Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
I just joined today
A bit nervous as I know nothing about stamps... so I am here to learn!I have some stamps that my father left to me, there are some in a Traveler's Stamp Book and then a pile of loose ones.
So I am trying to figure out what to do with them, I have never really been a stamp collector but now that I am spending all this time looking through these I find I am curious as to what is from where and when etc.
Not sure what to do with them yet, that is why I am here.
So... here is a picture of a couple of stamps. What do I look for? How do I know what to do with these stamps...lol (I am sure you have all heard this before).
Thanks for your time and patience.
Sheila
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Hi Sheila,
Welcome. If you're even thinking of becoming a collector, you might want to start with a catalogue. In the US, Scott is THE catalogue of choice (for the non-specialist). you can start looking up the stamps you have just to get a sense of how to use the catalogue and maybe even see which countries tickle your fancy. Many larger libraries will have copies of Scott in their reference section; ask if you don't see it.
in the mean time, if you have a lot from one country, that's where i'd start my exploration.
David
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Hi Sheila;
Welcome to Stamp-o-Rama!
The fastest way to learn is to read as many of our Discussion Board threads as you can. I like to do this when I'm having my morning coffee, or afternoon tea.
Most inherited collections don't have a large cash value, and expensive stamps are worth more because they are rare, and the average collector is not likely to find any.
That however means, that you might as well keep them, even if you do not collect. They are something that meant a lot to your loved one. A great way to cherish their memory. Spending time looking at them can be good for one's soul and closure.
My mom and dad are both gone now, but I have my dads favorite deer rifle, and the Shakespear fishing reel mom used all the times her and I fished together.
If you want to learn more about collecting, go to your library and find a book about stamp collecting. Also if you want to know about value they may have the Scott catalogs available. Another great way to learn about stamps, is subscribe to a stamp weekly like Linn's Stamp news.
That is a fairly good quality image of some of your stamps, so you already have a good scanning skill for sharing what you have. I hope you have fun learning all about your inheritance.
Keep on stampin'....
TuskenRaider (Ken)
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Dear Shylo,
From your description you have an accumulation of 'stuff', and from your posting scan you may be into worldwide. So far they lack organization. Perhaps a good starting point might be to determine if a particular country or countries capture your fancy and seek to start your organizing from that perspective.
You may find that after doing so, you might wish to trade away those that are not of interest, and focus upon those that you wish to look more closely at. At some point you may even wish to narrow your collecting to a particular country, or even to a particular type of stamp within that country.
There is no right or wrong, only what holds your interest.You might determine that particular topics are of interest, and there are those of us who collect all sorts of topics. This last approach, by the way, is called a topical collection.
Welcome to the hobby of kings, and buckle your seat belt for the journey will be most unexpected once you're into it.
Best,
Dan C.
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You scared me Dan, for a minute I thought you could see my dining room table with stamps on it... lol
Yes a variety of countries and unorganized!~
Great advice from everyone, seems I am thinking more and more about collecting. I love the idea that these were my 'loved ones' and also about narrowing it down to a country.
I think I am going to like it here... 
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03:44:50pm
Welcome Sheila. Since most of us have been doing this for awhile, we can easily answer your questions, but then you will learn nothing. As a former teacher of history, I preferred pointing my students in the right direction and letting them stumble along (maybe with hints and a little prodding) until they "discovered" the answers themselves.
So, first, how about an online stamp catalog? http://www.stampworld.com/en/ In the far left column click the first tab, "catalogue" - the rest is interactive.
Then, an online Stamp Identifier: http://stampfinderonline.com/identify.asp
Now your hints:
Stamp 1: Macao
Stamp 2: One of the Malayan (now Malaysian) states
Happy searching!
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Welcome to Stamporama! There are lots of friendly folks here who will patiently and happily answer any questions - we were ALL beginners at one time! Deeeelighted to have you join us!
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Bobby:
This is wonderful, thanks :-)
Sheila
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Hi Sheila;
The links Bobby gave are great resources, for learning and identifying what you have now. 
A resource that I like to use for my topical collections is Google > Wikipedia.
If I add a mushroom stamp to my collection, (I eat and cook with wild ones) I simply google
the Latin name and usually get a Wiki article that will tell me they are safe to eat and what
I can expect them to taste like, or that they are toxic and the degree of toxicity and symp-
toms of poisoning.
Or if I see a flower on a stamp that I know little about, I can research that specie of flower
and maybe even discover a wild edible that I was not aware of. I once wanted to know
about about cattails because the Red-Winged Blackbirds that nest near them are so beauti-
ful to see and hear their song. I learned that cattails have a tuber that grows on the lake
bottom, and when dug up and dried the starchy tuber is ground up and used to make bread
like flour, or used to thicken drippings for grave, or eaten like potatoes.
So you can readily see that collecting stamps can lead you on multiple paths of discovery.
Many collectors like to collect things they are already interested in. We have several collec-
tors on here who are into model trains. I'll bet they have awesome trains-on-stamps col-
lections. Birdwatchers also have a thing for birds on stamps. Most of the newer issues are
loaded with topical themes.
So, go have fun learning and growing your knowledge base, of our hobby.
Keep on stampin'....
TuskenRaider
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Sheila,
Welcome to the gang at SOR, many collectors with much information to share and you have already received some of the best advice available. There is just no way to tell you how to collect, or what to collect, but you already seem to have a good start with the stamps left you. A whole lot of us here never had the advantage of SOR, or the Internet, when we started collecting, so we HAD to learn about stamps through trial and error, but it was all certainly worthwhile, because we enjoy the hobby so much. So, just enjoy what you have, sort your stamps out and try to identify them and then see what or where you wish to go from there. There are only a couple of million ways to collect stamps, so have a ball and we are always here to answer questions.
Mike
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Sheila, Greetings:
I would like to address that question you asked, to wit: "What do I look for?"
Some of the things we do with stamps include: classification, identification, qualification, storage'n'display.
Classification can be easy, especially if you decide to collect by topic, eg, birds, flowers, etc.
Here is a list of topics at The American Topical Association ... anybody grab you?
Classification gets to be fun when you start to learn how many stamps are not 'regular' postage stamps, but stamps to pay for a particular service, or stamps used to pay a tax ('revenue stamps'), or stamps whose price included money designated for some purpose other than carrying mail (charity, etc), or stamps that folks have printed for their own amusement (honest), or ...
Identification begins with a country name and/or currency symbol and/or keyword that points you to who issued the stamp. Some stamps bear dates; some because if they were issued to honor an anniversary of an event, and some, well, because.
Some stamps (like your little beauty from Macau) might offer, in suitably miniscule print, the name of the agency/company that printed the stamp, or the name of the designer, or the name of the engraver, or none of these.
Identification becomes more important if you commit to albumization, as stamp album publishers tend to organize your stamps by country and, within each country, chronologically.
But identification becomes much less important if your plan is to create a mosaic:
Jack Bauer portrait made from 1485 London postcards
Qualification is likely to sneak-up on you. At some point, some stamp is just going to offend you: it will be too moldy, or torn, or stained, or mauled, or cancelled. You will evolve some personal standard for what stays & what goes. The more you worry about what other people think, the more you will become a Conditionista and, don't worry, you'll have lots of company.
For example, there are folks who would never let your 5c Malaya near their 'keepers', because it bears a 'heavy' cancellation. And, there are folks who would never let your 10c Malaya near their 'keepers', because ... get ready for this ... a little snippet is missing from the upper-right corner.
To be fair, these people get a lot of joy from collecting mostly/only magnificently perfect stamps, so if the urge grabs you, know that you will not be alone.
The most important thing is to find your own comfort level, and have fun.
Things to look for include centering (both of the Malayas are better-centered than the Macau), creases, folds, 'freshness' of the color (varies from stamp-to-stamp), clarity of the impression (how neatly the paper met the printing plate) ... in other words, how much the stamp reminds itself of the moment it was first sold.
And, sorry, don't forget to look at the back (see Conditionistas, above) for thins, discolorations, markings, and, for unused stamps ... I kid you not ... gum.
Lastly, a few kind words about storage'n'display, and these words are: do not be afraid to pick a storage method, and then change your mind, because moving your stamps from one storage solution to another is just another way of playing with your stamps.
Cheers,
/s/ ikeyPikey
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To put a different slant on condition. The heavily postmarked stamp is not good for a stamp collector.......
however IF the postmark can be unequivocably identified a postmark collector might bite your arm off, although a complete postmark would be preferable.
Once you identify you preferences you could advertise your surpluses in the trade section here. However you would need to be realistic in your expectations. A world wide collector like me would probably be prepared to take almost all of your surplus "stuff", but the scarcity of what you are looking for might be beyond my duplicate stock. Also if you trade overseas you need to trade a lot of stamps in one go to make the postage costs worthwhile,even if it means taking items which don't fit your main profile. Many collectors have a "serious" collection highly specialised and a number of "fun" collections from when their serious collection is stuck through either lack of available material or( more usually) the expense of potential additions !!).
While I agree that you might want to focus your interests, I would advise you to initially find 2 or 3 areas ( while you are still collecting the cheaper stamps ) until you find out where your heart really lies.
Some of us never get beyond collecting everything in sight !! However it has to be said that space ( and the cooperation of the domestic authorities) are sometimes stretched -as is the time to organise things !
Anyway good luck whatever you decide to do.
Malcolm
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07:52:03am
Look at all of the help you're receiving already!! This place is fantastic, isn't it? Welcome and enjoy the learning process!
Lisa
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Hi, Sheila, how are you faring, so far? As others have said, there are many facets to stamp collecting, and it can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be. Some people like to collect only mint stamps (ones which have not been used for postage). Others prefer only used stamps, because they want stamps that have performed their duty, so to speak.
Collectors can be classified in many other different ways:
1. General worldwide: This person collects simply anything and everything that catches their fancy.
2. The specialist: This collector concentrates on a specific area (or areas). It can be a geographical area, perhaps the collector's home country, or ancestral country; or a collective geographical area, such as Western European countries, Sub-Saharan Africa, or South Pacific Islands; or a historical area, such as British colonial Africa. Others specialize in Classic Era stamps. What is the classic era? Depends on the collector. To some it means the first hundred years of stamps, 1840-1940. To others it means 19th century stamps. And, to others, still, it means the period 1840-1870. Again, though, all that matters is what interests you, regardless of any arbitrary rules or definitions.
3. The topical collector: This is a very popular area of collecting, where you seek out stamps depicting subjects related to your personal interests. For instance, I love classical music, and I keep a separate album dedicated to stamps featuring composers, conductors, and orchestras, etc. My first car was a Volkswagen Beetle, for which I hold fond memories, so I also have a collection dedicated to stamps depicting Beetles. As a complement to that topic, I also collect ladybird beetles (or ladybugs) on stamps. A topical collection is a good way to collect worldwide, while maintaining a sense of focus in your collection.
4. The postal history collector: Some collectors are interested not only in the stamps, but also the covers -- don't call them envelopes -- and the postmarks and cancellations on them.
This represents (to borrow a hoary old phrase) merely the tip of the iceberg, as to where you can go in your philatelic pursuits. One thing you will find is that some countries are held in more or less esteem than others. Some countries churn out tons of stamps (termed "wallpaper") that are produced by outside agencies and which never see postal use inside that country. They feature popular subjects, such as rock stars, Disney characters, movie actors, famous automobiles, and such. They are produced solely to appeal to topical collectors and to enrich that country's treasury. In fact there are some countries where sales of these stamps represent a large portion of their national revenue.
Your own country, Canada, has a rich philatelic history, with many "classic" issues, with names such as Small Queens, Large Queens, Admirals, and Maple Leaves. In fact one of the most famous stamps, and one which many collectors consider "the most beautiful stamp," is the one pictured below, showing the schooner, "Bluenose," along with the schooner, "Bluenose." (Yes, both ships shown on the stamp are "Bluenose.")
I hope we've given you enough, here, to further whet your interest in this fine hobby. Don't be shy to ask any questions. The folks here are more than happy to help out.
Cheers,
Ted
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Dear Ted,
A wonderfully comprehensive review. Would you consider contacting a VC member(Ralph, Tim,Kelly,Michael) to see if it might not find a place in the frequently asked questions section of the SOR? To my mind a newbie would find it very informative.
Best,
Dan
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Welcome Sheila to the nicest group of stamp collectors. They are so nice, they even promote you when you are on vacation. Thanks Dan , but I remain the lonely Approval Books moderator, far from the VC whatever they do...
( VC=Volunteer Committee). But vacation does not imply not keeping an eye...although it is such a nice cooperative group that I may as well forget about the internet and find me a Llama to ride! Rrr...
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Welcome Sheila! You will find a lot of information here and helpful members.
Dan,
I agree. Maybe we need an area just for new members so they can get their feet wet without falling in over their head. Maybe it can be posted in the new members area.
Vince
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Welcome Sheila.... Ask all the questions you want..
" To my mind a newbie would find it very informative"
Dan...It would be very helpful to us old-bees as well..Your never too old to learn something new..
Your Malaya stamps are from the state of Perak Sultan Yussuf Izuddin Shah
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Dear Vince & Bobgggg,
An interesting thought. A section for newbies, incorporating FAQ's and Ted's comprehensive review along with ikeyPikey's contribution as well.
If this sounds like something that you guys might like to give shot to, I'd be happy to help. Once we put together a text, we could send it past the VC to see if they might like to make it a part of the official FAQ.
Thoughts?
Dan C.
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O boy,
I thought you might have something like that to say.
This sounds like an good idea. Bob if you are interested send me an email and we can get some ideas together. Anyone else who have ideas post them here or start a new thread. Anyone is welcome to email me with ideas. I think this would be good for our club and help it grow.
Vince
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06:57:07pm
We already have a Beginner FAQ, so check there first. We can most certainly add FAQs as needed.
See the Beginner FAQ HERE
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It might also be a good time to change/modify/update some of the questions listed in the Beginners FAQ as well....
Example;
the question at the bottom of the FAQ page says,
" I have a stamp that does not have a country name on it at all. How can I find out where it is from?"
The answer that followed did very little to help. (NO disrespect to whomever wrote these!)
Some others as well could be redefined.
Randy
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Very nice pickup Bobby and Randy. Excellent taking charge Vince. Let me know how/when/if I might be of any help, although between you and Bob it seems to be in very good hands. Impressive stuff all.
Best,
Dan C.
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No, I am not volunteering to fix it, but the FAQ is bone dry, whereas this thread has been lively & personal & engaging.
I think that an edited version of this thread would serve both the community and the new arrivals better than the FAQ.
But there is no reason not to use both, eg, enhance the FAQ with link(s) to real-but-edited newbie.
Okay, drats, I'll help.
Cheers,
/s/ ikeyPikey
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10:57:26am
I'll message Tim and volunteer to comb the questions asked on the DB and make sure we have up to date answers and a more complete FAQ. Time is one thing I have plenty of these days.
A lot of folk forget we have a LINKS section. Go to the Home page and click the LINKS tab on the menu bar. Many useful web sites for beginners and advanced collectors alike.
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Thanks, Dan.
"Dear Ted,
A wonderfully comprehensive review. Would you consider contacting a VC member(Ralph, Tim,Kelly,Michael) to see if it might not find a place in the frequently asked questions section of the SOR? To my mind a newbie would find it very informative.
Best,
Dan"
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Dear Youpiao,
You're most welcome, and thanks for the acknowledgement. A question for you, would you find it helpful if the Secretary (Bobby Barnhart) had an information sheet to give to newbies upon acceptance into SOR?
Dear Bobby, perhaps you already do have such a sheet, and I'm just far behind the curve.
( If so, I plead old age.) If not, could the committee headed by Vince be of any help in putting one together?
Dear Vince,
I really should have double checked with you before thinking out loud and involving others, but perhaps you'll cut me some slack -( again I plead the privilege of old age.)
Best,
Dan C.
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08:38:13am
Bobby - I sent you an email with the things new members receive from SOR.
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09:35:07am
Dan, Lisa sent me a copy of the email message sent to new members. I have copied it here. It is a very comprehensive overview of Stamporama, and, once updated, all these areas will be addressed in the FAQs. For more information on Stamporama's FAQs, see the thread: Club Business & Announcements/Club Business : Stamporama FAQ update
New member email:
Welcome to Stamporama XXXXXX
Your membership has been approved. Your Stamporama account is active and the full membership facilities can be be accessed using the following username and password:
Username:XXXXX
Password: XXXXX (Is the password you entered on your application.)
Using your username and password, you now have access to a number of members only-facilities on the Stamporama website.
Members Area:
In the members area, there are many facilities available to you that will customize your profile so that it best fits your situation.
The Search function allows your to search for other members in a particular country, or state, or collecting interest, etc. If you should contact any of the members resulting from your searches, we ask that you put Stamporama in the subject area and tell them that you are a new member in the body of the letter. I might also mention that it is against our bylaws to send out a mass solicitation letter. (See By Laws .. Article 2 Code of Ethics, # 5, F http://www.stamporama.com/bylaws/; any request for trades, etc., should be tailored to your recipient`s stated interests).
Using the Edit function you can change your personal information, share with other members what your collecting interests, are and what types of material you have to trade and what you would like in return, you can set default settings to customize how the Discussion Board and the Auction function specifically for you. We request that you update your collecting interests at least once each year.
As well as your username that you have established as part of your registration process, the system allows you to have a separate username for the Auction and another separate username for the Discussion Board, should you chose to. Some people just like to do that, but using the one username in all areas will work just fine. If you have a preference to use an alternate username for either the Discussion Board or the Auction, you can set this up by using the Set Alternate Username functions available in the Members Area. Similarly, you can setup an alternate email address to be used by the Discussion Board or the Auction by editing your user information in the Member's Area. If you are not sure what to do use the Help function in the Members Area.
Even though the system allows you to use multiple usernames, you can only use one password, which can be changed in the Members Area using the Change Password function.
Auction:
Once you have logged onto the website using your username and password, you can use all the facilities available to you in the Stamporama Auction. You can place a bid on an auction lot and you can post auction lots yourself. You can see your open auction lots and you can see the details of the auction lots that you have successfully sold. The Stamporama Auction provides an invoicing function where you can combine multiple lots won by the same buyer into a single shipment, including the shipping costs and any other costs associated with shipping the collection of the auction lots to the buyer. You will find documents on the site describing the best way to work between seller and buyer. We recommend you read these documents before either bidding on lots or posting lots for sale to others. You will find many of these documents under the General drop down menu on the right at the top of the auction screen. Our rules are simple and straightforward, and we insist that they be followed; please spend the 2 minutes needed to read them.
Discussion Board:
We encourage you to participate in the Stamporama Discussion Board. Like the other areas, you will have to log into the system in order to post messages. Please read the documents found under the General dropdown menu of the Discussion Board screen. As stated above the Discussion Board can be customized for you using the Edit function in the Members Area.
The Stamporama Discussion Board has the ability to send you an email when a posting is made on the Discussion Board that you are interested in. By default your profile is setup to send you an email notification when postings are made in either the System Announcement topic or the Club Business topic. You can turn these email notifications off by going to the Discussion Board Email Notification Maintenace function, accessed from the home page in the left hand navigation links "DB Email Maint." or at the bottom of the home page via the "Unsubscribe Emails" link. Using this function you can select any of the other discussion board topics to recieve emails about. This function can also be accessed from the members area.
Stamporama Approvals:
The Stamporama Approvals is a new feature on the Stamporama website. Designed to be similar to the APS Approval Books that are circulated around Stamp Clubs, the Stamporama Approvals function allows you to create electronic books of stamps for sale to other members. Please read through the User Guide located on the navigation bar at the top of the Approvals home page.
Stamporama Message System:
As well as communicating by email, we have the Stamporama Message system which can be accessed from the left hand navigation links on the home page and most of the Members Area pages. You will also find a number of other places throughout the system where you can send a member a message. Just look for a button on a screen that says Send a Message.
We are all volunteers, and may not be available on short notice at all times. The fastest way to get answers to any question is to use the Discussion Board. There are many helpful people there who can answer philatelic questions or question relating to the website.
If you have any questions or problems regarding Stamporama please contact me immediately at xxxxxx@xxxxx.net or send an email to the webmaster at xxxxxxx@gmail.com. May I also suggest you save/print this email for future reference.
Once again welcome to Stamporama. I look forward to joining with you in enjoying our hobby together.
Tim Auld
Member-Secretary, Stamporama
xxxxxxxx@gmail.com
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Thanks Bobby & Lisa,
A very comprehensive list indeed.Thinking only for myself if I were a newbie (and it may not be what anyone else might think) I would feel somewhat overwhelmed with the new info being presented. For me, I would appreciate only 2 things right away- a place where I could find possible answers to questions I might have (FAQ section and how to get to it on the site)- and someone I could contact when I have questions not answered in the FAQ.
Perhaps this is already built in. If not, ought it to be?
Still thinking out loud without proper conferring with Vince and his committee or with the Secretary. My apologies in advance if this is all taken care of and only serves to distract.
All good thoughts,
Dan C.
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11:14:54am
Dan,
This is something that I decided to work on and Tim was kind enough to figure out how to get me the new member emails. In my quest to figure out how to make things more clear, easy to understand, etc. I am open to suggestions. Anyone can also contact me offline about this using the PM system or my email in my member's profile.
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12:08:18pm
Dan asked:
"For me, I would appreciate only 2 things right away- a place where I could find possible answers to questions I might have (FAQ section and how to get to it on the site)- and someone I could contact when I have questions not answered in the FAQ."
(1) To access the FAQ section of Stamporama, move your cursor to the Menu bar on the top portion of this page, and hover over "Home"; simply click on the desired destination from the drop down menu (in this case, FAQ's).
(2) As to who to contact if you want or feel something should be added to the FAQ's, Tim is the obvious choice. But since I have decided to take on the update issue, you can also contact me (I am a lot less busy than Tim, and can get back to you quicker). If it is a matter of information you need quickly, and it is not in the FAQ's, my first choice is always Google, followed closely by a post on the DB in an appropriate area (our members are often a better source than even the all powerful Google).
I hope this proves helpful.
Bobby
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Perfect! Of course I should have known that Tim and you would jump on any gaps perceived-just getting a little sloppy in my keeping track of things and then shooting my mouth off before my brain was engaged.
Way to go guys.
Dan
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Dear Vince,
I understand it as you do. The fact of your willingness to engage, along with your committee, is most appreciated and much respected. Thanks again one and all.
Best,
Dan C.
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09:21:20pm
Vince and anyone else so disposed, please feel free to message me with comments or suggestions. Fortunately, Tim has created the FAQ structure, and I will be bringing it up to date, adding some topics, and providing a few enhancements.
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First, hello there Sheila. I am finding StampoRama a true smorgasbord of stamp knowledge.
Two, this one topic discussion has been GOLDEN. Great information, and great links. This all may be in the FAQ, and I will check there as well. But thanks all for the kick-start!
Winedrinker aka Eric
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Hi Sheila, welcome! I see you have gotten a lot of good advise about collection stamps.
There is also a way to collect which we call 'Topical' collecting. If there is a subject you really like - asuch as castles, ships, flowers, religion and a multitude of other subjects, that can be rewarding also! When I started collecting it was Europa CEPT stamps (I was born in Europe) and wind/watermills (I was born in Holland) and it keeps me very busy and it is sooooo interesting! So, good luck with your decision to collect stamps and you can get all the help you need here!
Jopie
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02:27:12pm
Hi:
I just joined today A bit nervous as I know nothing about stamps... so I am here to learn!
I have some stamps that my father left to me, there are some in a Traveler's Stamp Book and then a pile of loose ones.
So I am trying to figure out what to do with them, I have never really been a stamp collector but now that I am spending all this time looking through these I find I am curious as to what is from where and when etc.
Not sure what to do with them yet, that is why I am here.
So... here is a picture of a couple of stamps. What do I look for? How do I know what to do with these stamps...lol (I am sure you have all heard this before).
Thanks for your time and patience.
Sheila
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Auctions
re: New :-)
Hi Sheila,
Welcome. If you're even thinking of becoming a collector, you might want to start with a catalogue. In the US, Scott is THE catalogue of choice (for the non-specialist). you can start looking up the stamps you have just to get a sense of how to use the catalogue and maybe even see which countries tickle your fancy. Many larger libraries will have copies of Scott in their reference section; ask if you don't see it.
in the mean time, if you have a lot from one country, that's where i'd start my exploration.
David
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re: New :-)
Hi Sheila;
Welcome to Stamp-o-Rama!
The fastest way to learn is to read as many of our Discussion Board threads as you can. I like to do this when I'm having my morning coffee, or afternoon tea.
Most inherited collections don't have a large cash value, and expensive stamps are worth more because they are rare, and the average collector is not likely to find any.
That however means, that you might as well keep them, even if you do not collect. They are something that meant a lot to your loved one. A great way to cherish their memory. Spending time looking at them can be good for one's soul and closure.
My mom and dad are both gone now, but I have my dads favorite deer rifle, and the Shakespear fishing reel mom used all the times her and I fished together.
If you want to learn more about collecting, go to your library and find a book about stamp collecting. Also if you want to know about value they may have the Scott catalogs available. Another great way to learn about stamps, is subscribe to a stamp weekly like Linn's Stamp news.
That is a fairly good quality image of some of your stamps, so you already have a good scanning skill for sharing what you have. I hope you have fun learning all about your inheritance.
Keep on stampin'....
TuskenRaider (Ken)
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Dear Shylo,
From your description you have an accumulation of 'stuff', and from your posting scan you may be into worldwide. So far they lack organization. Perhaps a good starting point might be to determine if a particular country or countries capture your fancy and seek to start your organizing from that perspective.
You may find that after doing so, you might wish to trade away those that are not of interest, and focus upon those that you wish to look more closely at. At some point you may even wish to narrow your collecting to a particular country, or even to a particular type of stamp within that country.
There is no right or wrong, only what holds your interest.You might determine that particular topics are of interest, and there are those of us who collect all sorts of topics. This last approach, by the way, is called a topical collection.
Welcome to the hobby of kings, and buckle your seat belt for the journey will be most unexpected once you're into it.
Best,
Dan C.
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03:43:54pm
re: New :-)
You scared me Dan, for a minute I thought you could see my dining room table with stamps on it... lol
Yes a variety of countries and unorganized!~
Great advice from everyone, seems I am thinking more and more about collecting. I love the idea that these were my 'loved ones' and also about narrowing it down to a country.
I think I am going to like it here...
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They who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. -Benjamin Franklin
13 Jan 2016
03:44:50pm
re: New :-)
Welcome Sheila. Since most of us have been doing this for awhile, we can easily answer your questions, but then you will learn nothing. As a former teacher of history, I preferred pointing my students in the right direction and letting them stumble along (maybe with hints and a little prodding) until they "discovered" the answers themselves.
So, first, how about an online stamp catalog? http://www.stampworld.com/en/ In the far left column click the first tab, "catalogue" - the rest is interactive.
Then, an online Stamp Identifier: http://stampfinderonline.com/identify.asp
Now your hints:
Stamp 1: Macao
Stamp 2: One of the Malayan (now Malaysian) states
Happy searching!
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Welcome to Stamporama! There are lots of friendly folks here who will patiently and happily answer any questions - we were ALL beginners at one time! Deeeelighted to have you join us!
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04:03:02pm
re: New :-)
Bobby:
This is wonderful, thanks :-)
Sheila
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Hi Sheila;
The links Bobby gave are great resources, for learning and identifying what you have now.
A resource that I like to use for my topical collections is Google > Wikipedia.
If I add a mushroom stamp to my collection, (I eat and cook with wild ones) I simply google
the Latin name and usually get a Wiki article that will tell me they are safe to eat and what
I can expect them to taste like, or that they are toxic and the degree of toxicity and symp-
toms of poisoning.
Or if I see a flower on a stamp that I know little about, I can research that specie of flower
and maybe even discover a wild edible that I was not aware of. I once wanted to know
about about cattails because the Red-Winged Blackbirds that nest near them are so beauti-
ful to see and hear their song. I learned that cattails have a tuber that grows on the lake
bottom, and when dug up and dried the starchy tuber is ground up and used to make bread
like flour, or used to thicken drippings for grave, or eaten like potatoes.
So you can readily see that collecting stamps can lead you on multiple paths of discovery.
Many collectors like to collect things they are already interested in. We have several collec-
tors on here who are into model trains. I'll bet they have awesome trains-on-stamps col-
lections. Birdwatchers also have a thing for birds on stamps. Most of the newer issues are
loaded with topical themes.
So, go have fun learning and growing your knowledge base, of our hobby.
Keep on stampin'....
TuskenRaider
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Sheila,
Welcome to the gang at SOR, many collectors with much information to share and you have already received some of the best advice available. There is just no way to tell you how to collect, or what to collect, but you already seem to have a good start with the stamps left you. A whole lot of us here never had the advantage of SOR, or the Internet, when we started collecting, so we HAD to learn about stamps through trial and error, but it was all certainly worthwhile, because we enjoy the hobby so much. So, just enjoy what you have, sort your stamps out and try to identify them and then see what or where you wish to go from there. There are only a couple of million ways to collect stamps, so have a ball and we are always here to answer questions.
Mike
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Sheila, Greetings:
I would like to address that question you asked, to wit: "What do I look for?"
Some of the things we do with stamps include: classification, identification, qualification, storage'n'display.
Classification can be easy, especially if you decide to collect by topic, eg, birds, flowers, etc.
Here is a list of topics at The American Topical Association ... anybody grab you?
Classification gets to be fun when you start to learn how many stamps are not 'regular' postage stamps, but stamps to pay for a particular service, or stamps used to pay a tax ('revenue stamps'), or stamps whose price included money designated for some purpose other than carrying mail (charity, etc), or stamps that folks have printed for their own amusement (honest), or ...
Identification begins with a country name and/or currency symbol and/or keyword that points you to who issued the stamp. Some stamps bear dates; some because if they were issued to honor an anniversary of an event, and some, well, because.
Some stamps (like your little beauty from Macau) might offer, in suitably miniscule print, the name of the agency/company that printed the stamp, or the name of the designer, or the name of the engraver, or none of these.
Identification becomes more important if you commit to albumization, as stamp album publishers tend to organize your stamps by country and, within each country, chronologically.
But identification becomes much less important if your plan is to create a mosaic:
Jack Bauer portrait made from 1485 London postcards
Qualification is likely to sneak-up on you. At some point, some stamp is just going to offend you: it will be too moldy, or torn, or stained, or mauled, or cancelled. You will evolve some personal standard for what stays & what goes. The more you worry about what other people think, the more you will become a Conditionista and, don't worry, you'll have lots of company.
For example, there are folks who would never let your 5c Malaya near their 'keepers', because it bears a 'heavy' cancellation. And, there are folks who would never let your 10c Malaya near their 'keepers', because ... get ready for this ... a little snippet is missing from the upper-right corner.
To be fair, these people get a lot of joy from collecting mostly/only magnificently perfect stamps, so if the urge grabs you, know that you will not be alone.
The most important thing is to find your own comfort level, and have fun.
Things to look for include centering (both of the Malayas are better-centered than the Macau), creases, folds, 'freshness' of the color (varies from stamp-to-stamp), clarity of the impression (how neatly the paper met the printing plate) ... in other words, how much the stamp reminds itself of the moment it was first sold.
And, sorry, don't forget to look at the back (see Conditionistas, above) for thins, discolorations, markings, and, for unused stamps ... I kid you not ... gum.
Lastly, a few kind words about storage'n'display, and these words are: do not be afraid to pick a storage method, and then change your mind, because moving your stamps from one storage solution to another is just another way of playing with your stamps.
Cheers,
/s/ ikeyPikey
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05:13:42am
re: New :-)
To put a different slant on condition. The heavily postmarked stamp is not good for a stamp collector.......
however IF the postmark can be unequivocably identified a postmark collector might bite your arm off, although a complete postmark would be preferable.
Once you identify you preferences you could advertise your surpluses in the trade section here. However you would need to be realistic in your expectations. A world wide collector like me would probably be prepared to take almost all of your surplus "stuff", but the scarcity of what you are looking for might be beyond my duplicate stock. Also if you trade overseas you need to trade a lot of stamps in one go to make the postage costs worthwhile,even if it means taking items which don't fit your main profile. Many collectors have a "serious" collection highly specialised and a number of "fun" collections from when their serious collection is stuck through either lack of available material or( more usually) the expense of potential additions !!).
While I agree that you might want to focus your interests, I would advise you to initially find 2 or 3 areas ( while you are still collecting the cheaper stamps ) until you find out where your heart really lies.
Some of us never get beyond collecting everything in sight !! However it has to be said that space ( and the cooperation of the domestic authorities) are sometimes stretched -as is the time to organise things !
Anyway good luck whatever you decide to do.
Malcolm
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It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light. - Aristotle Onassis
14 Jan 2016
07:52:03am
re: New :-)
Look at all of the help you're receiving already!! This place is fantastic, isn't it? Welcome and enjoy the learning process!
Lisa
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Hi, Sheila, how are you faring, so far? As others have said, there are many facets to stamp collecting, and it can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be. Some people like to collect only mint stamps (ones which have not been used for postage). Others prefer only used stamps, because they want stamps that have performed their duty, so to speak.
Collectors can be classified in many other different ways:
1. General worldwide: This person collects simply anything and everything that catches their fancy.
2. The specialist: This collector concentrates on a specific area (or areas). It can be a geographical area, perhaps the collector's home country, or ancestral country; or a collective geographical area, such as Western European countries, Sub-Saharan Africa, or South Pacific Islands; or a historical area, such as British colonial Africa. Others specialize in Classic Era stamps. What is the classic era? Depends on the collector. To some it means the first hundred years of stamps, 1840-1940. To others it means 19th century stamps. And, to others, still, it means the period 1840-1870. Again, though, all that matters is what interests you, regardless of any arbitrary rules or definitions.
3. The topical collector: This is a very popular area of collecting, where you seek out stamps depicting subjects related to your personal interests. For instance, I love classical music, and I keep a separate album dedicated to stamps featuring composers, conductors, and orchestras, etc. My first car was a Volkswagen Beetle, for which I hold fond memories, so I also have a collection dedicated to stamps depicting Beetles. As a complement to that topic, I also collect ladybird beetles (or ladybugs) on stamps. A topical collection is a good way to collect worldwide, while maintaining a sense of focus in your collection.
4. The postal history collector: Some collectors are interested not only in the stamps, but also the covers -- don't call them envelopes -- and the postmarks and cancellations on them.
This represents (to borrow a hoary old phrase) merely the tip of the iceberg, as to where you can go in your philatelic pursuits. One thing you will find is that some countries are held in more or less esteem than others. Some countries churn out tons of stamps (termed "wallpaper") that are produced by outside agencies and which never see postal use inside that country. They feature popular subjects, such as rock stars, Disney characters, movie actors, famous automobiles, and such. They are produced solely to appeal to topical collectors and to enrich that country's treasury. In fact there are some countries where sales of these stamps represent a large portion of their national revenue.
Your own country, Canada, has a rich philatelic history, with many "classic" issues, with names such as Small Queens, Large Queens, Admirals, and Maple Leaves. In fact one of the most famous stamps, and one which many collectors consider "the most beautiful stamp," is the one pictured below, showing the schooner, "Bluenose," along with the schooner, "Bluenose." (Yes, both ships shown on the stamp are "Bluenose.")
I hope we've given you enough, here, to further whet your interest in this fine hobby. Don't be shy to ask any questions. The folks here are more than happy to help out.
Cheers,
Ted
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Dear Ted,
A wonderfully comprehensive review. Would you consider contacting a VC member(Ralph, Tim,Kelly,Michael) to see if it might not find a place in the frequently asked questions section of the SOR? To my mind a newbie would find it very informative.
Best,
Dan
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Retired Ap. Book Mod, Pres Golden Gate Stamp Club, Hi Tech Consultant
22 Jan 2016
09:18:01am
re: New :-)
Welcome Sheila to the nicest group of stamp collectors. They are so nice, they even promote you when you are on vacation. Thanks Dan , but I remain the lonely Approval Books moderator, far from the VC whatever they do... ( VC=Volunteer Committee). But vacation does not imply not keeping an eye...although it is such a nice cooperative group that I may as well forget about the internet and find me a Llama to ride! Rrr...
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Welcome Sheila! You will find a lot of information here and helpful members.
Dan,
I agree. Maybe we need an area just for new members so they can get their feet wet without falling in over their head. Maybe it can be posted in the new members area.
Vince
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05:14:12pm
re: New :-)
Welcome Sheila.... Ask all the questions you want..
" To my mind a newbie would find it very informative"
Dan...It would be very helpful to us old-bees as well..Your never too old to learn something new..
Your Malaya stamps are from the state of Perak Sultan Yussuf Izuddin Shah
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Dear Vince & Bobgggg,
An interesting thought. A section for newbies, incorporating FAQ's and Ted's comprehensive review along with ikeyPikey's contribution as well.
If this sounds like something that you guys might like to give shot to, I'd be happy to help. Once we put together a text, we could send it past the VC to see if they might like to make it a part of the official FAQ.
Thoughts?
Dan C.
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O boy,
I thought you might have something like that to say.
This sounds like an good idea. Bob if you are interested send me an email and we can get some ideas together. Anyone else who have ideas post them here or start a new thread. Anyone is welcome to email me with ideas. I think this would be good for our club and help it grow.
Vince
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They who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. -Benjamin Franklin
22 Jan 2016
06:57:07pm
re: New :-)
We already have a Beginner FAQ, so check there first. We can most certainly add FAQs as needed.
See the Beginner FAQ HERE
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It might also be a good time to change/modify/update some of the questions listed in the Beginners FAQ as well....
Example;
the question at the bottom of the FAQ page says,
" I have a stamp that does not have a country name on it at all. How can I find out where it is from?"
The answer that followed did very little to help. (NO disrespect to whomever wrote these!)
Some others as well could be redefined.
Randy
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Very nice pickup Bobby and Randy. Excellent taking charge Vince. Let me know how/when/if I might be of any help, although between you and Bob it seems to be in very good hands. Impressive stuff all.
Best,
Dan C.
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No, I am not volunteering to fix it, but the FAQ is bone dry, whereas this thread has been lively & personal & engaging.
I think that an edited version of this thread would serve both the community and the new arrivals better than the FAQ.
But there is no reason not to use both, eg, enhance the FAQ with link(s) to real-but-edited newbie.
Okay, drats, I'll help.
Cheers,
/s/ ikeyPikey
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They who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. -Benjamin Franklin
23 Jan 2016
10:57:26am
re: New :-)
I'll message Tim and volunteer to comb the questions asked on the DB and make sure we have up to date answers and a more complete FAQ. Time is one thing I have plenty of these days.
A lot of folk forget we have a LINKS section. Go to the Home page and click the LINKS tab on the menu bar. Many useful web sites for beginners and advanced collectors alike.
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Thanks, Dan.
"Dear Ted,
A wonderfully comprehensive review. Would you consider contacting a VC member(Ralph, Tim,Kelly,Michael) to see if it might not find a place in the frequently asked questions section of the SOR? To my mind a newbie would find it very informative.
Best,
Dan"
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Dear Youpiao,
You're most welcome, and thanks for the acknowledgement. A question for you, would you find it helpful if the Secretary (Bobby Barnhart) had an information sheet to give to newbies upon acceptance into SOR?
Dear Bobby, perhaps you already do have such a sheet, and I'm just far behind the curve.
( If so, I plead old age.) If not, could the committee headed by Vince be of any help in putting one together?
Dear Vince,
I really should have double checked with you before thinking out loud and involving others, but perhaps you'll cut me some slack -( again I plead the privilege of old age.)
Best,
Dan C.
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It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light. - Aristotle Onassis
24 Jan 2016
08:38:13am
re: New :-)
Bobby - I sent you an email with the things new members receive from SOR.
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They who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. -Benjamin Franklin
24 Jan 2016
09:35:07am
re: New :-)
Dan, Lisa sent me a copy of the email message sent to new members. I have copied it here. It is a very comprehensive overview of Stamporama, and, once updated, all these areas will be addressed in the FAQs. For more information on Stamporama's FAQs, see the thread: Club Business & Announcements/Club Business : Stamporama FAQ update
New member email:
Welcome to Stamporama XXXXXX
Your membership has been approved. Your Stamporama account is active and the full membership facilities can be be accessed using the following username and password:
Username:XXXXX
Password: XXXXX (Is the password you entered on your application.)
Using your username and password, you now have access to a number of members only-facilities on the Stamporama website.
Members Area:
In the members area, there are many facilities available to you that will customize your profile so that it best fits your situation.
The Search function allows your to search for other members in a particular country, or state, or collecting interest, etc. If you should contact any of the members resulting from your searches, we ask that you put Stamporama in the subject area and tell them that you are a new member in the body of the letter. I might also mention that it is against our bylaws to send out a mass solicitation letter. (See By Laws .. Article 2 Code of Ethics, # 5, F http://www.stamporama.com/bylaws/; any request for trades, etc., should be tailored to your recipient`s stated interests).
Using the Edit function you can change your personal information, share with other members what your collecting interests, are and what types of material you have to trade and what you would like in return, you can set default settings to customize how the Discussion Board and the Auction function specifically for you. We request that you update your collecting interests at least once each year.
As well as your username that you have established as part of your registration process, the system allows you to have a separate username for the Auction and another separate username for the Discussion Board, should you chose to. Some people just like to do that, but using the one username in all areas will work just fine. If you have a preference to use an alternate username for either the Discussion Board or the Auction, you can set this up by using the Set Alternate Username functions available in the Members Area. Similarly, you can setup an alternate email address to be used by the Discussion Board or the Auction by editing your user information in the Member's Area. If you are not sure what to do use the Help function in the Members Area.
Even though the system allows you to use multiple usernames, you can only use one password, which can be changed in the Members Area using the Change Password function.
Auction:
Once you have logged onto the website using your username and password, you can use all the facilities available to you in the Stamporama Auction. You can place a bid on an auction lot and you can post auction lots yourself. You can see your open auction lots and you can see the details of the auction lots that you have successfully sold. The Stamporama Auction provides an invoicing function where you can combine multiple lots won by the same buyer into a single shipment, including the shipping costs and any other costs associated with shipping the collection of the auction lots to the buyer. You will find documents on the site describing the best way to work between seller and buyer. We recommend you read these documents before either bidding on lots or posting lots for sale to others. You will find many of these documents under the General drop down menu on the right at the top of the auction screen. Our rules are simple and straightforward, and we insist that they be followed; please spend the 2 minutes needed to read them.
Discussion Board:
We encourage you to participate in the Stamporama Discussion Board. Like the other areas, you will have to log into the system in order to post messages. Please read the documents found under the General dropdown menu of the Discussion Board screen. As stated above the Discussion Board can be customized for you using the Edit function in the Members Area.
The Stamporama Discussion Board has the ability to send you an email when a posting is made on the Discussion Board that you are interested in. By default your profile is setup to send you an email notification when postings are made in either the System Announcement topic or the Club Business topic. You can turn these email notifications off by going to the Discussion Board Email Notification Maintenace function, accessed from the home page in the left hand navigation links "DB Email Maint." or at the bottom of the home page via the "Unsubscribe Emails" link. Using this function you can select any of the other discussion board topics to recieve emails about. This function can also be accessed from the members area.
Stamporama Approvals:
The Stamporama Approvals is a new feature on the Stamporama website. Designed to be similar to the APS Approval Books that are circulated around Stamp Clubs, the Stamporama Approvals function allows you to create electronic books of stamps for sale to other members. Please read through the User Guide located on the navigation bar at the top of the Approvals home page.
Stamporama Message System:
As well as communicating by email, we have the Stamporama Message system which can be accessed from the left hand navigation links on the home page and most of the Members Area pages. You will also find a number of other places throughout the system where you can send a member a message. Just look for a button on a screen that says Send a Message.
We are all volunteers, and may not be available on short notice at all times. The fastest way to get answers to any question is to use the Discussion Board. There are many helpful people there who can answer philatelic questions or question relating to the website.
If you have any questions or problems regarding Stamporama please contact me immediately at xxxxxx@xxxxx.net or send an email to the webmaster at xxxxxxx@gmail.com. May I also suggest you save/print this email for future reference.
Once again welcome to Stamporama. I look forward to joining with you in enjoying our hobby together.
Tim Auld
Member-Secretary, Stamporama
xxxxxxxx@gmail.com
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re: New :-)
Thanks Bobby & Lisa,
A very comprehensive list indeed.Thinking only for myself if I were a newbie (and it may not be what anyone else might think) I would feel somewhat overwhelmed with the new info being presented. For me, I would appreciate only 2 things right away- a place where I could find possible answers to questions I might have (FAQ section and how to get to it on the site)- and someone I could contact when I have questions not answered in the FAQ.
Perhaps this is already built in. If not, ought it to be?
Still thinking out loud without proper conferring with Vince and his committee or with the Secretary. My apologies in advance if this is all taken care of and only serves to distract.
All good thoughts,
Dan C.
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It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light. - Aristotle Onassis
24 Jan 2016
11:14:54am
re: New :-)
Dan,
This is something that I decided to work on and Tim was kind enough to figure out how to get me the new member emails. In my quest to figure out how to make things more clear, easy to understand, etc. I am open to suggestions. Anyone can also contact me offline about this using the PM system or my email in my member's profile.
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They who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. -Benjamin Franklin
24 Jan 2016
12:08:18pm
re: New :-)
Dan asked:
"For me, I would appreciate only 2 things right away- a place where I could find possible answers to questions I might have (FAQ section and how to get to it on the site)- and someone I could contact when I have questions not answered in the FAQ."
(1) To access the FAQ section of Stamporama, move your cursor to the Menu bar on the top portion of this page, and hover over "Home"; simply click on the desired destination from the drop down menu (in this case, FAQ's).
(2) As to who to contact if you want or feel something should be added to the FAQ's, Tim is the obvious choice. But since I have decided to take on the update issue, you can also contact me (I am a lot less busy than Tim, and can get back to you quicker). If it is a matter of information you need quickly, and it is not in the FAQ's, my first choice is always Google, followed closely by a post on the DB in an appropriate area (our members are often a better source than even the all powerful Google).
I hope this proves helpful.
Bobby
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Perfect! Of course I should have known that Tim and you would jump on any gaps perceived-just getting a little sloppy in my keeping track of things and then shooting my mouth off before my brain was engaged.
Way to go guys.
Dan
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Dear Vince,
I understand it as you do. The fact of your willingness to engage, along with your committee, is most appreciated and much respected. Thanks again one and all.
Best,
Dan C.
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They who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. -Benjamin Franklin
24 Jan 2016
09:21:20pm
re: New :-)
Vince and anyone else so disposed, please feel free to message me with comments or suggestions. Fortunately, Tim has created the FAQ structure, and I will be bringing it up to date, adding some topics, and providing a few enhancements.
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First, hello there Sheila. I am finding StampoRama a true smorgasbord of stamp knowledge.
Two, this one topic discussion has been GOLDEN. Great information, and great links. This all may be in the FAQ, and I will check there as well. But thanks all for the kick-start!
Winedrinker aka Eric
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re: New :-)
Hi Sheila, welcome! I see you have gotten a lot of good advise about collection stamps.
There is also a way to collect which we call 'Topical' collecting. If there is a subject you really like - asuch as castles, ships, flowers, religion and a multitude of other subjects, that can be rewarding also! When I started collecting it was Europa CEPT stamps (I was born in Europe) and wind/watermills (I was born in Holland) and it keeps me very busy and it is sooooo interesting! So, good luck with your decision to collect stamps and you can get all the help you need here!
Jopie
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