How to Collect United States Postal Stamps
The first United States postage stamps were issued in 1847. These were 5- and 10-cent stamps with Benjamin Franklin's portrait. Collecting U.S. stamps is a rewarding hobby, and stamp collectors have been around since the 1850s. There are five major U.S. postage stamp categories: definitive, commemorative, semi-postal, airmail and others. The two most popular are definitive and commemorative. Definitives are the most common stamps and are used for everyday mail. Commemorative stamps, first issued in 1893, are special stamps issued to honor important people, historical events, U.S. culture, literature, art, sports and science.
Things You'll Need
- Magnifying glass
- Stamp album with archival pages
- Stamp hinges or mounts to place stamps in album
- Tongs to handle stamps
Instructions
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How to Acquire Stamps
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Start with your local United States Post Office. At the post office, you can acquire all recently issued stamps, special commemorative souvenirs and other collecting materials.
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Save stamps from your mail and the mail of your friends and relatives. Also ask relatives for stamps from old envelopes that contain letters from family archives. You'll need to know how to remove the stamps from their envelopes; see Resources for information.
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Buy and trade for stamps from other collectors. One excellent place to find collectors is to join the American Philatelic Society. From there, you can find local stamp clubs.
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Buy from reputable stamp dealers. Virtually all U.S. stamps can be purchased from commercial stamp dealers. Popular companies include the Kenmore Stamp Company and Mystic Stamp Company.
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Search antique and flea markets. Old stamps at low prices can often be found by scouring antique shops and flea markets. Look for markets that specialize in collectibles.
What to Collect
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Decide whether to collect mint (unused) or used stamps. Acquiring mint stamps can be expensive, but the stamps are more valuable. Stamp values decrease dramatically after they have been canceled (used for mail).
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Start with definitive stamps. These are the easiest to find and, with exceptions, among the cheapest to collect. Pay close attention to every detail of the stamps: color, perforations, stamp amount, design, etc. Although many very similar-looking definitive stamps were issued and re-issued for many years, there are subtle distinctions that make definitive collecting fun.
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Collect commemoratives also. Commemorative stamps are the most interesting of U.S. stamps, and collectors can learn a great deal about American history and culture by collecting them. Many commemoratives are issued every year, starting with the Columbian Exposition of 1893.
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Collect first day covers. A first day cover is an envelope with canceled postage stamps honoring their first day of issue. First day covers can have artwork, history and other interesting information on the envelope.
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Look for airmail and other special issue stamps such as postage due, special delivery, parcel post, semi-postal and revenue. Collectors often overlook these important and interesting stamps.
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Tips & Warnings
Your stamp collection is only as valuable as they are kept and stored. Acquire a good album and learn how to properly mount stamps in your album.
