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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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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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A Guide To Stamp Collecting Supplies For The Intermediate Level

arguest — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 07:33:51 +0000

Identifying the stamps in your collection is an important part of every intermediate collector’s hobby at that particular stage. You should know a thing or two about most the stamps in your collection, if not all of them. This means it’s time for you to start shopping for the best possible stamp collecting supplies in the market. Most of the time these supplies can be found from a supply company’s catalog. You can sometimes find them in hobby shops, although smaller hobby shops are not likely to carry them. Take a look at these interesting stamp collecting supply items for intermediate collectors.

About The Perforation Gauge

When you are trying to correctly identify your stamps, there may come a time when you need a perforation gauge. This tool is used to measure the number of holes per 2cm length of the stamp’s perforations. If you see those small holes between blocks of stamps, these are perforations. You have likely always seen them but may have never paid close attention to them at first. In some cases, you may have two stamps in front of you with the same issue and virtually same appearance. They may look exactly the same, but they may have a different perforation count. This is very crucial because this could determine the rarity or special value of a certain stamp.

The Watermark Detector

Another interesting supply item for an intermediate or advanced collector is a watermark detector. This tool helps you view hidden embossed or imprinted patterns on your stamp. These marks were made on the paper the stamp was printed on. However, not all stamps have watermarks. But on those that have, there are some cases where two stamps that look the same have different watermarks. Again, this is another tool that can spot out a peculiar and hard to find stamp. A watermark detector can also identify forgeries.

Stamp Magazines

Pretty soon you will consider yourself a hardcore, or advanced collector, but before that, you may want to subscribe to a stamp magazine. You can get invaluable help on stamp collecting and the devices used in the hobby. They can help you by offering and reviewing different products while featuring columns or articles by your fellow collectors. They are very interesting and can be wonderful gifts for an avid stamp collector. Compared to the two other stamp collecting applies, the appeal of the stamp magazine can be considered universal. These magazines keep you updated on everything related to stamp collecting, and should point you to the path of eventually becoming an advanced or hardcore collector.

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Software For Stamp Collecting

arguest — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 15:08:37 +0000

You have stamps, and gear to handle them along with an album to keep them in yet, while it is easy to keep track of a smallish selection, how do you manage once it grows to a few hundred, not to mention several thousand stamps from numerous places, thematics, issues? Say you collect quite a few different themes. You may have Birds, Personalities, Ships, United states, German and Gibraltar stamps… the list keeps growing… the whole thing can get very involved when you finally run into the thousands.

What about various types of watermarks, phosphor and paper?

It’s here that the stamp collecting software comes in. Putting it simply, it’s an application that will assist you to record these factors and more.

What should an effective collecting stamps software program have?

To begin a significant data bank of stamps per country, including reign, type and issue.

It should include variation in paper, different watermarks or glue used when printing.

It’s good to look out for an application that has got images of stamps, so you can just click on those you’ve got, and obtain the relevant information on it.

It should be able to export to Excel or a text file for a simple summary.

Additionally it should support some kind of custom system of catalogization, e.g. – by year, date of purchase, cost etc.

how do i use the application?

Most stamp collecting software incorporates a simple to operate user interface, where you can either search through the database by already preset parameters (country, value etcÂ¦), or you may enter certain characteristics you know about your stamp (such as batch or sheet number etc), then finding your stamp in query results.

An effective software program should include an extensive gallery providing you with easy visual recognition as well.

Once you’ve found your stamp, you may then add any data that is absent, for example the date of purchase as well as the price you acquired it for, the state it is in, the number of the album and page you’ve placed it in or other descriptions as you see fit. This makes tracking down the stamp you want an easy job.

Just how much should you pay?

In case you prefer spending your cash on stamps instead of other things, you will be pleased to hear that there’s quite a lot of free software for collecting stamps.

Also, a number of these programs have a free trial, to help you to take a look at different ones until you find one that you fulfills your needs. Having said that, should you be seriously interested in your hobby, and you also want additional features to track a large collection, you may want to spend a little for full featured versions.

Thankfully, this kind of software program is quite cheap with prices between about $30 to just over $100 for more complicated versions.

So an abundance of choice to guide you on your way. Happy collecting.

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