Collecting Pakistani Postage Stamps

Pakistan Postal Stamp Collection

It is not so obvious which stamp is the first issue of Pakistan. In 1854 East India Company issued the first modern postal system in South Asia. Before this issue, a local postage stamp was issued in 1852, known as "Scinde Dak". Scinde Dak is the oldest stamp in Asia and was used in Karachi City and remaining Sind regions. Since Karachi and Sind are part of Pakistan today, it is possible to claim that Scinde Dak is the first stamp of Pakistan.

The East Indian issues of 1854 were used throughout the regions currently in Pakistan. However, since the notion of PAKISTAN did not exist at that period, it is theoretically difficult to call them (or Scinde Dak) the first stamp of Pakistan. The name PAKISTAN was invented around the 1930s to symbolize Muslim nations of the Indian Subcontinent: "P" from Punjab, "A" from Afghans (the majority of NWFP people), "K" from Kashmir, "S" from "Sind", and "TAN" from Baluchistan.

Therefore, the first stamp of Pakistan, according to the orthodox classification among philatelists, is a set of British Indian stamps overprinted "PAKISTAN". Because of the turmoil due to the Partition of British India, the new state of Pakistan could not afford a commemorative stamp. One and a half months later, on 1 October 1947, new stamps of Pakistan were issued, which were British Indian stamps overprinted "PAKISTAN" by India's Printing Authority at Nasik. Pakistani people had to wait until July 1948 to have a set of new stamps printed for Pakistan. The photo on the right shows an 1 Re stamp from this set. This stamps is beautifully engraved with Urdu inscription reading "Long Live Pakistan." I would like to give to this issue the title of the first stamp of Pakistan.

British Indian stamps overprinted "PAKISTAN" on Water Mark Single Star and Multiple Stars on King Edward VII, King George V, King George VI and Victory 1946, Brief Political & Geographical History, Chronological order of events, Local Machine Overprints, How to distinguish the different 'Overprints'? Nasik Print, Peshawar Print, Hybrid Print, Karachi Print, Battered Print, Worn out Print, Relative scarcity of ordinary stamps, Pre-Nasik hand stamps overprints from 15th August to October 1947, Machine overprints after Independence, Hand stamps on ordinary stamps, Typewritten overprints on ordinary stamps, Manuscripts on ordinary stamps, Used abroad ordinary stamps from Dubai, Muscat, Guadur and Bombay Foreign Paquebot, Pakistan Internal postal rates in 1947. The First Postmark "Pakistan Zindabad", King George VI high values sheet format, Karachi Print in Blue, King George VI Peshawar Print, Squat Print, Peshawar Print King George V and opts. on margin, Peshawar Print King George VI, The Indian Independence Act 1947, Pakistan Official postage stamps, Pre-Nasik overprints on Service stamps, Hand stamps overprints on KG VI Service stamps, Typewritten overprints on Service stamps, Manuscript overprints on Service stamps, Relative Scarcity of Service stamps, Nasik Print, Karachi Print, Peshawar Print, With 'N' narrow, heavy grotesque bold, King G VI overprinted in red, King G V overprinted in black, Opt. on margin, King G VI, Lahore Print Type I With 'N' broad is known in black on King G V & King G VI, Lahore Print Type II, Bahawalpur State Print opts. 'PAKISTAN', Hyderabad Sind Print, The Baluch Regiment 'Print', SERVICE Type 2- 6 and many more. 1947 to 31st Dec. 2003 with full details of Size, Designer, Pinter,Process, Format, Gum, Perforation, Imprint, Plate Number, Quantity, FDC, Leaflet, Colour, Errors and many more details of the stamps, 228 Printed Pages on art paper 90 Gms, Size 180mm x 240mm (7.5 x 9.5 Inch) Covering Pakistan & Service and Bahawalpur & Service, at Rs. 700.00 within Pakistan & registered postage will be free and US$ 40.00 for all overseas countries. Recent stamps that are regularly available at post offices depict the father of the nation Mr. Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Low denominations have Islamic designs. High denominations are often commemorative stamps.

The first charm of Pakistani stamps is its variety of themes found on commemorative stamps. In large post office in Pakistan, it is worthwhile to search a philatelic bureau window. You can buy various commemorative stamps at face values. You can find Himalayan mountains, endangered wildlife, cricket heroes, historic buildings, folk costumes, and so on. The Pakistan Post Office has a sound policy of limiting the motives of stamps to those with relevance to Pakistan.

According to the Scott postage catalogue, about 750 stamps were issued between 1947 and 1990. Except for the high values of 1947 overprinted issues, no stamp has a big premium so that it is feasible to have a complete collection of postage stamps of Pakistan. If you buy Pakistan stamps in bulk, you will find a number of stamps inscribed "SERVICE". They are called official stamps and issued for the postal payment by government agencies.

For serious collectors of Pakistan stamps, becoming a member of Pakistan Postal stamp Collection Website. This website is designed for Pakistan postal stamp promotion in world.

How Many Rubber Stamps Do You Have in the Big World of Art Stamps?

For me it all started with these rubber stamps. That's right this cute little butterfly art stamp and this set of alphabet stamps.

I can remember my first rubber stamps. My brother gave them to me for my birthday. It was a butterfly art stamp, and an alphabet stamp set, that was 15 years ago. I can remember thinking to myself "what am I going to do with these rubber stamps"? Boy did I find out what to do with them. I made cute little butterfly note cards and I remember coloring them with a colored pencil (since that is all that I had back then or crayons), then with the alphabet stamps I stamped my family and friends name and of course finished it with a butterfly. Holy crow, he is the one that created my obsession with art stamps, and I am so happy that he did, thanks Mike.

What can I say; I Love Rubber Art Stamps and all the rubber stamping supplies that go along with them. Take a look at just some of the art stamps that I have. I have labeled each drawer and bin so I kind of know what is inside. I also have a few scattered around my craft studio on shelves. I told you that I Love Art Stamps. Now do you believe me?

Rubber stamps have come a long way. There are a ton of manufacturers for Art Stamps, depending on what you are looking for. A long time ago the only kind of art stamp that was available was the red rubber stamp mounted on a wood block. Now, those stamps are still available but there are also clear un-mounted art stamps that you take off of a cling sheet and adhere to an acrylic block. When you are done you just clean the stamp and take off the acrylic block and out back on the plastic sheet or in a clear plastic CD case.

The great thing about these art stamps is that you can see exactly where your image will be stamped on your card stock. This gives you less room for error (even though there is never an error in art, it just makes a different masterpiece then you expected).

What I love about the acrylic block rubber stamps is when you are working with alphabet stamps. The reason is you can have the correct spacing between each letter and word. When I have used alphabet stamps that were wood mounted, I usually had crooked words and phrases on my card or scrapbook page.

Another cool thing about these clear un-mounted rubber stamps is that they do not take up so much room as the original wood block art stamps. So if you do not have a lot of space to store your rubber stamps then this is the ideal way to go. I have two ways that I store my clear un-mounted rubber stamps. One is in a 3 ring binder, and the other in my Crop in Style Stamp Store tote. The stamp store can hold hundreds in the drawers.

There are also red rubber un-mounted stamps that you can purchase. They are cheaper than mounted rubber stamps. You can then mount them any way that you want; either on a wood block or use the ez-mount foam system (I will explain that in a near future article)

The last kind of rubber stamps that I can think of is the pre-inked art stamps. I have some art stamps that are pre-inked wheels. They are great for backgrounds or borders. All you do is insert the small cartridge of ink into the handle of the rubber stamps wheel, insert the wheel and away you go.

Well, as you can see I have a lot of rubber stamps. And with all these art stamps I do not have any duplicates and I can honestly say that I use or have used each and every one.

Tag : stamps,rubber stamps,art,Big World

Stamps and Coins - Collecting and Appraising Stamps and Coins

Before Beanie Babies - Before baseball cards -- Before Barbies -- there were stamps and coins. Stamps and coins still represent the largest collecting interest in the world. Everyone has seen, held and used stamps and coins, but not all of us, or our clients, know which stamps and coins are collectible and valuable. Perhaps you have slipped a valuable silver quarter into a Coke machine or licked a rare stamp to send a letter to a friend. Knowing what to look for can keep those valuable items from being used for soda pop and postage.

The collectible values of both stamps and coins are based upon the economic law of supply and demand. As you know, supply is the number of stamps or coins available in the market. Demand is the desire to hold, have or own the stamp or coin. The greater the demand, the more valuable an item usually is. The fewer number of items available (less supply) the greater the value as well.

An appraiser or collector can easily identify the original supply of stamps and coins by researching the quantities produced in most coin and stamp references. For stamps use the Scott Stamp Catalogs -- for coins, try Yeoman's Red Book.

These references describe every U.S. coin and stamp issued, and list the quantity minted or printed. The quantities produced do not necessarily indicate the number available today. Stamps are routinely used and discarded. Coins are taken out of circulation as they become worn or lost through holes in pants pockets.

But quantity is not necessarily the most important factor in establishing value. It is the supply of desirable stamps and coins that create those rare headlines: "Penny Worth Ten Thousand Dollars Found in gum machine." The most desirable, and valuable, stamps and coins are usually scarce and in excellent condition

One-cent coins known as "Indian-head" pennies are great examples of supply and demand. They were minted in the U.S. from 1869-1909 and show the profile of a Native American princess on the front (most folks think it's an Indian Chief). In 1876, approximately 8 million of these coins were minted. About 6 million were minted in 1878. But in 1877 less than one million pennies were minted. The 1877 pennies are valued at approximately 10 times more than coins in similar condition from 1876 or 1878.

The condition of coins and stamps is also an important factor. An 1877 "Indian-head" penny in "uncirculated condition" (really good shape) can be worth ten times more than an 1877 penny in "good" condition. Superb, uncirculated, 1877 "Indian-head" pennies can be found in coin shops selling for over $2,000.00 - (go get your own comps). A similar coin to search for is the 1909 Lincoln-head penny with the mint mark "S" under the date and the letters "V.D.B." on the back under the wheat stalks. Less than 500,000 1909S V.D.B. coins were minted compared to over 100 million other 1909 pennies. This coin was minted to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth.

The same supply and demand rules apply to postage stamps. Generally, unused stamps are more valuable than used stamps. Stamps in superb condition are usually more valuable than similar stamps in poor condition.

Stamp collectors look for stamps that are well-centered and have even, uniform margins. Stamps that are clean and free of tears are more valuable than their dirty, worn counterparts.

Just because a stamp or coin is old does not mean it is valuable. A coin from the Constantine Period of the Roman Empire, which is about 330-345 AD, is over 1,600 years old. It can be purchased from a reputable coin dealer for under $100.00. Although this Roman Empire coin is quite interesting they were sold by the barrel to dealers just a few years go.

A full sheet of commemorative stamps from the 1940's is worth little more than the value of the postage. Dealers pay less than face-value. The sheet of stamps, are available in great quantities and there is little demand for them as a collectible or as postage. You'll need a huge envelope to hold 39 cents worth of 3 cent stamps.

The good news is that there are probably hidden surprises in your clients' drawers. (Not those drawers!) Before 1965 the U.S. mint produced coins containing a high percentage of silver. These dimes, quarters, half dollars and dollars are worth approximately 4 times their denomination value, based on the silver content alone. Silver coins, in excellent condition, may be worth substantially more than those that are worn or damaged. If it's a US dime, quarter, half dollar or silver dollar dated before 1965, you have a silver coin. After 1964 the United States went to copper clad coins.

Before you run off to buy, sell, or appraise stamps and coins, here are a few tips from the professionals:
Jules Topfer, NAC's Stamp and Coin specialist researcher suggests: "Don't rush your research. Shop around. Get more than one comparable -- markets can vary greatly. Feel out the dealer's knowledge before you draw a value conclusion. Better yet, consult with other professional appraisers that specialize in the field.'

Leon Castner, ISA CAPP, Managing Partner at National Appraisal Consultants and a professional auctioneer adds: "Some of these stamps and coins come from collections, while others are part of accumulations. There is a big difference between a collection and an accumulation."

A collection is an organized group of stamps or coins, with a specific collecting purpose or goal. Collections are usually well-cared for and properly sorted and stored in albums or appropriate containers. An accumulation is a batch of coins in a coffee can or a pile of stamps in one big envelope.

Since stamp and coin appraisals are incredible labor intensive, appraisers need to differentiate between accumulations and collections. That distinction alone can help you and your client establish orders of magnitude in the appraisal process and save you and your client hours of inspection and research time.

The contents of collections are almost always in better condition than the contents of an accumulation. So, generally speaking, the value of a collection is usually greater than an accumulation containing the same material.

As mentioned above, the primary reference for stamp identification is the "Scott Catalog." These catalogs list all stamps by date of issue and country. The catalogs are quite large and contain and amazing amount of information. Each stamp is identified by a specific "Scott number," which is unique to that stamp. There are catalogs for different countries.

The most common catalog for US stamps and US philatelic related items is the "Scott Specialized Catalog." It includes first day covers, revenue stamps and many others philatelic ephemera.

If you are searching for values or prices you will most likely see that the stamps are identified by their Scott number.

Coins are best identified using Yeoman's catalog of US coins, commonly known as the "red book." Coins are commonly identified by their denomination, style and year. It is published by Whitman.

Prices and values can be found in variety of places. Dealers can provide you with their selling price, and may make offers on items, if they know the condition of the items they are buying. Remember, the amount a dealer offers for an item may not reflect the item's value.

eBay is certainly one place to look for values and prices, but there are many other sources which should be considered. Search other on-line auction sources, as well as on-line catalog offering.

But remember, when you really need to know, find a qualified, independent, personal property appraiser.

The terms "Scott," "Scott's," "Scott Catalogue," and "Scott Number" are trademarks of Scott Publishing Company, Inc.

Tag : stamps,coins,photo stamps,old stamps,rubber stamps

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brian_Kathenes

How Self Inking Stamps Support Modern Business Practices

If you have ever worked as a receptionist, secretary or any position in an office setting, you know the most important drawer of your desk is the one that holds all the stamps. You know the one that I am talking about; it has at least seven different custom made stamps all having an integral part in the business dealings that go. There is the one to approve certain documents, the one for mailing out letters, the one that acts as the president's signature and the ones that help identify invoices. They are all important, but none as important as the self inking stamp.

In most cases one is using self inking stamps. They are taken for granted that we don't even notice them and we also don't think about the time they save us. As you press down the self inking stamp the pad rotates to the faceplate of the stamp. Then they have a brief moment of togetherness and then their affair is cut short as the faceplate slams into the paper, leaving its mark. By this means we have eliminated a step in the stamping process that saves us a valuable amount of time.

You can get custom self inking stamps at such low cost that they are more valuable to your company than most of your employees, (well, maybe only at the companies I have worked for). They are an integral part of the business world, helping to promote organization as well as efficiency. Three ways that self inking stamps can help your business:

1. Self inking stamps improve your organization. Mostly you can buy self inking stamps in at least three different colors - red, blue or black. So you can easily and quickly see where the document belongs.

2. They can reduce mess and clutter on your desk or in your drawer. Without the messy inkpad to worry about, there are no smudges or spills to clean up.

3. Self inking stamps save you a valuable amount of time. By saving the unnecessary movement with your arm to the inkpad you cut the time it takes to stamp your paper in half.

This small device can make a big impact on the professionalism of your business. It can improve your organization, your efficiency and the overall appeal that you will have with your clients. For these reasons alone, it is well worth the tiny investment in these devices.

Self inking stamps can also be used creatively.

Well, it is easier now than ever! You can have these stamps customized for whatever need you can think of. Perhaps you are a teacher and would like a new and personal way to tell your students that they have done a great job. Perhaps it is a family members birthday, and you want to tell them how much you love them. Whatever your needs are, these stamps can be customized to fit them.

How Many Rubber Stamps Do You Have in the Big World of Art Stamps?

For me it all started with these rubber stamps. That's right this cute little butterfly art stamp and this set of alphabet stamps.

I can remember my first rubber stamps. My brother gave them to me for my birthday. It was a butterfly art stamp, and an alphabet stamp set, that was 15 years ago. I can remember thinking to myself "what am I going to do with these rubber stamps"? Boy did I find out what to do with them. I made cute little butterfly note cards and I remember coloring them with a colored pencil (since that is all that I had back then or crayons), then with the alphabet stamps I stamped my family and friends name and of course finished it with a butterfly. Holy crow, he is the one that created my obsession with art stamps, and I am so happy that he did, thanks Mike.

What can I say; I Love Rubber Art Stamps and all the rubber stamping supplies that go along with them. Take a look at just some of the art stamps that I have. I have labeled each drawer and bin so I kind of know what is inside. I also have a few scattered around my craft studio on shelves. I told you that I Love Art Stamps. Now do you believe me?

Rubber stamps have come a long way. There are a ton of manufacturers for Art Stamps, depending on what you are looking for. A long time ago the only kind of art stamp that was available was the red rubber stamp mounted on a wood block. Now, those stamps are still available but there are also clear un-mounted art stamps that you take off of a cling sheet and adhere to an acrylic block. When you are done you just clean the stamp and take off the acrylic block and out back on the plastic sheet or in a clear plastic CD case.

The great thing about these art stamps is that you can see exactly where your image will be stamped on your card stock. This gives you less room for error (even though there is never an error in art, it just makes a different masterpiece then you expected).

What I love about the acrylic block rubber stamps is when you are working with alphabet stamps. The reason is you can have the correct spacing between each letter and word. When I have used alphabet stamps that were wood mounted, I usually had crooked words and phrases on my card or scrapbook page.

Another cool thing about these clear un-mounted rubber stamps is that they do not take up so much room as the original wood block art stamps. So if you do not have a lot of space to store your rubber stamps then this is the ideal way to go. I have two ways that I store my clear un-mounted rubber stamps. One is in a 3 ring binder, and the other in my Crop in Style Stamp Store tote. The stamp store can hold hundreds in the drawers.

There are also red rubber un-mounted stamps that you can purchase. They are cheaper than mounted rubber stamps. You can then mount them any way that you want; either on a wood block or use the ez-mount foam system (I will explain that in a near future article)

The last kind of rubber stamps that I can think of is the pre-inked art stamps. I have some art stamps that are pre-inked wheels. They are great for backgrounds or borders. All you do is insert the small cartridge of ink into the handle of the rubber stamps wheel, insert the wheel and away you go.

Well, as you can see I have a lot of rubber stamps. And with all these art stamps I do not have any duplicates and I can honestly say that I use or have used each and every one.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joan_Koeppel

Philatelic Museum Bangkok - The History Of Thai Postage Stamps

Philatelic Museum Bangkok records the Thai stamp and postal history from the mid 1800s - the present day, with stamps honoring the reigning monarch of the day and marking significant events in Thai history.

The museum was first established in 1947 when the postal services were under the Post and Telegraph Department. After reorganization of the civil service and several relocations, the Philatelic Museum, currently under Thailand Post Company Ltd, finally found its permanent home in Sam Sen Nai Post Office next to the Saphan Kwai skytrain station on 15 December 2004.

Stamps often tell the story of the history and culture of a society. The Thai stamps in the Philatelic Museum Bangkok have their stories to tell too.

The Thai postal history - the early days

Our story begins in the reign of King Rama IV (1851 - 1868). In those days, before the existence of a postal service in Thailand, people sent letters through messengers or friends who were traveling within or out of the country.

With the signing of the Bowring Treaty in 1855, Thailand opened up for foreign trade. The presence of foreign businesses and consulates in Bangkok necessitated a postal service. This was setup in 1867 by the British Postal Service and run by the British consulate in Bangkok purely for communications between consulates.

As Thailand had no stamps of her own then, she used stamps of British India which were also used in the Straits Settlements, Malacca, Penang and Singapore. Stamps for use in Bangkok were marked with a capital "B". The mail was routed through Singapore and had a Singapore postmark.

In 1875, during the reign of King Rama V (1868 - 1910), Prince Bhanurangsri Sawangwongse, younger brother of the king, published a newspaper "Court" for royalty and high officials. A local stamp was affixed for delivery services. This laid the groundwork for the Thai postal service in the future.

Philatelic Museum - the advent of the postal service

In 1880 some members of the government felt a pressing need for a postal service for the general public and petitioned King Rama V. The king agreed. Fittingly Prince Bhanurangsri was tasked to do this and was appointed the first Director General of the Post Department. The first post office was built in Charoen Krung Road by the Chao Phraya River near the mouth of the Ong-Ang canal.

Thai stamp history - the first stamp issue

With the establishment of the domestic postal service, Thailand issued her first postage stamp on 4 August 1883; 43 years after "Penny Black" the world's first prepaid adhesive postage stamps appeared in England.

The first set of stamps had the portrait of King Rama V, was designed by William Ridgeway and printed by the Waterlow Printing Company of England. The stamps bore no country name and were only for domestic use. The Thais had their own nickname for these stamps, "Solot", after the price of the stamp in the old currency.

Originally stamp denominations were in solot, att, sio, salung, the old Thai currency units. When the currency was changed to baht and satang, new stamps were issued.

On 1 July 1885, Thailand joined the Universal Postal Union, which coordinates the international postal system. In line with international convention, the country name and price in Arabic and Thai numerals were printed on the Thai stamps.

Subsequent commemorative issues in the Philatelic Museum

On 11 November 1908, Thailand celebrated the 40th anniversary of the reign of King Rama V, the longest reigning Thai monarch then, with a new set of postage stamps.

In the reign of King Rama VII (1925 - 1935), special stamps marked 150 years under the reign of the Chakri Kings. The stamp had portraits of King Rama I (1782) and King Rama VII (1932). What was the significance of this 150 year anniversary?

An astrologer had predicted earlier that the Chakri dynasty would come to an end after 150 years. On 1 April 1932, the 150th anniversary of the dynasty, there was a big celebration to prove soothsayer wrong. Though the prediction wasn't completely right, two months later, the absolute monarchy was overthrown in a coup on 24 June 1932.

In the reign of King Rama VIII (1935 - 1946), a special set of stamps were issued in 1943 featuring the Monument to the Expeditionary Force. These stamps weren't meant to commemorate the Thai military effort during World War I. Furthermore, the stamps were priced in "cents".

Called "Four States", these stamps were meant for use in the four Malay states of Kelantan, Perlis, Sara Buri (the state of Kedah today) and Trengganu. These states, which were ceded to Britain in the reign of King Rama V, came temporarily under Thai rule during World War II when Thailand declared war on Britain and the USA.

The story of the stamps in the Philatelic Museum continues into the reign of King Rama IX, the present king. There were several memorable occasions when commemorative stamps were issued.

When the Benjarong (Thai pottery in five primary colors) issue won second prize at the International Stamp Competition in Vienna, Austria in 1981, these stamps secured a place in the Philatelic Museum.

The commemorative issue celebrating the Bangkok Bicentenary (1782 - 1982) provides the centerpiece of the Philatelic Museum. These set of stamps had the nine Chakri kings, Rama I to Rama IX in denominations from 1 baht - 9 baht.

In 1999, Thailand celebrated the 72nd (the 6th cycle) birthday of HM the King with another set of stamps. Firm believers in astrology and the 12 zodiac signs, Thais consider anniversaries in multiples of 12 particularly 60, 72 extremely auspicious.

Besides the displays of prominent issues, the Philatelic Museum preserves hundreds of the old stamps and envelopes in frames filed in chronological order. I was surprised to see old envelopes used by early Chinese immigrants in Bangkok to remit money to China.

There's also a comfortable library well stocked with books, collectors' journals and stamp bulletins and a souvenir shop.

Since 1883, the Thai postal service has made more than 720 stamp issues. The Philatelic Museum Bangkok preserves this postal and stamp history of Thailand and the significant events related to these issues.

Photos of the stamp collection can be viewed at the Philatelic Museum, one of the old treasures discovered in Tour Bangkok Legacies a historical travel site on people, places and events that left their mark in the landscape of Bangkok. For other Bangkok Museums.

The author Eric Lim lives in Bangkok Thailand and writes for this do-it-yourself historical travel guide for independent travelers.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eric_Lim

6 Quick Steps to Stamp Collecting

You get your mail, riffle through, then suddenly you spot that colorful postage stamp and you think, "I should be collecting them."

Or, you're probably awed over that huge collection of stamps featured at the nearby museum. You look at it and say, "That looks like an interesting hobby."

Well then, welcome to the world of postage stamp collecting.

First things first. To start any activity, you have to have your materials and tools. In stamp collecting you'll need:

- Your stamps

- Stamp album or stock book

- A magnifying glass

- A glass vessel, usually 8" by 10" or 10" by 12" in size, to soak your stamps in

- Lots of plain, white, paper towels

- A stamp drying book

- A thermometer

- Heavy books

These can be found at your local post office, DIY store and the internet. You might also want to buy a watermark detector, but if you're just starting out, it isn't really necessary yet.

Now on to the steps:

1. Get

If you're starting from zero, the best way to go is to buy local postage stamps first. A packet of 500 or 1000 assorted worldwide stamps are usually available at your nearest post office. This goes for at least $3 to $6.

Still isn't too varied for you, you could try to buy from dealers who sell "kiloware". Kiloware are stamps on-paper sold by weight (by the pound) for a specific amount. You could also try going to stamp shows where they sell stamps, by the bucket! See http://www.stamps.org for a calendar of the shows.

Now, you can get try getting stamps for free! Here are some quick tips on how to. This will definitely make your stamp hunting more interesting and worthwhile:

- Inform everybody you know that you're collecting stamps. Chances are they'd pull out all that old letters they kept and start giving them to you. Don't forget to say thank you.

- Have relatives in foreign countries? Ask them to send you some (or a lot) of postage stamps available in that country. If that doesn't work, try asking them to send you letters instead.
- Know of anyone who's going on a business trip abroad? A vacation in Asia? Going up north? Ask them to send you post cards form wherever they are. Not only do you get the stamps, you also get to keep track of how they are.

- Get to know your neighbors. Chances are one of them is working in a big company or institution wherein loads of letters pour in everyday. And if you're really lucky, said neighbor might actually be the one in charge of opening all those letters. You get the drift?

- The next time you visit the post office, keep an open eye for stray envelopes that recent visitors have carelessly tossed aside. Many people read and discard their letters at the post office.

- Make friends with fellow collectors. Trading and swapping not only increases your collection, it also allows you to get acquaintances and friends.

- Get your grandma or grandpa to let you see their old letters. There is a high chance that you'll get rare and old stamps that you won't see anywhere ever again.

2. Sort

Have you stamps in one huge box? Now's the time to sort them all out. Sorting is necessary to facilitate the storing process. Most of the stamps you have are on paper because they are cut out from mailing envelopes. You need to sort them out into:

- stamps with white background paper

- stamps with colored background paper

- stamps with rubber stamp ink (especially those in red and purple)

- stamps without rubber stamp ink

3. Trim

Leave about 1-2 cm safety margin when you trim your stamps. Also, try not to cut the perforations, as it will decrease the value of your stamp.

4. Soak

Never try peeling a stamp off the paper, even if it's loose. Peeling like this is a surefire way to ruin your stamp. The way to do it is to soak it in water.

First, fill up your vessel to about half. The water temperature should be around 30-35°C. Water that's too warm or hot will increase the chances of color running. Soak your stamps by batches, around 8 or 10, for around 15 minutes.

Remember: NEVER soak a stamp with white background paper and a stamp with a colored one at the same time. Stamps with a colored background paper and those with rubber stamp inks usually stain the water and might damage your white stamps. This is why you need to sort them all out before starting.

They way to go with these problematic stamps is to soak them individually. Yes, it could be time consuming and tiring but in the end, you'll get great stamps.

After 15 minutes, pick up a stamp with your fingers and try to peel it off the backing. If there is even the slightest of resistance, drop it back into the water and wait for another 10 minutes or so.

5. Dry

After peeling, lay your stamps face up into a waiting paper towel. Put another sheet on top and gently blot the excess moisture. Be extra careful since wet stamps are very fragile.

Afterwards, line them up in the plastic page of your stamp album. Place the blotter sheet atop them, close the book and press. It'd help if you put heavy books on top of the drying book to ensure nice, flat stamps. They should be sufficiently dry after 4-5 hours.

6. Store

If you want to be able to move them around and shuffle them, you' be better off with a stock album. A stock album has plastics sleeves wherein you can keep the stamps and their duplicates.

But if you want to store them for good, you can mount them in a stamp album. It'd be a permanent home for your beloved collection.

Lee Dobbins has been an antique and collectibles enthusiast as well as dealer for 20 years. Visit http://collecting.leisure-webzone.com/ where you can learn more about collecting for fun and profit.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lee_Dobbins

Collecting Stamps – More Than A Kids Play

Most people may know that collectible rare stamps have high price tags. However, only people involved in the collection and purchase of rare stamps, know that making a stamp investment is one of the best investment options available out there.

The whole idea behind investments is that there is a waiting period before an investor can see the benefits. And this is especially true in the case of stamp investments. The field of rare stamps is probably one of the fields that are not going to get affected by any economic crisis, no matter how harsh it may be. That’s the best part about rare stamps, they can never depreciate.

There is a constant overwhelming number of collectors entering the rare stamps market, and this only leads to an increase in value for the stamps. The reason why this happens is because, the number of rare stamps is limited, so with the increasing number of collectors and intermediaries, there are not enough to go around. Therefore, we can easily observe that the demand is completely outweighing the supply. The larger the demand, the higher the prices get on rare stamps.

Buying 200 or 100 years old stamps is not the only way to make a stamp investment. Well versed stamp investors prospect various countries around the world that foresee economic growth in the long term. These countries are usually the best sources for quality rare stamps that turn out to be high quality stamp investments. One thing you have to keep an eye out for is quality. The quality has been and always will be directly proportional with the price tag for that item. Making a stamp investment by purchasing stamps of a low quality will not only bring no profit, but it will most likely lead to losses.

The best thing about collecting stamps and keeping them for a profit is that the only requirements are a little education on the subject, and a flair for business. Stamp investments have settled in the top 4 investment options. Investing in rare stamps will get you an annual return of at least 12%.

Moreover, the stock exchange market in London currently holds a company that is selling 150 year old rare stamps. An accomplished stamp collector must be knowledgeable and able to correctly grade and classify rare stamps; must have extensive knowledge about rare stamps from all over the world. He must know the correct ways to handle and store his stamps. Also, keeping tight relationships with other collectors and philatelists, ensures that a collector’s stamp investment will be on the safe side, in the long run.

As a conclusion, I’ll say that collecting stamps is not just a kids’ hobby, but it can also turn into a true business opportunity. And the best thing is, you don’t have to start big; you can just buy a rare stamp, or two, and see how that works out; or maybe, even sift through your parents or grandparents’ stamp collections to see if you find an item that might turn out to be a genuine gem.

By: Groshan Fabiola

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Stamp Collecting is a Great Hobby That You Can Start Almost Instantly!

Stamp collecting may not be viewed as the most glamorous or exciting of hobbies but it is certainly one of the most popular hobbies in the world and everyone can do it. It is said there are up to 20 million collectors in the United States alone which makes stamp collecting big business and also means that if you are looking to take up the hobby, there is help and advice available. One great beauty of the hobby is that it doesn't require much time or money to get started. There is a lot of specialist equipment available if you get serious but stamp collecting is a great hobby that you can start almost instantly.

People get into stamp collecting in a number of different ways and this variety is another reason why the hobby is so popular. Perhaps a collection has been passed down through the ages or maybe a particular range of stamps such as those commemorating a sporting event has piqued someone's interest are just two reasons to get involved with the hobby. No matter the reason for getting into stamp collecting, for more details visit to www.be-a-stargazer.com the wide range of stamps available means that it will never be as boring as some people make out.

Although this is a fun hobby, there are a growing number of people who participate in it as a means of investment. The current financial restraint means that people are becoming more cautious with their money and a good stamp collection containing rare and valuable stamps is a sturdy investment for the future that will be unaffected by fluctuating interest rates. This means that a person can have the stamps and gain enjoyment and pleasure from looking at them but also be able to sell them in the future for a return. One great incentive to start children off in the world of stamp collecting is to make them aware of the financial benefits they may have in older life from starting a serious collection today.

Another benefit of stamp collecting comes from the social interaction that can arise from the hobby. Whether it is from regularly shopping at a specialist store and becoming acquainted with the store owner or other participants or for more details visit to www.profit-pulling-niches.com perhaps swapping stamps with other collectors, this is a hobby that can be shared and enjoyed by many. There are also a vast number of websites dedicated to the hobby and this ensures that collectors can have interaction and debate with people around the world and learn even more about their hobby.

Stamp collecting may not be viewed as the most interesting of past-times but with so much variety on offer, it is clear that there is not one distinct type of stamp collector so it is impossible to pigeonhole every single collector in such a narrow manner. With the number of collectors rising each year, this is a hobby that is never going to go away.

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What Are My Stamps Worth?

Stamp collecting has been a hobby for many generations. Whether you inherited a collection, casually collected stamps over the years, or are just about to begin collecting a commonly asked question is “What are my stamps worth?”

Whether you want to buy or sell stamps it’s important to understand how to properly describe the condition of stamps and how to properly grade stamps. This is a task each collector must learn to do.

It will take some practice and most likely some mistakes but over time you should be able look at a stamp and know the condition as well as give it a fairly accurate grade. Of course an exact grade can be given with close examination. This skill will save you time and money!

If you’ve ever had a look at a stamp catalog you’ll know that they generally have a section that outlines the stamps grade and its value. Usually the catalogue prices are based on one specific grade with the understanding by collectors that premium grades will sell for more and poorer grades for less.

Generally web sites follow this same format. The difference with a web site is that they will often scan all of the stamps they have in various grades for your viewing. The big problem is that scans may not always show faults so it’s important that the site also provide a detailed description as to the stamps condition.

The grading of stamps is fairly standard around the world which makes is relatively easy to buy additions for your collection from any part of the world or sell stamps to any part of the world. The big question that remains is do your stamps make the grade?

Grading is quite a technical process. It describes how well the stamps design is centered both vertically and horizontally between the perforations, the condition of the gum on mint stamps, and the effect of the cancellation stamp on used stamps. Stamps are graded like a school student earning marks such as superb or poor with an attached description that further outlines their condition.

Condition describes the physical characteristics of the stamp relating to the ink, design centering, and the paper. A description should be concise and provide the detailing that a standard grade does not supply. Whether you are buying or selling stamps you should always have a grade and a description available.

Superb defines a stamp that is perfect in every respect and it actually a very rare grade to see.

Extremely Fine or Extra Fine defines a stamp that is near perfect with a well centered design, cancel marks are neat and light, mint stamps have OG. The colors are rich and bright and there are no visible faults on the stamp.

Very Fine defines a stamp that is balanced and centered though not necessarily perfectly even. The imperforates have three normal margins, cancel marks are neat and light, mint stamps have OG. The colors are rich and bright and there are no visible faults on the stamp. This is the common grade for catalogue stamps. As you can see the difference between extra fine and very fine are nominal.

Fine defines a stamp where the design is slightly off center but is clear of the perfs with two normal margins. The cancel does not detract from the stamps design and mint stamps have LH or HH depending on when they were issued. There are no visible faults.

Good or average defines a stamp as having an off center design and the perfs may cut the design. The cancel is heavy and obscures the stamps design. There are no tears or thin spots. This is the lowest collectable stamp grade. Anything less is not considered collectible.

Poor defines a stamp that is not suited for collecting unless in the odd occasion when it is a very rare stamp. It may be off center, have thin spots or tears, and the cancel may be thick and smeared.

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Jude Minar