[help Me]how To Do You Check The Stamps?

Hello all.

I'm new here. and I have just started collecting stamps since early this year.

However, I only collecting Domestic Cat stamps.

I bought most of them from ebay. I found out that, some do look original, but some look fake - like printing.

How do you collect stamps? is it normal for stamps collector to get reprinted stamps? or the original stamps? how do you guys check on it?

Welcome elfreakz

I have quite a few stamps that don't look like they are real and what I have discovered(correct me if I'm wrong all you seasoned collectors) is that some countries issue stamps that are never ment to be postally used but are sold for collecting only. I thought it was odd that all the cancellations were perfectly positioned and all the same.

Hope this helps Dianne

Hi Dianne,

Thanks for replying my post. So that's basically happened to all stamps collector? and stamps collector do include re-print, copied, and fake looking stamps?

p/s im very new in stamps, so I don't know much about it. my stamps album even look so bad now :p I really need to find on ebay a nice and classic looking album :)

to the SCF Elfreakz!

The stamps Dianne is talking about are called CTO - cancelled to order. Sometimes countries will issue stamps and then overprint with a perfect looking cancel strictly to sell to collectors. I have also heard of cases where the cancel is part of the original printing. This is done most often on stamps with the more popular topics like butterflies, trains, or cats. It is a purely money making arrangement.

You may have some of those. Some countries have also produced stamps on very cheap paper on old equipment and they look fake or fuzzy.

what website is the best place for me to check on this?

Like, ebay seller sell them with name, and some added info about the stamps. how can I check this to make sure it is really exist, rather than self design and print?

Check out the american topical association's website. They may have a list or handbook on Cats.
http://www.americantopicalassn.org
Also, use a search engine for cat stamps to find other websites. You can also go to your local library and see if they have any stamp catalogs ie. Scotts world wide which you can check out older catalogs and the most recent may be available to look at in their reference section. There are a lot of sources on the web to purchase stamps besides ebay. Look into stampwants.com and stamporama.com. You may also try looking for groups that have an interest in cats ie. postcard collectors and other stamp collecting group sites.

I hope this helps.

Check out this link for Cats on stamps. I think you will like it.

https://goscf.com/t/562