Stamp Collecting Tips - Don't Make Simple Mistakes


If you find a stamp on an envelope (cover) that you've been looking for, you're likely to get excited. But don't let your enthusiasm carry you away and make a mistake that you'll regret.

Check your covers very carefully before you soak the stamps off, because sometimes the cover is very collectible and worth more than the stamps alone would be. Some postmarks are valuable and first day covers and event covers can also be collectible. Wartime mail with censor markings can also be nice postal history finds. So before you trim the stamp, check your cover first.

Another stamp collecting mistake that's easy to make: if it turns out that your covers have no intrinsic value other than the stamps that are on them, you'll want to trim off the excess paper before you soak the stamps. But be careful while trimming: do not cut off or cut into any part of a stamp's perforations.