Starting With A Stamp Collection

Hi guys,

I am collecting US currency and bullion.
My main collection is my collection of US coins.
Besides that I have a small collection of US notes, US transit tokens and Bullion Art bar's (also with US designs, anyone noticed I have something with US items )

While searching for coins and other items I came across some stamps and postcards and I was thinking of starting another collection besides the US currency collection.

So what do I want to collect:
Stamps also from the US

When I was a kid I also collected stamps, those where Belgian stamps.
After I inherited my grandfathers stamp collection I had some very nice Belgian stamps (and old ones)
Unfortunately a fire destroyed the house where I lived and with that everything what was in it, also the stamp collection)

Now I just bough myself a lot of 150 US stamps from years between 1950 and 1985, just to get the collection started.
Don't know when I will receive them (i hope soon :p ), but I was wondering if you guys can give me some tips about storage, sorting, ...

(PS: my English isn't always very good because it is not my native language, but I noticed a nice spellchecker on this forum, so that wont be a big problem ;))

Good morning Koen

So sorry to hear that you lost your stamp collection in a fire.

As far as starting off another collection. What you should collect is up to you. There are many types of collections such as topical say for instance Birds or flowers, by country or crazy people like me who want to collect them all.

As for sorting you should try to find a good catalogue. I'm not certain what the common one is in Belgium but I use Scott's.

To store there are many methods, such as album, stock books, glassines etc. If you surf around here a bit you'll find topics on all this stuff.

Good luck on starting your collection and don't be shy ask all the questions you want.

Dianne

Hi Dianne,

I also am a part of the crazy people :p
I like to collect all :p
I dont even think there is a Belgian catalogue for US stamps, but I will see if I can find a copy of Scott's online to buy and have shiped to me (did the same with some books about coins)
The only thing I am sure is that when I arange them in albums or stock books (but I think it will be album's) I will arange them acording to year.

But I am sure that if I have questions (and I am a man with lots of questions sometimes :p ) I will get answers here ;)