New Guy Searching For Info

Hello to everyone on the forum and thank you for any help you can provide in advance.

First and formost I am not a stamp collector(but this could change) I have recieved to stamp collections as inheritances from a great grandmother and a grandmother and recently came across them again while doing some spring cleaning. I have attempted to identify some of these stamps in the past without luck, I'm not sure if I am getting the wrong books or just going about the whole thing in the wrong way.

There are thousands of stamps in these two collections and I would either like to add to these collections or find someone who will appreciate them as much as my grandparents did.

The only thing I really know about these stamps is that they seem to be from all over the world and I guess most of them would be considered used. There are a couple of albums but I am not even sure that the stamps are in the right place.

I don't currently have a scanner but I'm sure I could work on getting at least some of the stamps scanned to give everyone here as well as myself a clearer picture of what I have.

If anyone has any advice on how to start identifying, organizing, and caring for these stamps it would be greatly appreciated. I will answer any questions you have to the best of my abilities but again I warn you that I really don't know much on this subject.

Thanks for you time
James

Hi & welcome to our group, James. In the US, the standard stamp catalog is called Scotts. Your local library should have a copy. Any recent edition date would be fine to start with for ID purposes. Are the stamps you recieved in any type of printed album and if so, what is the name of it? When you can, please scan a few of the pages so we can get an idea of what you have. Others here will be able to advise you with additional info shortly.

There are lots of stamps found at freestampcatalogue.com to help you identify yours. Condition of the stamp effects the value. Usually some of the bigger libraries have Scott Stamp Catalogues that you can use to identify stamps and possible values. You could look for a local dealer or even have your stamps appraised to find out their value--if you have some older stamps such as from your great grandmother you probably would want to have someone who knows what they're doing , such as an appraiser evaluate them for you. Also, IF you have that kind of history in your hands you might want to keep it and pass it down in the family.

If you could scan some stamps and post photos we can help you identify those that you're having difficulty with..

Good Luck!

Gussyboy1

Thanks for the advice, I will have to try to get to the Library to check out the Scott Stamp Catalougue. Also I do have an album that has some stamps in it called The Voyager stamp album for stamps from around the world. I also have quite a few stamps that are loose though. Thanks for the site also gussyboy, it has helped quite a bit already, I have listed a few of the stamps that I found on the site that I have and will work on getting scans shortly.

SAU0132 - 1936 - Telephone cable 2v - AUSTRALIA

SAU0191 - 1948 - Farrer/v. Mueller 2v - AUSTRALIA

SAU0197 - 1949 - Henry Lawson 1v - AUSTRALIA

Thanks again
James

James, one thing that might help if you have a digital camera that can focus on a whole page of the album, especially if we know which album it is. Many of us have multiple albums, probably even to your grands type. So from a photo, we can get a fair idea which stamp it should be, without focusing closer. You could then check with a Scotts to see if it is really that stamp. Besides reference books, you will eventually need stamp tongs, a loupe( magnifier) usually 5-10X ( I have found ones sufficient at 99 cent stores for ( guess what .99!),a perf gauge to measure the distance between perforations ( a slight difference could mean $1000s difference, and something to detect watermarks.

As how to handle...the tongs have special flattened points so stamps are best handled by those. Until you get them, don't try to pick up or handle with fingers as they are likely to get creased/bent , and that reduces value. I
have used a small strip of printing paper to slide under and move them if I can find my tongs ( which is more often than I like to admit). Tell us which type of albums and the copyright date in fron if possible.
Welcome here, it is a nice place to be. But if you don't want to be a collector,
run, run fast, as it really does grow on one.

Jim