stamp collecting

Back in 1840 young Queen Victoria of Britain found herself on the “front cover” of the world’s first stamp, the now infamous “Penny Black” nobody could have anticipated the hype that would develop with stamps. Indeed, by 1860 the first stamp collector clubs had been estabished, and the name “Timbromania” or “stamp madness” was given to this great hobby.

But history aside, it’s a fact that in excess of 150 years later, stamp collecting hasn’t lost any of its interest. Also, with the progress of the internet, getting hold of some less common stamps made this pastime gain new levels.

So where and how does one start with collecting stamps?

Without sounding patronizing, …er, …acquire some stamps . Kind of obvious, but not always clear. Certainly at the start of this journey, you should discover basics of how to handle stamps, so don’t go running around hunting for rare and hard to get issues, because it might cost you both in cash and enthusiasm.

And while many seasoned enthusiasts collect only old and limited editions of postal stamps, they of course have learned to handle them .

Lots of people like collecting themes, this could be cats, a particular period or perhaps certain countries like, British, USA or Gibraltar stamps.

What type of stamps should you collect for your first album?

The simplest thing is to go with a starter’s kit. These are typically available from 50 – 100 stamps to 2000 in more advanced packs.

Within your kit you will find stamps (duh – uh), hinges, tweezers and magnifying glass. Most kits come with albums that may be either printed or blank.

Now allow me to explain what I just said:

Stamps – that’s the stuff you’re collecting

Hinges – are a small, thin piece of paper that attaches to the back of the stamp, to give more strength and avoid tearing.

Tweezers – you’re going to need these to handle the stamps, as stamps need to be kept clean. So, don’t eat chicken wings while handling your collection.

Magnifying glass – Unless you are Superman, you’ll want one of these to discover all the fine details on each stamp. Actually a rather exciting pursuit.

Stamp Album – blank or printed

The printed album is a good starters choice, as it gives you added room to write little notes about the stamp, such as year of issue, country etc. Some stamp albums have the stamps you are required to collect shown on each page for you to place your stamp once you have acquired it.

Blank albums do not have this area, and have only rows for stamps to be set. This allows you to arrange them as you like.

A few tips:

Prior to a swing on how to effectively put more valuable stamps into an album, you could just pop to your local post office to get several sheets of cheap stamps to practice on. Or, take them off of old love letters from your parents (they won’t mind. I hope). But seriously, taking used ones from the mail is probably the most common way to start.

Whatever the source of your stamps, please don’t over do it. Focus on a small batch, until you get the hang of it.

A popular method is to use a “loose leaf” albums, to help you to arrange pages effortlessly and put in new ones whenever you want.

Keep your working area clean and mess free, and be patient. Collecting stamps is a hobby, not a race.

Happy Hunting

Phil has been collecting stamps for what seems forever. His latest interest is in Gibraltar Stamps and you can take a look at some at GibraltarStamps.com

stamp collecting