Gifts for Stamp Collectors


All stamp collectors need various tools, supplies and reference books in order to work on their hobby. And everyone, whether they collect stamps or not, loves receiving gifts! If you're not a stamp collector yourself you might not know anything about the types of things that would make good gifts for a philatelist. So here's a list of some gift ideas that might please any stamp collector, from beginner to old-timer.

1. First and foremost, stamps.


If you don't already know, find out what type of stamps the person collects. Just about every stamp collector in the world wants more stamps. The more the better. Giving stamps will help the stamp collector build his or her collection, which after all is the point of the whole thing. You can give stamps in more than one way.

The first way to give stamps to a collector is by finding out if there's a specific stamp or group of stamps (a "stamp set") that the person particularly needs - or badly wants - for his or her collection. When you find out, you can purchase those particular stamps, and voila, you've made someone extremely happy.

The second way to give stamps is by finding out what type of stamp collection the person has. Is it a worldwide stamp collection or is it one or more specific countries? Does the stamp collection focus on a specific topic or theme? Does the stamp collector only collect mint never hinged stamps (unused stamps, with their original gum perfectly intact) or does he or she prefer to collect postally used stamps? When you find these things out you'll know a lot more about what types of stamps would make a good gift for that particular stamp collector. Instead of buying individual specific stamps or stamp sets you can buy stamp mixtures that fill the bill in larger quantities of an ounce, a quarter pound or even a pound at a time. The advantages of doing this? Well, as you know, stamps are very, very lightweight, and there are tons of them in even as small a quantity as an ounce. And thousands of them in half a pound. So giving the gift of a stamp mixture will actually give the collector two things: the stamps themselves, and hours of fun sorting through them to see what stamps are in the mix. And stamp assortments have the additional benefit of usually being very inexpensive to buy.

A third alternative for buying stamps is purchasing a gift certificate: a few stamp shops will allow you to purchase a gift certificate that you can give to the stamp collector. As with any type of gift certificate, the recipient can then use it to buy whatever he or she wants. There's even an online stamp shop that offers gift certificates in various dollar amounts. It's called The Stamp People and is located at http://www.thestamppeople.com

2. The tools and supplies that all stamp collectors need and use.

Stamp tongs, a good magnifying glass, stamp mounts and/or stamp hinges, a guillotine-type mount cutter, an ultraviolet light for checking tagging and phosphors, watermarking liquid and a watermarking tray, a drying book, stamp catalogs and other stamp guides and reference books, glassine envelopes, stock books and stock cards for storage, and, last but not least, a stamp album for displaying the stamp collection - stamp albums are beautiful AND practical gifts!


Stamp-related gifts are some of the best gifts a stamp collector can receive. And he or she will think of you every time your gift is seen or used. Stamp collecting is a hobby for a lifetime, and your stamp-related gift will be an endless source of pleasure.