I Am New To Stamp Collecting

For just an easy reference guide to see basic U.S. postage and airmail stamps through the years (not varieties, fine details or educational material you will want to eventually find) the Mystic Stamp Co. offers a free catalog. It's bright and colorful and shows images of most U.S. stamps. You just have to put up with their constant marketing.

https://www.mysticstamp.com/SC1T/

Maybe I'm using it wrong; for me, Scott and SG are useful for stamps that I already know what they are, what year they are, and just looking for extra info or estimated value (I have a 2013 edition and it's enough for me). But if I find a blue 4-cent Abraham Washington stamp, sites that enable me to search and compare are the ones, like stampworld and Big Blue. (For those who wonder, Abraham Washington is the wife of George Lincoln).

ChristopherJohn, perhaps you already have all the information that you need, but if you can tolerate one more bit of advice (from a relatively new collector), here is what I suggest:
- For identifying your stamps (particularly US stamps), you can certainly purchase a catalogue, but in my experience the online tools (particularly Stamp Smarter and The Swedish Tiger, noted above) are excellent - and also free!
- For putting together a list of which stamps you have, I found it helpful to download and print off a catalogue from a large dealer (I used the Minnesota Stamp Company catalogue, but the comments above also suggest the Mystic Stamp catalogue), and to use it as a checklist of sorts. You can highlight in the catalogue either the stamps that you already own, or the stamps that you want to add to your collection. The prices in the catalogue also help you decide which acquisitions are feasible, and which are not. (Personally, I think the original "Upside-down Jenny" stamp is cool, but given the price I won't be acquiring it!)
- Finally, for showing or storing your collection, you can decide if you want to acquire an album or if you prefer keeping your collection organized in a different manner (e.g., stock books or something else). And if you decide on an album, you can choose either a pre-printed album (and subject yourself to the "tyranny of the pre-printed album" and all those pages that initially will have no stamps on them!) or if you want something more free-form, showing the stamps in any format you want. I'll defer to others with recommendations regarding the "best" album - I expect that there are a lot of opinions out there!
Good luck!

Paulsome , thank you for the advice. I have used the mystic catalog for some stamps, but I am old-fashioned, I still like the actual Scott catalog you can hold. As I try to become better educated, I am trying to embrace online sources.

If one wants a condensed listing (not many images) with a lot of varieties you will not find in Mystic, the Brookman is nice. You can get a printed version (nice spiral bound) but there is a free PDF. Of course, the prices are high.

https://www.brookmanstamps.com/2017-18US.pdf