Stamp collecting one of the oldest hobbies. The stamp collecting hobby crosses all borders and genders. There are many hobbies which were founded in a particular nation only, whereas stamp collecting is universal. Stamp collecting not only gives enjoyment to the hobbyist but also increases their knowledge of many historical facts. It is the a pastime for old and young alike.
The stamp collecting hobby is for the people who have a good amount of patience. Stamp collectors have to collect stamps from different sources. One main source is from the letters that they receive. I know a die hard stamp collector who has pen friends from all over the world. Stamp collectors maintain and increase their list of pen friends in order to get as many diverse stamps as possible. There are no limits to the number of pen friends. Through the letters of pen friends, the stamp collector not only gets the stamp of the different countries, but also learns through the letter themselves of different cultures. It is quite possible that stamps collected by this method have no significant dollar value, but in future the future, who knows, you may hit the jackpot.
For some one new to the stamp collecting hobby there are some good methods to follow and tools required. Before collecting the different stamps, buy a good stamp album. This doesn’t necessarily have to be very fancy, but you want something that is sturdy. You can also make a simple stamp album yourself. The album alone is not enough for storing the stamps; buy large quantities of screens to mount the stamps in to album. Commercial screens are nothing but special types of tape. The other tools are a pair of tongs, tweezers, magnifying glass etc.
The very first lesson for a new stamp collecting hobbyist is how to remove stamps from envelopes. One should be extra careful while removing the stamps from envelopes. There are many methods of removing stamps from envelopes out of which the simpler and quick method is soaking the whole envelope in water (preferably in warm water), and remove the stamp with the help of a pair of tongs or tweezers. Experience of removing stamps by this method is very useful. After removing the stamps from the envelope put the wet stamps on blotting or filter paper which absorbs the water from the stamps. Sometimes large stamps tend to curl after drying. To avoid this, put a heavy book on the stamps for some time.
Stamps that are removed from envelopes are than placed in to the stamp album with the use of films. I have also seen some stamp collecting hobbyists store their stamps in special envelopes. You will want something that keeps your stamps safe while allowing for expansion of your collection over time.
There are other methods of acquiring stamps, like from the post office who issue brand new edition stamps from time to time. Due to the limited number, these stamps are always high in demands. You can always exchange the duplicate stamps with other stamp collectors. Trading the stamps around and exchanging them to get the best collection is one of the most fun parts of the hobby, so don’t be shy about making some trades.
