How to Start and Profit From Stamp Collecting as a Hobby

If you are thinking about starting stamp collecting/philately as a hobby, you may be wondering if the hobby is not expensive. You may even ask whether you can enjoy it with limited financial resources. What if you have no money at all for the hobby?. It is not expensive but rather very educative and rewarding to make stamp collecting/philately your hobby.What you start as a hobby may eventualy turn up to be a veritable source of income for you.

One of the biggest questions any stamp collector faces is where to find inexpensive stamps. If you intend to collect the postage stamps of Nigeria and the World and wish to collect both USED and MINT/UNUSED, the opportunities are really great. Not all collections consist mainly of unused stamps that you buy in the Post Office.

Used stamps are worth collecting, They have value and may cost you nothing. Many stamp collectors collect only used stamps. Others collect both Used and Unused ones.Others collect postage stamps from One Country or one part of the World. Some collect stamps by Topics like Sports, Olympics, Flora and Fauna etc. There are many different types of collecting interests available to the genuine collectors.

All postally used stamps started out being received on someone's letters/parcels, at no cost to the person receiving them. The first place to look for stamps, then, is your own letters/parcels. Don't be discouraged when you notice that some of your letters may have on them postage meters or the imprint "Bulk Rate Postage Paid" on their envelopes or parcels in order to enjoy a better postal rate or keep away from affixing postage stamps.

Also, when some people affix real stamps, they often use the

same common ones. You may try ask people who write to you to use topical/thematic/commemorative stamps on their mails. These are normally the stamps issued to honour famous people, places, or events. These special stamps are printed in lesser quantities than the common stamps(definitive) and usually are of much more interest to collectors.

Many people will remember to ask for commemorative/topical/thematic stamps at the post office

when mailing letters to you or your family members if you let them know you are a stamp collector. Also, if you write for offers that require postage or a self addressed, stamped envelope, you can put topical/thematic/commemoratives on your return envelope, knowing that they will come back to you later.

Neighbors, friends, and relatives are another good Sources of stamps. The majority of people just throw away stamps when they receive them on will be nore than too happy to save them for someone who appreciates them. You may even know someone who gets letters from other countries who can give these stamps o you too.

Always be on the lookout for potentially good stamp contacts, and don't be afraid to ask them to go through their mails for you before they throw away all the envelopes. Office mail may be even better. You may know someone who works in an office that gets a lot of mail. Out of 100 or more letters a day, there may be a lot of good stamps that are being thrown away.

Many businesses get a lot of foreign mail and regularly throw

away stamps that have interest and/or value to a collector.

You may even have penpals worldwide with whom you can exchange stamps. Also ask your parents/relations/friends if they have any old letters, which may have stamps on the envelopes. With these sources for stamps.you have started a very rewarding and lucrative hobby.

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10 Really Low-Cost Ways to Start Your Stamp Collection

Stamp collecting doesn't have to be an expensive hobby. You can enjoy collecting stamps with limited financial resources. Here are 10 really low-cost ways to start stamp collecting.

1. Ask your friends to use commemorative stamps on their mail when they write to you. Commemorative stamps are generally larger than regular stamps and are issued to honor famous people, places, or events. Because commemorative stamps are usually issued in lesser quantities than common smaller stamps, they are of much more interest to collectors. Tell your friends that you are a stamp collector and ask them to request commemorative stamps at the post office.
2. When you send away for offers that require postage or self-addressed, stamped envelopes, use commemorative stamps. You'll get them back when the envelopes are returned to you.

3. Ask your neighbors, friends, and relatives to save their used stamps for you. You'll find that most people will be happy to save their stamps for you when they learn that you are a collector.

4. If you know someone who gets letters from other countries, ask them to save those stamps. Always be on the lookout for potentially good stamp contacts, and don't be afraid to ask them to go through their mail for you before they throw away all the envelopes.

5. Ask friends and family to save the envelopes from their office mail for you. Many businesses get a lot of foreign mail and regularly throw away stamps that have interest and value to a collector.

6. Ask your parents if they have any old letters with stamps on the envelopes. Don't peel the stamp off the envelope. This will cause thin spots or tears, both of which ruin a stamp's appearance and lessen its value to collectors. Always tear off the envelope corner so that there is paper all around the stamp, and make sure that all of the perforations are undamaged.

7. If you know other stamp collectors, ask them if they have duplicates that they are willing to give or sell to you. Many collectors have thousands of duplicates and they are often willing to help get new philatelists get started by giving them stamps or by selling them packets of stamps much more cheaply than can be purchased in stores or by mail.

8. Look for free stamps advertised by stamp companies. Free stamps are often offered along with "approvals," an assortment of other stamps that you must either buy or return. This can be a convenient way to buy stamps. Note, however, that you usually have to pay the return postage if you return the approval stamps.

9. Check out stamp clubs in your area. Clubs may offer stamps as prizes, or have inexpensive stamps you can afford to buy. Some stamp clubs sponsor junior clubs the local community center, YMCA, or schools.

10. Consider starting a stamp club if one doesn't already exist in your area. It only takes four or five other stamp collectors who are interested in getting together to learn about and trade stamps and ideas.

With free stamps and a few inexpensive accessories, such as a small album and a package of stamp hinges, even collectors with little money can have a great time.

So, what are you waiting for? Start collecting stamps today!

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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.

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Top Tips for the Stamp Collector

Stamps. You put them on a letter you want to mail, or a bill you need to pay. Once in a while, if it is a birthday or Valentine`s Day card, you will request a special picture on the stamp, a cake or a heart, perhaps. However, to some, stamps are more than just mere postage.

If you are looking to add to your stamp collection or start one, make sure you are getting what you are paying for, here a few tips to help.

Make sure you examine the postmark date on the envelope, or what is visible on the postmark on the stamp. This often plays a role in determining a stamp`s value. What is the stamps face value? Some denominations are rarer than others and of course, the more rare, the more valuable. Check the frame between the central design of the stamp and the surrounding perforations, the holes that separate one stamp from another on a sheet. Is the design centered? If it was printed off center, you may have a more valuable stamp.
Study the perforation teeth, the stamp`s jagged edges. Use a perforation gauge, which measures the number of holes for each 2 centimeters of surface area; the perforation number is one factor that determines the stamp`s value. Study the margin, or unprinted area, around a stamp; again, is the design centered? Examine the vignette, or central design, of the stamp. Check for color alterations and fading. Use a magnifying glass to examine the stamp closely. Check for creases, tears, uneven perforation teeth, vivid colors, frail paper, and the quality of gum on the backing and signs of repair on the surface. All of these contribute to the collectablity of the stamp.

The grading scale for stamps is similar to that of other collectibles: Mint condition stamps have never been used, are perfectly centered, and have vivid colors, the original adhesive gum on the back, and no creases or tears. The succeeding grades are Extremely Fine, Very Fine, Fine, Very Good, and Good. Labels often accompany stored stamps. These include Never Hinged, NH, Original Gum, OG, Lightly Hinged, LH, and Hinge Remnants, HR. Always check stamp price guides for more information on grading scales and handling stamps; many guides use more elaborate grading scales. Common price guides include the Scott Catalogue, and the Black book Price Guide published by the House of Collectibles.

One more quick tip, use Stamp Museum to determine how the stamp is being produced. In general, engraved stamps are very labor intensive compared to other types such as lithography. Also check out who produced the stamps, example, who is the painter, who is the engraver, etc.

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The History Of Stamp Collecting

With the birth of stamps came the birth of stamp collectors, which occurred shortly after the first adhesive postage stamp was introduced by Great Britain during the year of 1840. The study of postage stamps, which is also known as philately was derived from the Greek word phileo that means I love and the word ateleia meaning free of charges.

As individuals first began collecting these interesting little pieces of paper they did not actually realize just how valuable they would become. The first advertisement for collectors began in 1841 in the London Times when women began placing ads requesting help collecting their stamp so they could paper a bedroom wall. With the variety of postage stamps available in the 1860s, children every where began collecting stamps from the mail of their parents. These children quickly grew into adults and as they grew they continued collecting stamps making it their hobby.

In fact, the grandson of Queen Victoria began collecting stamps with the help of servants who handled the mail at Buckingham Palace, and it quickly became his passion in life. When he became an adult he was one of leading philatelists in world and also known as King George V,who was asked to become a member of the Philatelic Society in London. He soon became a very a very active member and was later elected as the president of the Society, but later when he became the King of England he gave the club a new name, which was the Royal Philatelic Society of London. As King, he assembled what would turn out to be the greatest stamp collections in the world. He would present parts of his collection to the club as their annual program and this tradition still continues today for members to view his massive collection.

With the introduction of commemorative stamps came an increasing popularity in the hobby. The very first United State stamps that were issued for commemorative stamps, which were designed to remember and honor the discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus was during 1893, while a few of those stamps are extremely valuable today.

There have been many changes in stamps since their first introduction in 1840, which includes that they have been perforated, coiled, and are now being printed in a variety of colors, types, formats, and designs. During the years that lead up to the horrible Great Depression collecting stamps had become one of the most popular hobbies in the world, which is continuing to be popular among children and adults. Stamp collecting is accessible for just about anyone without them having to spend major amounts of money because there are few stamps that are exceptionally valuable.

With the increase of postage stamp values came a large increase of the number of stamp collectors, which was the result of older stamps being saved in such good condition. During the 1930s, many American collectors stockpiled stamps that were issued in the 1920s, which quickly rose in value, with hopes of eventually selling them for a sizeable profit later on. However, this never occurred. More than sixty years later, these stamps can still be found in mint condition.

Souvenir sheet from various countries are extremely popular with collectors and any hard to find plate number coils, plus any stamps with errors are always going to be popular. So when you begin your own collection determine exactly what type or theme you desire and start collecting.

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All About Stamps

Stamps are used in every country of the world to show that postage has been paid on letters and packages sent through the postal services. It is a small rectangle shaped sticker that you attach to the top right had corner of an envelope. There is usually a picture or symbol on the stamp to denote a particular event for which it was issued and it contains the name of the country in which it was issued as well as the year. Since there are variations denominations, the price is also evident on the stamp. You may need to have several of these on a piece of mail to make up the correct amount of postage required for mailing the letter or package.

The first postage stamp was issued in 1840 on May 6, in England. There were two of them - a one penny black and a two pence blue. The one penny black displayed the head of Queen Victoria. After that date, many royal persons were depicted on these stickers. Brazil was the second country to institute the use of these stickers on pieces of mail in 1843. They were called Ox Eyes. In the same year Zurich introduced the Swiss Cantones Zurich and Geneve. It was not until 1845 that the practice of placing a stamp on mail was introduced in the US and the first official one was issued in 1847. The stamp that is now famous all over the world, the Mauritian stamp, came into existence in 1847. These were the one-penny orange and the one-penny blue. The first stamp to be issued in Germany was in 1849 and was called the black Bavarian Kreuzer. The system became uniform in just about all countries of the world by 1860.

The original stamp was not on a perforated sheet as we see them today or affixed in a roll. They were printed on sheets of paper and had to be cut apart. The sender had to glue the stamp onto the letter and it was not until 1857 that the first perforated versions were invented. Sir Rowland Hill invented the adhesive stamp and was knighted for this achievement.

Stamp collecting began very soon after the first ones were issued and was regarded by some as a very foolish hobby. Because there were not very many of them, stamp collectors looked for stamps from all over the world. At the time they were not stored in albums as they are today, but were often affixed to wallpaper or attached by a string. This led to the invention of the first stamp collecting books.

Dr. John Edward Gray is considered to be the first stamp collector in the world. Today, it is a hobby for both the young and old. There are many different kinds to collect, such as commemorative, definitive and special. The definitive type is the most common and is printed in large numbers. The commemorative and special types are only for special occasions, such as to denote a particular event that is taking place or for a special season of the year and are not available or used all the time.

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Finding Companion Pieces is Like a Treasure Hunt!

Looking for a companion pieces for your treasured item can be a fun venture. Companion pieces can also make the value of the piece, in certain instances, more valuable.

How is that you ask? Believe it or not there are certain magazines that run out of print; there is simply no archive available for some of your popular issues. Princess Diana is a good example. There were certain magazines that were in such demand after her death that they literally were not even available for the company to archive the issue and therefore the issue became a collectible at that point. Take for instance the first year of Playboy in 1953 the entire first year, all 12 months, are now worth well over $12,000.00 if you have mint condition issues.
What is really fun is to find a companion collectible that adds value, as well as a story; it just makes for a wonderful presentation if adding it to an autograph that you cherish. Finding companion pieces are as easy as going to a flee market while on vacation, a local garage sale, an estate auction or even a book store. Keep in mind the special piece that you have and start searching for items that compliment or relate to it.

Just recently Unbelievable Memorabilia acquired two very special autographs that we hold in very high regard, Sitting Bull and Anne Oakley on old playing cards that came from Buffalo Bills Wild West Show.

They both have a stamp that states, Buffalo Bill Cody, 1884, Souvenir, $1, U.S. Wild West Show on one stamp. There is another stamp on Sitting Bull's card that states, John M. Burke, General Manager, Buffalo Bill's Wild West. The autograph of Sitting Bull is worth an estimated $7,500. The autograph of Anne Oakley is worth an estimate of $2,500.00. Both autographs are in mint condition and the cards that they are on are only slightly discolored due to their age, no tears, no wrinkles.

In the state of presentation these cards exemplary. They just don't tell the whole story behind these famous people of history. That is why researching their background and finding out about these people is so exciting, not to mention finding artifacts that can be included in the presentation. Look for the out come of these famous autographs in our June 2006 auction. Remember I started with just two signatures on two playing cards.

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