Newby

I'm pretty new to stamp collecting so how do I tell what number the stamps I have are? I'll have to be schooled on my stamp lingo. aye are there any stamp club meetings that anybody knows about.

Welcome to SCF mdchange.

I saw that KHJ gave you catalog advice on the White Plains post so I'll just address the stamp club part of your question here.

The Sequoia Stamp Club meets in Redwood City and I assume that should be fairly close to you in Menlo Park.

You can find information on meeting times, days, etc. at http://www.penpex.org/sequoia.html (thanks Edwin, I need to stop using punctuation in my posts)

And good luck with those scholarship applications!

Steve

mdchange

Welcome to this ,the most friendly and helpful site on line.
I am sure there are members here that know about stamp club meetings in your area.
let us know where you are situated.
remember there are not dumb questions ,and we were all newbies once.
David

Speak for yourself, I was born with the knowledge of the ages!

revstampman


Now I know where to go for "the answer"
David -DJD

After giving it much thought "the answer" is .............42.

So, now that you have the answer, all you need to do is figure out the question!

I told you I was born with the knowledge of the ages. I just never said what ages!

Revstampman,
So, are you saying that instead of footprints on your birth certificate there's a two canceled stamps?

Revenue stamps of course!

(I really need to stop posting after working 16 hour days!)

I am rapidly gaining knowledge of the aged.

Whereas I am aged, and rapidly gaining knowledge.....

42 is the answer to Life The Universe and Everything....

Ah! A fellow Hitchhiker! Greetings from "Deep Thought"! I knew their was a reason I liked you.
I was wondering if anyone would get that!

You got your pocket lint?

love it

You guys should take your act on the road
David

mdchange: Knowing what catalog number a stamp is may seem important, but really what is important is understanding the history of the postage stamp for the country and time-frame you are interested in. Have you figured out what stamps you would like to collect?

mdchange, the numbers used to reference stamps are not OFFICIAL for those stamps there are many different catalogs are use to look them up. thus different catalog company's use different #'s to catalog them.

there is much debate on which are the better catalogs which we don't need to discuss now, however SCOTTS Catalogs seem to be an excepted norm among most collectors and you would do well as a beginner to look at a set in your local library, I'd suggest taking a handful of stamps to the local library and try looking them up for fun see how you do. then post some images of the stamps we could help confirm your findings which could help you along the way to learning that art.

for me Scott Catalogs work great, and I know they have their limitations but I'm also a beginner and have found these catalogs simpler and in English :) ( there is an awesome German catalog, however it is in german and takes some previous stamp catalog experience to use Michaels I believe)

this is a great place to ask questions so fire away, I've learned more here in a few months then I would have in years without this site.