Grab Bags: A Fun Way to Collect Stamps
Are you interested in starting or expanding a stamp collection, but not sure where to begin? A stamp grab bag might be the ideal solution.
-
-
How to Identify Colors on Postage Stamps
Identifying the colors on postage stamps can be a surprisingly complex task. Over the years, stamps have been printed with various inks and techniques, creating color variations that collectors prize.
-
Protect Your Collection with Stamp Mounts
When it comes to preserving your stamp collection, one of the easiest and most effective methods is using stamp mounts. These simple tools protect your stamps from wear and tear, ensuring they remain in pristine condition for years to come.
-
A Quick Guide to Perforation Gauges and How to Use Them in Stamp Collecting
A perforation gauge is a tool used to measure the number of perforation holes along the edge of a stamp within a space of 2 centimeters. It provides a precise measurement of a stamp’s perforations, which can differ between issues and even between varieties of the same stamp.
-
What Does Back-of-the-Book Mean?
The term “Back-of-the-Book” refers to stamps and postal items that are not considered part of the regular postage issues. These are typically found in the back section of stamp catalogs, hence the name.
-
Stamp Stock Books: A Must-Have for Every Collector
A stamp stock book is a specially designed album that features pages with horizontal strips or pockets made of glassine, clear plastic, or paper. These strips hold stamps in place without the need for hinges or mounts, allowing for easy insertion, removal, and rearrangement. The pages are usually bound in a sturdy cover, providing protection for your stamps while keeping them organized and accessible.
-
Plate Number Coils Make for a Unique Philatelic Treasure
Plate Number Coils are a type of stamp produced in rolls, or coils, for use in vending machines and large-scale mailing operations. What sets them apart from regular coil stamps is the tiny plate number printed on the stamp itself. This number indicates the printing plate used in their production, making each stamp a unique piece of postal history.
-
Everything You Need to Know About First Day Covers (And How to Collect Them)
A First Day Cover is an envelope (or post card) with a postage stamp canceled on the stamp’s issue date (first day it was available to the public).
-
Free Downloadable Stamp Album Pages!
These free downloadable stamp album pages are a great way to start a US postage stamp collection. Pictures assorted commemorative, definitive (regular-issue), Semipostal, Airmail, Special Delivery, and Postage Due stamps issued from 1852-2020.
