Stamp Collecting 101

You can start with a simple stamp collection and then acquire unique items

by: Jennifer Delson, from: AARP VIVA, March 16, 2011

En español | Beginning this new hobby can be as easy as collecting the letters you already receive. Then encourage friends, relatives and neighbors to give you their used envelopes and send you mail when they travel.

What You'll Need

Stamp tongs to handle stamps safely
Magnifying glass to view tiny details
Stamp album for safe storage

Equipment is available at hobby stores and online at websites such as kenmorestamp.com, mysticstamp.com, subwaystamp.com, stamps.delcampe.net and shop.usps.com.

Where to Buy Stamps

More ambitious collectors can buy stamps in two ways from dealers advertising in newspapers or on the Internet:

"On approval": A dealer sends you stamps, and you pick and pay for those you wish to keep and return the rest.
"By want list": You select and purchase specific stamps.

You can also buy stamps at your local post office or by visiting the U.S. Postal Service website.

You can also trade stamps with other collectors. To locate a stamp collector club near you, go to meetup.com.

Veteran Collectors

You can collect items such as:

Mint stamps: stamps that have never been canceled by a post office.
Plate blocks: a block of stamps still attached to the white margin of the original sheet, including the serial number of the printing plate used for that sheet.
First day covers: envelopes with postage stamps cancelled on their first day of issue.
Ceremony programs: descriptions of the new stamp and the ceremony conducted by the Postal Service on the day the stamp is issued.

Consider collecting stamps from exotic places or those with a theme, such as nature or women.