The Universal Postal Union / Union Postale Universelle (the UPU)
     

The Universal Postal Union is an international organization that controls the world's postal system by coordinating postal policies among its member nations.  Each country that's a member of the Universal Postal Union agrees to the same rules for international postal carriage, thereby standardizing postal arrangements.  But before the UPU was established each country had to enter into a separate treaty with each other country in order to regulate international mail to and from that country.

Recognizing that this situation resulted in a hodge-podge of postal rates and confusion, many countries signed the Treaty of Berne to create the "General Postal Union" in 1874.  It quickly revolutionized the processing and delivery of mail throughout the world.  Re-named the Universal Postal Union in 1878, the UPU is now a United Nations agency with its headquarters in Berne, Switzerland.

The UPU ensures that stamps of its member nations are accepted for the entire international route that a piece of mail takes, instead of the previous arrangement where mailers had to affix stamps of every country through which a piece of mail would pass.  It also established a more or less uniform rate to mail a letter anywhere in the world.

The UPU and its uniform policies for mail handling were a great success.  After the United Nations was founded, the Universal Postal Union became one of its agencies.  Any country that's a member of the UN may become a member of the UPU, and other than Andorra, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia and Palau, all 192 United Nations member countries are also UPU members.  Vatican City, although not a member of the UN, is also a member of the UPU.

Throughout the years many countries have issued stamps in honor of the UPU, and many of these stamps feature beautiful designs.  Some stamp collectors form topical stamps collections that consist only of these UPU stamps.  They're generally not expensive to collect, so why not try it?

A Primer on the History of Stamp Collecting - Part I


Stamp collecting has a long and rich history, and few hobbies have enjoyed such enduring popularity.  Although stamp collecting is sometimes called the "hobby of kings," you don't have to be rich to enjoy it.  Many people of somewhat limited means have built beautiful, and above all, rewarding stamp collections.  

Collecting stamps can be the hobby of a lifetime, but if you're anything like me, the more you know about its history, the more you'll enjoy it.  The fact that many famous and important people have been dedicated stamp collectors has probably added much to its appeal.  Kings, queens, United States Presidents, corporate CEOS and people in just about every other profession you can think of have been stamp collectors, and you can share their passion for philately.

Most people collect postage stamps and those types of stamp collections could not exist before 1840, when the world's first government-issued postage stamp - Great Britain's Penny Black - was issued.  However, stamps of other types could be collected before 1840, including collecting tax stamps, revenue stamps, seals and more.  No one knows how many people collected these other types of stamps before 1840, but mankind's predilection to collect just about anything makes me pretty sure that at least some did.  

The Netherlands issued the first tax stamp way back in 1624.  They soon came into popular use throughout Europe, including Great Britain, and were used to indicate prepayment of taxes that were levied by those countries' governments.

Did you know that stamps were one of the main causes of the American Revolution?

Stay tuned for more stamp collecting history tomorrow.

United Nations Postage Stamps


The United Nations is a loose organization of more than 100 countries that issues its own stamps.  It's the world's only non-postal organization that is allowed to issue postage stamps.  Reflecting its multi-national nature, UN stamps are issued in three different currencies;  the US Dollar, Swiss Francs and the Euro.  But even though many are denominated in US Dollars, UN stamps cannot be purchased in any US post office.  The only way to buy United Nations stamps in the US is at the UN Headquarters in New York City, through the mail or online, or through stamp dealers.  Oddly enough, letters and parcels using UN stamps that are denominated in US currency are valid for postage throughout the United States as long as they're mailed from the UN's New York Headquarters.

UN stamps are beautifully designed and printed.  Many of their subjects relate to social issues, including environmental issues, endangered animals, AIDS awareness and world peace.  Other topics of UN stamps include art and museums, landscapes around the world, UNESCO World Heritage Sites and the flags of member nations. 

UN stamp collections are colorful, pretty inexpensive and easy to begin.

Joint Stamp Issues

What are joint stamp issues, you might ask.

According to the Joint Stamp Issues website, "Joint stamp issues are stamps released by two or more postal administrations at the occasion of a common event or anniversary and that are characterized either by a common design or the same date of issue or both." Joint issues typically have the same first day of issue and their design is often similar or identical, except for the identification of the country and the stamps' face value.

Joint Stamp Issues (jointstampissues.net) has produced a catalog of these stamps to aid stamp collectors.

Many countries throughout the world have produced joint stamp issues with other countries, and collecting joint issues can be interesting and educational for stamp collectors.

Legendary Stamp Collectors - Freddie Mercury (of all people!)


Who would ever have guessed that the late Freddie Mercury, lead singer of the famous British rock group Queen, was a stamp collector?

His interest in philately began when he was still a young boy in India, long before he changed his name from Farrokh Bulsara to Freddie Mercury. Freddie, whose parents were both Indian, was born in Zanzibar. His father, who worked in the British Colonial Office, collected British Commonwealth stamps and inspired his son to follow in his stamp collecting footsteps.

Rather than trying to acquire valuable stamps, Freddie chose each of the stamps in his collection based on their design and color - in other words, based on whether they were pleasant to the eye. He carefully placed them in his stamp album in beautiful arrangements. By the time of his death in 1991, his stamp collection was substantial although not of great value in and of itself. After his death his father sold his own and Freddie's stamp collections to raise money for an AIDS charity, the Mercury Phoenix Trust.

Acid-Free Paper in Stamp Album Pages


Acid-free paper used for stamp album pages. It's something no one in "the good old days" ever concerned themselves with, or even thought about. But most, if not all, commercial stamp album publishers emphasize the necessity of the acid-free paper they use.

Is acid-free paper really needed in stamp albums? Like many things in life, it all depends. It doesn't really matter for most stamp collections unless they're stored in hot, humid locations with very little air circulation. The grandchildren who inherit your stamp collection may notice some darkening on the edges of the pages if you use acid paper, but you'll be long gone before anything bad happens, as long as your collection is properly stored in an appropriate location.

Although damage from acid paper is possible if you store your stamp collection in a hot and humid attic or for long periods of time in a tropical climate without air conditioning, proper storage can usually prevent it. Store your stamp albums vertically (upright), not laying on their side. This allows them to "breathe," with air circulating among the pages. Don't keep your collection anywhere that's hot and humid, or you'll be taking a chance.

Choosing the Best Stamp Album


All right. You've begun your stamp collection, accumulating stamps wherever you find them, and maybe even making a stamp purchase or two. But right now, all your stamps are in a shoebox. What's a new stamp collector to do?

It's true, a shoe box will provide storage. But it's not the safest way to store your stamps, and it's not exactly the way you'd like to display them, either. Shoeboxes hold a ton of stamps, but when you use a shoe box, you run the risk of damaging your stamps: creases, bent corners, perforation damage and the like are all too common in shoebox collections. Your stamps will lose value as well as much of their beauty. Stamp albums are the solution, providing safe storage as well as a beautiful way to present your stamp collection.

Many types of stamp albums are available. You can begin with a "beginner's stamp album," but you don't need to stick with it forever: if you and your stamp collection require it, you can graduate from a beginner album to a nicer, more comprehensive stamp album. Your beginner stamp album may even consist of homemade album pages in a spiral or three-ring binder, but we suggest one of the albums printed by commercial album publishers: the paper used for the album pages is heavier in weight and better able to support the stamps without ripping, tearing or becoming dog-eared.

If you're buying a commercially-made stamp album, don't be misled by claims that any particular stamp album is "the best:" what's best for you may be a lot different from what might be best for a very advanced stamp collector. Good but inexpensive beginner stamp albums are available; most feature stamp illustrations to show you where to mount the stamps, and some even provide additional information about the stamps.

Keep in mind, while selecting a stamp album, that some types may present problems. The most notable of these problems is caused by double-sided album pages, meaning albums where stamps are intended to be mounted on both sides of each page, front and back. When the album is closed, the stamps on the front of one page have a tendency to become tangled with the stamps on the back of the facing page, and they may even tear off the page when pages are turned or the book is opened or closed. It's best to buy a stamp album designed for stamps to only be mounted on one side of each page. But these can be more expensive, so you may be forced to use a doubled-sided album for your collection. If that's the case, invest in some good-quality interleaving or plastic sheet protectors: they'll prevent stamps from tangling.

Your stamp album should consist of quality, fairly heavyweight, acid-free paper: flimsy paper just will not stand up, and an album made of lightweight pages will end up not being a whole lot better than a shoebox. If you have a specialty stamp collection or you just don't like the way commercially-printed stamp albums look, you can make your own stamp album pages, but make sure you use acid-free paper to protect your stamps from discoloration caused by chemicals in the paper itself.

Choosing the best stamp album is an individual decision, and you're the only person who can decide which one is best for you. But think before you buy, don't jump at the first album you see. But don't be too concerned if you make the wrong decision or if you decide to "upgrade" later - you can always use your album for temporary storage or for storing your duplicate stamps. Any stamp album is better than a shoebox!

Low-Cost Stamp Collecting


If you're a beginning stamp collector or even just considering starting a stamp collection, you might be worried about whether the stamp collecting hobby is too expensive for you. And since you're just beginning, you may not even be sure whether it will appeal to you. So ease into stamp collecting gently and cheaply. If you decide you like it, there'll be plenty of time for you later to add to your collection by purchasing expensive stamps if your budget permits.

Surprisingly, stamp collecting is a hobby you can pursue with any kind of budget, from only a buck or two a month up to millions of dollars spent in one purchase. But even if you don't have any extra money at all, you can still collect stamps.

Used stamps can be just as collectible - and in many cases more so - than mint, unused stamps. And used stamps offer more challenge, too. Assuming you have the financial resources, you can pretty much buy whichever mint stamps you want, either from your local post office, a country's postal administration or a stamp dealer. Finding postally used stamps within your budget is a bit more challenging, and as a result, a bit more satisfying, at least for me. More challenging because you won't be able to buy a single used stamp at any post office or through any postal administration in the world. And many stamp dealers only offer expensive used stamps. Good luck finding the more common, relatively cheap used stamps at a stamp shop - for almost all stamp dealers (with one exception) they're just not worth the bother. You might be able to find them in a stamp mixture, but with one exception, you won't be able to buy specific, individual, inexpensive used stamps. The Stamp People, which sells even inexpensive individual used stamps and sets, is an exception to that rule.

Not all stamp collections contain just mint stamps. Some of the finest stamp collections in the world feature used stamps. Used stamps also have value, and they may cost you nothing or next to nothing. Many stamp collectors focus their collections on used stamps.

Here are eight ways to inexpensively begin or continue a stamp collection:

Save the stamps you receive on your mail. They come at no cost to you. If your friends and relatives send you too much mail using common definitive stamps, just ask them to use different stamps - hopefully commemorative stamps - on the mail they send you. It won't cost them anything extra, and it will greatly increase the variety of free stamps you receive.

You can also ask your friends, relatives and neighbors to accumulate the stamps they get on their mail and then give them to you. Most people just throw them away and they'll be happy to do you a favor.

If you know someone who works in a business, they may be willing to save the stamped corners of incoming mail envelopes for you.

If you know any stamp collectors, they may have thousands of duplicates. They may be willing to part with them, either for free or for a very low price. Established collectors are frequently happy to help new stamp collectors this way - it helps the ongoing future of the hobby. They may (or may not) also be willing to divulge information about the sources of their stamps.

Approval companies frequently advertise free stamps and even free stamp catalogs, but these are almost always accompanied by stamp approvals, the subject of an earlier post here. When this happens you'll receive the free stamps that were advertised, but you'll also get another assortment of stamps which you may either purchase or return, sometimes at your expense. Read the fine print on the offer so you know what will be required if you order.

Join a stamp club in your area. The members may have inexpensive stamps you can afford, and they're a great source of information too.

Trade your duplicate stamps for other stamps that you don't have. Trading can be done with your buddies in person, or it can be done through the mail. If you leaf through stamp magazines, you'll probably see a number of ads from people who want to trade stamps of their country for stamps of your country.

Ask your friends and relatives to give you stamps, stamp albums and other stamp collecting accessories as your birthday and Christmas or Hannukah presents.


Those are my eight ways to inexpensively collect stamps. But if you think about it, there may be more.

Stamp Mounts - Safe and Beautiful

Stamps can be mounted in a stamp album in several different ways, but the two most common methods are (1) by using stamp hinges, and (2) by using stamp mounts.

Stamp hinges, which have been around in one form or another for almost as long as stamps themselves, are extremely inexpensive and very easy to use. With one exception, they're an almost perfect choice for mounting used stamps, mint stamps that have already been hinged at least once, and inexpensive stamps. But for mint never hinged stamps and stamps that have some significant value,
aren't such a hot choice.

Why?

Hinges, no matter how lightly applied, always leave a mark on the gum side of a stamp. You don't want that to happen if you're mounting mint never hinged stamps because using hinges will significantly devalue the stamps. This isn't a concern with used stamps because they have no gum to leave a mark on, and it isn't really a concern for mint stamps that have already been hinged, because a hinge mark is already there. But you also shouldn't use hinges on expensive stamps, even if they're used or have been hinged already: hinges allow the mounted stamps to move a bit, and sometimes they can get tangled up with each other with the potential for damage. So our advice is to only use hinges to mount used or mint hinged stamps that are common or fairly inexpensive.

Stamp mounts provide more protection for your valuable stamps, and they're also more appealing to look at. They preserve the pristine state of mint never hinged stamps because unlike hinging, no salvia or hinge material is ever applied to the stamp itself. And when mounts are used, the stamps don't lift up from the stamp album pages as much as they can when hinges are used, so the potential for damaging valuable stamps is significantly reduced.

Appearance is another factor in favor of stamp mounts. Appearance is important for two main reasons: (1) the sense of pleasure a stamp collector experiences when looking at an attractively presented stamp collection; and (2) if the stamps are eventually to be sold, an attractively and safely mounted collection will almost always fetch a higher price than a collection that's been haphazardly or
unsafely mounted. And stamps are an investment that sometimes require waiting several years before a significant profit can be made. Keeping the stamps in a collection in their best condition during the waiting period is essential. Mounts are ideal for these purposes - they provide an attractive little frame for the stamps and they protect them at the same time.

All stamp mounts have a clear front, but some come with a black background (our favorite) and others with a clear background. Other than that, there are two styles of mounts: top-opening mounts and center-opening mounts. The top-opening style might be slightly easier to use, because you can easily slide a stamp into the mount from the top, using your stamp tongs. But the center-opening mounts are better: although you have to lift up both ends of the mount in order to insert a stamp, there is almost no chance that the stamp will ever
slide out of the mount and become damaged. Whether you use top-mounts or center-mounts, the backs of the mounts are pre-gummed and ready to be applied to stamp album pages once the stamps are inside.

Stamp mounts are sold in pre-cut sizes to fit individual items and also in strips of varying sizes, from sizes to fit the smallest stamps to large souvenir sheets and mini-sheets. Mounts can be trimmed to size with a guillotine-type mount cutter, an inexpensive but essential tool.

Safe and beautiful, mounts are well worth their extra expense, protecting your treasured stamp collection over the years.

Revenue Stamps


Revenue stamps, sometimes called tax stamps or fiscal stamps, are adhesive labels that can be very similar in appearance to postage stamps. But instead of being used to indicate payment for mailing an item, revenue stamps are used to indicate the payment of taxes or fees. Revenues have been used by many countries throughout the world, including the United States, Canada and Great Britain. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes - some are the size and shape of a regular postage stamp, while others are very large rectangles; still others are very long but narrow strips.

Revenue stamps have been used to collect taxes or fees on wines, beer, playing cards, hunting licenses, cigars, cigarettes, drugs, the recording of documents, stock certificates and many other types of items. They are normally affixed to the item being taxed.

Some revenues have cancellations, often the signature or initials of the person collecting the fee along with the date. But some cancellations are hand stamped and others are simply punch marks.

The use of revenue stamps is much less common now than it was in the 19th and 20th centuries. But they are extremely popular with certain stamp collectors, and they make for a colorful, intriguing and challenging specialty collection. Prices for revenue stamps range from the minimum catalog value to very expensive.

Stamp Condition: Another Attribute Important to the Value of Stamps


Just like a stamp’s grade, the condition of a stamp can vastly affect its value. Although different than the stamp's grade, once again a stamp's condition does not refer to its subject matter, rarity or age: it refers to the physical characteristics of the paper the stamp was printed on.

Stamps in great condition are crisply printed with vibrant colors that appear to be just off the presses. Condition faults detract from the value of a stamp and include any type of alteration, damage or change since the stamp was printed, other than cancellations or other postal marks. Common faults include creases, tears, folds, holes, stains, missing corners or perforations, thins, and dirt or fingerprints on the gum, if the stamp is mint.

When looking at stamp condition, keep in mind that between two otherwise-identical stamps, the stamp in better condition will always be worth more. But also keep in mind that even stamps that are not in perfect condition can be worth a lot of money if they're scarce or if perfect-condition examples are extremely expensive. That's why some stamp dealers, like The Stamp People, offer severely marked-down vintage stamps for sale in addition to their perfect-condition stamps - to let stamp collectors buy stamps that they wouldn't otherwise be able to afford.

Stamp Grades and Their Importance to Stamp Values


If you're serious about stamp collecting and want to have the best stamp collection that you can, be aware that the most important factor in any stamp's value is its grade.

Stamp grading is determined by a variety of factors, but those factors do not include a stamp's subject matter, rarity or age. To the contrary, a stamp's grade is determined by how its design is centered between its perforations or, if it's an imperforate stamp, its margins. Both horizontal centering and vertical centering are taken into account. Grade also refers to the condition of the stamp's gum (if it's a mint stamp) or how the cancellation of a used stamp affects its design.

Grading stamps takes some experience - looking at a lot of stamps in a variety of different grades. After you've looked at just a few stamps you may be able to distinguish between stamps with a high grade and those with a low grade. Given enough time and experience, you'll begin to be able to tell differences in grading in most stamps.

Stamp grades are somewhat standardized, ranging from superb at the high end, to poor at the low. If you are going to become a serious stamp collector and invest some serious money, it's crucial when buying a stamp to know what grade of a stamp you are getting. The better the grade of stamps in your collection, the better and more valuable your collection will be.

Want to Sell a Postcard Collection or a Stamp Collection?


What do you do when you're cleaning out the attic and find your old Uncle Jim's stamp collection in an old suitcase or trunk? Or maybe you're moving and you find your mother's old postcard collection. They look nice, but you're just not interested in carrying the collection on.

But one man's trash truly is another man's treasure, and you may be able to sell the collection that you found for some nice change. The Stamp People is always buying stamps and Bygone Postcards is always looking for vintage postcards to buy. They'll consider all sizes of collections, large and small. Just visit their websites at www.thestamppeople.com or www.bygonepostcards.com to learn more about how to sell your treasures.

Great Britain's New Celebrating Wales Mini-Sheet

Great Britain's Royal Mail recently released a minisheet that celebrates Wales, one the countries of the United Kingdom. Wales is a very picturesque place with mountains, rugged seashores, ancient castles and colorful history and local culture. It's located on the far western side of Britain's main island, south and west of England. The new souvenir sheet is actually the fourth and final sheet in a series that honors different countries of the United Kingdom. Previous minisheets of the series honored Scotland, England and Northern Ireland.

The minisheet includes four stamps: the current regional definitive for use in Wales, the Welsh flag, St. David (the patron saint of Wales), and the Welsh National Assembly in Cardiff. Famed Harlech Castle in Snowdonia makes up the background of the sheet. Called "Celebrating Wales," this beautiful new minisheet would make a lovely addition for the Great Britain stamp collector.

Collecting Back of the Book Stamps

Page through any stamp catalog and you'll find listings for many different kinds of collectible postage stamps. These types of stamps include commemorative stamps and definitive stamps, but they also include "back-of-the-book" stamps or "BOB stamps," called that because they're listed after regular postage stamps in Scott stamp catalogs.

Depending on the country, back of the book stamps can include semipostal stamps that pay postage but also have a surcharge to raise money for charities, airmail stamps, postage due stamps, parcel post stamps, special delivery stamps, registration stamps, postal tax stamps, official stamps, newspaper stamps, military stamps, war tax stamps, revenue stamps, occupation stamps and more. All serve a special purpose, and all provide an added dimension to the scope of your stamp collection.

Topical Stamp Collections - The Wave of the Future


In the "good old days," most stamp collectors collected stamps from a wide variety of countries throughout the world. When there began to be "just too many stamps" for that to be practical, some collectors began to focus more on stamps from a single country or a group of related countries, such as the British Empire. But now, topical or thematic stamps are beginning to become extremely popular. Topical stamp collecting is collecting stamps according to their topic or subject (theme) and not which country issued them.

There are some advantages to topical stamp collections. You don't have to collect complete sets of stamps - unless they all relate to your favorite subject - and you can collect only what you want to, instead of trying to collect all the stamps of a particular country whether they appeal to you or not.

Unlike the good old days, now there are millions of different stamps so it's important to narrow down your field(s) of interest. Topical stamps are a great way to do this and they're a natural extension of a subject that you're already interested in.

To get you started thinking this way, here's an alphabetical list of a few general topical stamp subjects. You can collect one or more of these subjects or you can pick something entirely different - I'm just giving you some food for thought here. One of the beauties of topical stamp collecting is that you can pick any topic(s) you want!

Airflight and Space (Airplanes, Hot Air Balloons, Helicopters, Zeppelins, Space Satellites, Rockets, Manned Space Flights, etc.)

Animals (with or without subcategories such as Birds, Dogs, Cats, Horses, Fish, Monkeys, Elephants, Tigers, etc.)

Art (Paintings, Sculptures, Statues, etc.)

Charities (Fight Against Cancer, Anti-Aids, Freedom From Hunger, World Peace, etc.)

Clubs and Fraternal Groups (Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Rotary, Masons, World Wildlife Fund, etc.)

Education (Universities, Colleges, Teachers, etc.)

Electronics and Electricity (Light Bulbs, Thomas Edison, Computers, etc.)

Explorers (Christopher Columbus, James Cook, Roald Amundsen, etc.)

Flags (Current Flags of Countries, Flags of Countries That No Longer Exist such as Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, the USSR, etc.)

Flowers and Plants (Flowers, Herbs, Crops, Trees, Cacti, Forestry, etc.)

Health (Anti-Malaria, Doctors, Nurses, Hospitals, Red Cross, etc.)

Insects (Butterflies, Ladybugs, Hummingbirds, Bees, etc.)

Military (Soldiers, Tanks, Fighter Planes, Naval Ships, World War Two, etc.)

Music (Composers, Song Lyrics, Jazz Musicians, Conductors, etc.)

Science and Technology (Astronomy and Astronomers, Chemistry, Medicine, etc.)

Sports (Olympic Games, Football (Soccer), American Football, Cycling, Basketball, Boxing, Ice Hockey, Tennis, etc.)

Transportation (Trains, Ships, Automobiles, Airplanes, etc.)


Purchasing stamp assortments is a great way to begin a new topical stamp collection. You never know what you'll get, but there will certainly be stamps that have a wide variety of subjects and even better, they're very inexpensive. So join the wave of the future, begin a new topical stamp collection!

Selling an Inherited Stamp Collection


As stamp dealers we often get emails that ask about that very question. The emails are often like the one below:


"About a year ago I inherited an old stamp collection from my father. We spent a long time trying to figure out what the stamps were and what they're worth, but we've given up because there are just too many stamps. After looking at your website I decided to contact you. We'd like to sell this old stamp collection, get some money for ourselves and at the same time find a home for the stamps with someone who will enjoy them."


Here are some of our thoughts on this situation:

Trying to value your stamps by using a stamp catalog is a logical first step in selling an inherited stamp collection, but it can often be very time-consuming and frustrating. It can also lead to disappointment - you need to be aware that peopple selling a stamp collection almost never get anywhere near the catalog value of their stamps. Here's why:

The value listed for a specific stamp in a stamp catalog represents what a dealer would charge you if you went to them to purchase that stamp. It is their selling price, not the price they pay when buying. And their selling price doesn't take into account any volume discounts, discounts because of past business dealings, or any other factor that might cause a stamp dealer to sell their stamps for less. For example, most of the 20 cent catalog values that you see in Scott's Standard Postage Stamp Catalog, for example, exist to compensate the dealer for his or her time and effort to secure that one stamp. In reality, many of these minimum value stamps are worth much less. But a dealer has to find them, identify them and stock them, even though they're not worth much. For stamps that have a higher catalog value, a dealer's selling price will be closer to the catalog value, simply because their catalog value is due more to their rarity than for recouping the dealer's time and overhead.

Extremely rare stamps that are in great condition can and do yield a premium value over the catalog value: they sell for more than the value listed in the catalog. But these types of stamps are very rare, and although it's possible, they aren't likely to be in Aunt Fannie's old stamp collection.

A reputable stamp dealer won't take advantage of your lack of knowledge of stamps and offer a ridiculously low price for your stamp collection. Most stamp dealers, especially those that have been in business for a long time, will offer you a fair price. But remember, the name of the game when you're a stamp dealer is to buy low and sell high when you can.

Another factor that works against a non-collector who tries to sell a stamp collection is that they tend to over-estimate the age and condition of the stamps they are trying to sell. Many stamps have to be in absolutely perfect condition to be anywhere close to their catalog value. That would include things like how well-centered the stamp is, if there are any damaged perforations, if the cancellation mark on a used stamp is light, etc. A stamp can quickly lose half of its value, if there is the slightest disturbance of the gum on the back of the stamp. Condition, condition, condition: it's everything in stamp collecting. We can't tell you how many times we've seen stamps where the person selling them has said they're in "good condition," but when we actually see them, they have tears, missing corners, holes, missing perforations, etc.

There are, however, a few thngs you can do to maximize the value of your inherited stamp collection.

1. Consider using the collection as a starting point for your own stamp collection. Stamp collecting is a hobby that can fit just about anyone's budget, and you can usually collect stamps well into your senior years because it is not physically demanding.


2. If you are determined to sell the collection you inherited, you can accept the price that was offered by a dealer. If the collection was inherited, you don't have anything invested in it, so any amount you get will be better than nothing. But try to get quotes from at least two stamp dealers before you sell.


3. If you think the collection has one or more rare stamps, meaning a stamp with a catalog value of more than $250 or so, you could send them off to be expertized. Expertizing is the process by which a philatelic expert will evaluate the stamp by determining if it is genuine and give a definitive opinion on exactly which stamp it is (some stamps have many, many different varieties, in which case it can be very difficult to determine which variety a particular stamp is. Some of those varieties may be valuable, but others may be very inexpensive, even though the stamps may look the same to a non-expert.) Some services will also grade the stamp by evaluating key aspects of the stamp: is it centered on the paper, is the paper in good condition, are the colors bold, etc. But most expertizers will not give an estimate of the stamp's value, they just look at its condition and whether it's a forgery or not. Expertizing services are not free, so you don't want to have it done for every stamp you own. Typically you'd want to expertize only those stamps that may be of significant value.


4. Sell the collection on a stamp auction site. You can sell the collection yourself or you can consign it to someone to sell it for you. If you sell it yourself, you'll make more money because you won't pay a consignment fee, but you'll have to spend some significant amount of time taking pictures of the collection and writing a careful, thorough and accurate description.


5. Consider donating the stamp collection to a charity. Many stamp magazines include ads from recognized charities that request donations of stamps. And local charities such as veterans' hospitals, schools and senior citizen centers might be interested. Be sure to check with a tax consultant regarding the tax implications of donating a stamp collection. Some donations are tax deductible, some are not, and some may trigger additional taxes; it all depends on your individual tax situation.

Oh, and one last thing. We get emails all the time from people who want to sell a "huge" or "very large" stamp collection they just inherited. When we ask how large it is, the person says "there must be at least a couple of hundred stamps in there, but they're too many to count." Well, no offense intended, but that number isn't "huge" or "very large" - in fact it's a very tiny stamp collection and most stamp dealers wouldn't even bother to look at it unless they knew that it contained rare stamps.

Souvenir Sheet or Miniature Sheet ~ What They Are

A souvenir sheet or miniature sheet is a small group of postage stamps that are still attached to the sheet on which they were printed. They are usually commemorative stamps that are issued in connection with an event, such as a national anniversary, a philatelic exhibition, or some government program. The number of stamps on a mini-sheet ranges from one to five or six; larger sheets of stamps are simply called "sheets."

The stamps on the souvenir sheet may be perforated or imperforate. The margins or selvage of the sheet (the part that's not a stamp) often has an additional design that frames the stamp(s). This additional design could be as simple as a mere text statement that describes the occasion being commemorated, a beautifully designed image of which the stamp(s) form just a small part, or anywhere in between.

Both the stamps and the entire miniature sheet can be used for mailing, although they are almost always sold above face value and kept in mint collection by collectors; usages on cover are not terribly easy to find.

Grading Stamps - Part I

Grading stamps is subjective, and even seasoned experts may disagree on some fine points at times. But always keep in mind that the overall quality of a stamp is the most important factor when grading stamps. For example, Extra Fine copies of early stamps that have large margins and no faults command much higher prices than what you will see in a stamp catalogue. On the other hand, attractive Very Fine stamps with thins or corner creases sell for lower prices. For example, The Stamp People's online stamp shop features Fine and Very Fine stamps, but also has a "Bargain Stamps and Markdowns" category that offers assortment of stamps that have been severely reduced in price for this reason.

Some people use five different criteria when they are grading stamps: gum (for mint stamps), color, paper, centering and cancellation (for used stamps). For now, we'll talk about what makes a "Very Fine" stamp.

Very Fine Stamp:

Gum: Early stamps may have part of their original gum or even no gum at all. Later stamps should have complete undisturbed gum with no marks other than hinging if appropriate.

Color: The color of a stamp must appear unfaded - fresh and bright.

Paper: The paper of the stamp must be free of defects (no missing perfs, no thins, no creases).

Centering: The design of the stamp must be well-centered with distinct margins on all four sides - the design must not extend into the stamp's perforations.

Cancellation: A light, clear, well-centered cancellation (although some collectors prefer a light corner cancel which leaves the design of the stamp unobscured). A CDS cancellation (circular datestamp cancellation) is not required for a stamp to be considered Verf Fine, but is preferred by many stamp collectors.


In our next post we'll describe Fine stamps.

The Difference Between CTO (canceled to order) Stamps & Used Stamps

In general, stamps that have cancellations or postmarks, but still have their original gum on the back side, are canceled to order stamps - often referred to as CTO stamps. They are usually worth 10-30% of the value of the same stamp that has been postally used. They tend to have the cancellation in the corner (instead of in the center of the stamp) as several stamps are often cancelled at the same time, especially if they're in a block of 4 stamps. Every block of 4 would typically receive a cancel at the place in the center where the four stamps intersect. The cancellation thus falls evenly on all four stamps.

CTO stamps are sold by the postal administration of a country for much less than the face value of the stamp. Generally they are remainders or are stamps that are being replaced by newly issues. Since the post offices will not be able to use up all their supplies of these supplanted stamps, they are sold to stamp dealers at a low price to recoup at least some money. This gives the stamp dealers a very inexpensive source of stamps that they can sell to stamp collectors at reduced cost. Many times they are sold to new stamp collectors as an inexpensive way for them to get into the stamp collecting world.

Even though their value is somewhat less than used stamps, some collectors prefer the nice corner cancel that you usually get with CTO stamps. Other stamp collectors prefer stamps that have been postally used. It's an individual choice, dictated by your personal preference and the depth of your pocket.

One last comment on CTO stamps: many collectors do not like CTO stamps. Why? Almost all modern stamps, except the definitives and some special issues, are collected because of the pictures on them. So why do these stamp collectors prefer postally smudged copies and not the neat CTO? And as for the modern "killer" cancellations used by the United States and many other countries - they can completely obliterate the face of the stamp. Are they really better then CTO?

It all depends on what turns you on about the stamps that you collect.