4 Ways to Handle Your Stamp Collection Properly

4 Ways to Handle Your Stamp Collection Properly

Philately is timeless! Every stamp is a part of history and it has some story behind it. People have been collecting stamps since the 1840s. Some experts believe the first stamp meant the emergence of the first stamp-collectors.

Today people tend to collect stamps for various reasons: just as a hobby, as investments, for sales or for passing it as an inheritance.

Philately is a particularly interesting activity that does not require any special knowledge. In addition, you won’t need a large budget to get started. But first of all, you have to know the best ways to keep stamps properly and buy an album for your stamp collection.

Collecting stamps means following some rules to conserve stamps properly and handle them with care because stamps fade and suffer with the time. Besides, their state and storage conditions may directly affect their market price.

So, here are some handy tips below for you to properly take care of your stamp collection whether you keep it because of your taste, your inheritance, or your investments.

Number 1: Store your stamps carefully

Most serious collectors keep their stamps in an acid-free album. It’s available at local or online outlets specializing in stamp collections. You can find some of them here.

One of the main ways to handle stamps is to use removable stamp holders with an adhesive side are perfectly fine to most stamps released in an album. For new and valuable stamps that have not yet been put into the circulation, it’s better to use a pouch - a plastic case with a rubberized face. The pouches are specifically designed to preserve the original adhesive gum on the back of your finest stamps.

Number 2: Keep the old envelopes

Some old stamps have more value with the original envelope and a postmark intact. Consult a philatelic expert if you are unsure whether the envelope should be discarded or not. Because it may also have a certain market value.

Number 3: Use pliers to handle with stamps

Stamps are inherently fragile. Do not handle them with bare hands and do not use ordinary pliers that may puncture or damage the stamps. Instead, every time you need to handle or move stamps, use a special clamp for this procedure. These specialized instruments are available in the philatelists supply stores. The tools are usually made of stainless steel and look like large flat or blunt tweezers at the ends.They prevent the stamps from bending.

Note: Avoid touching your stamps with your fingers. Especially, if they are old and tend to crumble. This will spoil the quality of the stamps and thus make their price low.

Number 4. Keep your stamp collection in an album.

Consider buying an album, specifically adapted to philately if you are really eager to start stamp collecting. Make sure each stamp will have a well-defined place, depending on the album model you choose. A transparent pouch will help you to insert the stamp and thus to protect it as well.

The first philatelists used hinges. These were some pieces of paper folded in 2 in the shape of a rubberized paw, one end of which was fixed on the back of the stamp and the other end on the album. Yet they distort the stamp by leaving marks on it.

Make your collection look fascinating

Use albums allowing stamps to be sorted by years to make your stamp collection even more interesting. Some philately albums manufacturers release additional sheets allowing you to classify stamps. However, keep in mind that sometimes stamps classification by albums may be quite an expensive thing.

You can also customize your stamp collection in the best way by making your own album sheets.