How to Collect Stamps
By: Fiona Whealer

Collecting stamps is a hobby that attracts people from all around the world. When you're collecting stamps you can find them from a multiple of sources, including free sources, as well as paying for those stamps that you just can't do without. When you start collecting stamps you'll want to spend as little money as possible and concentrate on getting a beginner's collection of stamps.

When you first decide to start collecting stamps you may find that you have nothing to start with. If this is the case you can buy a pack of stamps from a hobby shop or a stamp collector to get you started. For a small price, usually around $6.00, you'll get an assortment of stamps from different countries. This is a great way to determine what types of stamps appeal to you and what area you might like to focus on.

Another good source of stamps is on the Internet using eBay. You'll often be able to purchase large amounts of stamps for a very low price. You'll want to have as wide a variety of stamps as possible so that you can see a good selection of stamps from various countries. Once you've purchased a large batch of stamps you'll need to have a way to organize them so you can determine what direction you want to go with your stamp collection.

Many of the stamps you purchase will still be attached to the paper on which they were mailed. This makes it easy to handle and gives the stamps a little more durability. Once you take the stamp off of the backing, they become more fragile and will require more care when handling. This is one of the reasons it's a good idea to sort the stamps before you take the paper backing off the stamp.

Taking the paper off stamps can be tedious so make sure that you take your time and don't do any damage to the stamps. Don't just attempt to pull the stamp off the paper since this can result in the ripping of the stamp. Use a pair of small scissors to trim the paper as close to the stamp as you possibly can.

To take off the paper backing from the nicely trimmed stamp take clean water in a bowl. Place the stamp with the paper backing into the water and let it soak for some time. Take care that the stamp side is facing up. You can now try to carefully remove the paper backing from the stamp.

After removing the paper backing from the stamp, they need to be dried slowly and gently, so that they don't fold over and wrinkle. After the stamps have dried lay them flat between two layers of paper towel making sure that none of the stamps touch and overlap.

Once the stamps have had an opportunity to dry out, flatten them by putting them between the pages of a large book, or use a special drying book (you can find these books at hobby or stamp collecting stores). After the stamps have been dried and flattened, you can begin the process of sorting and storing them in your stamp collecting books.

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Fiona Whealer is the chief editor for FW Stamps, the web's premier resource for information about stamps, For more articles on stamps visit: www.fwstamps.com/articles
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