starting stamp collection - general advice + suggestions for an album or binder style/brand?

Question

Hello! I grew up abroad and used to collect stamps as a child and I had a whole binder back at home. I used to trade them with my classmates :D Anyway, now I'm in college in the US and would like to take up this hobby again c:

I'm not too familiar with getting stamps (my father used to get them for me) / buying them online, and would greatly appreciate any advice you may have on that. Tips on making sure what I'm getting isn't fake, ways to find out if I'm paying a good price, good places to buy from, etc.

Also, I'd really like a nice book/binder (preferably one that allows rearranging pages eg. the 3 hole binder kind) to keep my stamps in. Is there a brand or term/name for the kind of album I'm looking for? I'm hoping to start from scratch, and am not too interested in printed books where you can like stick stamps in and see which ones you're still missing. I've been checking ebay but there's just so much stuff I don't know where to start!

I'm all for different kinds of stamps, but I'm most interested in oddities and ones that have flora/fauna/creatures/dinosaurs and art on them for now. I'm sure that as I build my collection I will become more interested in rare stamps. Any thoughts on that would be great too.

I've read about buying stamps in bulk - I'm not really up for making money out of stamps, at least for now, and I prefer not to have more than three of the same stamp in general. However, if there's anything out there that may change my mind, share it with me!

I've sort of gone rambling and just throwing stuff out there. Looking forward to hear from you guys.

THANKS!

Answer 1

I agree with you about not liking the albums with printed pictures. (I also had your experience of taking up collecting again in college.)



The kind of pages you're looking for (which have horizontal strips of something transparent to hold your stamps) are called "stock pages" among collectors. There are 3-ring stock pages and other kinds of bindings, so you need to pay attention to that distinction. I don't recommend manila stock pages (although they are inexpensive) because you can see only the tops of your stamps that extend above the manila strips. This should give you enough to be able to use shopping search engines effectively.



There are several reputable dealers in philatelic supplies. One is Subway. Their listing for stock pages begins at http://www.subwaystamp.com/departments.asp?dept=9



You might consider going to http://www.americanstampdealer.com/Home.aspx which is the website for the American Stamp Dealers Association, then clicking on "Member List", then using their search engine to find a stamp dealer near you, both for stamps and supplies. By being members of ASDA they are certain to be reputable. (It might be easier to select the kind of stock pages you like by actually looking at some, instead of trying to find your way through listings like Subway's, then later you can buy on-line when you know exactly what you want.)



Another possibility is to go to http://stamps.org/directories/dir_ShowCalendar.htm and look at the American Philatelic Society's calendar of stamp shows, with the hope of finding one you can attend easily. There are always lots of dealers at shows (Stamp shows are essentially conventions of stamp collectors.), so you would have several to choose from there. You would also get to see other people's collections on display.

And while you're at the APS website, you might look around at the other resources they offer.

Answer 2

I would like to offer some advice that comes from the experience I have gained from collecting for a long time. First - try to find a local stamp club. Members will always share knowledge with a novice collector. A local stamp shop might be able to give you info about a local shop. You can always find a club through the American Philatelic Society www.stamps.org.



A good place to get stamp supplies and albums at discount prices is www.subwaystamp.com. The also sell stamp packets on all kinds of topics/countries.



I wouldn't worry about buying fake stamps until you start buying higher priced stamps. Oddities are interesting but not very valuable. If you want to collect "topicals" such as flowers, dinosaurs,animals,etc, you should be able to find packets from all kind of sources.



You are correct about eBay, there is so much stuff but it could be a great source. You need to focus your attention on one aspect of collecting for now. Pick a topic or specialty and work on it.



One last piece of advice, read and learn about the hobby before you start buying. Knowledge will make you a better collector and will hopefully keep you from getting ripped off!

Answer 3

I've been collecting stamps from online auction sites, like ebay, for several years. I've never been worried about fakes because my purchases are so modest in price. The best part of collecting online is that many vendors send my purchases in envelopes covered with MORE wonderful stamps. I would also let your co-workers or classmates know that you would appreciate it if they would save special stamps for you. You might be surprised at the freebies your friends and family will save for you!