Pay Attention To Detail With Personalized Wedding Stamps

Do you want to make sure that your wedding is absolutely perfect? The most important thing to remember when you are trying to plan your wedding is that the best weddings pay very close attention to detail. It’s the little things that matter, and some things as small as the napkins you use and the candles you pick to light your tables actually have an affect on people. If you make sure to pay attention to the little details, your guests won’t notice a lot of the bigger elements of your wedding. As a result, you can save a whole lot of money. One tiny little detail to keep in mind is personalized wedding stamps.

The little details in your wedding are what ultimately tie everything together. When you invest in the small things, your guests will get a sense that you have really made an effort to make your wedding as organized and unified as possible. Personalized wedding stamps are one of the very small details that people really take notice of. When you send off your mail consisting of save the date cards, shower invites, wedding invites, thank-you notes, and anything else, they will all be tied together by a single element.

Personalized wedding stamps are wonderful because they are completely original to you and your wedding. You can browse through options online and choose the perfect stamp to adorn your wedding mail. There are several choices you can make. You can choose between a wide range of wedding like images such as flowers, rings, bells, hearts and others. You can also look around for personalized wedding stamps that can come marked with your names or a word or phrase that you would like to associate with your wedding. Whatever stamp you choose to purchase, you will be able to use any form of currency and buy your stamps in a variety of values so that you do not have to worry about not having enough postage to send heavier letters or long distance mail.

When you are planning your wedding, do not look over the small details. If you are not particularly detail oriented, ask someone in your family or your bridal party to think up ways that you can make the small aspects of your wedding like personalized wedding stamps shine. If you show the proper attention to detail, your guests will be amazed at the wonderful planning that went into making your special day as perfect as can be.

Purchasing Personalized Wedding Stamps

Have you ever thought about the amount of mail you will need to send out to have a successful wedding? Between sending save the date cards, invitations, and thank you cards, you can end up sending out a giant pile of mail. It is not uncommon for a wedding to host around two hundred people. By the time you send every one of your guests all the mail you need, you can pay a fortune in postage. When you are using that many stamps to send out the mail important to your wedding, you might not want to keep buying standard American flag or Liberty Bell stamps. In this situation, it is not very appropriate. Instead, you should look into purchasing personalized wedding stamps.

Personalized wedding stamps will provide you with a way to place a special mark on the mail that you send out to your wedding guests. When you first send out your save the date cards, your guests might already know what is awaiting them inside the envelope. Personalized wedding stamps will work to make your wedding look all the more put together. With just one look at the stamp that marks your mail, your family and friends will be excited to open their letters, knowing that there is a piece of wedding news waiting for them.

There are a lot of options available when you are choosing personalized wedding stamps. Some of the most common stamp choices involve a picture of wedding related items such as wedding rings, flowers, church bells, a heart, and religious symbols. However, you can get even more personal with your wedding stamps. A lot of bride and grooms create stamps that bare an image that is unique to their own wedding. This can be an image of the flowers that you have chosen, a stamp related to the month in which your wedding takes place, or even a stamp with your names printed on it.

Whatever you want on your stamps, you are sure to be able to find it. Don’t settle for plain boring stamps when you can add a little something extra to your save the date cards, invitations, and thank-you notes. You can purchase personalized wedding stamps in any currency, and they come in a variety of values so that you can send your mail no matter what the size or the distance. If you would like to browse around for your wedding stamp options, there are plenty of resources online.

A Guide to Stamps of Australia

Stamp collecting is on the whole a very popular hobby all over the world. This also rings true in Australia where many types of people have a strong interest in philately. There is a good variety of common and collectible Australian stamps issued each year. It is often surprising to see which stamps are most popular amongst collectors. The most popular in Australia is determined each year as thousands of locals vote for their favourite design. First place receives the distinguished Australia Post stamp design award. Some past winners include:

Sports treasures 2005: this line was particularly popular with sports lovers (Australia is a great sporting nation), and included pictures of Donald Bradman's baggy green, Marjorie Jackson's running spikes, Lionel Roses boxing gloves and Phar laps racing silks.

Working dogs 2008: this line featured images of working dogs such as German shepherds and border collies. The most popular of these was a working dogs stamp issue which depicted a border collie.

Australian songbirds 2009: this was a particularly beautiful range and included images of the mangrove golden Whistler, the Green catbird, the Scarlet honeyeater and the noisy scrub bird.

Rare Australian Stamps.

Like stamp collectors from around the world Australian philatelists thoroughly enjoy finding the most rare and valuable Australian stamps to add to their collection. These are generally older stamps with distinctive or memorable designs although having said that, age is not the only factor in determining a stamps value. If a stamp was produced in large quantities and many copies still remain, this will of course drive the price down. Scarcity is the most important factor in determining the value of a stamp. Here are a few examples.

Inverted swan stamp 1855: this stamp is extremely rare and was one of the first to ever feature an inverted frame error. The Black Swan on the stamp was inadvertently printed upside down. With only 15 of these stamps remaining in existence they are currently valued at US$60,000 each.

King George V head stamps: many stamps depict King George V, but these are not all valuable. King George V stamps which include a dull green seahorse issue stamp 1913 and a turquoise royal cipher stamp 1912 with an inverted watermark are examples of some of the rarer issues.

Sir Charles Kingsford Smith 1931: Sir Charles Kingsford Smith was the first living Australian to be shown on an Australian stamp. A set that was presented to Sir Charles by the Australian postmaster general is one of the rarest of these.

Where to buy Australian stamps

As with stamp collecting in any country there are many different options and places to find and buy common, collectible and rare Australian stamps. Stamp bulletin features pictures of and information about a wide range of stamps and includes a mail order catalogue in each issue. For locals there are specialty shops where stamps can be bought though these are becoming fewer and less since the advent of the web. There is also a wide range of online stores providing wide ranges of common, collectible, and rare Australian stamps.

What's my collection worth?

There are many ways to obtain valuations for your Australian stamp collection. Local stamp collecting clubs and societies can be a fantastic source of information or if you are lucky enough to have a local specialty store whose opinion you trust this is also a good place to start. Some websites offer valuation services though they may require you to be a member first.

Stamp forgery

Many Australian stamp collectors may be unaware of the number of past attempts to forge rare Australian stamps. Possibly the most famous of these attempts occurred in 1932 when a fraudster tried to forge the very rare 'two pound kangaroo on map' stamp.

Art Rubber Stamps For Scrapbooking

Scrapbooking is a super fun activity that can be enjoyed by you or the entire family. It has become a popular hobby for many. There are times when you might run out of creative ideas or ingenious materials to make a scrapbook album. Ideally one uses recycled or unused products to make a really personalized and unique scrapbook. On the other hand, there are various materials available such as stickers and trimmings, glossy and printed paper, art rubber stamps are becoming more and more popular everyday among scrapbook lovers. Are you interested in this artistic and resourceful craft?

Scrapbooking has evolved into more than just an art. For those who have learned to love the craft, it's their means to relieve stress and to relax. Materials such as art rubber stamps make scrapbooking more fun. Stamps were introduced to this hobby mainly because people are running out of imaginative ideas. stamps also save a lot of time if you are itching to complete your album. You can easily find a wide array of stamps online, at stationary shops and in craft stores. Feel free to choose creative pieces that suit your personal style and taste. stamps are available in different shapes and sizes. There are mounted rubber stamps, quick rubber stamps, acrylic mounts, unmounted rubber stamps, and rubber stamps which have different images and depths. You need not worry because these stamps are very easy and simple to use.

Art rubber stamps will come in handy for those who are not particularly good in drawing or for those people who are not that proud to showcase their handwriting. Using decorative stamps will help you come up with a nice looking album wherein you can display your creative skills. So let your ideas come to life and get down stamping your album using decorative stamps. You may choose to go for any design or style that interests you - animated, simple, pictorial, plain and even embossed rubber stamps. There are stamps that are compatible with different fabrics, papers and cards to give life to anything you wish to create.

Decorative stamps are so easy to clean and maintain and offer an elegant touch to your very own album. The most popular and widely used stamps are cute animals, caricatures and shapes of hearts, chicks, figures of women and men, birds, smilies, cats, dogs, fishes, cows and many more. Do a quick search online and you will find what you are looking for easily. If you are new to scrapbooking, don't focus too much on creating a masterpiece, instead focus on having fun while doing it. You will get the hang of it pretty easily.

The good thing about decorative stamps is that you won't end up with a messy looking artwork. If you are just a beginner scrapbooker you can ask for great ideas from friends who are into scrapbooking for a long time. You need not mimic their style, choose a design that you are comfortable with, and feel free to browse countless designs online to find out what works for you.

Tips on How to Start a Stamp Collection

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

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=A._Labedzki

Decorative Rubber Stamps - Know Which Type to Use

A few decades back, stamp lovers only have one option - the standard wood rubber stamp. The majority of old rubber stamps are available with handles, very much like most office stamps today, while the other kind had simple pegs attached to it. As stamps become more popular in modern times, more manufacturers are creating a wide variety of decorative rubber stamps. You have lots of options to choose from - clear acrylic, unmounted, foam, mounted, by the sheet or individually. Do a brief check online and you will discover lots of companies who sell different types. Now you may be wondering what stamp would work for you best. I hope that I have a direct answer to that, but each kind of stamp has features that make them work better than the other. Let's take the mystery out of what stamp will work best for what purpose.

Originally foam stamps were made to be used by kids. While this fact may have been true a couple of years ago, decorative rubber stamp manufacturers have created high quality foam stamps that can be readily bought today. If you are planning to add a bit of artwork to your walls or on fabric, then foam stamps are a wonderful choice. This type of stamp is relatively cheap and it's a great choice if you prefer to have a deep image on uneven or irregular surfaces. Are you planning to stamp on denim, fabric, walls, tin or plastic? If yes, then foam stamps are your best bet.

Two decades back, if you were to tell someone that you have stocked an entire closet with rubber stamps, you will somehow come off as odd or strange. Today, with rubber stamping becoming more and more popular due to its convenience and ease of use, you will find lots of people with stamps filling up their cabinets and closets. This increasing demand had manufacturers making more stamp storage units. Some crafters prefer to buy unmounted rubber stamps since the mounted kind with a wooden mount tends to be bulky and take up a lot of storage space. These stamps can be bought individually but if you have a great need for them and you would want to save money, you can buy them by the bulk. Unmounted stamps are normally attached to static cling foam or magnets so you can decide on what will work better for you. There are people who choose traditional rubber stamps which can be mounted pretty easily. These stamps are usually placed on static cling foam and they have been closely trimmed to the design.

The most recent rubber stamps are the acrylic kind. If you want to go for acrylic, make sure that you buy the best clear stamps so you won't end up disappointed. This type of stamp is normally placed on a clear acrylic block to achieve accuracy in stamping and good ink coverage.

When buying decorative rubber stamps, the biggest concern usually is the cost. With unmounted stamps you are assured of inexpensive shipping. Be careful not to purchase stamps that come in bargain bags because most of them have poor designs and quality.

Tag : stamps,rubber stamps,postage stamps,stamps online

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

How to Start a Stamp Collection

Stamps are a necessary facet for the delivery of physical items in our modern postal service. However it was not always so. Prior to the introduction of the 'Penny Black' in 1840s Britain, recipients had to pay for the delivery of any post. The cost was determined according to the number of pages sent and the distance transversed.

Pre-paid adhesive Stamps were in fact the brainchild of Rowland Hill in his 1837 proposal to reform the British Postal System. Little did he realize then that his invention would become one of the most popular hobbies in the modem world.

The attraction of stamp collection is multi faceted. From a hobby perspective it illuminates people's understanding of diverse cultures, events and dialects. There is the pleasure obtained from collecting beautiful miniature pieces of art and the thrill of collecting rare and valuable pieces.

5 Key steps in beginning your stamp collection include;

Step One: New or Used Stamps
The fist decision a stamp collector must make is whether to focus on used stamps, unused / mint stamps or a collection of both. Initially it is advisable to commence collecting used stamps. These are readily available, inexpensive and will give you a feel for the hobby.

Commence by removing stamps from your received mail. Please note it is often more valuable to collect the entire envelope due to a unique postmark date. Ask your friends, family and any over seas relatives to send you their stamps. This will provide the impetus for a diverse collection at low cost.

Step Two: Select a Theme
It would not be feasible to intend on accumulating a complete worldwide collection of stamps. Such a collection would be very expensive to acquire and require storage for thousands of volumes. For this purpose collectors focus on small definitive niches encapsulating time periods, particular countries, topicals or types of stamps.

These niches vary from pictorials and commemorative stamps to topicals such as; Olympics, space, famous people, animals, birds, sports and a whole lot more besides.

Your choice will most often be dictated by your interests. Concentrate your collection on that which you would be excited to own.

Step Three: Purchase Stamp Collecting Equipment & a Stamp Collection Catalog
When starting out it is essential to buy a good catalog / album. Stamp catalogs and reference guides are full of useful data on stamp collection history and on individual stamps themselves. These guides provide useful data including essential stamp particulars and book value. It is advisable to get a catalog with the Scott numbering system. It is not necessary to buy the latest most expensive catalog or albums, those which are 4/5 years old will suffice for the purpose intended.

Other necessary stamp collecting equipment includes; stamp thongs, magnifying glass, archival stock book, and if you are very serious stamp collecting software.

These items enable a serious stamp collector to better examine their collection and preserve the stamps for years to come.

Step Four: Find a Reputable Dealer and Buy Stamps online

When you have become comfortable with the fundamentals of stamp collection and feel ready to purchase, visit your local stamp dealer (see newspaper classifieds) and purchase a stack of assorted used stamps. This will cover a diverse range of topics and provide hours of enjoyment in sorting and categorizing your collection.

Join online stamp auction sites such as eBay.com and bid at stamp auctions or philatelic exhibitions. Take your time, get educated, ask lots of questions and make informed buying decisions.

When purchasing stamps online you need to specify whether they are by 'approval' or 'want list'. Approval refers to a situation whereby a dealer sends the collector assorted stamps and they then decide which to retain. A 'Want List' refers to a situation whereby the dealer checks if requested stamps are in stock and quotes prices for specified stamps the collector wants to collect.

Step Five: Join a Stamp Collecting Club and Get involved in online forums
The very best way to learn about the great hobby of stamp collection is by taking part in interactive online forums and by joining local stamp collecting clubs. You will then benefit from the accumulated knowledge of seasoned stamp collectors. They will be able to answer your questions and ensure your hobby is enjoyable rather than frustrating due to any learning curve.

Tag : stamps,stamp collection,photo stamps,old stamps

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Martin_O'_Flynn

E-Stamping - New Stamp Duty System Introduced by Revenue Commissioners

E-Stamping

E-Stamping is a new stamping system which has been introduced by the Revenue Commissioners to replace the existing stamping system. The aim of the new e-Stamping system is to provide a more cost effective and efficient stamping system. The new system will apply to all instruments which require stamping and where stamp duty is payable. There are two ways to use the new system. Firstly you can log on to Revenue Online System-ROS (if you are already registered, alternatively you can register as a new user) and file an instrument and pay stamp duty as applicable, using the e-Stamping Return. If you do not wish to use ROS, then you can file a paper stamp return by post or by hand with the Revenue Commissioners.

E-Stamping Return

To avail of using the E-Stamping Return, you must log onto ROS. If you are not already registered for ROS, you can do so by following the ROS Registration process on ros.ie. Once registered and logged on, you can select stamp duty from the list of taxes. The systems will guide you through the various fields using drop down menus, which means that you will only need to complete the sections which apply to your particular case. Once all the information is completed correctly, the E-Stamping system will calculate the stamp duty which may be payable. If accepted, you may proceed, file the return and pay the appropriate stamp duty. You may save your workings offline however, if you are not ready to file yet. Also, you may file the return but choose not to pay by Direct Debit, you may send in the duty payable by cheque or electronic transfer. Once payment is received by the Revenue Commissioners and they are satisfied with their review, they will issue a Stamping Certificate. This Certificate replaces the holograph strip which previously was affixed to the instrument once stamp duty had been paid. Under the new system if you pay the stamp duty by Direct Debit, you will receive the Stamp Certificate in your ROS inbox and this should be printed off and affixed to the instrument. If you choose to pay by EFT or cheque, the certificate will be posted out to you. If an adjudication is required, it may take longer than normal for the certificate will be issued.

The main advantages of the E-Stamping Return are as follows:

• The new system applies to all stamp duty cases (E.g sale of new or second hand house, company reconstructions, transactions between related parties, instruments where consideration is uncertainable)
• You can save and amend your work offline before filing
• Help Text available online
• Constant availability of online system
• Variety of payment options
• Can view previous filings and workings
• Amendments can be made returns which have been filed
• Validation checks available

The Paper Return

For those who choose not to use the e-Stamping System on ROS a Stamp Duty Paper Return must be completed and sent to the Revenue. The stamp Certificate will be issued to the filer once the case has been processed and stamp duty has been received. There are a number of different Stamp Duty Return forms which apply to different stamp duty cases. These forms are as follows:

• SDR1-Single property on a single conveyance, transfer & long term lease
• SDR1-Exchanges and transfer of two (or more) properties in a single conveyance
• SDR2-Conveyances and transfers for stocks and marketable securities
• SDR3-Other stampable instruments
• SDCF-Clawback cases

The main disadvantage of the paper return is that the filer has to navigate his way through the entire form and if any section which is relevant has been completed incorrectly or is incomplete, the form will be rejected by Revenue and sent back by to you post, thereby delaying the process. Online, you will be prompted immediately if there is a problem and corrections can be made there and then.

The Stamp Certificate

This certificate is in A4 paper format which will be sent by through ROS or by post when a return has been stamped and stamp duty has been completed. The Certificate should be affixed to the instrument to which it relates to. In a case where an adjudication is required under Section 20SDCA, 1999, the Revenue may request supporting documentation and the instrument itself before issuing the certificate. The Certificate will contain details which will only relate to the instrument it relates to. It will also contain a certificate number and document ID Number which will be required if the certificate needs to be verified or replaced at any time.

Exempt Instruments

Instruments which are not subject to stamping are as follows:

• An Instrument which creates joint tenancy between spouses in the family home
• Instruments to which Section 106B of the SDCA 1999 applies
• A lease of a dwelling house for any indefinite term or a term not exceeding 35 years which is exempt from Stamp Duty
• Any instrument which is exempt from stamp duty, other than:

1. An instrument to be adjudicated under Section 20 SDCA 1999
2. An instrument operating as a conveyance or transfer, on sale or by way of gift, of land or interest on land
3. A Lease of land for a term exceeding 30 years
4. An Assignment of a lease of land where the unexpired term of the lease exceeds 30 years.

Interest & Penalties

For adjudication cases, the return must be filed within 30 days of the date the instrument was first executed. Payment of stamp duty must then be paid within 14 days of the Revenue's assessment being issued. In any other cases where adjudication is not required, the stamp return must be filed and stamp duty paid within 44 days of the date the instrument was first executed. If stamp duty is underpaid penalties and interest will apply to the instrument until the date the full amount due has been paid.

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Tag : stamps,e-stamping,photo stamps,postage stamps

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Micheal_O'Neill

Collecting Rare British Stamps

Collecting stamps has been a popular hobby for many years. Lots of people collect stamps. Even Queen Elizabeth herself has an enormous stamp collection and the Palace continues to build this. Getting children interested in stamp collecting is a great way to develop an interest and appreciation of history.

The first British postage stamp was the Penny Black, issued in 1840 during the reign of Queen Victoria. The Penny Black was issued as a way for people to pre-pay for their postage at a set rate. Believe it or not, the Penny Black was only printed for one year. The problem was that the stamps were cancelled (or stamped by the post office) in red ink, and the Royal Mail found that a lot of stamps were being re-used. The red ink used to cancel them was also relatively easy to remove; hence sneaky people did this and used the stamps again and again, thus depriving the Royal Mail of their revenue.

One of the best things about the Penny Black is the fact that it is historically very exciting as when you see a real Penny Black you are immediately taken back to a Dickensian Victorian London. The other great thing about it as a new stamp collector is the fact that contrary to some misconceptions, it is NOT a rare stamp. Over 68 million were made, and even through the passing of time, there are many genuine Penny Blacks about in collections, sales rooms and dealers stocks.

The important thing about collecting British stamps, as in all collecting hobbies, is the condition and the rarity of particular variations of any given stamp. To the untrained eye, you might be able to put two Penny Blacks side by side and they might look pretty much identical, but the trained stamp collector will know that one is worth $10 and the other $2000. This might be because one is used and slightly worn, the other mint and unused.

So where can you start to collect rare British stamps? If you want to get some of the legendary stamps of the Victorian era, such as a Penny Black and a Penny Red, then you will probably need to buy these from a dealer or another collector. However there have been thousands of other fascinating stamps printed by the Royal Mail over the last 170 years. All sorts of sets to commemorate important events have been issued from football world cup stamps to royal weddings and jubilees. However, just collecting the basic postage of the time is in itself quite fascinating because it gives a sense of how inflation the spending power of the UK currency has changed over time. You might be surprised to note that though a Penny Black's worth of postage now costs only 39 pence, £1 in 1840 is now equivalent to around £44 in spending power so the real cost of postage has stayed roughly the same in all those years (conversion figure of £1 in 1836 being worth £44 in 2007 from the UK National Archives government site).

The easiest place to start looking for stamps for your new British stamp collection is to ask friends and family. See if they have any old stashes of letters and correspondence that they could spare the stamps from. If you want to remove stamps from envelopes, you can usually either steam or soak them, but be careful. In some cases it might be safer to just cut them out of the envelope, making sure you don't cut the perforations. However, if the envelope or postcard the stamp is on looks historical, you might want to keep it intact and put the whole envelope in your stamp album. For example, if it was addressed to someone from your family, or to someone famous. Friends and family might also have a stamp collection that they perhaps started on and never completed that they would be willing to let you have to get you going. If you don't ask you don't get so see if you can find out! Other places worth checking are charity shops. Charities sometimes have appeals for used postage stamps and may have bags of stamps for sale at low prices.

When starting out, if you are not worrying so much about condition, you can also buy bulk lots of stamps where you buy stamps by weight from stamp dealers (or online). You essentially pay by the Kilo for stamps that will be on paper backings and these are often referred to as kiloware. These stamps are unlikely to be valuable or rare, but they will be interesting and this is a great way to start off your collection. You can always move on to rarer stamps a little later on, perhaps getting a particularly sought after British stamp as a birthday or Christmas gift.

The other popular areas of stamp collecting are the collection of first day covers (or Fad's as they are often referred). First day covers are issued by the Royal Mail on the first day that a stamp is officially issued. You can buy special first day envelopes which contain information about the stamp and its designer, and get these specially franked on the day of release. Or, of course, you can simply buy a stamp on the first day of issue and post it to yourself so you have your own first day cover. Again, it's a historically interesting thing to collect.

If you are going to collect stamps then you need to get a good stamp album to put them in as well. Even if your stamps are not particularly rare, you need to look after them and ensure that they stay in the condition they are when you get them. Stamps are easy to damage and destroy so try and keep them somewhere safe from flooding as well.

As your collection improves you may also want to consider getting some tweezers and a magnifying glass so you can start to understand and spot fine details on stamps that make them stand out from more common versions.

British stamp collecting is a great hobby that doesn't have to be expensive to be fascinating. It gives a real insight into history and the past, and your stamp collection can go wherever your interests take you. You might start off collecting British stamps but end up collecting US postage stamps or the stamps of another country that interests you.

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

Online Photo Stamps – Print Stamps From Your Home

Most people keep a book of stamps in a drawer somewhere at home because you'll never know when you might need them! The trouble is that you often loose track of just how many stamps you have left, and its all too easy to run out of stamps at any given point in time, especially when you have a truckload of bills to send out. When you want to send by post, it's very annoying to find out that you dont have any stamps left! Especially if the post office is closed!

Thanks to the internet it is possible to get around this oversight, and Im not talking about email. The United States Postal Service has come up with a system which allows people to print their own postage stamps in the comfort of their own home!

This is the perfect solution for those people that have hectic lives!

You can buy two types of postage stamps online, regular online postage stamps and photo stamps. We will consider both of these within this article.

Regular and Online Photo Stamps

Whenever you go to the post office to buy a stamp you are buying a boring, standard postage stamp. These are normally red in color, there is no option to customize the stamp before you purchase it other than the options they may give you. This has become popular on the internet as well. You can just order a regular 1st class stamp for example and then print it off using your own printer.

You can have much more fun with your stamps these days, when you buy them online than when you just go to the post office to buy them. You can decorate, preview, and print your stamps all from the comfort of your own home. You are able to upload any photo (within reason) and then use this as part of your postage stamp as well. How convienant is that?

International Photo Stamps

These stamps aren't just restricted to domestic use, they can be used to send you mail internationally. They are perfect to use for many different special occasions, such as weddings, births, anniversaries and even birthdays! Photo stamps are addictive! Once youve started using them youll never want to go back to using regular postage stamps, they're just so boring in comparison! And lets face it, they weren't that exciting before we had photo stamps!

How Can I Print Photo Stamps?

Companies that wish to sell online stamps must apply to the USPS for permission. These authorized vendors will generally provide a piece of software to users which can be used to generate stamps, this software is invaluable to customize your stamps.

You dont need any additional graphics editing software because most of these pieces of software allow editing and cropping of your images so that theyre suitable for your postage stamp.

There is normally a minimum order of one sheet of stamps, this sheet contains 20 stamps of whatever denomination you choose. You should buy the denomination of stamp that you will use the most of when sending post, for most people this will be 37 cents first class stamp.

Online postage stamps have made it so much easier to send snail mail, its very useful for businesses as they are able to keep a log of their use, plus they can buy postage as and when they need it rather than having to shell out so much for regular postage stamps and honestly....its just so much more convienant.

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Collecting Stamps, is it Worth It?

Stamp collecting, a secret hobby of many today, is in a way an art form. Many people find stamps they enjoy from envelopes, many just buy online. Then there are the few and the proud that look for collectors stamps. These collectors' stamps are worth money. Not just petty cash at times, but some serious bucks. For example about 6 or 7 years ago the Princess Di collectors' stamps came out. They came with a certificate of authenticity. If you have these stamps after a certain amount of years they could be worth thousands of dollars. But the key is that certificate.

Collectors stamps can be found just about anywhere. You can do a search on eBay, join a "stampers" club where you can purchase a variety of stamps about athletics, animals, people, and much more. Granted when you buy these stamps they aren't immediately worth anything. With time the value will go up.

Many collectors' stamps available are beautiful, very well crafted/painted. However there are a select few even though they are collector's items are so simple you wouldn't think so. I have a stamp myself that is a very simple design of a flag. The original price on the stamp was sold for 6 cents. Due to the original price this stamp is worth quite a bit.

Some people base their collectors' stamps on one solid item. For instance some prefer to only collect stamps about animals. When going through their collection you may see stamps from all over the world that show elephants, tigers, penguins, kolas, pandas, dogs, cats and much more, but no people. It all depends on the individuals theme. There are other people who have a very mismatched selection of stamps. Wide varieties of topics can be seen in these collections.

When going through someone's collection you will find that the collectors stamps are well protected. People use a wide variety of items to keep the stamps safe such as:
- Tins
- Photo Albums
- Plastic sleeves
- Picture frames
- Shoe Boxes
- Display cases

Just to name a few. There are many more places you can store your stamps. Most important is what will keep the stamps dust free and free from any form of condensation which could ruin the quality of the stamp causing the value to decrease with time (which no stamp collector wants to happen). So protection is key for any stamp collection. Let this be a lesson to anyone who wishes to start collecting, the natural elements can be your enemy take care of your stamps with much care they will be worth your while in the long run. Just be patient and happy stamping!

Tag : stamps,photo stamps,old stamps,stamps collcetion

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

Making Rubber Stamps With Liquid Polymer

If you are interested in making rubber stamps and have investigated other rubber stamp making methods you should seriously consider polymer stamp production as a serious option.

What are Polymers?

Tiny molecules strung in long repeating chains form polymers. Why the chemistry lesson? Well for one thing, your body is made of them. DNA - the genetic blueprint that defines people and other living things - is a polymer. Proteins and starches in the foods we eat, the wheels on our skateboards, and even the tyres on our bikes and cars are polymers. In fact, we are surrounded by polymers every day, everywhere we go. Polymers also form one of our recyclables, which is good for the environment.

Polymer Curing - How stamps are made with chemistry!

In polymer chemistry and process engineering, curing refers to the toughening or hardening of a polymer material by the cross-linking of polymer chains; this is brought about by chemical additives, ultraviolet radiation or heat. Rubber stamp polymer is supplied as a liquid and is cured using ultraviolet radiation. Although natural sunlight can cure polymer, liquid stamp polymer requires precise exposure to UV light to make rubber stamps.

Polymer Stamps - Make your own stamps without any skills whatsoever!

How many times has this been said in the past! Polymer stamp production has always attracted people trying to make a quick dollar out of the process. We have seen salespeople selling briefcase size polymer stamp machines to the unsuspecting stationery store and newsagent owner plus more recently the DIY kits sold over the internet aimed at craft people. If you are serious about stamp production you should be wary of some of the claims made about stamp making using liquid polymer.

Polymer in a bag

The most exciting development of recent is a new innovation where polymer is injected into a flat rectangular sealed bag; this new product does away with backing sheets, foam tape and coverlay film normally required for stamp production. Processing times are reduced by about 50% when using these new bags; this reduced labour cost negates the extra cost of the bagged product. The bags are available in a range of sizes to suit production demand. Polymer in a bag has also eliminated the problem of air bubbles during processing; this common objection to polymer stamp making has now been overcome.

Where the Polymer Rubber Stamp Industry is Heading

You have two distinct markets for rubber stamps. The first is the traditional business stamp market where stamps are affixed to handles and self inking units. The second market that is growing rapidly is the craft industry; these stamps are affixed to wooden or clear acrylic blocks and used for card making and scrapbooking. Craft stamps such as an artist's range of stamps that follow a theme are traditionally made using the vulcanizing process due to it being more suited to mass production of the same stamp. Nowadays card makers want custom designs and clear see through stamps of which polymer is making some significant inroads into this market.
Another problem has arisen where polymer 'jelly' stamps are being sold to the craft industry, these polymer stamps have no structural backing allowing the polymer stamp to adhere to an acrylic block without adhesives. In theory this works well, the problem is that distortion of the stamp can occur as well as the possibility that the stamp can tear.

Thankfully a new clear silicone based product called InstaGrip has solved this problem so a polymer stamp with a sound structural backing can be adhered in the same way, without adhesive.

So where is the industry heading?

Business stamping seems to be just as strong as it always has been, with the introduction of the bagged polymer many more manufacturers will be offering polymer stamps due to the bag's labour saving benefits and the lower entry cost for polymer processing equipment.

The craft stamp industry will see much more polymer in the future for much the same reasons. The demand for custom made stamps through services such as stampsearch.com.au here you select craft artwork online and then have that image made into a stamp will help the polymer stamp industry develop in a positive manner.

Tag : stamps,rubber stamps,postage stamps,photo stamps

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

Top 10 Benefits to Printing Postage Stamps Online

With postage costs rising and very limited time per day, you'll need to find postage alternatives to shipping your mail and packages without having to spend more time and money than you need to at a post office.

With the leverage of the internet, creating your own global business online is now easier than ever and printing postage stamps online is just as easy. All you need to get started are:

1. A computer
2. Internet connection
3. Printer
4. Adhesive printer paper

Now you can print postage stamps instantly from your home without ever having to stand in long lines at the Post Office again.

Go to www.Print-Stamps-Online.com to find out how you can get started with a 4-week risk free trial and also be eligible for an $80 Special Offer which includes: Up to $25 in free postage, a $50 5lb digital scale and $5 in shipping supplies.

Here are the top 10 benefits to printing stamps online with Print-Stamps-Online.com.

1. No More Long Lines and Wait Time at the Post Office
Printing stamps online gives you the ability to print stamps anytime by leveraging the power of the internet. All you need is a computer with an internet connection and a printer and you can begin printing your own custom shipping labels and postage stamps.

2. Save Money with Postage Discounts you can't get Even at the Post Office
Some of the savings that you will see with Stamps.com include: 10% discount off shipping insurance, free Delivery Confirmation, 5%-8% off USPS retail rates, 3% off Express Mail and up to 11% off Priority Mail. With FedEx, save up to 15% on Ground rates and an additional 21% on Express rates.

3. Save up to 80% Compared to Postage Meters
Postage Meters have all sorts of hidden fees that can really cost you. At Print-Stamps-Online.com, there are no hidden fees, no special ink cartridges, no scale rental fees, no reset fees, no annual price increases and absolutely no charges for printing custom logos.

4. Choose from all USPS Services and FedEx Shipping
Choose from all USPS services including First Class, Priority Mail and Express Mail. Also print postage stamps via FedEx Ground and Express and receive even more savings.

5. Easily Manage your Postage Costs and Track your Packages
Managing your postage costs has never been easier and now you can easily keep track of your mailed packages through detailed reports of each postage stamp and shipping label you print.

6. Print Exact Postage Every Time
Get a free digital scale that integrates seamlessly into our exclusive software when you get started with www.Print-Stamps-Online.com. Now you never have to worry about underpaying or overpaying postage again so you print exactly postage every time.

7. Schedule Free Delivery Pick-ups from a Mail Carrier
We all know that you would rather spend your time with other tasks that require your attention instead of waiting in long lines at the Post Office. Schedule a free USPS pick up from a mail carrier to deliver your mail for you!

8. Design Your Own Logos to Use With Your Postage Stamps
Customize your very own personal logos as your postage stamps or put your company logo to look more professional.

9. $80 Free Value with Stamps.com
New customers receive an $80 free value which includes up to $25 in free postage, a $50 5lb digital scale, and $5 in shipping supplies.

10. 4 Week Risk Free Trial
If you are still unsure of whether Print-Stamps-Online.com is for you, then try a 4 week risk free trial.

Say goodbye to long lines at the Post Office and buy your stamps online.

Begin saving time and money by printing your postage stamps online.

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

Photo Postage Stamps - Great Innovations in Stamps

Photo postage stamps aren't such a new idea; its been around for years! The USPS (United States Postal Service) briefly suspended the use of such a stamp due to security concerns. There are certainly a number of reasons that the USPS would want to abolish all photo stamps, for example in the height of the anthrax scares a stamp with a scull and cross bones plus the word Anthrax caused a sorting office to shut down for several hours. Although custom photo stamps are legitimate, perhaps getting rid of them would put people off trying to get away with counterfeit postage stamps!

The USPS decided that it would allow another phase of a pilot program allowing companies to sell their customers photo postage stamps. The first stage of the trial was a huge success; however the USPS wants to make sure that these custom postage stamps aren't just a fad.

What is a photo postage stamp?

Photo postage stamps allow people to put a photo of pretty much whatever they want to on their stamp. There are however exceptions, you cannot for example put pornographic or disturbing images onto your photo stamp.

Photo stamps are useful for:

-Weddings

-Births

-Anniversaries

-Business Logos

-Any Special Occasion

Internet pranksters - screening photo stamps for validity

Being able to put an image of anything you want onto your stamps is very exciting for most people; however some internet pranksters just take things too far. Some people have tried to order stamps with people like Slobodan Milosevic on them, as these could cause public outrage its important for the organizations that are permitted to produce photo postal stamps to have proper screening processes in place.

Along with controversial figures, the other things that must not be allowed on postage stamps are pornographic images, and also certain religious symbols. Copyright is a tricky subject; technically you should only use material on a stamp that you own the rights to, or have permission to use. Other than this and advertising, the images can be of pretty much anything.

The company that supplies the postage stamps are personally responsible for screening, this is nothing to do with the USPS. The vendors themselves should reject the images that break the strict rules set down by the USPS. The USPS is able to find out which company generated the stamp by looking at the information encoded in the stamps barcode, therefore any company not screening images properly could find themselves losing the rights to print postage.

Where can I get my photo postage stamps?

There are three main custom stamp vendors in America , Stamps.com, which has been a key contender ever since the postal services first trial. Endica are also permitted to produce stamps. Pitney Bowes the popular franking machine manufacturer has realized that photo stamps trespass into their industry, and so they are grabbing hold of this opportunity with both hands and refusing to let go!

Photo stamps are a worldwide phenomenon!

Photo postal stamps arent just popular in America , theyre popular worldwide! England has one of the oldest postal services in the world, but even so the Royal Mail is adopting online photo postage stamps. Currently in England you can only buy the stamps directly from the Royal Mail (the equivalent of the USPS), but only time will tell as to when they will adopt the same personalization.

Visit Discount Online Stamps to view the latest articles and cash back rebates on all photo stampsonline postage stamps and

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

Rubber Stamping and Scrapbooking will Bring the Family Together During The Holidays

No matter what celebration you and your family will rejoice in this holiday season, the common thread is family unity and the joy of sharing in the relationships with others.

Remembering the past is always an important part when bringing the family together. It is important to reflect on the fun times we have as a family, and those not with us anymore.

Technology lets us organize out memories better than ever before. With computers, digital photography and video, there are simple ways to get the kids involved with preserving the past.

The kids are at home for their winter break, and like mine, they are probably bored. Putting together a scrapbook is a great task to keep them busy with a good project. This can be done before and after the holidays. By taking lots of pictures, they will be able to assemble them in their book. It is fun to add their own twist with colored pencils and markers, or rubber stamps and crafting scissors.

Perhaps, they will be able to create gifts for others. Grandparents always like a homemade picture frame from their grandchildren.

Crafting and scrapbooking may introduce your children, and yourself, to a lifelong hobby. This simple start may lead to many other projects along the way.

Obtaining crafting supplies is quite easy and inexpensive. Blank scrapbooks may be a good start and they are pretty cheap to buy. Paper, glue, scissors, and tape won’t set you too far back either. There’s a craft and scrapbooking store probably around the corner from your house.

Robb Ksiazek is a successful author and publisher for http://www.checks-4u.com/Rubber_Stamps.htm. He has researched and written hundreds of articles and can simplify your online search by recommending merchants for the best value and selections in business or personal checks, address labels, rubber stamps and envelopes.

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

Scrapbooking Rubber Stamp: the tool to be used

Life is all about moving ahead. However, at times we do tend to turn back to look at the fond moments that we have left behind. These fond memories make us happy and help us to remember the beautiful times that we had spent with our loved ones. There are various ways of preserving these memories and these moments. We maintain photo albums and do what not to keep the by gone moments with us. Scrapbooking is one such great technique of preserving our memories and those lost moments with ourselves. Gone are those days when we manually created our scrapbooks. Now the days are of maintaining a scrapbook on the internet. This has in fact, made scrapbook a more fun-filled activity. Scrapbooking rubber stamp is a tool that is used in maintaining scrapbooking.

A scrapbooking rubber stamp is one that features a particular design on it. When you add ink to the design, you can then place it onto your scrapbooking pages to create unique and beautiful pictures. Some common scrapbooking rubber stamps include letters, numbers, animals, pictures, and symbols. If you are looking for an original scrapbooking rubber stamp, you have a couple of different options. Scrapbooking rubber stamps can be custom designed and can be ordered through the internet. This is more expensive than a pre-made scrapbooking rubber stamp, but well worth it to complete your perfect scrapbook page design. You can also purchase the material to make one yourself but it is a complicated process.

Not all scrapbooking rubber stamp products are all the same. However, there is a significant amount of difference when it comes to the quality of the different brands. You want to use a very high quality scrapbooking rubber stamp. Not only will it last you much longer, but the transfer from the ink will be more detailed. It is very important that you only use the scrapbooking rubber stamp with ink that is specifically to be used for scrapbooking. This way you don’t have to worry about the ink bleeding through the pages, smearing, or not aging well. This type of ink can be found at most craft stores by the scrapbooking rubber stamp collection. The ink is available in a variety of colors so you can make your scrapbook rubber stamp designs very colorful and unique.

To help preserve the quality of your scrapbooking rubber stamps, make sure you store them properly. You can find a variety of plastic storage containers at any retailer to hold them securely. You also have the option of buying a scrapbooking rubber stamp kit. They include a variety of different rubber stamps as well as a great storage container in which you can keep the stamps and the ink. Scrapbooking is a great habit and a hobby to indulge in and trust my words, once you get the flavor of it; you will remain hooked to it. In fact, you will love the entire thing of online scrapbooking and moreover, you can preserve these web pages for your future generations to cherish those moments that they were never a part of. Therefore, go ahead and start maintaining your scrapbooks.

About the Author

John Foster has special interest in arts. He gives advice to anyone who wants to know about online art school and scrapbooking and others. He refers to www.layersofourlives.com in many of his sessions for art school class for scrapbooking, Scrapbooking Rubber Stamp and DIY scrapbooking art,Scrapbooking Book.

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Online Photo Stamps – Print Stamps From Your Home

Most people keep a book of stamps in a drawer somewhere at home because you'll never know when you might need them! The trouble is that you often loose track of just how many stamps you have left, and its all too easy to run out of stamps at any given point in time, especially when you have a truckload of bills to send out. When you want to send by post, it's very annoying to find out that you dont have any stamps left! Especially if the post office is closed!

Thanks to the internet it is possible to get around this oversight, and Im not talking about email. The United States Postal Service has come up with a system which allows people to print their own postage stamps in the comfort of their own home!

This is the perfect solution for those people that have hectic lives!

You can buy two types of postage stamps online, regular online postage stamps and photo stamps. We will consider both of these within this article.

Regular and Online Photo Stamps

Whenever you go to the post office to buy a stamp you are buying a boring, standard postage stamp. These are normally red in color, there is no option to customize the stamp before you purchase it other than the options they may give you. This has become popular on the internet as well. You can just order a regular 1st class stamp for example and then print it off using your own printer.

You can have much more fun with your stamps these days, when you buy them online than when you just go to the post office to buy them. You can decorate, preview, and print your stamps all from the comfort of your own home. You are able to upload any photo (within reason) and then use this as part of your postage stamp as well. How convienant is that?

International Photo Stamps

These stamps aren't just restricted to domestic use, they can be used to send you mail internationally. They are perfect to use for many different special occasions, such as weddings, births, anniversaries and even birthdays! Photo stamps are addictive! Once youve started using them youll never want to go back to using regular postage stamps, they're just so boring in comparison! And lets face it, they weren't that exciting before we had photo stamps!

How Can I Print Photo Stamps?

Companies that wish to sell online stamps must apply to the USPS for permission. These authorized vendors will generally provide a piece of software to users which can be used to generate stamps, this software is invaluable to customize your stamps.

You dont need any additional graphics editing software because most of these pieces of software allow editing and cropping of your images so that theyre suitable for your postage stamp.

There is normally a minimum order of one sheet of stamps, this sheet contains 20 stamps of whatever denomination you choose. You should buy the denomination of stamp that you will use the most of when sending post, for most people this will be 37 cents first class stamp.

Online postage stamps have made it so much easier to send snail mail, its very useful for businesses as they are able to keep a log of their use, plus they can buy postage as and when they need it rather than having to shell out so much for regular postage stamps and honestly....its just so much more convienant.

Published At: Isnare Free Articles Directory http://www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=145822&ca=Recreation

Learn About Stamp Collector Certificates

Stamp collecting has been a very popular hobby and has been thriving for several generations all over the world. Technically referred to as philately, stamp collecting is an art itself, requiring great discipline among its enthusiasts.

Perhaps a great reason for the popularity of stamp collecting is the stories about valuable stamps. A lot of people have heard that some of these little things could sometimes cost thousands of dollars. Finding a rare and valuable stamp is often a philatelist's dream. Unfortunately, this induces some people with bad intentions to create forged stamps. As such, many stamp collectors find their craft to be risky. Luckily, such anomalies can be avoided by making use of expert stamp collector certificates.

Like anything valuable, such as jewelry, money, signature clothing, rare stamps are subject to forgery. The regrettable proliferation of fraudulent stamps has led avid collectors to look for ways to protect themselves. The most popular way doing so is availing the services of expert stamp collectors and organizations to certify the authenticity of stamps being purchased.

One of the most sought after authorities in stamp collecting is the American Philatelic Society (APS), which offers such certification service which they refer to as expertizing service. A collector simply sends a stamp in question to the American Philatelic Expertizing Service (APEX), the certifying division of APS, to their headquarters at Pennsylvania. The service has been around since 1903. The stamp is then assigned a number and then photographed. The stamp is then examined by up to five expert collectors among 170 philatelic specialists. The identity of the collectors who availed of the service would not be disclosed to the experts, and conversely, the experts' identities would not be disclosed as well.

The service could take 90 days to be completed. A unanimous decision must be made by the experts and if the panel fails to do so, APEX declines to give an opinion refunds all fees, less administrative charges. Once a formal opinion is agreed upon, it is written on a certificate and returned to the owner with the item. The comments made by the panel would be kept in the permanent records of APEX for future reference. Opinions are limited only of stamps' genuineness and the APEX never accepts requests for market value appraisal. If the owner disagrees with APEX's opinion, there is an option for reexamination within a year from the issuance of the certificate.

The APEX provides a guarantee on their certified items. If a collector buys a stamp with an APEX certification attesting the item's authenticity but it is subsequently shown to be fraudulent, misidentified, or modified, APEX would pay up to 5,000USD provided that the guarantee is still valid and there are no other warrantees given for the item. Items that were subject to change (thinning, disturbance of the gum, torn, etc.) after the issuance of certificate would not be included in the guarantee. Should APEX's certification be proven wrong, the service will purchase the item from the owner. The value of the item will be determined by APEX based on the selling price, receipts submitted by the owner, placed value of the item during the time of certification, and the judgment of a panel of experts.

Should APEX disagree with the contention to its certification, the owner may appeal to a disputes panel comprised of three members of the American Philatelic Society. And the decision of the panel would be based on Pennsylvania state laws, which would be binding for both parties.

The fees for the service begin at 25USD for an item valued at 1,000USD or less according to the Scott catalog. Items of higher value would be charged 2% of the appraised value according to the catalog. Items not listed in the catalog would be initially charged 25USD. Should an item of a high value be considered counterfeit, its fee would be adjusted to the minimum fee of 25USD, the difference with the original rate paid would be refunded.

There are other expert stamp collector certificate issuance services. Some of the are listed online. Many avid followers of philately find such services very valuable, saving time, effort and money, and decreasing the incidents of forgery. With expert stamp collector certificates, the world becomes a better place for serious philatelists.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/collecting-articles/learn-about-stamp-collector-certificates-795576.html

Learn About Stamp Collector Certificates

Stamp collecting has been a very popular hobby and has been thriving for several generations all over the world. Technically referred to as philately, stamp collecting is an art itself, requiring great discipline among its enthusiasts.

Perhaps a great reason for the popularity of stamp collecting is the stories about valuable stamps. A lot of people have heard that some of these little things could sometimes cost thousands of dollars. Finding a rare and valuable stamp is often a philatelist's dream. Unfortunately, this induces some people with bad intentions to create forged stamps. As such, many stamp collectors find their craft to be risky. Luckily, such anomalies can be avoided by making use of expert stamp collector certificates.

Like anything valuable, such as jewelry, money, signature clothing, rare stamps are subject to forgery. The regrettable proliferation of fraudulent stamps has led avid collectors to look for ways to protect themselves. The most popular way doing so is availing the services of expert stamp collectors and organizations to certify the authenticity of stamps being purchased.

One of the most sought after authorities in stamp collecting is the American Philatelic Society (APS), which offers such certification service which they refer to as expertizing service. A collector simply sends a stamp in question to the American Philatelic Expertizing Service (APEX), the certifying division of APS, to their headquarters at Pennsylvania. The service has been around since 1903. The stamp is then assigned a number and then photographed. The stamp is then examined by up to five expert collectors among 170 philatelic specialists. The identity of the collectors who availed of the service would not be disclosed to the experts, and conversely, the experts' identities would not be disclosed as well.

The service could take 90 days to be completed. A unanimous decision must be made by the experts and if the panel fails to do so, APEX declines to give an opinion refunds all fees, less administrative charges. Once a formal opinion is agreed upon, it is written on a certificate and returned to the owner with the item. The comments made by the panel would be kept in the permanent records of APEX for future reference. Opinions are limited only of stamps' genuineness and the APEX never accepts requests for market value appraisal. If the owner disagrees with APEX's opinion, there is an option for reexamination within a year from the issuance of the certificate.

The APEX provides a guarantee on their certified items. If a collector buys a stamp with an APEX certification attesting the item's authenticity but it is subsequently shown to be fraudulent, misidentified, or modified, APEX would pay up to 5,000USD provided that the guarantee is still valid and there are no other warrantees given for the item. Items that were subject to change (thinning, disturbance of the gum, torn, etc.) after the issuance of certificate would not be included in the guarantee. Should APEX's certification be proven wrong, the service will purchase the item from the owner. The value of the item will be determined by APEX based on the selling price, receipts submitted by the owner, placed value of the item during the time of certification, and the judgment of a panel of experts.

Should APEX disagree with the contention to its certification, the owner may appeal to a disputes panel comprised of three members of the American Philatelic Society. And the decision of the panel would be based on Pennsylvania state laws, which would be binding for both parties.

The fees for the service begin at 25USD for an item valued at 1,000USD or less according to the Scott catalog. Items of higher value would be charged 2% of the appraised value according to the catalog. Items not listed in the catalog would be initially charged 25USD. Should an item of a high value be considered counterfeit, its fee would be adjusted to the minimum fee of 25USD, the difference with the original rate paid would be refunded.

There are other expert stamp collector certificate issuance services. Some of the are listed online. Many avid followers of philately find such services very valuable, saving time, effort and money, and decreasing the incidents of forgery. With expert stamp collector certificates, the world becomes a better place for serious philatelists.

By: Jerald Shin Shapiro

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

The Art of Stamp Collecting

Stamp collecting takes place all over the world. Indeed, there are likely few, if any, hobbies that are as widespread as stamp collecting. Stamp collectors come from all backgrounds, which is again reflected in the diversity of stamp collections, as each individual will find a particular type of stamp that interests them. Stamp collecting can also be a relatively inexpensive hobby, making it accessible for individuals on any budget.

The first stamp and the start of stamp collecting

To find the first postage stamp you have to go back to England in the mid-nineteenth century. The famous "Penny Black" stamp, featuring an image of Queen Victoria, was released in 1840. As soon as the 1860s, children were drawn to growing range of postage stamps in production, and stamp collecting was born. As those children grew into adults, they continued stamp collecting, thereby making it common hobby for adults. By the inter-war years, stamp collecting had taken a firm position as one of the most popular hobbies in the United States. The hobby has continued to be popular for both children and adults alike well into the 21st century.

Types of stamp collections

One of the great things about stamp collecting is that there is such a wide array of postage stamps and similar items available, which means that there can be countless different types of stamp collections. Whatever your personal interest, be it animals, Americana, cartoon characters, sports, or even Elvis, you will find stamps from all over the world just waiting to be collected. Stamp collecting is not just limited to postage stamps, either. Oddly enough, Federal Duck Stamps are one of the most popular and well-known collectible stamp series. Other stamp types that are popular include souvenir sheets, postal stationary.

Beginning a Stamp Collection

To start collecting stamps on a casual basis, start looking at your mail as it comes in and keep the ones you find interesting or beautiful. After a while, you should get an idea about what kind of collection you want. Once you have a basic idea of where you want your collection to go at first (and keeping in mind that it is always easy to expand or change the focus of your collection) it is time to invest in some proper tools. Of course, if you are on a tight budget, stamp collecting can be done on the cheap. But for best results you should get some clear plastic sleeves and a notebook to store your stamps in a manner that protects their condition and keeps them safe from the elements. You should also think about investing in other specialized tools, including specially designed stamp tongs. These tongs prevent skin oils from coming into contact with the stamp, which will further promote sustainability in the stamp.

How do you get stamps?

Your first and best resource for stamps will be your friends and family. Let them know you are a collector, and have them send the stamps they receive over to you, they will likely be happy to save the stamps from their incoming mail for you to look over and select from. There are also products where companies send out a selection of stamps for the collector to look over. Generally, these programs allow the collection to keep the stamps for up to a month without charge. After a month's time, the collector can choose to purchase the stamps that are of interest, and return those that do not fit into their collection. Just remember to return the stamps you do not want on time!

Putting a value on your stamps

Although they are collectables, most stamps are actually valued at face value or less. That means that most stamps are worth a negligible amount of money. This is fine for most casual collectors however because they are simply collect for personal enjoyment, not financial investment. This is not to say of course that stamp collecting can never be lucrative. Stamps that range in value up to $50 are not uncommon.

Finding out more about stamp collecting

Stamp collecting is an extremely popular and old hobby all over the world. For this reason, there is no shortage of hobby groups that any prospective or experienced stamp collector can join. The main organization in the United States is the American Philatelic Society. The American Philatelic Society is one of the oldest and most well known organizations. All of these stamp collecting groups often sponsor trade shows, conventions, and other events, which promote networking, trading, and transactions involving stamp collections. And of course, as with so many things, there are also a host of online resources available for anyone interested in stamp collecting. Online beginner's guides are a great place to start for those new to stamp collecting, while price guides, social stamp collecting networks, and other resources are available for more seasoned collectors.

About the Author

Steve Dolan has been collecting for many years. Find out what to collect at Collecting and Collections Collect Coins? Then click Coin Collecting and for stamps Stamps and Stamp Collecting

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