How can I show my stamps to others?
If you are proud of your stamps, so why not show them to more than just your friends. You can enter various competitions, and win prizes. If you are part of a stamp group, you might hold a competition among yourselves. Otherwise, you might like to enter the Stamp Active Stamp Competition, held each year …Read more
How can I meet other stamp collectors?
You may be amazed to discover that many of your friends are also interested in stamps. Is there a stamp group in your school or locally? If not, why not suggest to a teacher that it would be good to have a stamp group meeting at school, in the lunch break or after school. Help …Read more
Stamp information
What is used and unused? When a stamp is as bought over a post office counter, and has never been on a letter, it is known as unused (if it has all its gum, it is called mint). Once a stamp has been on an envelope, and a postmark applied, then the stamp is said …Read more
What is a stamp catalogue?
Stamp catalogues are listings of all the stamps issued around the world since the very first stamp in 1840. Catalogues are produced with a wide range of collectors in mind. Some provide an extremely useful basic listing of the stamps, well illustrated, often in colour. Others go into far more detail, and are really only …Read more
Developing a stamp collection
You will have far more fun with your collection if you arrange it in a proper order. If you collect the stamps of just one country, very often the stamps are put in the date order in which they were first issued. However, if you collect a theme, you can tell a story with your …Read more
How do I put my stamps in an album?
First of all, you must never use glue, or sticky tape, or any other pieces of sticky paper. You can buy special stamp hinges. These are small pieces of specially gummed paper. You fold your hinge roughly one third along its length. Gently moisten the shorter piece, and place it on the back of your …Read more
Making your stamps more interesting
You can add to the interest of your stamps, both for yourself and for others who see your stamps. You can write some information about your stamps on your stamp album pages. For example, if you collect animals on stamps, you can write the name of the animal under each stamp, and perhaps the name …Read more
How do I keep my stamps?
You can use a stamp album. Some albums have pages with the names of countries printed at the top. These are fine if you have decided that you want to collect stamps from as many countries around the world as possible. They are useful when you start collecting, as you will see a wide variety …Read more
More types of stamp collecting
We have seen that some collectors like to collect by theme or design, but many collect stamps from just one country or a group of countries. Often this may be of a country visited, perhaps on holiday, or a school trip. Here are some stamps from just one country – France. However it is more …Read more
How do I start a stamp collection?
Keeping the stamps from the letters you receive at home is a good start – but you should ask your parents before taking the stamps off the envelopes. Ask your neighbours, relatives and friends to save stamps from their letters for you. Save as many stamps as possible. That way you will see which you …Read more