Beginning Stamp Collecting - A Tutorial on the Hobby for a Lifetime (continued)


As we alluded to in our first post on this topic, you may want to start your stamp collection with used stamps. They are easy to find for free (from your mail and that of your friends and relatives), and when you buy them they generally (although there are exceptions) are less expensive to buy than mint, unused stamps.

Collecting used stamps has one main factor to consider that does not apply if you are collecting mint stamps: the postmarks and cancellations that are on them.


For beginners collecting used stamps, here are our thoughts on cancellations and postmarks (for now, we're not taking into account the condition of the stamp, just the postmark). We'll discuss the condition of stamps a bit later.

1. Your first preference would probably be a neat, well struck cancel which does not detract from the design on the stamp. You might like it best if it only impinges on a small portion of the stamp, since you can see the design on the stamp better that way. No smudging. Showing some or all of the town's name is a bonus.

2. Second preference - A CDS (circular date stamp cancellation) that is neat and not over-inked or smudged. This type of postmark will allow you to see where and when the stamp was mailed on its cover.

3. A third type of postmark is the pictorial cancellation. These graphic designs used to cancel stamps illustrate some event or concept.

4. Slogan cancellations also convey some concept - such as "Vote Early" or "Win the War."

5. Your last preference might be a machine cancel that covers only a small portion of the stamp. Generally there isn't much postal history information to be gained from a postmark of this type.

In many countries a circular datestamp SOTN (socked on the nose) cancel is the preferred cancel. These show all details of the town name, date of sending and country/state details.

Collecting postmarks and cancellations can be a fascinating specialty stamp collection. Because your collection will grow and evolve over time, always look to upgrade a cancel or stamp when a better one appears. You can always remove the poorer cancel from your collection and replace it with the better.

Stamp condition, also comes into play with your final decision. A good condition stamp with a lesser cancel is often far better than a damaged stamp with a good cancel, but there are many exceptions to this generalization. Some postmarks add value to even a damaged stamp but this is more for the advanced collector. If you're unsure about which of two stamps might be better, keep both, and ask questions.

If you have any extremely good circular cancels or pictorial cancels, often it is better NOT to soak them off the paper but save them as a piece to show the whole stamp and postmark. Even better, keep the ENTIRE (the whole envelope together with its stamp) intact.

Where there are multiple cancels- whether touching the stamp or not - it is best to save these as an entire or at least a large piece. Often these postal markings show the journey the letter has taken and other special handling details.


More installments of this tutorial will follow.