There are a few things needed when starting a stamp collection these include a stamp album and special mounting tapes called hinges. Other tools you will find useful are a pair of small tongs or tweezers for carefully lifting stamps specially if they are old and delicate these are also needed to prevent oils off your fingers from damaging the stamps. You will also find a magnifying glass for finding minute details very useful as there rarity of defects in a stamp can really enhance their value. The beginning philatelist can start with the stamps on the mail that arrives every day. To remove a stamp from an envelope, carefully tear away the envelope from around the stamp being careful not to tear the stamp itself. Now soak the stamp in warm water. The remaining piece of envelope will turn loose, allowing you to lift the stamp from the water with the tongs.

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

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

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

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

The first stop for serious stamp collectors who are looking to buy or sell should be a catalogue. The most popular reference guide is the Scott’s Catalogue, but Stanley Gibbons, Minkus and the US Postal Service Catalogue of Stamps also make great resources.

You can check out Scott Online site for the internet version of the Scott’s Catalogue. The internet version is available ten days prior to the print version and is emailed directly to you.

Searching options go back three issues of Scott Stamp Monthly to help you to find what you’re looking for and you’ll be able to connect with advertisers immediately, instead of having to phone or mail them with your inquiries. Subscribers can also customize their online edition by picking which columns they’d like listed first in their issues and by choosing “Text” or “Newspaper” format for easy reading. Separate Print and online magazine subscriptions are available.

The second stop on your way to entrenching yourself in the philatelic community and obtaining information is to check out The American Philatelic Society . Here you can browse over 270,613 items and search by country, type, keywords, Scott Catalogue number, country and its type, country and keyword, its type and keyword, or Stamp ID number.

You needn’t be a member to browse, but if you’d like to purchase them or get personal stamp information, you must become a member. Additionally, APS encourages members to get more involved in the philatelic community by listing activities and has a mentor program to answer all your collecting questions directly.

You may want to find the exact worth on postage stamps — or if you want to sell an expensive stamp, you’ll need a certificate of authenticity. The APS offers an “expertizing service” utilizing high-tech equipment and over 140 specialists. They charge $25 on stamps worth under $1,000 or 2% of higher value stamps.

The next place to check for information is eBay and Craigslist, where buyers and sellers meet to trade. For an advanced and exhaustive international database, try eBay. On the other hand, Craigslist is a localized site connecting individuals.

There are pros and cons to all online trading sites, but sometimes it’s just enjoyable to browse what’s offered. Generally it’s an inexpensive way to bolster your collection or a good way to find that rare stamp.

King George V was a renowned stamp collector. He once remarked as he appointed an Official Philatelist to the King, “But, remember, I wish to have the best collection, not just one of the best collections in England.” It was found in a letter by Sir Harold Nicholson, that for seventeen years King George V locked himself up and only “killed animals and stuck in stamps.”

Whether you’re certifiably crazy about stamps or you’d just like some more information on postage stamps, finding information on postage stamps there are a number of resources to obtain that perfect collection that even King George V would have envied.

Mike Selvon has some great stamp collecting articles for the hobbist.

Overprints of China stamps were common during the early 1900s. An overprint is the addition of text after a stamp has already been printed (usually to raise the price in relation to inflation). Because of the ever-changing economy, some stamps from that time period — such as the Sun Yat-sen — rose in value up into the thousands of dollars.

In November 1952, the Ministry of Post and Telecommunication released a set of four stamps to commemorate “the 35th Anniversary of the October Revolution.” The October Revolution (also known as The Bolshevik Revolution) was led by Vladimir Lenin’s Bolshevik party and the workers’ Soviets and eventually overthrew the government, making way for the USSR. They were issued in celebration of the friendship between China and the Soviets.

The first stamp had a picture of China’s Mao Zedong with Stalin on the Kremlin tower; the second one portrayed Lenin making a speech at the Second Representatives Conference of the Soviet Unions; the third one pictured a statue of Stalin standing at the Lenin Canal; the fourth showed Lenin making a speech. In 1997, a set of these stamps was sold at the Spring Auction of Jiade for $55,000 RMB.

One of them issued from the collection “To Mark the 40th Anniversary of the Establishment of Jinggangshan Revolutionary Base by Chairman Mao” was recently sold at an auction in Shaghai for $1.5 Million RMB (or roughly $199,880 USD). There were originally four stamps issued, including: Chairman Mao and Lin Biao at Tian An Men, Chairman Mao and his party in Jing gang Shan, the quotation “The political power comes from guns,” and another verse by Chairman Mao.

The Jianggangshan base become the birthplace of the Chinese Red Army and is often called “the cradle of the Chinese Revolution.” In addition to the historical significance of these commemorative China stamps, the controversy surrounding the issuance caused an uproar. Production was canceled and specimens were called to be destroyed.

Therefore, the Jinggangshan ones never made it to circulation and only a very small number exist in the hands of private collectors. In September 1968, after the establishment of Cultural Revolution Revolutionary Committees, the Ministry of Posts issued the “All China Is Red” stamp.

It pictured a red ocean, with workers, farmers and soldiers holding “the Quotations of Chairman Mao” and cheering; at the top, a red map of China with golden letters read “All China Is Red.” They were issued in Beijing for half a day before the China Atlas Press discovered that the Xisha and Nansha archipelagoes were mistakenly missing from the map!

Due to its extremely limited number, the “All China Is Red” is one of the most famous rare ones in the world. Ten years ago, a post office sheet of 50 was displayed at the China Philatelic Expo in Guangzhou City and was considered a “national treasure,” valued at over 10,000,000 RMB.

While there is said to be about 18 million stamp collectors in China, there are millions of members in the Chinese Philatelic Society. The government is eager to begin trade with other stamp collectors, so the stamps are readily available worldwide.

Ebay has a list of stamps from Asia and China stamps can also be found at the Chinese Philatelic Information site or Chinese Stamps site. Whether you’re looking for dragons or emperors, you’ll find it in China!

Mike Selvon has some great stamp collecting on china stamps and articles for the hobbist.

With bids starting as low as one cent, it’s crazy not to check out the Ebay stamps page! To get started buying stamps on Ebay, just register, browse the categories or type keywords into the search engine.

When you find an item you like, place a bid and select maximum amount you’re willing to spend, then Ebay will bid on your behalf against other bidders. Or you can choose the “buy it now” option and you’ll have to pay the - buy it now price - to avoid all competition. Buyers can pay with a credit card, checking account, mail or through PayPal.

Curious people, who may not necessarily have the desire to buy at this time, can still obtain information on them by following one of several links the Ebay stamps page provides:

1) the American Philatelic Society,
2) the PSE authentication center,
3) the American Stamp Dealers Association or industry publications.

The education and popular stamp terms pages host a wealth of information for beginners. For the committed hobbyist, a whole community is created to share one’s passion — with stamps chat rooms, stamps seller alerts or newsletters, as well as collectibles forums.

For sellers, Ebay stamps attract the perfect target market and allows online bidding (much like an auction) so sellers may actually make more money than their asking prices! The process is relatively simple too. First, the seller will have to look around and decide what to sell. After registering, prospective sellers just upload photos and descriptions of their items, turn on email notifications and wait for the bidding to start.

Sellers can get paid immediately by PayPal, track all listings through the “My Ebay” section and even print labels and postage from their personal computers. Bulk listing and management tools make it easy to track one’s offers.

Some people may choose to open an Ebay store, which gives them email marketing, free reporting and lower fees. Ebay also offers free business consulting to help new members get started. Whether collecting or selling, Ebay is a great starting point!

Ebay is the perfect way to add to your collection. However, be aware that Ebay may not be for everyone. You will have to enter some sensitive information into Ebay’s secured site, with which not everyone is comfortable.

Since sellers are from all over, buyer beware! Check out the seller’s credentials and ratings before buying. There are certain protections on Ebay, but it’s not infallible. You may also have to wait a long time for your investment to arrive in the mail.

Ebay stamps can increase the size and quality of your collection ten-fold — of course, in some ways, it’s not as easy as just buying at an actual auction or store.

Archival stock books, stamp albums and computer organizer software are stamp collecting supplies that help collectors organize, maintain and protect the stamps. Archival stockbooks are made up of stiff pages with pockets where stamps can be set, without using any kind of hinge or adhesive. This can be good for the person who likes to rearrange or find an inexpensive option for keeping duplicate or lesser important stamps.

The best option for professional hobbyists looking to maintain more valuable stamps is an album — either pre-printed or blank. Kids and beginners often love the pre-printed albums because they provide informative descriptions about particular stamps and give them something to aspire to with their collection.

Online software is good for traders. It’s advisable to look for programs that will scan and separate a full sheet into individual files, since this is a great time saver.

The next thing to purchase facilitates the affixing of the stamps into your album. Stamp Hinges are small rectangular pieces of paper coated with a sticky gum. Collectors are encouraged to buy “peel-able” hinges to prevent damaging hinge marks on them. After lightly moistening the hinge, affix the short end to it and the long end to the page, which will allow interested buyers to examine the back of the stamp without completely unsticking it.

Collectors should never use glue or tape to affix them! In fact, unhinged ones are ideal but exceedingly rare. Metal Stamp Tongs are used by philatelists to hold them without getting finger oils on them.

Varieties include length (ranging from 4-8 inches) and tip (shovel or pointed). Pointed tips are great for intricate positioning but can also tear the stamp so the shovel tips are more practical.

The third category of supplies deals with examination. A Magnifying Glass (with a lens power of 3-4) reveals subtle imprints, color and watermarks. Serious philatelists will purchase a Perforation Gauge and a Watermark Detector to really get a good look. Perforation Gauges measure the holes between two or more of them, which can sometimes reveal a rare stamp from an ordinary one, or a unique stamp from one a collector already has in his or her collection.

It is used by sliding the gauge along a stamp and reading the “perf number” once the holes are aligned. A Watermark Detector will alert collectors to unique markings, rare ones or even clever forgery attempts. Just like money, stamps have hidden designs, invisible to the naked eye, that guarantee authenticity. Some collectors choose to use black trays and Benzine droppers to view watermarks.

The last category is informational. Magazines, books and catalogs can be a great source of knowledge as to what the market offers and how one’s collection stacks up. The stories regarding many of them is rather amazing and can make a great archival paragraph to keep in the collection!

Stamp collecting supplies are crucial regardless of whether you are a beginner buying the first album, hinges and magnifying glass — or a professional purchasing a perforation gauge, watermark detector and collecting software.

Mike Selvon has some great stamp collecting articles for the hobbyist, where you can find out more tips on stamp collecting supplies.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

To find more great Stamp Collecting tips please visit: http://www.MyStampCollecting.com

Discover how millions of people all over the world collect stamps as an exciting and rewarding hobby and make it extremely profitable.

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