However, there came a time that philatelists seem to be unrecognized and silenced especially in the United States. The hobby of collecting stamps seemed to be uncommon to Americans. Then came President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. He is a stamp collector. And he is proud of it. In his terms, he ordered his Postmaster General James A. Farley to issue lots of new stamps. He even helped design some of them. His confession encouraged “closet collectors” and non-collectors to pursue the hobby. Soon, stamp collection regained its glory because more and more are people trying it.

Aside from being categorized as a beginner or a professional, stamp collectors are classified into types. They differ from each other based on the kind of stamps they collect. A beginner is more likely to specialize on a certain set of stamps while professionals can maintain a more diverse collection.

Those who want to focus on a specific set of stamps can choose from a wide variety of stamp classifications. It can be based on the following:

1.    Origin    - stamps of US, stamps of Europe, stamps of Hawaii, stamps of Rome, or stamps of the world.

2.    Date    - 19th century stamps, renaissance era stamps, stamps of the 50′s or millennium stamps

3.    Image – all portrait stamps, all flag stamps, all map stamps or all flower stamps.

4.    Themes – historical collection, sports collection or religious collection.

Which ever type of stamp collector one chooses to become, knowing the real value of the hobby is the most important thing. Learning new lessons, discovering new things, reaching far places, and experiencing other cultures are just some of the perks stamp collecting offers. But beyond those benefits, every collector gains qualities such as patience, frugality, sense of responsibility and determination. And these traits are more valuable than all the stamps in the world combined.

Whether as a form of relaxation, a means of escape, or a potential business, collecting stamps is an activity that gives genuine pleasure. It also gives the collector a sense of having something of his own. And it will someday be a legacy, which tells of a happy, satisfied and well-lived life.

It is not hard to get started in the infamous art of stamp collecting, nor is it overly expensive. There are a few must have items needed to begin: tweezer-like tongs to handle stamps, a magnifying glass, a stamp album, and of course, the stamps.

The first thing to decide is what type of stamps you wish to collect. Many people collect new stamps and just as many collect used ones; it is all a matter of personal preference. If collecting new stamps, there are thousands of Internet sites selling stamps, there are dealers all over the world that sell them, and there are even stamp auctions. If collecting used stamps, most people will save stamps off of their mail and also save the stamps off of all their friends and families mail. One of the cheapest ways to start a large collection is buying a roll of used stamps from a collector. You can get 1000 mixed stamps for as low as $12.00.

Many people only collect stamps from their respective countries, then there are some that collect worldwide stamps. If you like a specific theme of stamp you can collect just that one type, such as birds, ships, planes, animals, or even celebrities. The types of stamps are as different as the people that collect them. It is often a good idea to start with a general collection until you decide exactly what type of stamp interests you.

After there are a good number of stamps in your collection they need to be sorted. Most people will sort their stamps by countries and or themes. Then go another step further and arrange them alphabetically. This will make stamps much easier to find.

When stamps have been accumulated, it is essential that you know the proper ways to care for stamps so as not to ruin them. In order to remove the stamp from the envelope, first cut around the stamp carefully. Place the stamp face-up in a bowl of luke-warm water and let it soak for about 20 minutes. When the stamp comes off carefully put the stamp on a dry towel then use the special stamp tweezers to put it into an album.

If looking for more information on stamps and stamp collecting, the local post office is a good place to start. They usually have separate philatelic counters. Some larger post offices also sell a Stamp Collecting Start-up Kit. As a source for more information there are also stamp clubs, magazines and stamp catalogues, or experienced stamp dealers.

Before you decide on starting a stamp collection you must first determine what kind or type of stamps you are going to collect. You can collect any kind of stamp but it would be more valuable if you collect a certain kind of stamp. You can choose to collect stamps according to their types, formats, purpose, or condition.

A total of ten thousand postage stamps are being issued every year throughout the world and it would be very expensive and perhaps almost impossible to aspire for a worldwide collection all at once. You can however start with a realistic and doable stamp collection by collecting stamps issued in a specific country.

The easiest stamps to collect are those issued in the country where you live because it is more accessible. However, you can also choose to collect stamps from countries which have special meanings to you. The kind of stamps you will collect will also depend on your financial resources because there are stamps that are way too expensive.

You can also collect stamps by topic such as stamps depicting birds, ships, planes, flowers or any other object. There are people who collect Disney or cartoon stamps but you must develop a very network for this collection starting from friend sin all areas of the world. Another option is to collect used or new stamps. You can also opt for a color-scheme stamp collection where you will only collect blue or red stamps.

You can already start collecting stamps even if you do not have the money to spend on it. Start with used stamps because you can have them for free. Start by asking your housemates for stamps that come with their postcards and letters. You can also expand your network by asking friends, relatives and acquaintances for used stamps. Some people write to as many pen friends from different countries so they can exchange stamps.

While you may be excited enough to tear off stamps from envelopes, the best way is to cut the stamps from the envelopes and remove them later using a special process used by stamp collectors.

If you have extra money then you can look for new stamps from stamp dealers in your area. Also join clubs for stamp collectors because this can be an opportunity for you to exchange stamps with other collectors.

To start off your stamp collection, make sure you are equipped with the very basic stamp collecting tools like a stamp album, tongs, hinges, a perforation gauge, a magnifying glass and a watermark sensing device. When you have collected enough stamps, it is better to place them in a stamp album. Most stamp albums already have hinges with which you can mount the stamps safely.

Never munt your stamps using adhesive tapes or glues because it can damage your stamps. If your album doe snot have those little plastic dividers then it is best to buy mounts or hinges to separae your stamps accordingly.

Be careful when handling stamps because you do no want to ruin them; better use tongs to keep sweaty and dirty hands away from the stamps. No matter how you wash your hands, there will alwyas be sweat and grime which could affect the quality of the stamps you ar ehandling. Also but a good magnifying glass as it will help you inspect your stamps closely. Stamps may appear the same when viewed with the naked eye but who knows what you will discover when you use a magnifying glass.

There are a variety of choices when starting your stamp collection but do not be so caught up with the technicalities because stamp collection is basically a hobby and you do it for enjoyment. You can start a stamp collecting hobby for pleasure but when you haev already mastered this hobby then you can turn it into a money making venture. But first, take the time to enjoy your tamps.

This statistical report goes to show that more and more people are into different hobbies, where stamp collecting is notable gaining a considerable fair share in the market. In fact, in the United States alone, some 20 million Americans are approximately into stamp collecting.

With a great number of stamp collectors, some people have devised a strategy to organize them as well. That is why stamp clubs were born. Most of the states in the U.S. have their own stamp clubs that are situated in their respective cities.

In Chicago, there are some known stamp collecting clubs that can help you with your stamp collecting hobby. The two known Chicago stamp collecting clubs were the Chicago Air Mail Society and the Chicago Philatelic Society. Another group that is involved into stamp collecting is the Collectors Club of Chicago. What is different with this group is that they are not actually petitioning for any members. The group is focused more on promoting the concept of stamp collecting itself.

Anyway, the problem with most stamp collectors, especially the newbies who are not yet affiliated with any of the stamp collecting clubs in the U.S., is that most of them tend to think that stamp collecting clubs are only for the experts. They thought that since they are just still beginners, they seem to not fit with the group.

The point here is that members of stamp collecting clubs were beginners also some time ago, and because they are so much interested with stamp collecting, they feel that talking to people who have the same interests like them would be more gratifying than the hobby itself. That is why they have these stamp collecting clubs.

Hence, if you are in Chicago and if you are a stamp collector, it is better to be a member of a stamp collecting club than anything else. Joining a Chicago stamp collecting club is an added pleasure to this remarkable hobby.

Here is a list of some of the advantages of joining a stamp collecting club:

1. Friendship

Like any clubs, stamp collecting clubs foster new friends. It promotes friendship in a new level of social context, where you do not only get to meet different people but you also get to find people that you know  but did not have time to get acquainted with until you have joined the club.

2. Enables you to gain knowledge

The best thing about joining a stamp collecting club is that it lets you learn more things about stamp collecting. Each member in the club tries to contribute new information regarding the different aspects of stamp collecting such as places to get good collectible stamps, tips on how to identify stamps effectively, or some pointers on how to properly “mount” or keep your stamps.

3. Additional activities

Most stamp collecting clubs organize monthly activities for their members. They even conduct some special meetings or seminars regarding the hobby and even invite some well-known people who, like them, are also into stamp collecting.

4. Good trading point

If you are into trading stamps, joining a club is the most profitable way to do it. Stamp collecting clubs conduct trading sessions where members get to trade their stamps with the other members of the club.

Best of all, stamp collecting clubs offer discounted stamps that are really worth collecting.

5. Regular information feeds

Most stamp collecting clubs offer the best for their members. That is why they try to update their members as often as possible about the upcoming activities of the club as well as the future events in as far as stamp collecting is concerned.

All of these things are boiled down to the fact that joining a stamp collecting club can be very beneficial to a budding stamp collectors.

For beginners who thought that they are not appropriate to join the club because of their level of expertise, they do not know that it is that time of their lives as stamp collectors that they have to join some clubs particularly Chicago stamp collecting clubs. It is the best way to gain more knowledge about the hobby, obtain more collectible stamps, and enhance their expertise about stamp collecting.

It is considered as one of the most popular hobbies that still exist in this modern time. Since earlier periods, stamp collecting has been popular among royalties in Western Europe. There was a time when all kinds of people became interested in stamp collecting and treated it as their personal hobby as well.

Some people may wonder, why collect stamps? The reason they may point out is that stamps are only pieces of papers or pictures of some significant persons or events. Many people may think what would a person benefit and acquire in collecting these kinds of items. There should be many reasons why people collect stamps. People collect stamps because they find it really fun and enjoyable.

The designs of stamps are appealing to every collector. They have very attractive designs with different colorful pictures and backgrounds. Aside from the attractive designs, it also gives a person the information about a significant person, event, sports, and everything a person could find interesting.

Nevertheless, the most common stamp collectors collected are those with people, places, and events in the stamps, which may represent some valuable information regarding the history of a certain country or group. Stamp collecting provides resourceful knowledge while a person is having fun. He may not realize that he is learning and allotting some time to value such collections.

For beginners, here are some tips on how to collect stamps:

1.  A person can be a generalist and start collecting a variety of stamps that may feature everything. In this way, he may have an idea on what type of stamps he may specialize in collecting. He may place all his collection in an album and categorize each stamp according to topics or themes he has chosen.

2.  If he loves to travel in different places, he may start collecting stamps from those places he may have visited. There are particular areas and locations that offer stamps that feature the history of the place and significant persons that may have lived in the place.

3.  He may pursue collecting stamps he finds interesting. He may focus in collecting stuffs that he truly enjoys and stuffs that intrigue him. He may find those stamps that feature his favorite sport, sport icon, cars, fishes, and many more.

4.  One advantage of collecting stamps is that a person can save more money and time because these items are affordable and easy to find. Unlike with other collections, the hobby may cost him more money and may consume much of his time in finding the collection that interests him.

5.  He may join a special organization or club that have occasional gatherings and whose themes apply to his interests. He may meet people who are collecting the same stamps that he collects. He may trade his other stamps with other stamp collectors and they may give him tips and advice on how to take care of his stamps.

6.  He may collect stamps with friends that are fond of this kind of hobby. He may enjoy it by sharing the stamps he collected and citing the information that is represented in the stamp. He may also ask his friends information on where to find more stamps that are related to his collections.

7.  He may collect on his own by searching the Internet to find more stamps with the most affordable price available. He may look for stamps anytime he wants. It is considered as a passive hobby where he can relax and reduce stress. It also gives a person the feeling of accomplishment.  

8.  He may find that stamp collecting is a lifetime hobby. There is always something to know and learn about collecting stamps. It has a wide coverage of different things and persons. He may change the theme into other topics that he may think can bring another dimension to his stamping collecting.

There are many ways on how to collect stamps. It is important to do something that really interests a person. It is even recommended to start collecting at a younger age and he will be surprised of the many things he may learn from this hobby.

Catalogs are grouped into two major categories:

1.    General Catalogs

-    These catalogs include the lists, illustrations, descriptions and evaluations of all postage stamps of the world.

2.    Specialized Catalogs

-    These are catalogs which have specific listing of stamps from a single country or a particular kind of stamps.

They serve the collector 2 major purposes:

1.    Stamp Identification

-    Once a collector finds the exact picture in the catalog which matches his stamp, he can easily get all the information he needs to know- category, origin, date of publication etc.

2.    Stamp Value

-    Catalogs are a collector’s reference for stamp values. However, prices written in these catalogs are not accurate. Since stamp catalogs are published once every year, and the market value varies unpredictably, estimated values in the catalog can either be lower or higher than the present market value. It can only serve as guides to actual market values.
For years, stamp catalogs gave collectors a lot of advantage. However, it is limited. And because the number of new hobbyists continued to grow, publishing houses and even collectors’ clubs felt the need to have a more informative and creative readings for collectors- in the form of magazines. Soon, the popularity of this pastime further accelerated, as new magazines and journals emerge one after the other. Some of the most famous stamp collectors’ magazines are:

- American Philatelist

- Australian Stamps

- Canadian Stamp News

- The Compulatelist

- Gibson’s Stamp Monthly

- Global Stamp News

- The GB Journal

- International Stamp News

- Linn’s Stamp News

- Mekeel’s and Stamps Magazine

- The Philatelic FKR Magazine

- Scott Stamp Monthly

- Stamp Collector

Each magazine came out with its own gimmicks and attractions. Other magazine outfits took the edge in frequency. Some of them release an issue every quarter, some, every monthly, and some, weekly. Most of them also included stories and highlights such as: analysis and advice of leading stamp collecting authorities, the 100 most valuable stamps, the world’s largest stamp marketplace, and many more.
Stamp collectors’ magazines do not only inform. They entertain. They persuade. Indeed, they made stamp collecting a worthwhile hobby.

Shortly, even collectors’ clubs released informative magazines and journals on stamps and stamp collection. These journals turned out to be the hand book of every stamp collector, beginner or expert.

As more and more people are still adding up to the number of stamp collectors in the U.S., experts believed that the number would continue to grow especially now that different tools and devices were created to make stamp collecting easier to manage.

Experts contend that stamp collecting is simpler and more enjoyable if you have the exact devices and tools to assist you in identifying, evaluating, handling, and organizing your stamps.

True blue stamp collectors have different stamp collecting tools that assist them in collecting different kinds and classifications of stamps with pleasure and the expertise. With the advent of the Internet, there are some software programs that were technically designed to aid the stamp collectors in organizing, evaluating, and monitoring their stamps.

For some people who are not such tech-savvy, there a re tools that can also give you the same efficiency and reliability that these technological advancements can give you.

Hence, if you are a newbie in stamp collecting, and you would like to learn how to keep and organize your stamps in such an easier way, you need to obtain a stamp album. Stamp collecting albums are one of the best storage tools that you can have without having to compromise your money.

Why? Because as far as stamp collecting is concerned, stamp collecting albums are the best and the most affordable means of keeping track with your stamps.

Stamp collecting albums are not just built for the sake of having them. In fact, stamp collectors do not just buy albums for their stamps but they also find some stamp albums worth collecting themselves. This is because most of the stamp albums these days are artistically designed to fit the tastes of stamp collectors like you.

Here is a list of some of the advantages of stamp collecting albums. Go over them and see for yourself if these types of albums can really work for you.

1. Optimum protection

Unlike coins, which are also one popular collecting hobby, stamps are more vulnerable and remain defenseless against damages and wear and tear, especially if they are on their own. This is because, as we all know, stamps are made from paper material; hence, it is susceptible to any damage even if it was unintentional or just by accident.

For this reason, placing or keeping your stamps in a stamp collecting album is a perfect idea in protecting them against the harmful elements in the environment such as dirt, water, dust, or other perils brought about by animal or human activities.

2. Easier handling

Stamp collecting album provides easier handling. This is because these albums contain different ways on how to keep or hold stamps.

Generally, stamp collecting albums have two ways of handling the stamps. It could either be mounted or hinged.

When opting for a mounted stamp, you can clearly see and easily identify each stamp because they are placed in a transparent plastic casing that can be opened on both areas. Using mounts is so easy because all you have to do is to put in the stamp into the mount, and then, fasten the mounts to the pages of the stamp collecting album.

Even though they are a little costly than hinges, mounts offer better protection against moisture, dirt or dust, and air.

On the other hand, hinges refer to see-through plastics or paper with unique “gum” on a particular side of the hinge. Hinges are glued at the back of the stamps, and then, the hinges are the ones that are attached to the pages in the stamp collecting albums.

This type of securing stamps in the album is preferred by the stamp collectors if the kinds of stamps that they want to keep are those that are classified as “mint stamps.” This is because with hinges, the adhesives or the gum is easily peeled of once the hinges are detached.

3. Affordable

Most stamp collecting albums are more affordable to obtain than the other kinds of stamp collecting tools. Hence, almost all of the stamp collectors are opting to use albums, especially those who are still at the beginning stage of their hobby.

Given all that, without these kinds of protective tools, stamp collecting may have never flourished up to this point in time because stamps would have been easily worn out as time has passed by.

The hobby of collecting stamps, also recognized as philately, is among the world’s most interesting and popular hobbies.  Collectors find them attractive and fascinating at the same time educational.

Some collect traditional stamps or “by the country” and others collect topical stamps which are stamps by design and some collect copies of only one kind of stamp (specialist), and there are some who collect stamps from all parts of the world or all types of stamps that they can find (worldwide).

It all really depends on one’s interests.  For example, when one is fascinated with boats, one can collect stamps of boats and ships.  Or any theme that interests you.

There are a lot of stamp collectors that specializes in collecting presently existing “commemoratives” as their past time. Commemoratives are special stamps which are released for a restricted time by the “post office”. They generally commemorate or celebrate special events or people, such as artists, wild life, antiques, and many others.

A beginner philatelist or collector can start collecting stamps that arrives on the mail. To take off a stamp the envelope, cautiously rip the envelope away surrounding the stamp, careful that the stamp is well preserved.  Then soak it in warm water and the piece of the envelope that is attached to it will just turn loose and allow you to carefully lift out the stamp with the use of tongs. On a piece of absorbent paper, set the stamp and set down a thick book over it when dry so that to flatten it.

As a hobby, collecting stamps requires neatness and precision. Place the flattened and dried stamp in your album with hinges, or store it inside small “glassine envelopes” designed for stamp collecting.

Stamp values:

Stamps do not become automatically more valuable or expensive as they age.  Valuable stamps are types of stamps that have been always holding a high value; in time, these can possibly increase their value, however ordinary stamps, common ones and of no or low value will stay in that low value regardless of time.

Collections of valuable stamps (one’s having high value) will be the ones which are considered precious or expensive today.  Simply put, if the original stamp collector was purchasing stamps that were valuable and expensive before then up to now, the stamps will hold a great value.

You can usually tell what kinds of stamps are displayed in the collection by just simply looking quickly at the collection’s presentation.  When presented in a careful and meticulous manner, then there is the possibility that some stamps in the collection are valuable.

So if one has some commercially ordinary stamp albums with several gaps omitted on its pages, you do not have a “valuable collection”; whereas, if your albums have crafted pages with many complete sets as well as duplicates with “minor variations”, etc then most probably, you have a good collection of valuable stamps among them.

Perhaps you have inherited a collection of stamps that you have no interest with and just want to sell them, sad to say, you will get just a very small amount for it, and certainly much less than how much you think it would cost.
Almost all stamps of most countries, especially Russian stamps, are of very little value whether used or new.  

Certainly, you can purchase unused, extremely old mint, “US postage stamps” for not more than their “face value”.  Used stamps usually are worth much less than new stamps, though old stamps with clear mints can at times add to the used stamp’s value.

If a collection of stamps are all sold at one time, the value may sometimes depend on how the collection are displayed and stored.  

If the collection are displayed and kept in such a manner that every stamp is assigned with a catalogue number, then, this becomes easy for somebody who is buying the collection to view it and know what they want to add in their collection.  When the stamps are loose, then they are of very, very little value.

In stamp collecting, the most basic rule is to just enjoy what one is collecting, to get satisfaction and pleasure from it.  Value is not necessarily a factor here. So go ahead and collect whatever stamps that interests you and display your collection in whatever manner you like.

From the time of the birth of the stamp, people have been engaged in stamp collecting. The first stamp was introduced in 1840. After twenty years of stamp circulation, more than 70 countries have adopted the postage stamp system. There is an estimated 200 million collectors of postage stamps all over the world. There are around 125,000 stamp collecting supplies dealers and a handful of organizations and clubs which are centered on stamp collecting.

The value of a stamp depends on the maintenance of its integrity and quality. The proper handling and care for stamps is necessary if one is to engage seriously in stamp collecting. There are several stamp collecting supplies that are available out there in the markets which can be availed to ensure proper handling of stamps. Here are some of them:

Stamp mounts and stamp hinges

Stamps are stored in albums or books. These books contain spaces where the stamps are placed using stamp mounts and stamp hinges. The stamp mount is used if one is paranoid in damaging the original gum of the stamp. Mounts have sleeves where the stamps are inserted and this eliminates the need to attaché the stamp into a gum-coated hinge. The stamp mounts are more expensive than stamp hinges and are usually used to hold the more expensive stamps in the collection.

Stamp hinges are the small rectangular pieces of paper or glassine which are coated with gum. They are primarily used to attach the stamps into the pages of the stamp books or albums. They function like a door which is held by hinges. The good thing about stamp hinges is that they are very inexpensive and one will not spend more than a few dollars to buy a thousand of these stamp holders.

Stamp albums

Stamp albums are very important in collecting postage stamps because they are used to secure the stamp collection. They allow the collector to be able to organize his stamp collection and display them in a very neat manner.

Knowledge about the kind of stamp album which will be suitable for holding the stamp collection is a good thing to have. A good stamp album would have thick pages and can hold a lot of stress and withstand faulty handling. It must have ample space for the stamps so as not to get them too crowded. The binding of the album must be sturdy and strong enough to hold the pages more effectively and secure the stamps properly. The pages must be acid-free to avoid damaging the stamps.

Stamp tongs

Stamp tongs are comparable to ordinary tweezers. However, stamp tongs are usually made from plastic or stainless steel. They are primarily used to handle the stamps to prevent any damage from occurring. The use of tongs is a must for expensive stamps because a simple touch can decrease the value of a stamp.

Magnifying glass

A collector will examine his collection one time or another. In examining the stamps, one must use a magnifying glass so as to have a clear view of their conditions. Examining stamps is necessary to spot stamp tears, damages or errors and most especially, they are important for appreciating the beauty of the stamps.

Perforation Gauge

Perforation gauges are used to identify a stamp from a set of identical stamps. Perforations are a stamp’s way of identifying itself. Every stamp has different perforations. The number of curves can be measured using a perforation gauge. They measure curves every two centimeters.

Watermark Detector

The use of a watermark detector will allow a stamp collector to see the patterns which are embossed on the stamps. The patterns indicate the time when the stamp was issued. Although not all stamps are embossed with watermarks, it sure is useful to have one at hand.

There are many other stamp collecting supplies that are essential in the art of collecting stamps. If one is involved in stamp collecting, for any reason at all, he must have the proper tools to be able to make the experience fun and exciting.

A roll of stamp inside and the lid makes one a practical and functioning holder but without it, it stays one unique piece of great craftsmanship as well. The standard shelf life of adhesive roller of stamps easily tugs into any of these traditional boxes. These shine like little jewels with their cast of pretty flowers or enameled bugs or butterflies on them.

The style and design that are popular and unique all find their way well into these stamp boxes. They bear brilliant colors and shine brightly in their metal bodies. From frogs, garden scenes, flower motifs to cats and other animal styles, everything is available there. You will keep asking for more anytime you are looking for a great stamp box.

Their electric colors on metal bodies make them unique art pieces. They are little gems that collectors love and especially their uniqueness delivered out of the clutter of vintage shops. Overall these are fascinating boxes of great taste.

You can buy your own from your online stamp dealers for the best prices and range of boxes. You’ll be sure to find at least one that is irresistible!