Brand New At Philately

Hi everyone, I'm brand new to stamp collecting and I am really interested in it. I need some good startup information though, like where to start, what to collect, how to collect and display them, what are stamp albums, and basic things like that, any help you could give would be great. Thanks!

Hello and Welcome!
I think you have made the first great step by asking questions. There's plenty of folks here who will help with any question.

Stamp collecting can take so many forms and go in many, many directions. I think it would best if you visit your local library and find a general book about stamp collecting. That will give you information about general stamp collecting, terminology, learn about the tools of the hobby and different types of stamp collecting and much more. You can also read posts on here about various topics and countries to collect. That may give you an idea of what to collect, but it's really up to you and where your interests are at the moment. As for finding stamps and supplies, albums, etc. - there might be local stamp clubs or even a stamp store nearby. Also depending on your area there might be some local stamp shows where dealers will be helpful. And again always ask questions.
Will

Hello Benay148, welcome!

To start with, how did you get interested in stamp colelcting? That answer may help in choosing the way you could collect stamps now. This way may change over time or expand or get smaller or stay the same.

Sometimes what you collect depends on how much money you wish to spend on it. Your budget. I started collecting used stamps because I wanted to get as many as I could and used were usually cheaper to buy that new (mint).

The type of album or pages or storage method you choose for now will also be affected by money. Paper album pages of many different sorts and qualities are available through stamp stores or online dealers or auction sites such as eBay or BidStart or DelCampe or others. You can also use blank pages or pages with grid lines lightly drawn on them to help in arranging and placing the stamps neatly.

Or, there are stockbooks, or plastic pages you can buy separately or packs of 5 or little envelopes used to store stamp, and boxes to hold them.

You can print off your on album or collection pages that you design yourself or get from online sources on whatever quality and worth of paper pages you want to buy.

I started years ago with a store-bought album with some pictures of stamps in it, and expanded with extra grid pages (quadrille pages) as I acquired more and more stamps, and then got a new album to add even yet more pages. You can also start with a larger album of course.

There are albums which just specialize in one country. You can also have a main collection of a theme or topic or side collections of many different themes or topics. (Like cats, dogs, airplanes, trains, whatever)

But lots of different people started in different ways than me.

I think start small and keep your eyes open to whatever might interest you and then expand that way. If you feel better sticking to one area or time era or country or year or topic for a while then that's all OK.

For example, I did collect worldwide stamps to start and had great fun. Now I just try to get 6-sided cancels stamps (hexagons) and strange wavey-circle cancels and also personal stamps that people have made up from around the world, but mainly from certain countries. But, even with these guidelines and restrictions I still find I get many stamps that just seem nice to me but don't fit in my special collections.

Answer for how to collect = There are no rules, so collect whatever you like.

Thanks for all the quick replies, I learned about it online and read into it a bit and it seemed really interesting. So these stamp albums have specific themes and specific stamps to look for? Or just a themed book and you insert stamps that fit the theme?

I think there are some themed albums, not sure though. I was thinking more that people who wish to collect themes will use the Vario or Hagner plastic stock pages of varying pocket(s) size to store and display their stamps, or use quadrille pages.

Part of the problem, if it is one, is that many new stamps are issued every year and you may find you want those instead of some older ones, so what is one to do then?

Or, you could stick to the pictures in a pre-printed type of album and try to collect those. That way does have a level of satisfaction that is perhaps not in the free form way. But, it is satisfying to complete a page also, or a set of stamps.

The more you learn, it seems the more there is to learn, which is good as there are lots of choices.

Search for topical or thematic on Google (or wherever) or on Stamp Community here, and you will find tons of stamps and storage and display methods. Some may fit your pocket book better than others.

Oh, and from a cancel collector / appreciator, don't forget the cancels and postmarks and other markings. They can be fascinating also.

Welcome Benay

I guess the best way I can personally answer you is ask you what is most appealing about stamps to you?

You might want to either, a) - pick a topic or theme, or b) pick a country or a few countries you think you might be interested in.

You might also want to check in at your local library and look up a set of the Scotts Standard Postage Stamp Catalogues, which has 6 volumes to it, and 7 volumes if the US Specialized is there as well (though this is not usually the case in most libraries).
The Scotts will list all stamps from all over the world. By looking at these catalogues, it just might give you an idea what you might like to persue.

The internet has every topic under the sun - and so does this forum lol. So, if you have more questions to ask, then fire away because the members in here do not mind helping out where they can.

Chimo

Bujutsu

Welcome aboard the Mail Train!

Start small, learn, explore, learn. Soon you will know exactly what you want to do in philately.

My advice is to try to see as many different stamps as you can, different countries, different eras. Find a local stamp club and go along, or go to a stamp shop, or stamp show. Maybe try buying some kiloware (that's stamps sold by weight, usually a mixture of allsorts), then spend some time sorting through them. It might help you get a feel for where your particular interests might lie. And of course stick around on SCF, ask whatever questions you like, you'll learn a lot by hanging out here

thanks for all the replies guys, I've learned a lot already, and i've decided to start by collecting this years new 2012 stamp releases, one more question though, is there a website like beyond the perf that lists us stamp releases in order from older years, I would like to collect the us released stamps from the year I was born, 1993

Here is a list (by State) of all the APS-affiliated stamp clubs in the U.S. -- includes meeting location, meeting time, and contact person for each club. Note, some clubs change their meeting schedule in the summer. Joining a club is the way to gain experience fast.

http://stamps.org/Local-Clubs

I think mystic stamps dealer online has a list and pics.