Since its inception on May 6, 1840, “postage stamps” had been a part of history as it unfolds the greatest line of creations that the society is enjoying up to this day.
By the time the postage stamps were created, the idea of collecting them came into view right after they were circulated in the market. This is because some people have grown fondness with these artistic creations that they have decided to collect them.
For this reason, stamp manufacturers in Canada had realized the values that stamps could bring. That is why they have decided to make their own stamps. These stamps were previously created to reflect the historical background of Canada.
From the well-known maple leaf coin down to the historical stamps, Canada has remarkable created a culture of its own, with the stamps and the coins as emblems of pure classiness.
Since then, Canadian stamp collecting started. From the commonly used stamps up to those that are classified as rare and hard to find, stamp collecting in Canada is definitely a rewarding hobby.
So if you are a Canadian citizen and is interested in starting a Canadian stamp collecting, there are a few pointers that you need to know first before you start collecting those miniature masterpieces:
1. The ability to sort stamps
Every stamp collector, whether a Canadian or not, should learn how to sort different kinds of stamps. It would be better to sort them first before you keep them in your album for record keeping.
The sorting process will based on the of stamp collecting that you are interested in. for instance, if you want to collect stamps by topic, say, historical facts, start from there.
You can even sort them according to their classifications like you could separate the special delivery stamps to those of the revenue stamps, and the list will go on.
2. Learn how to remove stamps in the envelope without damaging them
If you have decided to start Canadian stamp collecting, it is extremely important that you know how to peel off those stamps from the envelopes without damaging even the slightest corner of the stamp.
To do this, you must learn the proper way of soaking. In this process, you will be able to peel off the stamp without any damage.
This is relatively easy because all you have to do is to cut the portion where the stamp is placed, taking extra care not to cut the stamp itself. Then, soak them in a basin of water, side up. It would be better if you will use some tepid water, not hot, as this will ruin your stamps.
Do not be in a hurry when soaking stamps because you might have the propensity to soak too many stamps in one just batch. The idea here is to have the stamps extra room to drift above the surface of the water. Once they begin to resurface, try to pull them out carefully and then peel them off once you can sense that they are already to be detached from the paper. Remove any traces of adhesives at the back, then, place them in between “two paper towels” to dry.
Also, keep in mind that if you have a myriad of stamps to soak, try to change the water every two sets so as to ensure that the stamps would be faster to peel off. To save more time and to preserve any identifiable marks within the envelope, it is best to keep the stamps as it is placed in the envelope. This will make your stamp collecting more interesting.
3. Use the right mounting tools
The nest thing to learn is on how to place your stamps in the album. It is definitely a big NO-NO to place your stamps in the album using a glue or whatever adhesives that you have.
The ideal way is to have them mounted or hinged. The choice is yours, but either of the two will do. These are available from any stamp dealers in your community. Just try to choose the ones that will work best for your collections.
All of these things are boiled down to the fact that starting a Canadian stamp collecting is never complicated once you know these three pointers by heart. The idea of stamp collecting is to keep all your stuffs organized. Once you have familiarized yourself with Canadian stamp collecting, you are definitely on your way to a gratifying pastime.