Stamp Collection or philately, as is more commonly known, is one of the most popular hobbies. If you want to join this huge "collectors" club, you need no more implements than a stamp scrapbook and an exploring mind. It does help a bit if you have friends around the world. Stamp collection is just as simple as it sounds, collecting stamps. The whys and wherefores of this hobby are long lost in the vagaries of history but to dissect it is to take away the essence of stamp collecting.
Before and even after you take a plunge into this hobby, take care of a few things:
o Stamp Collection. Your first "collection" should be a collection and not a buy. If your first few stamps are bought from a dealer, it rather kills the "spirit" at the start itself. You should start your collection preferably by peeling stamps off envelopes, the older the envelope the better. This is more of a fun than going to a dealer and buying a pack of stamps.
o Stamp Preservation. You should be aware of all the things that can physically damage a valuable stamp. First, you should know how to take the stamps out of envelopes (soak in lukewarm water and peel off gently with a pair of pincers), guard them against bookworms (use an anti pest powder, maybe boric acid) & moisture (store in a dry place), and of course, put the stamps in a proper stamp album.
o Envelopes Preservation. Stamps are more valuable when they are "canceled" i.e., the "post mark" stamped over them. Sometimes even the whole of the envelopes themselves are worthy of collection. Therefore, try not to throw or tear away the envelopes unnecessarily.
o Wrong Stamp. Deformed and wrongly printed stamps are the most valuable of all and their prices keep appreciating as time goes by. Therefore, in case for example, you find a "wrong" stamp, you have probably hit the jackpot everyone is looking for.
o Stamp Series Collection. Conjoined or a collection of stamps is more valuable than a single one. Do not tear stamps to size them for an album. Keep them as they are sold or have been posted. Commemorative stamps are generally rarer and therefore more valuable than the ordinary ones. The older the stamps are the better.
o Themed Stamps Collection. Once you have decided upon a theme for your stamp collection (say, country, or year), try not to ignore "out of theme" stamps. Sometimes, scrounging around, you might come across a "non-thematic" stamp. Do not dispose it though. Serendipity has been a guardian angel most of times to the stamp collectors.
o Stamps Valuation. Periodically, get your stamp collection valued at the local register or through the internet. This will not only be helpful in giving a mid-course correction but also in selecting the brightest beans in your bag.
o Love Stamps. Finally, learn to enjoy the feel, touch, and the smell of stamps!
Tag : stamps,stamps collection,rubber stamps,old stamps,stamps online
