Stamp Collecting Abbreviations

The world of stamp collecting can sometimes be a bit overwhelming for new stamp collectors, and the hobby is full of somewhat cryptic abbreviations, which can make things even more confusing to a beginner. Here are some of those abbreviations decoded.

NHM Never Hinged Mint
MNH Mint Never Hinged
UM, U/M or U.M. Unmounted Mint
UHM Unhinged Mint
Mint NH Mint Never hinged

The above abbreviations all mean the same thing, and stamps described that way should be POF - Post Office Fresh.

Then there is ...

MH Mint Hinged
MM Mounted Mint
LMM Lightly Mounted Mint
MLH Mint Lightly Hinged
LHM Lightly Hinged Mint
Unused Mint no Gum, Issued Without Gum
MHH Mint Heavy Hinge
MNG Mint No Gum
OG Original Gum (original gum is present and not re-gummed)
Part OG Partial Original Gum
Used Postally Used
CTO Canceled To Order

Are you confused yet? Some stamp dealers also use these abbreviations:

* Mounted Mint or Mint Hinged
** Unmounted Mint or Mint Never Hinged
o Used


Here's some of these abbreviations used in context.

If you buy a stamp at your post office (PO) the stamp will be UM, U/M, U.M., MNH, NHM, UHM or Mint NH. If you put a hinge on it it will no longer be any of those, and it will no longer be POF. It will instead be MH, MLH, LHM, MHH (if you are heavy handed with your hinges), MM or LMM.

If you hand the stamp to your postal clerk and ask for it to be canceled even though it's not on an envelope and will not be mailed, it will become CTO (sometimes also called a "favor cancel.")

If you use your stamp to mail something and it arrives in the mail without being canceled (i.e., the cancellation machine missed it) it will be classed as MNG or Unused. If it arrives canceled then it will be Used.

Purchase Wholesale Stamps and Get Lots of Stamps, and Lots of Fun!

Every stamp collector needs to find various stamps in order to fill gaps in their stamp collection. Some of these gaps are rare stamps and will be very difficult, if not impossible, to either find or afford. But one of the cheapest ways to find stamps that are missing from your stamp collection is to buy an appropriate wholesale-priced, bulk mixture of stamps.

By "appropriate," we mean the wholesale stamps should be an assortment of stamps from the country or countries that you collect - or from the entire world if your collection is worldwide stamps.

Buying wholesale stamp assortments is also the least expensive way of beginning a new stamp collection. They are wonderful for new stamp collectors that are just beginning, but they're also great for a seasoned collector to begin a new collection of stamps from a country that he or she didn't collect before.

Many times the stamps you receive when you buy wholesale stamps will end up costing less than a penny each. And wholesale stamps can be purchased already soaked and off paper, or you can opt to buy kiloware stamps that are still on paper.

Buy your wholesale stamp mixtures from a reputable stamp dealer and you'll be pleased with the price you pay and the assortment of stamps that you receive.

Answer to Yesterday's Hologram Stamp Trivia Question

The first hologram stamp issued anywhere in the world was Austria Scott No. 1441, issued in 1988.

Hologram Stamps - A Bit About These Newfangled Stamps, And A Stamp Trivia Question

You may have seen hologram stamps that have been issued by various countries. They're shiny,
"new" or "modern looking" and exhibit a three dimensional appearance to varying degrees.

Typical reflective hologram stamps are produced by transferring the uneven patterns resulting from recording an image on a photoresist material onto a plastic film that is then applied to silver or gold foil reflective material. Light reflects off the background and through the plastic film, making the pattern on the film visible. Because the pattern is uneven, the objects depicted on the stamp will be seen in 3-D.

Stamp Trivia Question:

Which country, in which year, produced the world's first hologram stamp?

Se-Tenant versus Tete-Beche Stamps - What They Are

The term "se-tenant" when used with stamps refers to an unsevered (still attached) pair, strip or block of stamps that differ in design, denomination or overprint.

The term "tete-beche" when used with stamps also describes a pair of stamps, but in this case, one of the stamps is upside down in relation to the other. For example, imagine two definitive stamps that picture the portrait of King George V. A tete-beche pair of these stamps would result in one upside-down head. If the two tete-beche stamps are separated (don't do this!) then the stamps' value as a tete-beche pair is of course destroyed.

Post Office Pen / Marker Cancellations - Revenue Protection or Vandalism?

All of us have probably received packages or envelopes with beautiful stamps used to pay the mailing cost. Any stamp collector feels a thrill when he or she receives a desirable stamp this way. In some cases, however, those lovely stamps have been defaced by postal employees using thick marker pens or ball point pens. Their value as used stamps might be fairly high but for these hand "cancellations."

This practice is becoming more and more common, and stamp collectors are frustrated. It amounts to the essential destruction of collectible philatelic items that would otherwise be prized by collectors.

Here's a synopsis of Australia Post's point of view on these obnoxious pen cancels:

"Stamps are cancelled with a pen or texta by the postal services officer or another authorised postal employee when there is no discernible cancel. This is to ensure that stamps are not soaked-off/cut/reglued and reused as valid postage.

Revenue protection such as this is essential for any business to operate efficiently and be able to deliver the high standards of performance that is expected of an organisation such as Australia Post. "

Other postal systems, including the USPS and Canada Post, use similar reasoning.

Although we understand the postal system's desire to protect their revenues by preventing the re-use of stamps, we deplore the practice of using thick markers to hand cancel stamps. Can't the postal authorities use machine cancellations? After all, the vast majority of mail throughout the world is processed by machine.

Stamps with Faults - What to Do With Them? (continued)
Damaged stamps are accumulated by just about every stamp collector. They can be put to very good uses. And some people buy them intentionallly, with a specific purpose in mind.

1. Give them to a young child. They may spark his or her interest in stamp collecting, which is always a good thing, both for the child and for the hobby in general. And the child you give the stamps to may show those stamps to friends, who may also get interested in collecting stamps. They may even start trading stamps among themselves, and stamp collections may begin to form.

2. Use them as space fillers. This is a common way, employed by stamp collectors around the workd, to have stamps in your collection that you may not otherwise be able to afford. Some damaged stamps are quite lovely in appearance when mounted in a stamp album. Thins, a very short, almost invisible tear, or damaged gum are faults that really cannot be seen from the front. If an otherwise very expensive stamp is severely marked down in price because of a fault like this, it can be a good acquisition for your stamp collection. You may end up with a stamp that you need for your collection but couldn't otherwise afford.

3. Use them as references for different color shades.

4. The cancellations and postmarks may be collectible, even on damaged stamps.

5. Use them for art (see the picture at the top of this post). Although that may be a little carried away, you can use damaged stamps for scrapbooking, collages, framed art and other decorative purposes.

The list of uses for damaged stamps goes on and on. Just use your imagination!

Damaged Stamps - Why Buy Them, and What to do With Them

Most stamp collectors accumulate damaged stamps more or less by accident. It seems that there are always at least one or two damaged stamps in any bulk stamp mixture we see (we're not knocking that - it's a great percentage if there are hundred or thousands of stamps!). And some collectors actually buy damaged stamps on purpose.

What do you do with damaged stamps?

We'll answer this question in detail tomorrow, but for now, please be aware that there are several things that you can do with them, some of which serve very good purposes. Don't just throw them out!

A Vintage Stamp from the Great Depression - Timely Then and Now


The stamp pictured above is United States Scott No. 732, the 3 cents National Recovery Act commemorative stamp that was issued in 1933.

It features three workmen and a woman and was issued to direct attention to and stimulate the support of the nation for the National Recovery Act (the NRA) that was passed by Congress during the Great Depression.

You see, the $ 700 billion "bailout" package that was passed by Congress today is not by any means the only time that the federal government has taken steps to help a flagging US economy.

Collecting Common Design Stamps

These are the stamps that the Scott stamp catalogs refer to as "common design types." Sometimes they are also called omnibus issues. There are dozens of examples of these types of stamps, but just to name a few examples, they include the Colonial Exposition stamps issued by the French Community in 1931; the Vasco da Gama stamps issued by Portugal and its colonies in 1898; and the Silver Jubilee stamps issued by Great Britain and its colonies in 1935.

Common design type stamps typically feature one or more (if the issue is a set of stamps) commemorative stamps that all depict either the same design or a substantially similar design or theme. Occasionally they are not strictly commemorative stamps, such as the Pombal set of postal tax due stamps issued by Portugal and its colonies.

Portugal and its colonies, France and its colonies, and the British Commonwealth of Nations have all issued common design type stamps. Another example of these types of stamps is the famous Europa / CEPT stamps issued by a number of the member nations. Europa / CEPT stamps are extremely popular with European stamp collectors and also topical or thematic stamp collectors.

Common design stamp collections can be very striking in appearance - imagine a stamp album page filled with all the same design stamp, but the stamps being in different colors and issued by different countries.

Just another way to collect stamps. Remember, there are no rules for your stamp collection other than that it should be enjoyable.

Soaking Self-Adhesive Stamps - Get Used To It

Self-adhesive stamps (sometimes called peel-and-stick stamps or pressure-sensitive stamps) have become so popular with the non-

stamp collecting public that it's hard to imagine them ever going away. They don't need to be licked or otherwise moistened

before being applied to an envelope, and once there, some of them can seem like they're stuck there forever.

Self-adhesive stamps were first used in the 1960s but initially they were more of a novelty than anything. Sierra Leone, Tonga,

and Bhutan - all countries that are not known for the huge amount of mail sent by their residents - were the first producers of

peel-and-stick stamps. The United States issued an experimental self-adhesive Christmas stamp (Scott # 1550) a few years later,

but they were not well accepted by the public. This particular stamp has two large detriments for collectors: used copies are

extremely hard to soak off paper, and the adhesive has discolored the light-colored background of the majority of mint stamps.

The next foray into the self-adhesive stamp world by the US met with far more success. Scott # 2431 (the 29 cent Eagle and Shield

stamp) was issued in 1989. That stamp really got the ball rolling for peel-and-stick stamps, and now we are "stuck" with them

even though they definitely do present extra challenges for philatelists. These additional challenges include how to store them (should I keep them on the backing paper, making them a bit more awkward to mount in my stamp album, and also risk migration of the adhesive onto the edges of the stamp?) and how to best soak them.



Self-adhesive stamps should probably be soaked with other self-adhesive stamps, not in a mixture that includes water-activated stamps. Water-activated stamps almost alwats float free of the paper they're on long before self-adhesive stamps.

Be careful when soaking peel-and-stick stamps that are adhered to colored paper: the long soaking times that are usually required increase the chances that vividly colored inks from the paper will bleed onto the stamp.

Soak self-adhesive stamps as soon as you acquire them. The longer these stamps are left on paper, the more "stuck" they will become and it will be even harder to get them to detach and float off the paper.

You may succeed in soaking self-adhesive stamps off their paper within 45 or so minutes, or it may take 15 t0 20 hours. Or, they may never release. Some issues are particularly stubborn.

Reasons for Stamp Collecting


I've been wondering what causes people to purchase and collect stamps.

As far as I can tell, there are three main types of people who purchase stamps: 1. stamp collectors, who love stamps and are motivated to collect stamps for a variety of reasons; 2. philatelists, who are intellectually motivated and study stamps, their usage, and the methods by which they are printed; and 3. investors, who are motivated by the prospect of making money and don't necessarily fancy stamps.


Most people who collect the stamps of a particular country have some connection to that country. For example, many people who collect United States stamps do so because that is where they live, and the events and people depicted on US stamps strike a chord with them.

But there are as many different reasons to collect postage stamps as there are different types of stamp collections. Someone in the navy may enjoy finding topical stamps with various types of ships and boats depicted upon them. Or a world traveler may collect stamps from the countries visited along the way, or from locations he or she has been to. A stamp collector can accumulate or collect whatever stamps are interesting, for whatever reasons. There are no rules in stamp collecting, just enjoyment.

Children and Stamp Collecting

Now that summer is over and the weather is turning toward winter, children (and adults) are usually inside the house for much longer periods of time. Kids of all ages who have a lot of extra time on their hands need to be occupied, and parents who encourage their children to begin a stamp collection often do them a big favor.

Instead of watching tv or playing video games or texting their friends, they could be embarking on the adventure of a lifetime - stamp collecting. Stamps are educational - in a very painless, entertaining way - and they can hold a child's interest for the rest of his or her life. History, geography, foreign languages, nature, and science and technology are all subjects that children can learn about through stamps.

Stamp collecting is a safe hobby for children to engage in and getting them started doesn't need to be expensive at all. Just purchase an inexpensive stamp assortment for them, and watch them learn and enjoy!

How Will the Current World Economic Crisis Affect Stamp Collecting?

No one can say.

It's a pretty safe bet that, as a general rule, people will be much more conservative in spending their money since the price of necessities such as food and gasoline has skyrocketed. High prices for necessities leave less money available for adding to stamp collections. And now, with the current stock market in turmoil and major banks failing and otherwise in financial trouble, the situation will only become worse.

But.

Collectible stamps can also be seen as a hedge against a falling stock market and rising prices for goods. They aren't as liquid as gold (which has seen a huge jump in its prices) but stamps - especially classic, vintage stamps - historically have risen in value over time. There are thousands of examples of stamps that are worth 10 or 20 or 100 times as much today as they were 20 or 30 years ago. These types of stamps can be considered an investment. And they're an investment that won't decline in value the way stocks or mutual funds will.

It's too soon to tell how the current global crisis will affect stamp collecting. But don't panic.

The Thrill of Victory

Much of the fun in stamp collecting is in finally locating that elusive, hard to find "hole" in your stamp collection. It may be a common stamp that you just can't seem to find, or it may be a more expensive vintage stamp. For whatever reasons, it's missing from your stamp collection.

All stamp collectors have at least a few "missing links" that they would love to put into their collections, if only they could find them. There are a couple of different ways to try to find them. Most of these ways can be expensive, but there is one method that is very economical.

The least expensive way to fill many of the gaps in your collection - especially if you are a relatively new stamp collector or are just beginning a stamp collection - is to purchase a bulk stamp mixture. Wholesale-priced stamp assortments provide the opportunity to buy stamps at an extremely low price, many times for not even a penny a stamp. These kinds of stamp mixes can be already soaked and off their paper, or they be still be on paper. The choice is yours. And you can buy single-country stamp mixtures or assortments from a specific continent, group of countries, or the entire world. Again, the choice is yours.

Buy your stamp mixtures from a reputable stamp dealer and you'll be pleased with the price you pay and the assortment of stamps that you receive.

The 34 cent Greetings From America Commemorative Stamp Set - US Scott No. 3561-3610

Issued in April, 2002, the 34 cent Greetings from America commemorative stamp set has captured the eyes and hearts of just about everyone who has seen one of them, both stamp collectors and non-stamp collectors.

They are beautiful, with vivid, striking colors and wonderful designs that are reminiscent of the old and very popular large letter linen postcards. Used stamps from this set are extremely difficult to collect, even though they are not old.

They are so beautiful that many people bought complete sheets of 50 and just set them aside, never to be used on the mail.

And only two months after they were issued, the USPS increased the postal rate for 1st class one ounce letters, making all 34 cent stamps (including the 34 cents Greetings from America stamps) virtually obsolete as additional postage would have to be added in order to use them.

Because of the postal rate increase and the popularity of the 34 cent Greetings from America stamps, the 37 cent Greetings from America stamp set (US Scott # 3696-3745) was issued only a few months later, in October 2002. A complete set of used stamps from that stamp set is also difficult to collect, but not as difficult as the 34 cent variety, as they were able to be used on the mail for a longer period.

More Challenging Used Stamp Sets For Your Stamp Collection

Postally used millennium stamps from yet another country are also very difficult to collect - the Canada commemorative stamps that were issued in 1999 and 2000.

In 1999 Canada Post released three small souvenir sheets or miniature sheets that each contained one stamp. One stamp celebrates the past, one the present, and the third is a magnificent holographic image of a dove in flight.

This was followed (in 1999 and 2000) by 17 souvenir sheets or mini sheets that each contained four stamps, for a total of 68 stamps, for a grand total of 71 Canadian millennium stamps.

Each of the 17 souvenir sheets features a different theme relevant to Canada and Canadians.

Used copies of any of these stamps (much less a complete set) are very difficult to find, as they were not often used on mail. In fact, the first three souvenir sheets were only issued as a "millennium keepsake" contained in a silver-colored box along with a coin. And it seems that most Canadians took the keepsake concept literally - keeping these stamps rather than using them in the mail.

Great Britain's Fabulous Millennium Series Postage Stamps

The postal administrations of many countries issued postage stamps in connection with the advent of the new millennium (the turnover from 1999 to 2000). We've already discussed America's popular Celebrate the Century series of 150 different stamps and the challenge that collecting postally used copies of these stamps pose.

Here's another very popular set of stamps that isn't quite as difficult to complete as the Celebrate the Century stamps, but were issued at roughly the same time: the Millennium Stamps of Great Britain. There are a total of 100 different stamps in this series, all of which were issued during 1999-2001. Like all GB stamps, they are beautifully designed and beautifully printed.

Collecting all of these stamps as postally used stamps can be challenging, but despite their large number (1oo altogether), used stamps from this stamp series aren't quite as difficult to find as the US Celebrate the Century stamps. There are a couple of reasons for this.

1. The United Kingdom only issued two other commemorative stamps during the entire 2 year and one month "Millennium Stamp period," so any Brit wishing to use commemorative stamps for mailings during that time was almost forced to use a Millennium stamp.
2. There are 50 fewer stamps to have to collect in order to complete the entire set.

Now that we've told you that these stamps can be challenging to collect as a postally used stamp set, here's a bit of information about them.

The 1999 British Millennium Stamps:

In 1999 Royal Mail issued a series of stamps that were grouped into 12 different sets of four (known as "tales"), including Entertainment, Science & Technology and Sport. One group of four stamps was released during each month of the year, for a total of 48 stamps that year.

The set that was issued in September 1999 was called The Farmers’ Tale, and contained a 19p stamp that doubled as Royal Mail’s contribution to that year’s Europa postage stamp issue - another popular thematic stamp topic with collectors - but we'll discuss Europas another day.

One of the most notable stamps in the British millennium collection was a stamp commemorating the life of the lead singer of the British rock group Queen, Freddie Mercury. The issuance of this particular stamp caused some controversy because Roger Taylor (who was still alive) was in the background at the drums. Normally the only living people allowed to appear on British stamps are members of the British Royal Family (which Roger Taylor is not).

Other stamps in the 1999 stamps featured English football hero Bobby Moore; a picture of the structure of DNA; and a fossil of Archaeopteryx, the first known bird.

The 2000 British Millennium Stamps:

These stamps commemorated a variety of projects throughout the UK which had received funding from the Millennium Commission. As in 1999, the stamps were released in 12 monthly sets of 4 stamps each, for a total of 48 stamps.

The stamps featured such projects as the Eden Project, the Tate Modern art gallery, the National Space Centre and the Scottish Seabird Centre.

The 2001 British Millennium Stamps:

These four stamps featured painted faces of children. They were the only British Millennium stamps issued in 2001, and they brought this beautiful stamp series to an end.

100 beautiful, colorful commemorative stamps. Remember that although postally used stamps can be tough to find, they are also extremely rewarding when you're successful.

The Challenges of Collecting Postally Used Stamps - Continued

Yesterday we posted on the topic of collecting postally used stamps and the challenges that used stamp collections present. Here's an example that many of you may be familiar with:

The United States Celebrate the Century issue.

This is a series of 150 different commemorative stamps issued by the US between 1998 and 2000.

They are Scott No. 3182-3191, and each of these different major Scott numbers was issued as a pane of 15 se-tenant stamps. They were sold in connection with the turn of the century, and this is a theme that we'll see with the stamps of other countries, too. Each pane of 15 stamps showed subjects from a specific decade in the 20th century, from the 1900s to the 1990s.

They are exceedingly difficult to complete as a postally used set.

First of all, there are a lot of them - 150 different stamps. That's a LOT of different but specific used stamps to try to find, considering that they're all the same set.

Secondly, they were issued in beautiful panes of 15 with informative text and background pictures. Many people who bought these panes kept them intact and unused because of their beauty and the history of the United States that they portray. Other people bought them strictly as a memento or keepsake of the passage of time and also the passing of the old millenium to the new. The panes those people purchased never got into the mailstream and still have not been postally used.

Third, because many of the stamps are topical or thematic stamps, many of the available stamps have been snapped up by collectors of those topics, rather than by collectors of United States stamps.

See what I mean about these being challenging to collect? We'll post another example tomorrow.

The Challenge of Collecting Postally Used Stamps: Part 1

We all know that stamp collecting can be fun and rewarding (and rewarding in more ways than one). And, sometimes, it can be challenging too - trying to "fill a hole" in a stamp collection isn't always easy to do.

But most challenging of all is collecting stamps that have actually been used in the mail - what we call "postally used" stamps. After all, if you have enough money, you can usually find mint never hinged or mint hinged stamps for your stamp collection - that's what most dealers focus on selling, and what most dealers carry as their stock. With most stamp dealers, you'll find plenty of unused stamps and some postally used stamps - but only the expensive used stamps. You won't find inexpensive used stamps at most stamp shops, or for that matter, at most online stamp dealers' websites either.

This fact can make it difficult to fill out some "missing links" in a collection - often, it is more difficult to find an inexpensive postally used stamp than its unused counterpart. And the situation is compounded when you're trying to put together a postally used complete set of one of the large sets of definitive stamps or commemorative stamps that some countries have issued.

We'll talk about some specific examples of challenges in collecting used stamps over the next few days. In the meantime, if you're looking for specific postally used stamps or sets (or mint, unused stamps, for that matter), have a look at The Stamp People They sell everything from minimum value stamps (individually identified and priced) to kiloware and off paper stamp mixtures, to classic, vintage stamps (mint and used).

Some Collectors Are Interested in Stamps and Coins. If That Describes You, Then Read On....

Many people who started out collecting stamps have also gotten interested in coin collecting. And the opposite is true also: many coin collectors also collect stamps. We've been asked by a couple of our readers to provide a bit of information that might help stamp collectors who also collect coins. So here we go:

Coin Community is a numismatic website which has experienced phenomenal growth and recognition since its inception in 2005. It currently has over 5,200 members that hail from more than 90 different countries, and the site provides a wealth of information to coin collectors all over the world.

The Coin Community site provides a forum for give-and-take discussion, a Coin Facts section and a Coin History section that collectors can find helpful when researching various coins. The site helps collectors learn about coins, and make informed purchasing and selling decisions. Many of the members participate in the Buy/Sell/Trade section.

Have a Passion for a Particular Topic? Turn it Into a Topical or Thematic Stamp Collection!

If you feel a strong affinity for a particular subject or activity, convert your interest into a new and exciting stamp collection. Stamps have been issued on just about every topic and theme you could think of. Here are just a very few examples of topical stamp collections:

Are you a passionate golfer or follower of golf? Try a golf on stamps topical collection.

Did you serve in the military during World War 2? Start a thematic stamp collection that focuses on stamps issued by countries in which you served, that honor your branch of service or that feature specific battles in which you participated.

Do you enjoy the arcane world of heraldry and heraldic coats-of-arms? Collect stamps that feature heraldic devices from around the world, or from a specific region.

The possibilities are endless, limited only by your imagination.

The current trend in stamp collecting is toward thematic or topical collections, and away from country collections. Try it out, and see what makes them so popular.

The Wild World of British Machin Stamps

The "Machin" set of Great Britain definitive stamps began in 1967 and new stamps in the series are still being printed and used. They feature the head of Queen Elizabeth II. Early stamps in the series are pre-decimal; the later issues are of course decimal stamps.

The stamps are fondly referred to as "Machins" or "Machin head stamps" because the sculptor of the bust of Queen Elizabeth II that's used in the design of all of the stamps was a gentleman named Arnold Machin.

According to some experts, there are well over 1,000 different varieties of stamps in this long-running series. They can be collected on many different levels - the philatelist can collect just the major denomination and color types, or he or she can go far beyond that. Printing methods, phosphor tagging, perforation changes, and changes in the size of the denomination numeral are all additional variables in collecting Machins. Other varieties include larger size Machin stamps, which generally are high denomination stamps.

In addition to stamps that solely show the Queen's head, there are regional issues - Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man - that feature the Queen's head and a small country symbol in the top lefthand corner. For example, the Welsh regional Machin stamp has a small Welsh dragon in the corner.

Another variation on the Machin stamps was the Anniversary Issue of 1990. These stamps feature portraits of Queen Elizabeth II and Queen Victoria.

As I mentioned earlier, a stamp collector can make his Machin collection as simple - or as complicated - as he or she likes. The most detailed, specialized Machin stamp catalog is the Complete Deegam Machin Handbook, published in two volumes. Much more than a mere "handbook," this massive work is the definitive authority on these stamps and, as such, is a must-have for any serious Machin collector.

Because of their colorful nature, but moreso because of all the different and sometimes intricate varieties, Machins can be a wild series of stamps to collect.

The Local Carrier Stamps / Cinderella Stamps of Great Britain

You've probably heard about Lundy stamps - the famous Puffin stamps used to offset the cost of local delivery from the Island of Lundy (located off the Devonshire coast) to "mainland" England.

They are essentially private postage stamps, with a value expressed in "Puffins." They began in 1927 and continue to be printed and used today. They are to be affixed to the bottom left hand corner of the envelope, so that the mainland sorting offices can process them. Their cost includes the standard Royal Mail charges for onward delivery.

The Lundy Puffins are a type of stamp known to philatelists as "local carriage labels," "local carrier stamps" or "local delivery stamps." Although the Lundy stamps are probably the best-known of the local stamps used in the United Kingdom, there are several others.

These include:

Bernera Islands, a group of islands off the coast of Scotland.

Davaar Island, also off the coast of Scotland

Eynhallow, also known as Holy Island. Also located off the coast of Scotland

Gairsay Island, a Scottish local post in the Orkney Islands

Herm Island, located near Guernsey

The Isle of Jethou, a Channel Island 3 miles east of Guernsey

St. Kilda, an island 100 miles off the coast of Scotland

Sanda Island, another Scottish island

Staffa, yet another Scottish island

the Isle of Stroma, off the north coast of Scotland

These local stamps can be fascinating to locate and collect. Some other countries also use similar stamps, including the famous Rattlesnake Island stamps used in a remote area near Sandusky, Ohio, United States.

Varieties of Canadian Stamps ~ Lots of Fun, and Sometimes Financially Rewarding Too!

As I mentioned a couple of days ago, many different Canadian stamps have varieties, but those varieties aren't always mentioned in the Scott catalog. Many of them aren't worth much more than the "standard" version of the stamp, but some are worth quite a bit more. But whether they're valuable or not, varieties are always fun to find, and searching for them can be rewarding in more ways than one.

Here are a few examples of Canadian stamp varieties that are specifically identified in the Unitrade Catalog, but not in Scott:

Scott No. 593, an 8 cent Queen Elizabeth II ultramarine definitive stamp, has a number of varieties. The "weeping Queen" variety, numbered 593x in Unitrade, has a black dot at the bottom of her right eye. Number 593xi, the "tear on side of nose" variety, has a black dot between the right eye and the nose. A third variety of this same stamp, No. 593xii, is the "spur on 8" type, and features a spur on the numeral 8 in the denomination of the stamp.

Scott No. 715, the 14 cent Parliament definitive, also has a number of different varieties beyond the "standard" stamp. Unitrade No. 715iii is the "missing spire" variety. The right spire on the tower is missing on this stamp. Unitrade No. 715iv is the "missing brick" variety, and Unitrade No. v is the "light in window" variety.

The Suzor-Cote commemorative stamp, Scott No. 492, has the following varieties. Unitrade No. 492i is the "line from knee" variety. Another one is Unitrade No. 492ii, the "bird in sky" variety.

Here's a variety that's not that difficult to find: Scott No. 553, the stamp that features Paul Kane's painting of the Indian Encampment, has a variety that's been catalogued by Unitrade as No. 553i. It's called the "stroke on teepee" variety. The stroke is at the top of the center teepee.

There are a lot more varieties than just these few, but that should get you going. Don't throw out (or trade away) your extras of what you think are common Canadian stamps - they may not be as common as you think!

Canada Stamp Varieties

If you collect Canadian stamps, you probably know that many of Canada's definitive stamps - and even some of its commemorative stamps - have varieties. Differences in dies, perforations, type of gum, type of paper and other variances can result in different varieties of the same face-similar stamp. Some of these differences are intentional (by the printer or caused by using more than one printer), others are not.

The Scott catalog (the most common stamp catalog used in the United States) identifies a few of these varieties. But the Scott catalog that contains Canadian stamps doesn't pretend to be a specialized catalog, and other catalogs do a much better job with Canadian stamp varieties. These more specialized catalogs include Unitrade and Darnell, just to name a couple.

Looking for stamp varieties can be painstaking and time-consuming, but it is one way to expand a stamp collection inexpensively. And it's incredibly rewarding to find a variety that you've been looking for. One of the most effective ways to look for possible stamp varieties - and also probably the most inexpensive method - is to buy bulk stamp mixtures, either on paper or off paper.

Mint Never Hinged - Unused and Unmounted ~ More Food for Thought

There is an increasing gap in prices for mint never hinged stamps - those with original gum that have no hinge mark or other gum disturbance - and mint hinged stamps, those that have a mark on the gum where a stamp hinge used to be.

Some stamps that have been hinged have superb centering. Should those stamps be automatically rejected from being in a stamp collection? Especially when never hinged copies that are poorly centered are actually less attractive?

Some stamps are almost impossible to buy in never hinged condition, or at least impossible to buy at a realistic price. Lovely examples of hinged stamps may be readily available and very desirable. Should those lovely stamps be ignored? Especially if you'll never be able to afford a never hinged copy?

Just some food for thought regarding the current "mint never hinged craze."

Stamp Collecting and Hurricanes ~ Tips for Stamp Collectors in Their Paths

None of us wants to be hit by a tropical storm, or even worse, a hurricane. Right now Hurricane Gustav is bearing down on the Louisiana coast as a Category 4 hurricane, possibly to become a Category 5. And Tropical Storm Hanna may be headed toward the Florida, Georgia or South Carolina coastline.

Your first priority when faced with a nasty storm such as these is to save yourself, your family and any pets. Get out early, if you need to or are told to. Your second priority is probably to stock up food and water, secure your house as best as you can, and gather together all of your very important papers in case you need to quickly evacuate.

What does all of this have to do with stamp collecting?

The answer depends on how important your stamp collection is to you. If it's valuable dollar-wise, you need to protect and preserve it as best as you can. The same is true if it's valuable for sentimental reasons and you'd hate to lose it.

Remember that along with very high winds, these kinds of storms bring incredible amounts of rain and flooding. Water is a huge enemy of stamps, so you need to do what you can to protect them from it. Even if you don't experience any actual flooding, the humidity level will be very high during a storm, especially if your power goes out and you lose your air conditioning. But flooding or rain leaking in through windows or doors would be even worse.

Gather up your stamp albums, shoeboxes, stock books, stock pages, glassines and loose stamps. Wrap them up tightly in plastic garbage bags (without any holes in them) and seal them as tightly as you can. Or you can use ziplock bags if they're big enough. Use as many plastic bags as you need to include all your important material. Then find a high and dry location in an interior room of your house - maybe on top of a chest of drawers or on a high closet shelf - and put all your stamp material there.

This will help protect your stamps from humidity and/or flooding. And it also puts them all in one place, so that if you need to evacuate quickly you can grab them along with your important papers, and then go.

You've spent a lot of time - and money - building your stamp collection. Don't let a tropical storm or hurricane destroy it overnight.

Help for Stamp Collectors - Philatelic Societies & Local Stamp Clubs

One of the most valuable assets a stamp collector can have is a reputable, trustworthy, reliable stamp dealer. A good stamp dealer will work with you and go out of his or her way to help you build your stamp collection. A stamp dealer like that will also cheerfully answer questions, help you identify "toughies," look for specific stamps that you want, and otherwise act as a great stamp resource.

Other types of help are also available. Some of the best resources are philatelic societies and local stamp clubs.

For American stamp collectors, the "Great-Great-Granddaddy" of all philatelic societies is the American Philatelic Society (the "APS"). Take a look at their website. There's a wealth of information there and it's not expensive to join.

More specialized societies also exist. Three that come quickly to mind are the Plate Number Coil Collectors Club ("PNC3"), the American Plate Numbers Singles Society ("APNSS") and the American Topical Association ("ATA"). Hundreds of additional specialty stamp societies exist.

Local stamp clubs can also be a wealth of information as well as camaraderie. They allow stamp collectors to get together in person for informative meetings (often including presentations by the members), exhibitions and stamp bourses. Check your local area to see if there's a stamp club. If there is, join it.

Stamp Collecting Tips - Dead Countries

What's a "dead country," you might ask. Well, in the stamp collecting world, a dead country is a country that either used to issue its own stamps and no longer does (for example, Bavaria) or a country that does still issue stamps but under a different name than it did before so that the old name is no longer used on its stamps (for example, the old U.S.S.R. is now issuing stamps as Russia).

Philatelists who collect dead countries enjoy a couple of extra benefits:

1. Since the country they collect no longer issues stamps, they know exactly how many stamps they will need to have a complete collection - there will be no more stamps from that country in the future.

2. These stamp collectors don't need to deal with the flood of new stamp issues by many countries during recent years.

Taking Proper Care of Your Stamp Collection

There are a number of different ways that you can use to store or display your stamps. These methods include:

stamp albums
stock books or stock pages
envelopes
boxes (the famous shoebox, not recommended!)

We recommend that you use either stamp albums or stock books/pages.

Loose stamps are very fragile and they are too easily damaged in envelopes or boxes. If you do choose to use envelopes, you should use paper envelopes of archival quality to avoid problems. Glassine envelopes are ok for very short-term storage but they are not intended for long-term use and will eventually damage stamps.

But no matter how you keep your stamps, they should always be stored in a way that protects them from excessive heat and humidity. This means keeping your stamps in an air conditioned environment during hot weather. You may also want to consider de-humidifying the air if humidity is high.

Stamps also should always be protected from direct sunlight - strong sunlight can cause colors to fade.

Excessive heat - whether it originates from strong sunlight or the room is just too hot - can cause softening of the gum on stamps. This sometimes results in a stamp "licking itself" to whatever is beneath it. Heat can also cause other damage to the gum.

Albums, stock books and stock pages should always be stored upright (not flat and horizontal) as the weight of the pages can also cause stamps to stick down. Leaf through the pages of your stamp albums and stock books from time to time - this "airs out" the stamps and is very healthy for them.

Generally, you should use album pages that are designed for stamps to be mounted or hinged on only one side, not both sides. When stamps are mounted on both sides of an album page, they sometimes "grab" each other and become torn or dislodged when pages are turned.

Don't drink any kind of liquid - water, coffee, soft drinks, etc - when near your stamps. Liquids are the enemies of stamps, especially mint stamps. Any sort of liquid will either damage or entirely remove the gum from a mint stamp.

Stamp Collecting Abbreviations Explained

If you're new to stamp collecting you may well be confused by what some cryptic-looking abbreviations that you run into really mean. Here's a guide to help you decipher at least some of this code:

Centering

F: Fine condition
VF: Very Fine condition
XF: Extra Fine condition

Gum Condition

NG: No Gum
OG: Original Gum
HH: Heavily Hinged
LH: Lightly Hinged
VLH: Very Lightly Hinged
NH: Never Hinged

Certain Types of Covers (stamped envelopes)

FDC: First Day Cover
FFC: First Flight Cover

Certain Multiples

PB: Plate Block
LP: Line Pair
JLP: Joint Line Pair

Miscellaneous Abbreviations

SS or
S/S: Souvenir Sheet

SE: Straight Edge

CTO: Canceled to Order

Ovpt: Overprint

APO: Army Post Office

FPO: Fleet Post Office

HPO: Highway Post Office

RPO: Railway Post Office

BEP: Bureau of Engraving and Printing

UPU: Universal Postal Union

CDS: Circular Datestamp (cancellation)

EFOs: Errors, Freaks and Oddities

Stamp News - Sale on US Stamps

United States stamp sets and single stamps are on sale right now at The Stamp People. The sale ends August 31st.

Every single US stamp and every US stamp set that is offered for sale by The Stamp People is on sale.

Kiloware, off paper stamp mixes and other bulk stamp lots are not included in this sale.

British Empire & Early British Commonwealth Stamps Skyrocket in Value

British Empire stamps and early British Commonwealth stamps are setting a notable positive trend in stamp values. While there are some exceptions, overall the value of these stamps is rising steadily. In some cases, values are steeply increasing.

Take a look at your stamp catalogs (if they're recent editions) and if you have a record of earlier values, you'll see what I mean when you compare them. Increases of 25% to 300% - and even more - over previous values from just a few years ago are not uncommon.

This recent trend in higher stamp values appears to hold true for stamps from all periods, not just those from the Queen Victoria and Kind Edward VII periods. In fact, stamps as recent as those issued during the reigns of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II (in the 1950s) are also rising in value. And it's true for mint (unused) stamps and also postally used stamps.

Moral of the story? Buy now, before prices go up again.

An Exciting Announcement for US PNC Collectors:

The Stamp People

has just started offering for sale individual mint and used plate number singles, strips of 3 and strips of 5. They will be adding more and more PNCs, PNC3s and PNC5s to their website on an ongoing basis.

And even better, they will soon be offering two different sets of custom-designed plate number coil album pages for sale. One set of stamp album pages will be a comprehensive set of pages for all PNC singles other than the Transportation Issue, and all plate numbers known for those PNCs. The second set of stamp album pages will focus exclusively on the Transportation Coils for those who only collect PNCs from that issue, and will also include all plate numbers known for each of those stamps.

If you're looking for stamp album pages, check The Stamp People in a few days.

If you're looking for plate number coil stamps, check The Stamp People now, and often, as more and more will be added regularly.

Buying Stamps Online For Your Collection - Some Stamp Purchasing Tips

Are you wondering how to go about purchasing stamps online? Here are a few guidelines.

Tip Number 1 for Buying a Stamp Online: Read the complete description and study any and all pictures that are available. Carefully consider these vital pieces of information about the stamps you're interested in.

How else could you learn pertinent details such as gum condition (never hinged, lightly hinged, hinge remnant, etc.), centering, perforation condition, any faults (thins, tears, creases or bends)? After all, you don't have the stamp itself right in front of you.


Tip Number 2: Find an online stamp dealer (or a few stamp dealers) that you trust, and stick with them.

Good online stamp dealers will post thorough and accurate descriptions and provide pictures that accurately portray their stamps. They also will provide superior customer service: they'll respond quickly to any questions you might have, acknowledge your order and your payment, and let you know when your order has shipped.

Try to build an ongoing relationship with this type of stamp dealer. You'll be able to trust the accuracy of their descriptions and pictures, and if you buy from them again and again, you just might get more favorable prices, too.


Tip Number 3: When in doubt, ask questions before buying.

This will actually serve two purposes. The first, of course, is to get the answer to your question before you buy (rather than finding out after your purchase). But you can also ask questions for another reason: to determine how responsive a dealer is. A good online stamp dealer will respond quickly, professionally and as thoroughly as possible. Some other stamp dealer may not respond at all, may take an undue amount of time to reply, or otherwise not provide good customer service.

Keep the first type (the good stamp dealers) on your short list of stamp sources. Don't bother ordering from the unresponsive ones.


Tip Number 4: When you find good online stamp dealers, cherish them.

Recognize that good online stamp dealers are worth their weight in gold to your stamp collection. By definition they're trustworthy and reliable stamps sources. But in addition to those golden qualities, they will often go out of their way for you. Don't abuse this valuable relationship.

Tropical Storm Fay ...

Has nothing to do with stamps, but we hope and pray for good luck and safety to all in its path.

It's currently forecast to pass just about right over our heads, so if we don't post much in the next few days that's probably why. Rest assured we'll be back as soon as possible if that happens.

Good luck to all, and boo hiss upon Fay.

Top 10 Stamps We'd Buy If We Hit The Lottery

Just for fun, we thought we'd post some thoughts on the stamps we'd most like to buy if we got rich by hitting the lottery. Here's the countdown of our "top 10" stamp wants (if we could afford them):

10. US Scott # 122 - the 90 cent carmine & black Abraham Lincoln stamp issued in 1869.

It features the great wartime President who fought to hold our country together during the Civil War and who met an untimely death via assassination.

9. US Scott # 245 - the $5 Columbian Exposition stamp, issued in 1893, that features Christopher Columbus.

A stamp that was never intended for postal use, but we like it anyway. What we'd REALLY like is to find this stamp on a non-philatelic cover. Maybe a commercial cover.

8., 7. & 6. US Scott # C13-C15 - the complete Graf Zeppelin issue of 1930.

Beautiful stamps, what more can we say.

5. Canal Zone Scott #1 - the Map of Panama stamp issued in 1904.

The Panama Canal was a great engineering (and public health) achievement by the United States. We honor those achievements with this selection.

4. Canada Scott # 158 - the beautifully engraved Bluenose stamp issued in 1929.

One of the most beautiful stamps ever designed by any country, and a national symbol of Canada.

3. US Scott # CL1 - the "Buffalo Balloon" air post semi-official stamp issued in 1877.

Privately issued, very scarce, but a piece of early airmail history.

2. US Scott # 262 - the bright blue $2 James Madison stamp issued in 1894.

The father of the US Constitution, the last of the founding fathers to die, and President at a pivotal point in history.

1. US Scott # 292 - the $1 Western Cattle in Storm stamp from the Trans-Mississippi Exposition Issue of 1898.

A gorgeous stamp that reflects some of the struggles endured during the settlement of the Great West of the United States.

The Hidden Value of Postage Stamps


Postage stamps can be quite educational without realizing it - kind of like postcards. You (or your child) can learn geography, history and all sorts of interesting tidbits about places and events. If you collect foreign stamps (or postcards) you even pick up some bits of foreign languages along the way. I could probably name the currencies of 50 different countries without even thinking about it because I collect and sell stamps.

Stamp collecting (and postcard collecting) is great for kids because of that - they learn and don't even know that they're learning about things until it's "too late" and they've already learned it.

Stamps and vintage postcards are a gateway to history.

There are different ways to either start a stamp collection - or continue one - that can be very inexpensive. You can buy stamp assortments, available for a lot of different types of stamps, that are often priced at less than a penny per stamp, far below what you would pay for them if you bought them individually. It's a great way to start a new collection or to fill in gaps in an existing collection. And you learn along the way!

Stamp Collection Organization - Do's and Don'ts

The manner in which you organize the stamps in your collection is entirely up to you, but here are some things the typical stamp collector should do ... and not do.

DO:

Keep your stamps in a safe and secure location. They may be in a stamp album or on stock pages, but keep them away from large swings in temperature or humidity. A house that's maintained in a temperature- and humidity-controlled way (heated in the winter and air conditioned in the summer) should be adequate to protect most stamps from these dangers.

DON'T:

Store your stamps in a place where they are easily damaged. This means don't just toss loose stamps (or even gently place them) into a box. After all, stamps are small pieces of paper, and as such, they are very fragile. They bend (crease) and tear very easily. Even stamps that are still affixed to the paper they were mailed on are somewhat fragile, with corners or perforations being fairly easily damaged. Also, don't store stamps in glassine envelopes for very long - move them into your stamp album as soon as you can. Glassines are not acid-free and are not intended for long-term stamp storage - leaving stamps inside them for too long can cause damage.



More stamp collecting "do's and don'ts are coming!

Unused Stamps - Do You Want to Collect Mint Never Hinged, or Mint Hinged?

Some people collect postally used stamps, and we applaud them for doing so. Finding high-quality used stamps to include in a stamp collection can be much more challenging - and therefore rewarding - than locating the same stamp in unused, mint condition. And although there are some notable exceptions, most postally used stamps are less expensive than their mint counterparts. The difference in prices allows the typical stamp collector to include many more used stamps in his or her collection than would be possible with unused stamps.

That's why the folks at The Stamp People chose to offer for sale a large number of postally used stamps in addition to mint stamps. Doing so allows them to help that many more people build their stamp collections.

But enough of that - this post is intended to discuss the relative merits of collecting mint never hinged (unmounted) stamps versus mint hinged stamps.

Often, although not always, there's a significant difference in price between a mint never hinged stamp and its hinged counterpart. Both types - hinged and unhinged mint (unused) stamps - have their original gum. But when a mint stamp has been affixed to a stamp album page by a hinge, its gum is disturbed to one degree or another.

When removed, some high quality hinges leave only an extremely light mark on the gum that can be difficult to see unless the stamp is held at an angle or "against" the light. Other hinges, when removed, leave a much more significant mark or even part of the hinge itself remains attached to the stamp (known as a "hinge remnant").

In contrast, mint never hinged stamps, by definition, have never had a hinge attached to them and so there cannot be any hinge marks or hinge remnants.

But how important is this?

Well, the value of a mint never hinged stamp may be only 5 cents more than a hinged copy, or it might be hundreds of dollars more. It all depends on the rarity and condition of the specific stamp.

So whether a mint stamp has been hinged or not can have a very significant affect on its value. But consider these facts:

• although it may be worth much more (or maybe not), a mint never hinged stamp will also cost more to buy. It increases the value of your stamp collection more than a hinged stamp would, but it also costs more to add to your collection. Would you rather have more stamps in your collection (as you could with the more inexpensive hinged stamps or used stamps) or fewer but more valuable stamps? Only you can answer that question - your collection is whatever you want to make of it.

• do you want to "buy gum?" By that we mean, you will probably pay a significantly higher price for mint never hinged stamps, even though the only difference between them and the same stamps when hinged is those little marks on the gum. How important is that to you? Do you often look at the backs of your stamps? (we think not, once they're mounted in your stamp album) Again, only you can answer that question - it's your stamp collection and you're the one who gets to decide what's important and what's not.

• Early (vintage) mint never hinged stamps carry a sometimes huge price increase over their hinged counterparts. The reason? Stamp mounts didn't exist back then. If a stamp was going to be mounted on an album page, it had to be done with a hinge. That's all there was (although some people used stamp selvedge for the same purpose, it leaves an even worse gum disturbance than stamp hinges). And because most collected stamps were, and are, mounted on stamp album pages, there just aren't that many unhinged vintage stamps around. They're much harder to find, and they're much, much more expensive than a hinged stamp. So if you insist on only mint never hinged stamps in your collection, you may have some difficulties finding older stamps - and you'll probably have some serious money involved.
  

Vintage Stamps (continued)

We left off at "what is a vintage stamp?" The general consensus is, a vintage stamp is a postage stamp that's more than [x] number of years old, but the meaning of "x" (how many years back we should go) is up for some debate.

Our personal feeling is that a stamp isn't a vintage stamp until it's at least 70 or 80 years old. Many stamp collectors and stamp dealers agree with us, but a few do not.

But is it important? Is there some inherent value in being a vintage stamp?

Many vintage stamps are valuable. But just because a stamp is a vintage stamp does not automatically mean it's also a valuable stamp. We could give you hundreds of different examples of stamps that are more than 100 years old, but because so many were printed and still survive today, they aren't worth more than 5 or 10 cents.

In the end, a stamp has a better chance of being valuable if it's vintage, but that's certainly no guarantee. And it works the other way too - many recent stamps have little value because they're so easy to find, but some recent stamps buck this trend and are fairly pricey. So keep in mind that there is always more than one factor at play in the value of a particular stamp - condition, scarcity, and age.

What is a vintage stamp? (the first of several parts of this somewhat-complex discussion)

All stamp collectors want to acquire vintage stamps - well, most of us, anyway. That's where the money is, right? Some people think that all vintage stamps are valuable just because of their age.

Not necessarily.

There is no clearcut definition of what constitutes a "vintage" stamp.

We get emails all the time from people who collected stamps when they were a kid and now want to sell them. And from people who inherited an old stamp collection from a parent or grandparent and want to sell it. And also from people who have a handful of stamps from the 1960s or 1970s. Almost all of them say that they want to sell their "rare and valuable vintage stamps."

They are shocked when we tell them that a stamp produced in 1970 (for example) is not "vintage" and is almost certainly not "valuable." Although it's now 38 years old - and probably older than some of the senders of these emails - a stamp printed in 1970 is actually fairly "young" or "recent" in the stamp world. On top of that, many stamps from the 1950s or so forward have been printed in such huge quantities (billions of the same stamp in many cases) that it's impossible to consider them to be "rare." Don't forget, there are several factors involved in the price of any specific stamp:

• condition,
• condition (yes, I know I repeated it)
• scarcity / rarity
• subject matter (this has much more significance for collectors of topical or thematic stamps than to country collectors)
• condition (again)
  
• age (and by that, I don't mean 20 or 30 years old)

Definitions of "vintage stamp" vary, but we would hesitate to consider any stamp printed later than 1925 or 1930 to be "vintage." Old, yes, but vintage, no.


to be continued ....

Postally Used Stamp Collections - Popular or Not?

We've recently read that nowadays, stamp collectors are not as interested in postally used stamps as they are in mint never hinged stamps (unused and unmounted).

We disagree. And we disagree quite strongly. Here's why:

1. The number of stamps now being issued throughout the world makes it an almost impossible task to collect worldwide mint never hinged new issues.

For the vast majority of stamp collectors, the expense of collecting worldwide mint never hinged new issues would simply be too large, because of the now-huge number of stamps that would be involved. And in a time like now, when several countries issue more than 100 stamps per year all by themselves, the amount of time involved to assemble the thousands of new stamps coming out each year would also be prohibitive.

It's easier to collect mint never hinged new issue stamps when you only collect stamps from one or two countries. But take a country like the United States just as an example. The first class, one ounce letter rate stamp is now 42 cents. Multiply that by one hundred or so (an estimate for the number of new stamps that will be issued) and that's $42.00 if all those new stamps are purchased at face value at the post office - the cheapest way to buy them. But wait - there's a new Express Mail stamp and a new Priority Mail stamp. Between just those 2 stamps, there's another almost $20. So now we're at about $62.00, and we haven't even included the postcard rate stamps, the 2 ounce stamps, the international letterpost stamps, etc. The total could easily be $80 or $90 or more. And that's just one year and one country, purchased at the post office. If a stamp collector is buying older mint never hinged stamps he or she would need to buy them from a stamp dealer, at a much greater cost.


2. While it's true in many cases that mint never hinged stamps have a higher catalog value than their used counterparts, there are many exceptions where the postally used stamp is worth much, much more than the same stamp in mint condition (even when never hinged).

3. Finding specific postally used stamps for a collection is generally a much greater challenge - and usually much more fun and rewarding - for the stamp collector. You can't just go to the post office and buy them. And most stamp dealers don't stock inexpensive used stamps - they just don't want to spend the time that would be required in order to catalog and stock inexpensive used stamps (for an exception to this general rule, visit www.thestamppeople.com - they sell expensive, classic stamps, but they also sell wholesale bulk lot stamps and individual inexpensive stamps).

4. How many people enjoy buying a "mystery box" of stamps, or bags of stamps, or bulk lots of stamps? You might be surprised by the answer. For a very long time, this has been one of the all-time most popular ways of buying stamps. And as popular as they've always been, sales of postally used, wholesale priced bulk stamp mixtures are going up even more, not down. This is true for kiloware (on paper stamp mixtures) and also off-paper stamp mixtures.

So bottom line, we think collecting postally used stamps is alive and healthy.

Upcoming Subjects That We'll Be Discussing In The Next Few Days:

1. Postally Used Stamp Collections - More Popular Than Ever, or Falling Into Disfavor?

We've recently read that the number of stamp collectors who focus on postally used stamps is decreasing. We beg to differ. In fact, we disagree quite strongly.

2. Type of Stamp Collections.

Stamp collectors can make their collections be anything they wish. Are you a country collector, a worldwide stamp collector, or a topical or thematic stamp collector? Do you limit your collection to a particular range of dates? Do you only collect mint never hinged stamps, or do you prefer postally used examples?

Theft of Collectible Stamps While Still in the Mailstream.

We've been hearing more and reports of collectible stamps being removed from their covers before the mail has even been delivered.

We've also had this happen to us personally - expensive, collectible US Express Mail and Priority Mail stamps, as well as commemorative stamps from other countries that were used on mail that we've received, have been carefully removed from their covers before the mail was delivered. Most of the time the envelope is cut right around the stamp that's being removed, without damaging the contents of the envelope. Other times the stamp is peeled off the cover.

Our Canadian and British correspondents report that this happens to them as well.

This practice of removing valuable and collectible stamps before the mail is delivered is theft. We don't know who is doing it, only that the mail is still delivered even though the stamp is now gone. Are postal employees doing this? We don't know, but who else has access to undelivered mail?

United States Self-Adhesive Stamps - Pro's and Con's:

Well, they sure are easier to put onto an envelope and they do save us some time tearing them apart from each other from the sheet or coil they came from (not to mention saving us some saliva).

BUT, and it's a big "but" - some of the recent American self-adhesive stamps are almost impossible to soak off their paper. These stamps either just won't come off, no matter what you do, or once off paper, they dry with big "cracks" in their surfaces, or when they come off the paper a layer of the stamp comes off too (leaving either thins or an entirely "thinned" stamp).

These are not good things for stamp collectors that are interested in postally used postage stamps. We wish the USPS would smarten up and use some type of adhesive that allows stamps to more easily be removed from their paper.

Some of the "problem child" stamps that are so very difficult to soak off paper include stamps of the 37 cent Constellations set (Scott No. 3945-3948), the 37 cent Summer Olympic Games stamp (Scott No. 3863), the 41 cent Purple Heart (Scott No. 4164), the 41 cent James Stewart stamp, the beautiful 26 cent Panther coil stamp, stamps from the popular Star Wars set, some of the Forever Stamps (Scott No. 4127) and the nondenominated Flag coil stamps (Scott No. 4133). There are more difficult to soak self-adhesive stamps, these are just some of them.

Are Water-Activated ("Lick and Stick") stamps dying a slow death? Part 2 of 2 Parts.

Let's revisit the issue that there are many more self-adhesive stamps now being used than water-activated, lick-and-stick stamps.

One problem that this issue raises is the fact that many more self-adhesive stamps, and many fewer water-canactivated stamps, will be seen in postally used stamp accumulations and mixtures. This imbalance will cause postally used lick and stick stamps to become much harder to find. But is this truly a problem or not?

Will the imbalance result in increased future values for those postally used water-activated stamps that can be found? Will they have a higher catalogue value than "equivalent" self-adhesive stamps that are much more readily available? No one knows as yet, but we predict that a higher catalogue value for water-activated stamps is a distinct possibility.

For example, we can easily envision a stamp that has two varieties - one self-adhesive and one water-activated - where the future catalogue value of the self-adhesive is 20 cents (or whatever the minimum value of popular stamp catalogues is at the time) while the future value of the much less common water-activated variety is 2 or 3 or even more times as much.

Are Water-Activated ("Lick and Stick") stamps dying a slow death? Part 1 of 2 Parts.

Since the advent of self-adhesive stamps, usage of water-activated stamps has severely declined. In the old days, self-adhesives didn't exist and people were accustomed to licking stamps in order to use them to post mail. Water-activated stamps were the only game in town, and no one minding using them.

Now, however, self-adhesive stamps are in the picture. It seems like there are far more self-adhesives being produced by countries than water-activated stamps. No doubt, this is because of customer feedback indicating their preferences to the USPS and other countries' postal authorities. Even with stamps that are available in both self-adhesive and water-activated varieties, postally used copies of the lick and stick version are drastically under-represented in stamp accumulations.

Self adhesive stamps truly are much easier and much quicker to put on covers, but some of them can be almost impossible to soak of their paper without causing extreme damage. Collectors of postally used stamps are accordingly having a very difficult time in trying to find some of the newer issue self-adhesive stamps that are off-paper but still in collectible condition.
Those stamps will have to be collected still on paper.

We mourn the apparent slow death of lick and stick stamps.

Some thoughts we plan to address in the near future about US stamp collections:


Are water-activated "lick and stick" postage stamps dying a slow death?

In the future, will stamp collectors be able to find recent postally used lick and stick stamps for their collections, or will they be very scarce and have a much higher catalogue value than their self-adhesive contemporaries?

And just what's up with some of those self-adhesive stamps - some (although not all) of the postally used self-adhesives are almost impossible to soak off their paper - and when you do manage to get one off, the surface often "cracks" or a thin spot appears because too much of the stamp backing comes off with the paper. Hey, USPS, please lighten up on the goo you use to make self-adhesive stamps!

Theft of collectible stamps while in the mailstream - the removal of these stamps off their envelopes before mail delivery, by persons unknown.

US Forever Stamps - A Second Look

A few months ago we posted our thoughts on the US "Forever Stamp" - how we thought it would affect collectors of United States stamps.

Well, here is another thought, after giving it a few months:

Based on the percentages of different types of stamps that we see on both household and commercial mail, the Forever stamp appears to be extremely popular with people and businesses that are sending 1 ounce letter-rate first class mail. There are 4 varieties of the Forever Stamp (for now), which means stamp collectors can look for those varieties.

But the downside for stamp collectors is a big one: in addition to businesses, which never used many commemorative stamps for their mailings, now many "regular people" are foregoing the use of commemorative stamps - and even definitive stamps other than the Forever stamp - when posting their mail. Receiving a letter that's been posted with a commemorative stamp is becoming a somewhat scarce event. This apparent reliance of most mailers on just a few different stamps makes it very difficult for collectors to assemble collections of postally used recent stamps.

The percentage of commemorative stamps used on US mailings is probably now down to somewhere between 5 and 10% when commercial mailings and household mailings are both taken into account. The percentage is somewhat higher than that for household mailings, but the overall percentage is dragged down significantly when commercial mailings (probably not even 5% use commemoratives) are factored into the average.

'Tis a sad time for US commemorative stamp collectors who focus on postally used stamps. And we have yet to see whether the Forever stamps will blossom into enough different face-similar varieties to challenge collectors the way that the Flag Over Porch series has.

British Empire and British Commonwealth Stamps - Rising Values

In the last few years we have seen a large upsurge in the value of British Empire and British Commonwealth stamps. This rise in prices seems particularly true for stamps from the King Edward, King George V and King George VI periods but early Queen Elizabeth II period stamps seem to be rising a bit in value as well.

We're not sure why this is occurring, but it definitely is - we've noticed that some British Empire stamps that held only the minimum catalogue value just a few years ago are now worth $10 or even more now.

So a word to the wise - if you're interested in these types of stamps, you might consider buying now, before prices rise even more.