You are here: Home / Archives for Limited Stamps

TRY STAMP COLLECTION

July 13, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Stamp collecting has been a past time for many people for a long time. Sometimes also known as philately, it is also very educational and interesting when you begin this hobby. There is quite a bit that can be learned from stamp collecting especially when getting stamps from other countries. Looking for older stamps that are no longer in print and can only be found through other collectors can tell you a lot about history and the places they came from. Stamp collectors can be found everywhere with fascinating stamps, some worth quite a bit of money.

If you decide you want to start stamp collecting there are a few materials you will need to begin your collection. They are:

• a stamp album to hold all your stamps and protect them. You want to make sure they are well protected so they do not get ruined and are not affected by the elements.
• mounting tape called hinges. The tape is used so it does affect or ruin the stamps. Keeping them in pristine condition.
• small tongs to move stamps about.
• tweezers for small corrections in placement that may need to be made. Also, used with older stamps so as not ruin them.
• a magnifying glass to identify older stamps and the details to look for.

You can actually start your collection today even. Many post offices have stamps specifically made for stamp collecting or if there is a stamp on an envelope you want, just remove as much envelope as possible and then soak the small square in warm water to remove the stamp. Allow to set out to dry on absorbent paper to remove all moisture from the stamp. Once the stamp is completely dry, place a heavy book on top of he stamp to make sure the stamp stays flat. Then place with tweezers or tongs into a stamp book using a hinge to attache it. That is it, you are done.

There are many collectors that specifically collect commemorative stamps and rare finds that only come out and can be found occasionally. There is also the option of collecting stamps by picture and design. Many time stamps collected for specific reasons can enter contests and there are special events for this type of collecting. There is even an annual contest for American school children to draw the best duck and have it printed and featured on a stamp.

Stamp collecting is a past time for many people both in America and other countries. It can be fun and interesting way to learn about history and other countries. If you are looking to start a hobby stamp collecting might be one to check into that is easy to start and does not cost a lot to begin.

Filed Under: Limited Stamps Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

ABOUT PHILATELY

July 13, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Their goal is just to build a collection of stamps according to whatever they chose as their theme. Philatelists, on the other hand, are not necessarily collectors. They could be but their main goal is to study rare stamps and gain knowledge about them without any expectation of owning one. All serious collectors however, could benefit from a general knowledge of philately. This could assist a collector in determining the true value of a stamp and avoid paying too much for a basically worthless one.

The study of stamps came about when people started observing that some of the same types of stamps were on different papers, had varying watermarks, color hues, perforations, and many other little differences. This brought up questions on how and why they were different. Consequently some of these individuals began researching postal records to determine the origin of these stamps and find out why there were variations on supposedly identical stamps. Additionally, over the years people have found ways to produce forgeries of these stamps. Some of them are excellent copies and only someone experienced in studying stamps would be able to tell the difference.

Basically philately is divided into two groups. There is technical philately, which examines the technical end of the stamps and topical philately, which specifically studies the designs on the stamps.

Technical philately involves being intricately familiar with the design process of the stamp. Understanding the type of paper normally used for a particular stamp such as whether it’s a woven or laid and if it includes watermarks. Knowing the printing methods that are used, this includes engraving, typography and such. Searching for stamps that have been reprinted over an existing design. Study of these technicalities goes as far as to investigate the type of separation and gum used on the stamps. Technical philately is widely used to determine forgeries in stamps.

Topical philately is strictly the study of a stamp’s topical design. Sometimes famous pictures are edited before their use in a stamp and topical philately includes learning about the story behind the editing. Some stamps have the wrong pictures on them. Learning about certain images and why those images came to be used on stamps. With the wide variety of subjects that have been used on stamps over the years, topical philately can provide an endless number of topics to be studied.

Philately is an extremely detail oriented field of study; one has to have a good eye for some of the tiniest detail that can be found on stamps. Even someone who is just a casual collector would benefit from just some of the basic knowledge about philately. This information would help a collector understand better about the various stamps and reasons behind their values. It may also help someone avoid making costly mistakes in the buying or selling of pieces in their collections. Some may hold value that a collector isn’t aware of while others may be literally worthless.

Filed Under: Limited Stamps Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

ABOUT STAMP COLLECTING

July 13, 2011 By Leave a Comment

There is a difference between stamp collectors and those who extensively study stamps, which is called philately. Most people enjoy collecting stamps as a form of recreation. They don’t spend time worrying about minute details. Those who indulge in philately are typically those who tend to invest large amounts of money in the buying of stamps. They make it a point to understand the finer points of a stamp and the rarity or desirability of a particular stamp. Rare stamps are rising increasingly in value and for some this can be quite an investment.

Stamps are an extremely portable item unlike the bigger items such as paintings or sculptures. They’re tiny and much easier to display in an attractive album that can be displayed or locked in a safe depending on the value of the stamps one owns. Many people arrange stamps in varying ways, some by country while others like to place them according to their sizes. Still others will arrange them by topic.

There have been an incredible number of stamps that have been created over the decades. For one to have a complete comprehensive collection they would have to have literally thousands of albums to hold them all. Typically your average collector will limit their collection to a specific topic or types of stamps. Some collect only stamps from a specific country while others will look for those stamps from a certain time frame. Whatever the range that collectors are limiting themselves to, one can be certain that there will always be some very interesting pieces in the collection.

With the sheer number of stamp collectors there are today, there are now thousands of clubs and organizations for these collectors to exchange information about their passion. The Internet has also opened up huge opportunities for one to search for a particular stamp or investigate a certain type of stamp that they may be looking for.

Just about any postal system all over the world has had some rare stamps. They can be postal errors or simply a very limited number that had been printed. One of the rarest stamps around is the 1-cent Z grill stamp. There are only two of these stamps known to exist. One is on display in a library in New York, under lock and key. The other one is available to collectors.

Stamp collecting began roughly in the 1800’s. In the beginning it was considered mainly a child’s hobby. It wasn’t until the late 1800’s that these children, now adults began to study existing stamps and read up on plate flaws and general production information. In the early 1900’s there was a sharp increase in the number of stamp collectors when people found that there was value and profit in certain stamps. This encouraged people to begin looking for specific stamps.

With the onslaught of Internet communication, emails and text messaging, it may be that stamps will grow even more in value as they become more and more scarce.

Filed Under: Limited Stamps Tagged With: , , , ,

BEGINNING A STAMP COLLECTION

July 13, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Stamps are classified into four separate types. They are Stamp Types, Purpose, Formats and Condition.

Stamp Types generally means the difference between a definitive stamp and a commemorative stamp. A definitive stamp most always showed a portrait of some famous person at present time or in history, although recently these have expanded to include the U.S. flag or the White House. Typically these stamps are relatively small and ordinary looking. They can be purchased at different denominations to pay for the different types of postal mail. These usually get printed in large numbers and remain in effect until the postal rates changes. Commemorative stamps are larger than the definitive’s and are printed in much smaller numbers. They’re usually sold for the standard first class postage rate. The pictures usually show images of historical events. Once these stamps run out, they usually are not printed again. In recent years there has been another stamp type called the Special. A good example of these stamps would be the Christmas stamps that are printed out for the holidays. These are larger, decorative stamps that are sold at the standard postal rate for a certain time period until the supply runs out.

Purpose shows what the stamp is for. Most stamps are classified as regular stamps because they are used on your every day basic mail. However, immediately after the postage stamp was distributed came along other stamps showing different purposes. Some show postage due for the mail that had insufficient monies applied to the postage. Other stamps were created to show classified mail, airmail and a variety of other special services.

Stamps are issued in a variety of ways. Format is another classification term used to show how these stamps were originally issued. Whether it was as a sheet, booklet, coil or panes.

Condition of a stamp is very important to many collectors. Mint condition is one that has never been used and is still in the same condition as when it was issued. If one has been in a collection held in an album with a hinge then it is considered an unused one. The reason for the difference is that the one that was in an album has had its “gum” disturbed. One that has been sent through the postal system and been stamped is considered used.

Other classification types are whether they are perforated, what kind of printing is used and whether a watermark was used.

By understanding the different classifications, one can begin their collection based on certain criteria. Many collectors have a certain theme to their collections. There have been billions of stamps that have been issued over the years that it would be literally impossible to have a complete collection. Many people choose a certain topical theme or perhaps stamps from a certain country only. Whatever you decide to create your theme around, it’ll be interesting and fun for you to study.

Filed Under: Limited Stamps Tagged With: , , , ,

FAMOUS STAMPS

July 13, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Over the years a certain few stamps have emerged as the most sought after objects by stamp collectors. They are…

The “Treskilling” Yellow. This is considered one of the most valuable stamps in the world. This was one of the first stamps distributed by Sweden back in 1855. They created a set of five stamps that ranged from 3 to 24 skillings banco. Each one was printed with a different color. Somehow the 3 skilling stamp got imprinted with the yellow-orange color, which is reserved for the 8 skilling stamp. Speculation is that a plate may have gotten damaged and the wrong plate was substituted for it. The end result is that this error was never caught and shortly after distributing these stamps, Sweden changed their currency and printed out new stamps depicting the new currency. A collector found a 3 skilling stamp with the orange-yellow color and realized that he had a find. After a number of years went by with many collectors searching specifically for this particular stamp, it was realized that this one found in the attic might have been the only surviving stamp of its kind. At this point the value of this stamp rose dramatically. Each consecutive time this Treskilling Yellow stamp has been sold, it has set records on the amount of money exchanged for it.

The Penny Black. This stamp holds the title of being the first official postal stamp to be used. It was issued by Great Britain in 1840. There’s suggestion that adhesive stamps have been used as far back as Greece as a system for postal delivery but the Penny Black was the first official one designed for a prepaid postal system. It’s was only used for a short period of time and printed from 11 different plates. It was switched over to the Penny Red when it was discovered that it was difficult to see a red cancellation stamp over a black. Some found that the red stamp was relatively easy to remove from the stamp also. So it was switched. The Penny Black is not a rare stamp. There were millions printed and put into circulation during that year. Additionally at that time many would write letters fold them and put the stamp directly onto the letter itself for mailing rather than use envelopes. As a result of this many of the stamps are still preserved along with the letters. The only reason this stamp is one of the most desired piece to own among collectors is due to its position of being the first official stamp. Because of this, one can expect to pay a good amount for owning one.

The Basel Dove. The world’s first stamp to be printed using three different colors. This stamp was printed by a canton of Basel. They didn’t have an official postal system until a few years later. Each canton was deemed responsible for their own mail service and Basel was among the first to issue prepaid stamps.

Filed Under: Limited Stamps Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,