by dhwriting

Created on: November 11, 2008   Last Updated: November 25, 2008

Beginning Stamp Collecting - A Tutorial on the Hobby for a Lifetime

There are many different ways to begin collecting stamps, but here are some of my thoughts on how to get started.

1. Collect stamps before you BUY any stamps.

Save every stamp that comes to you on mail. Ask your friends and relatives for their stamps. Get stamps from your office or by any other means that you don't have to pay for. Accept every stamp that's given to you, no matter how rough-looking.

This will let you get a taste of the hobby without having to spend any money. You can learn the basics of stamp collectiing by using these free stamps.

2. Learn the basics about stamp collecting.

The basics include how to soak stamps off paper and how to identify your stamps. You'll need a stamp catalog of some type to identify them. Borrow one from the library, a friend or a relative, or ask for a catalog as a gift. An older stamp catalog is just fine to get started with - there's no need to buy the most recent specialized version yet.

You should also learn how to safely store your stamps. For now, a stock book or a box with a lid is fine. Keep your stamps dry and away from high humidity - and the dog, if you have one.

You can also learn some basics by talking about your stamps with stamp collectors that you know. They can give you some tips and tricks that are based on their experiences.

You may want to start your stamp collection with used stamps. They are easy to find for free (from your mail and that of your friends and relatives), and when you buy them they generally are less expensive to buy than mint, unused stamps. And collecting used stamps has one fascinating factor to consider that does not apply if you are collecting mint stamps: the postmarks and cancellations that are on them.

For beginners collecting used stamps, here are my thoughts on cancellations and postmarks. I'll also discuss the condition of stamps.

1. Your first preference would probably be a neat, well struck cancel which does not detract from the design on the stamp. You might like it best if it only impinges on a small portion of the stamp, since you can see the design on the stamp better that way. No smudging. Showing some or all of the town's name is a bonus.

2. Second preference - A CDS (circular date stamp cancellation) that is neat and not over-inked or smudged. This type of postmark will allow you to see where and when the stamp was mailed on its cover.

3. A third type of postmark is the pictorial cancellation. These graphic

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