contains 128 pages of color photographs, a complete listing of U.S. postage stamps, valuable collecting tips, and fascinating philatelic history. The catalogs are send, postage free, to your home address, and all it takes is a few seconds to fill out an online form.More: Free Color Stamp Catalog From Mystic5. Download Album PagesNeed a place to put your stamps, and don't want to risk possibly damaging them in a shoe box? Try downloading, blank stamp album pages. The International Society of Worldwide Stamp Collector's offers a nice selection of blank album pages that can be customized to your collection. The interactive pages require Adobe Acrobat Reader to view, but luckly for us the ISWSC has a link to download the program.More: Create Your Own Album Pages6. Download Album Pages (Kids)Planes, trains, lions, tigers, and space ships, oh my! Kids will love the fun themed album pages offered by the American Stamp Dealers Association. Just click and print. The hardest part will be deciding which pages to use.More: Fun Kid-Friendly Stamp Album Pages7. Order Free Stamp MountsNow that you have your stamps, catalog, and album pages, you need a way to mount your stamps in your album. You should never tape, glue, or paste stamps onto your album pages. Washington Press, makers of StampMount brand mounts, will supply you with a package of mounts free of charge. All you need to do is fill out a quick one page online form. Not sure how to use your mounts? The Guide to Using Stamp Mounts will walk you through the stamp mounting process.More: Free Album Mounts Through the MailTopical Stamp CollectingThe BasicsWhat is Topical Collecting?A topical (or thematic) collection "consists of stamps and other philatelic material which are chosen for their designs, rather than for the countries that issued them or the class of postal service they provide." That is the formal definition set down by the American Topical Association, the world’s largest organization of topical stamp collectors and sponsor of this course.Stamps with a common theme*In its wording, or*In its pictorial designTopical Stamp CollectingThe BasicsA topical collector does not care if*The stamp was issued for regular postage or air post*In what year the stamp was issued*By what country the stamp was issued*Scope of your collection is totally up to you-Collect purely for our own pleasure-Classify the material as you want-No two topical collections can ever be the sameTopical vs. ThematicNo recognized difference between termsBoth involved acquisition and arrangement of stamps and other philatelic materialsThen, various topical organizations began to refine arrangement methodsTwo types of collections identified:SubjectThematicBoth consist of stamps and other philatelic material relating to subjectSubject collection generally arranged chronologically by country of issuePurpose-of-issue collection limited to stamps recognizing organizations, such as EUROPA, International Red Cross, or Rotary InternationalThematic collection tells a storyDevelops a themeSome topics more than others lend themselves to this approachAviation collection arranged by aircraft typeFlowers arranged by genus, family, and speciesArt arranged by school or paintingPros and cons of eachThematic approach may require breaking up a set of stamps; Subject approach would accept keeping the set together – YOU DECIDECollection based on a person would have Subject approach in country order and Thematic approach beginning with person’s birth and moving chronologically – YOU DECIDEAlso, re: collection based on a person, Thematic approach encourages material relating to ancestors and associates as well as key places and events associated with the personality; Subject approach may not be that broad – YOU DECIDESelecting a topicAs noted in the course introduction, you probably are able to parallel anything you like or like to do outside of stamp collecting with a topical stamp collection.Although many hundreds of topics have been identified and noted in various lists, you are free to develop your ownA 1962 poll returned 350 topicsA 1974 poll returned 772 topicsInformation sent in for the ATA 2002 Membership Directory listed 1,202 topics!You are free to work in the more traditional areasAmericana ( U.S. subjects appearing on foreign stamps)AnimalsBiology (Plants and Animals)SpaceMusicRailroadsShipsYou may want to test your research (both library research and stamp research) by developing your own topicsU.S. Military Academy graduates … an actual topical collection that was a major award winner. On yes, it includes non-Americans who were alumni of the academy..Dogs of the presidents … research the species and build the collection from that, for examplePort-siders … left-handed peopleFor the first of the many times you will see this statement here, "there are no rules" as to what to collect or how to collect it.If infatuated by waterfalls, that makes a great topic for youIf your work involves heavy trucks, there is a wonderful topicIf you inherited an heirloom quill pen, wouldn’t a topical collection along those lines fit you?ConsiderationsPotential size of the collectionDogs of the Presidents necessarily will be a much more limited topic than the more general "dogs."World Cup play will be more limited in scope than soccerToo large a scope soon may appear overwhelming to you; too small a scope may run you out of possible additions to your collection in a relatively short timeIf you begin with a collection with too large a scope for you, reduce it … remember: "there are no rules" as to what to collect or how to collect it.If you with begin a collection you find to be too limiting, stand back and figure how to increase the scope … or even begin another collection. Some collectors have multiple collections; others focus heavily on one.Acquiring your collection's first stampsNo matter what you know about the subject of your topical collectionDo a quick review at your local libraryNote which books and periodicals are available in that areaTake copious notes … which will help you begin an outline of your new collectionIf your library has a recent copy of a major stamp catalog, use it to obtain an idea of just what is available in our topic If not available locally, seek out older editions at least to launch you with your collection.Major U.S. catalog published by ScottStanley Gibbons in U.K/Yvert et Tellier in FranceMichel in GermanyA catalog will not provide you all the answers; just get you off to a good startNot all stamps are fully described in the catalogs, each catalog has its own editorial policySeek out prepared checklists, such as those available through the American Topical AssociationMore than 400 different checklists maintained by the ATARange from a single page for mini-topics to more than 50 pagesGenerally arranged by country with Scott catalog numbers to help when ordering from a stamp dealerMay also include date of issue and/or a brief description of stamp or set.Mint (unused) or used … and other decisionsCollecting mint stamps only, used only, or a combination of the twoIf you include used stamps, do not include heavily cancelled stampsIf used are light canceled, see if "canceled to order" (CTO) … a procedure where the issuing government creates a used stamp without that stamps having seen postal duty.They generally have gum on the backPostally used stamps are preferred over CTOMint stamps are the most attractive
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