Stamp Collecting Guide

If you are one of many stamp collectors serious about your collection you understand the importance of keeping that collection well maintained. There are a variety of essential tools on the market that can make it much easier to organize your collection as well as insure it maintains its value by preventing damage. Read on for more tips to find out about some of the most essential tools all stamp collectors should have.

First, you will need an album. You can easily, and inexpensively purchase a basic album that will have spaces which are illustrated allotted for all kinds of worldwide stamps as well as specific types of stamps such as coils and blocks. This is a good choice for beginning stamp collectors.

Stamp collectors will also need a variety of stamp mounts and hinges to keep those stamps secure in the album. For more expensive stamps, you will need stamp mounts while stamp hinges are fine for general stamps that are not as expensive.

Stamp tongs are essential to prevent damage to the delicate papers stamps are printed upon. This prevents the stamps from being creased or wrinkled when picked up by stamp collectors and also prevents the transfer of oil and other debris directly onto the stamps. Even if your collection is not very valuable yet, it’s a good idea to go ahead and acquire a pair of these simply to get into the habit of using. Never substitute tweezers for tongs as the sharp edges on tweezers can also cause damage.

Stamp collectors will also want to make sure they acquire a good quality stamp catalog in order to keep up to date on the value of their stamps and also to identify new stamps in their collection. There are a variety of printed catalogs as well as catalogs available online.

Other essential tools for stamp collectors include a magnifying glass, perforation gauge and watermark detector. The magnifying glass is used to examine a stamp’s features up close and gauge the condition of the stamp while the perforation gauge is utilized to measure the differences in perforation type and size. This can be handy if you have duplicates and need help in identifying which stamp is which. Watermark detectors are used to view the hidden imprint on the paper that stamps are printed upon. This is an important tool because while some watermarks can be easily seen from the back of the stamp, others cannot. A watermark tray and watermark fluid can help stamp collectors easily detect the watermark, thus separating duplicates.

Stamp collectors should also consider acquiring color guides to help them in identifying the numerous different colors that may be used on stamps from around the world. If you are only collecting stamps from the U.S. this may not be necessary, but it is certainly essential for worldwide stamp collectors.

Stockbooks and glassine envelopes are two more essential tools for stamp collectors, especially those who are working on building collections containing rare and valuable stamps. Stockbooks may the sorting and viewing of stamps very easy while glassine envelopes are good for different sized stamps.

Stamp lifting fluids can also be extremely helpful in safely removing stamps from the different papers. While water soaking is often the most commonly used method for removing stamps, stamp lifting fluids work when water soaking doesn’t work or looks as though it would damage the stamp.

Taking the time to understand the essential tools needed for stamp collectors will help you build your collection much quicker and easier while assuring that it maintains its condition and value.