How to Care for Stamps

Stamp collecting (or philately, as it's called) can be interesting and enjoyable. Here's how to take good care of your collection so you can preserve your stamps and participate in your hobby for many years. Have fun!

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Stamp Mounting Hinges
• Stamp Mounts
• Stamp Albums
• Stamp Collectibles Price Guides
• Stamp Stock Books
• Magnifying Glasses
• Postage Stamps

1. Keep food, drinks and tobacco products away from your collection. Keep them off your desk or table when your stamps are there.

2. Use special flat-bladed stamp collector's tongs (not regular tweezers) to handle stamps. Stamps are fragile and require the delicate care that tongs provide. Tweezers can damage your stamps.

3. Use peelable stamp hinges (designed with adhesive backing) to mount your collection's used stamps in an album.

4. Use stamp mounts (clear plastic sleeves with gummed backing) for your "mint" condition stamps. They preserve the original adhesive gum on the backs of your best stamps.

5. Use stamp albums, which are binders with pages specifically designed for storing stamps, or stock books with pockets you can insert stamp mounts into.

6. Buy the highest-quality supplies for your collection. Look for archival-quality materials, especially for album pages that your stamps will be in contact with.

7. Use only one side of an album page for hinged stamps, or insert a separate (archival) sheet between album pages. This keeps stamps from damaging each other.

8. Store your collection in the normal living space of your home, where it's more likely you'll quickly notice any insect problems. Your living space is also better because it's temperature- and humidity-controlled, unlike basements and attics.

Tips & Warnings

• Direct sunlight can damage your stamps. It can cause colors to fade and glue to stick to things.
• If the temperature and humidity in your home are comfortable for you, they're probably all right for your stamps. For more information, visit the Taking Care of Your Stamp Collection Web site (see Related Sites).

on 11/22/2005 I don't know if you could call this a tip; I've not collected stamps for more than 10 years.
I used to collect comics and I thought that, if comics collectors keep their comics in acid-proof plastic, then why not with stamps, too?