New And Overwhelmed !

Hi Everyone!

I started to collect stamps many years ago in my early twenties. It wasn't a fancy collection or anything like that and I didn't go out of my way to find stamps. I came across most of the stamps I had through letters from penfriends and just saved the ones I liked best. Eventually I brought a stock book style stamp album to put them in from a stationary store. The stamps went in and eventually stamp collecting fell by the wayside.

I'm in my late 30s now and would like to pick up this interesting hobby again, but this time I thought that instead of passively collecting stamps from letters from penfriends, I would actively collect stamps. I read a book about the topic, but now feel very overwhelmed and confused. I got the basics down and purchased stamp tongs last month and another album and stock book pages since my first album ran out of room (I also stored paper currency in it).

I would like to start several topical collections: medieval subjects, art, flowers, polar bears, etc. The trouble is, I'm not exactly sure how to go about finding these stamps. I read that it is possible to purchase a packet of stamps, but I was worried about doing that for several reasons:

1/ what do I do with the stamps I don't want?
2/ I can see it becoming very costly to purchase packets of stamps.

One of the reasons collecting stamps as a hobby appealed to me is because it seems like an inexpensive, yet satisfying pastime.

I'm not in any rush to complete a collection. For me, part of the fun in collecting stamps is the process of discovery. I wouldn't mind collecting used stamps either, as long as the cancellation doesn't mar the image too much. Trouble is, I'm not sure where I can find used stamps.

I also have a handful of stamps that I don't want. Is it possible to trade these for ones I do want? How does someone go about doing that?

Sorry for all these questions, but I don't know anyone else who collects stamps and I have no one else to ask.

Thanks for your time and consideration.

Best Regards,

Patricia

Hi Patricia, welcome back to the hobby of Kings.

Collecting stamps can be as expensive or inexpensive as you would like it to be. The best way to acquire stamps is to trade for them right here a Stamp Community. You are required to have 50 posts though. So start chatting with these friendly people and show us some of your stamps and before you know it, you will have those 50 posts.

Steve

welcome Patricia you have come to the right place I am a newbie well kinda I guess I've been on this site now for about 8 months.When I started I knew not a thing about stamps,but I started with an advantage most people don't,my grandpa died quite awhile ago and I was given his collection.So me thinking stamps how boring(oh by the way were close to same age)I put all the boxes in garage for another time,well one day I heard my name being called while I was in the garage,and I was by myself (dog was there)the voice was coming out of grandpas stamp boxes so I opened one up and have been hooked ever since.I've learned so much from all these wonderful people on this site.This is what im going to do,If you stick around long enough to get your 50 post,Ill set you up with stamps and some other items to get you going.This will be fun if you really want to do this.I had no intention of collecting,i just wanted to find a good home for GRAMPS collection.I still have about 97% of it,I love to help a fellow collector.I have LOTS of flower stamps.I collect Winnie the pooh,Disney,imperfs,pen cancels,Hitler,ferrets and strange faces.I will begin to set some aside in the Pat fileas I call them.

Welcome Pat,

You've come to the right place to re-start your collecting.

Dave N.
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Welcome Patricia!

Welcome to the forum. We love pictures so be sure to post some of your collection.

Hi Patricia-

I can't help you with any questions, but can tell you everybody here have been great! Very knowledgeable and friendly.

I want to share some of the stamps I found, but can't get a clear picture. I have a 2 mega-pixel camera, but for some reason when I zoom or try a close up, you can see no detail. Do yinz guys usually scan your stamps or take pictures to add them onto the site?

Thanks for the welcome everyone! I'll post some pictures up once I have a chance to scan them. It's not much, but I like them.

Tina, thanks for your offer to help. I think I am set for the most part though. Heh, heh... "strange faces"? What sort of strange faces do you like to collect? :) Do you have ferrets? My husband and I used to have them, but unfortunately we gave them up because we didn't have time to take them out everyday. They really are cute though.

I have to say, I really love the my new stamp tongs. I didn't think that the tongs would make a difference, but they really did! I was using plastic tweezers that I found from a first aid kit before that--the two are like night and day!

Has everyone here posted pictures of their collection? Would love to see some of them!

Hi champyinz,

as for myself, I would scan them, but if you don't have a scanner, how about taking a picture as close as you can without zooming in (digital zoom on a camera isn't always that great) and then opening up the image in an image editing software and viewing it at 100% to see if the details came through? You can always enlarge it in the software which might work out better than using your camera to zoom in. :)

Patricia,
Welcome. To see some of our collections, just start viewing the topic threads in the various categories. Some people post images taken by a camera or a scanner- whatever's handy. If you are interested in a certain country, subject, or stamp I suggest using the search function at the upper right of the screen ie. art, flowers/plants, polar bears, Abraham Lincoln, Canada, first day cover.

Be sure to ask any questions you may have, we are here to help.

yes I have 1 ferret and he is a handful but he is my baby

and yes strange faces there is a topic on them my album is almost ful I should have used a bigger one

Oh Tina! He is just so cute! What an adorable face! :D
What's his name? The two we had were Mitts and Mischief. :)

stamperdude, thanks for the tip about searching through the site for collections. I bet I'll be able to find a whole bunch of interesting ones to add to my favorites list. I've already come across some really nice images of stamps just by browsing the topic forum. :)

Champyinz, make sure you have the camera on macro setting and don't get too close. Like Patricia said, it's better to edit the pic afterwards. You will also need a tripod or something to rest the camera on, as the slightess movement will blur the pic.

Steve

Pat his name is Mr.Nibbles as you know since you have had them that when they are babies they like to nibble on your toes,but that is not how he got his name.The day I brought him home my son had picked him up then set him back down cause he was wiggling around and he just launched at him and got a firm grip on his hand(yes he drew blood 1st and last time tho)That day I had to put my albino ferret to sleep one of the saddest days of my life I had to have one so me and a friend of mine drove up to Reno to get one because as you know they are illigal in the state of california (more ferrets in this state than any other go figure)we were all use to my albino ferret which had a total different personality than this one,this one is on drugs he literally bounces off the walls,so much energy,he drags stuffed animals 3xs his size behind the couches and the cub boards that are not Velcroed shut he literally completely empties,we have to shut all bathroom doors when he is out cause he has broke everything breakable that went on bathroom counters cause he scoots everything off with his nose.They are the most high maintenance animal I've ever had,more then a toddler lol

Tina, Mr. Nibbles is a cute name. I'm sorry to hear about your albino ferret. He sounds like he was a nice and quiet sweetie. The ones we had were really hyperactive too and seemed to have ADD. ;) I'll keep a lookout for ferret stamps for you! :)