Coins Online » stamp collecting

Coins, Paper Money, Or Stamps?

admin — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 13:03:44 +0000

Coins and stamps are tangible reminders of years gone by. Yet, while coin collecting is flourishing as a hobby, stamp collecting has gone by the wayside. Many families who inherit stamp collections are more interested in getting the collection appraised than continuing the tradition. You can’t collect something if you don’t know what it is.

Stamp collecting dates back to 1840, when the first stamp was issued in England. One of the earliest indications of stamp collecting is an advertisement from an English newspaper in which a young woman sought used stamps as a way to wallpaper her room. Soon, post offices discovered stamp collectors as good sources of revenue. From there, an unprecedented surge began.

There are no rules about stamp collecting. Some people collect stamps from a certain country while others focus on a motif, such as flowers, ships or buildings. Stamp collecting is a wonderful hobby because the collectors vary from those who have next to nothing to millionaires.

Unfortunately, stamp collecting has simply lost its appeal to younger people.

Coin collecting, on the other hand, is at its peak popularity. Rare or modern coins offer history that collectors can hold in their hand, and every period during the past 2,500 years is reflected in coinage.

Stamps disappear and become part of the ground. A coin can be dug up and, while new varieties of stamps are not really being discovered, new types of coins from all over the world are still being found.

While improperly stored coins can degrade and lessen in value, paper money can be damaged by handling, sunlight, or water. All are subject to flood, fire, or other natural catastrophe.

A stock certificate with 35% of it burned away is just as good as a mint one in terms of its value on the exchange. In fact, as long as ownership can be proven, it often doesn’t even matter if the physical certificate exists.

You can insure against these problems, and go to great lengths to assure proper storage conditions, but all of this costs money and adds to the cost of the investment, often for many years before there is going to be any return at all.

Today, coin collecting is one of the world’s most popular hobbies. Amateur collectors enjoy coins for their beauty, rarity and the stories behind them. Added to this is the excitement of searching for and finding specific coins and the challenge of identifying unfamiliar items.

Why is coin collecting thriving and stamp collecting dying? Coins are still being used and are still fascinating. It is an investment as well as a hobby. Coins continue to go up in value while many stamps are at the peak value they will ever receive. Furthermore, many are going down in value.

It’s amusing that people who collect coins, paper money, or stamps, always want some sort of “return”, at least somewhere in the back of their minds. These same people think nothing of buying a car for $20,000 and selling it three years later for $5,000.

Enjoy your hobby, and consider whatever you invest in it to be pleasure money, the same way you would count money you spent going to ball games, or dining out, or buying new clothes. Then, whatever you or your heirs get out of your collection is pure profit, whether it is more or less than what you originally paid.

After all, if you spend $20 a week going to the movies, you don’t expect to get anything for your $1,000 a year collection of ticket stubs, do you?

As far as investment in paper money in general, I would not consider it. If someone is buying notes and thinks how much will I be able to get when I sell it again, this person has the wrong hobby. Enjoy collecting for the pleasure and for the beauty of the notes as well as for the fun of it.

I believe there is room in both the collecting of coins and paper money for both collectors and investors.

The important thing to remember in investing in coins or banknotes is rarity and desirability.

So I believe there can be a case made that both collecting and investing in banknotes and coins are valid, and valuable activities.

Stamp Collections And Tips For Starting One

arguest — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 05:47:46 +0000

You might have decided that now is the time to start your own stamp collection and if this is the case then you should be congratulated. There is a huge community in the world of stamp collecting that has been in existence for hundreds of years; this really is one of the more rewarding hobbies that you could have. Collecting stamps will not only prove to be very enjoyable but it will also make you more knowledgeable and hopefully allow you to make new friends. The possibilities with stamp collecting are endless but you may be wondering where to start? The following are a few tips that you might find useful in getting started in your stamp collecting.

- Stamp collecting is something that you can start without having to spend money; all you have to do is let people know that this is what you are doing. Most people will have stamps in their home or will be able to start collecting them for you from their letters. You really can build up quite a collection this way.

- One of the best places to look if you want to buy some stamps to get your collection started is the internet. It is a nice idea to purchase a pack of stamps because that way you will have a nice selection right away this will motivate you to keep collecting. There are stamp packs available for a number of different stamp types.

- If you would like to get in touch with other stamp collectors then you can also use the internet to do this. You can find a number of great deals for stamps this way and you can also consider doing stamp exchanges; this is a great way to establish the social side of your hobby.

- It is a very good idea to choose one topic for your stamp collecting. You could decide that the topic you want to collect stamps on should be buildings or famous people for example. It is simply not as satisfying to collect random stamps.

As a passion, philately is peaceful and rewarding; even more so when special events happen. As a royal wedding is getting ready to take place, a whole wealth of special commemorative accessories will be available to purchase. Royal wedding souvenirs are only the tip of the iceberg in regards to these items.

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Becoming A Better Stamp Collector

arguest — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 05:47:57 +0000

Stamp collecting can be a very rewarding hobby and this is what attracts so many people to the activity. As well as being able to build up a beautiful collection of stamps, you can also learn a lot about the world and many things about history. Another great thing about stamp collecting is that you can get to meet a number of very interesting people. Getting the most from this hobby is very important if it is something that you are interested in. Here are just a few tips that will help you become a better stamp collector.

- There are a plethora of stamps that you could collect so it might be wise to choose a certain topic or subject when deciding to collect stamps. Choosing to collect random stamps is not a good idea as it will mean that your collection is a bit of a mish-mash; you need to have a theme to unify your collection. A possible theme for your collection could be anything such as; animal stamps, international stamps, classic stamps, famous people stamps, cartoon stamps, rare stamps, or special celebration stamps.

- If you do not have much money to spend then you could always choose to have a used stamp collection. This way you will have access to an almost endless supply from friends and family.

- It can be a good idea to buy a stamp pack to begin your collection. This will mean that you have some stamps to keep you interested right from the beginning.

- If you want to keep your stamps in the best possible condition then you will have to invest in a good quality stamp album. Another benefit of having a stamp album is that it will allow you to show off your collection to other people.

- The best way to get better at stamp collecting is to try to get involved in the stamp collecting community.

Philately is an excellent interest, but especially so when special events occur. As a royal wedding is getting ready to take place, a whole wealth of special commemorative accessories will be available to obtain. Royal wedding gifts are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to these items.

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How Collecting Items Can Be A Hobby

arguest — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 05:48:31 +0000

As humans we seem to always want to be collecting items; it is as if it is programmed into us. Many of us will choose to collect certain items as our hobby because we just get so much pleasure from this pastime. There are numerous things that you could collect such as banknotes, stamps, books, coins, souvenirs, comics, memorabilia, rocks or vinyl records. You really can turn anything into a hobby if you want. If you want to get your collection off to a good start, then the tips below will help.

- Spending too much money when you are starting a new hobby is never really a good idea. Start off slowly and that way you will be more certain that it is something you enjoy. The amount of money that you spend on your hobby could be very little or quite a lot but this will depend on the choices that you make. You will also want a lot more knowledge and expertise before choosing the more expensive object for your collection otherwise you could be fooled into buying something inappropriate.

- If you are beginning a hobby of any kind then you will find plenty of information to get you started on the internet. There are almost certain to be people who share your interest no matter how bizarre your intended collection. These people will likely have blogs and websites where they discuss the hobby and you will pick up a lot of valuable knowledge. You might even be lucky enough to find an online forum where people discuss this hobby.

- Starter packs are available for most types of collections. A starter pack will get you on the right road and it is the best way to stay motivated. For instance if you want to collect stamps you will find that there are many different beginner packs available; these can also contain other items you need like an album to keep your collection.

Stamp collecting is a fantastic interest, but specially so when special occasions arise. As a royal wedding is about to take place, a whole wealth of special commemorative items will be available to buy. Kate and William stamps are but a few of these great items.

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Why Collecting Stamps Might Be A Good Idea

arguest — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 06:05:43 +0000

If stamp collecting is something that you have never done, you might not see the attraction. However the same could be said of those who have never played football; they too might not see the attraction in kicking a ball to each other. There are certain types of people who are going to be attracted to different types of hobbies but you should remember that all hobbies have some kind of benefit; after all who would bother with stamp collecting if there were no benefit to it. The following are just some of the reasons why some people like collecting stamps.

- Many people are fascinated with our history and stamp collecting allows us to get a glimpse into the past. You really can be taken on a journey to the past with stamps and it allows us to get a feel for past generations. A lot of people like to know where we have come from as much as they want to know where we are heading.

- Stamp collecting is something that will suit any budget; it really is a hobby for everyone. If you are looking to spend a little or a lot, you can do it with stamp collecting. Believe it or not, you can build up your own stamp collection without spending a small fortune.

- The more active your mind is, the better it is for your health. An active mind will make it easier to deal with stress and it improves mental functioning.

- There is actually a lot of fun to be had when collecting stamps so this is a huge reason to take up this hobby.

- The social side to stamp collecting is quite big as well with many conventions and clubs in existence. The arrival of the internet has meant a huge increase in the amount of socialising that stamp collectors are able to enjoy.

- There are so many options available to the stamp collector these days; you can choose to collect any type of stamp such as stamps from one particular country or on one type of animal etc.

Philately is a fantastic pastime, but especially so when special occasions take place. There is a royal wedding soon and stamp collectors the world over can obtain a wealth of commemorative items. Royal wedding gifts are just a number of these wonderful items.

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The ABC Of Stamp Collecting

arguest — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 13:52:22 +0000

Stamp collecting ranks at the top of most popular hobbies in the world. Philately is a broader term for the study of stamps, and it is frequently – but wrongly – equated to stamp collecting.

Stamp collecting allows a glimpse at important topics such as history, politics, art, science and customs around the world. A stamp collection is never really complete, and that fact alone adds an element of fun and challenge for the collector.

It’s up to you to decide if you would like to collect unused (mint) stamps, or used (canceled) ones. A mint collection can be started by buying new stamps at the post office. You also have the option of collecting stamps that come in the mail, since it will cost you nothing.

Some collectors save stamps by “topic”. For instance, if you are interested in ships, you may want to collect stamps of ships and boats. Many car enthusiasts collect stamps picturing cars. You can also oversee countries and focus on collecting stamps you find appealing. Some collectors enjoy having stamps coming from different countries but dealing with the same topic. Birds, cats, butterflies, flowers, sports, space, art, chess, and famous people, are all quite popular themes.

If you are a specialized collector, you will collect varieties of the same stamp, or choose to focus on stamps used for a specific goal.

Country collecting is usually done chronologically by date of issue, sub-divided into reigns or political periods.

Some collectors enjoy collecting only first stamps, and they also sometimes take on first day covers with a postmark indicating the first day they were sold.

Some stamps cost less than ten cents each, others several thousand dollars.

A lot of people collect “Cinderellas” – stamps that are not official stamps issued by a country’s postal administration. Cinderella collectors include in their collections local postage issues, telegraph stamps, tax stamps, forgeries and counterfeits.

The “hobbies” section of your local library may have basic books about stamp collecting, and the reference department may have a set of stamp-collecting catalogs. Stamp collecting web sites are good resources to find out the value of a stamp.

If looking for more information on stamps and stamp collecting, the local post office is the best place to start.

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Starting to Collect Stamps

arguest — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 17:26:25 +0000

In 1840 the young English Queen Victoria found herself on the “front cover” of the worlds first stamp, the legendary “One Penny Black” nobody could have anticipated the hype developed around stamps. Indeed, by 1860 the earliest stamp clubs had been estabished, and the name “Timbromania” or “stamp madness” was given to this great passion.

But this aside, it is a fact that well over 150 years on, stamp collecting hasn’t lost any of its interest. Also, with the development of the internet, getting your hands on some less common items has made pastime gain new heights.

So where and how does one get going with stamp collecting?

Without appearing too patronizing, …er, …find some stamps . It’s kind of obvious, but not always clear. Certainly at the start of this journey, you need to educate yourself on the basics of the way to handle the stamps, so don’t go rushing looking for rare and hard to get issues, because it might cost you in both cash and enthusiasm.

And while many veteran collectors collect only older and limited editions of stamps, they of course understand how to handle them . Many of us love collecting themes, this could be famous people, a particular period or even particular countries like, British, USA or Gibraltar stamps.

What kind of stamps should you focus on in your first album?

The simplest is to choose a starter’s kit. They are available from 50 – 100 postage stamps up to 2000 advanced packs.

In the kit you will find stamps (obvious I know), hinges, tweezers and magnifying glass. Most kits include albums that may be either printed or plain.

Now let me go through these items:

Stamps – that’s the stuff you’re collecting

Hinges – are a small, thin piece of paper that goes on the back of the stamp, to give it more sturdiness and avoid tearing.

Tweezers – you are going to need these hold the stamps, as stamps should be kept clean. So, don’t eat chicken wings while fixing your collection.

Magnifier – Unless you are Superman, you’ll want this to examine all the fine details and minute markings on each stamp. Actually a rather exciting pursuit.

Album – printed or blank

The printed stamp album is a good starter’s option, as it gives you additional space to write notes about each stamp, such as year of issue, country etc. Some stamp albums have the stamps you are required to collect shown on each page for you to place your stamp once you have obtained it.

Blank albums don’t have this, and provide only rows for stamps to be set. This however, allows you to arrange them as you like.

A few tips:

Before you get a handle on effectively putting old stamps into an album, you can just pop to your local post office to get just a few sheets of low cost stamps to practice with. Or, take them from old love letters from your parents (they won’t mindÂ¦ I hope). But seriously, taking used ones from the mail is just about the most usual way to start/practice.

Regardless of the source of your stamps, please don’t over do it. Start with a small batch, until you get the swing of this.

It might be an idea to use a “loose leaf” albums, enabling you to re-order pages easily and put in a new one where you see fit.

Keep your working area neat and mess free, and be patient. Collecting stamps is an enjoyable hobby, not a competition.

Happy Collecting