As mentioned in an earlier guide, we know that stamp collecting is one of the most popular hobbies in the entire world. Those who collect stamps for the pure pleasure, and who take some comfort in the knowledge that their collections are valuable, understand that if the time came to sell part or all of their collection, then they might not be able to get back the total real cost of what has been put into the collection. The long hours, the effort, all the squinting and straining looking for watermarks or post marks... but, a true collector will write off this difference as part of the cost of their pleasure which stamps can bring them over many years.
One of the most important things a collector of stamps needs to have is an objective. Whether it is to collect one of every stamp from a particular country, fill up a printed album, or to specialise in just one stamp and its variations. As long as you have the time, the interest, and possibly the cash, this approach can be undertaken in many cases. For example, collecting one of each kind of the stamps of the Commonwealth of Australia is quite feasible, as long as you had some spare cash... but, there have only ever been two people to complete the entire collection of United State stamps, and for both persons, it involved single stamps worth more than US$1 million...
In general, the starting point for many new collectors is to ask family and friends to save stamps from their incoming mail. A really great way to amass large amounts of stamps is to speak to small business owners in your local area. Chances are all the stamps they will save will be very similar, but it will allow you to get full sets of the currently released series, and there is always the chance of getting a $10 or $20 stamp. Believe it or not, stamps kept by elderly relatives are an absolute gold mine! Rare state stamps, higher value pre-deciaml stamps, or simply multiple copies of a reasonably priced stamp can help fill a collection plus also give you stamps to trade and sell. Some old letters and postacards may also have rare or valuable stamps... but be careful! Some postcards or first day covers, etc. can be worth more than the stamps, so check first!!
Perhaps one of the best tools to have when starting a collection is a printed album featuring all the stamps of a particular country, or all the variations of a particular stamp, such as the Australian KGV stamps. The album gives a pretty clear indication of the stamps that are required to complete the collection, and also can neatly and clearly display the stamps that have already been obtained.
It is relatively easy to fill the spaces in a printed album, but this type of collection also has its limitations. What happens once you have filled the album? It might be an option then to just collect mint unhinged copies of the stamps, as well as used, or CTO copies. But, this would mean having a second album, and going through the process all over again looking for the same stamps, and, chances are, spending a lot more money. Rather than take this approach, in my experience, a lot of collectors take one of two paths: either they diversify their collections, basically giving them a broader range to collect, or, they specify even further, which gives them a more narrow band and just several stamps to collect. For example, if you have filled your printed album of Commonwealth of Australia stamps from 1900 to 1966, you may then begin to start collecting state and colony stamps, or decimal stamps, or postage dues. On the other hand, once one album is completed, a collector may wish to just collect corner blocks, imprint pairs, monograms or plate numbers. Innevitably though, this will lead the stamp collector begining a new album, and thus inadvertantly increasing their collection.
As mentioned above, the stamps collected from family members are often all very similar, and in general are called definitives. These stamps can seem mundane, but considering their variety of colours, perforations, post marks and possible printing errors, these mundane stamps can fill many pages in a collection!
When, and if, a collector decides it is time to introduce variety, or specific focus, to a collection, more often than not it will require purchasing stamps, especially if you are trying to obtain higher values, less common stamps, or a very specific shade, watermark, etc. There are lots of ways to purchase stamps, including dealers, post offices or online. Rare and old stamps can bought this way, with costs of stamps varying for tens to thousands of doallars. But, for the beginner, large numbers of stamps, often still 'on paper,' can be bought quite cheaply and easily on line in bulk. A really great way to buy harder to get stamps is in small lots, or collections listed as "all different."
When you have exhausted all family members, local businesses, and friends for stamps, the best thing to do is go to
Orignal From: How to Build and Increase your Stamp Collection!!
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