New Member. I'm Totally Clueless!

Hello All,
I just joined the group after being given a rather large stamp collection that belonged to my
Father in Law. Hoping I can learn something about all these hundreds of stamps he collected when he was a young boy.

There are a couple of stamp albums, but the majority of the stamps are scattered in multiple envelopes with little rhyme or reason.

From my quick googling a few samples, it appears most stamps are from the 1920's to 1950's
I'm thinking I will need to spend a couple of days sorting thru all of them and grouping by type (1 cent, 2 cent, etc...)

Any other thoughts on where to begin?

Thanks in advance for all your help!
Pete in Baltimore

Welcome.
Sorting and getting familiar with the material is a good way to start learning. Be aware that some stamps can have less-then-obvious characteristics (like watermarks, perforations, etc.). Some of the varieties can be uncommon or even rare, but the overwhelming majority of stamps that cross our desks are quite common. Always start with the assumption that you have the most common varieties since that will be the case 99.9% of the time.
There is a wealth of information online and many folks in this community which can help if you have questions. Good scanned images always help the community get you answers quickly and efficiently. You may also want to check out the Stamp Smarter website https://stampsmarter.org/. Note the illustrated Glossary, the 'How To' section in the, and the US identifier sections.
Don

Don,
Thanks for the link!
I will head over to stampsmarter.org and start the journey.

Pete

Pete,

What an interesting introduction to our hobby. Enjoy your journey organizing your stamps.

Collecting for the enjoyment of collecting, whatever that might be, is the name of the game. Don't hesitate to ask questions especially if you need basic information and especially more advanced sources of information for any possible topic. You should be able to find folks on this board a little further along on their collecting journey glad to share experiences. Russ

Thank you Russ
I truly appreciate the feedback and the warm welcome!

US only? or Worldwide?

Welcome Pete.

Don's tip regarding the stampsmarter website is sage advice.

Recommend you also consider purchasing an older edition of the Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue via eBay. Older editions are readily available and reasonably priced. Scott recently transitioned to a 12-volume set, which can be quite pricey. However, a new collector can pick up a volume at a time for a modest outlay.

Many opt to begin with Volume One which includes the United States and associated stamp-issuing entities.

Last point: Unless you're a philatelic investor, don't get hung up on catalogue pricing-valuation. Many collectors view catalogue pricing as placeholders. High quality, rare material often exceeds the published/listed catalogue price. Average and or common material, much lower.

First and foremost, enjoy.

Thanks all!
rod222> After seeing your question about US only... I went to the box holding the stamps
and see there are a bunch of old Int'l stamps in a book
Here are a couple pics of the book and a sample of what's inside...



Some really cool designs on some of these non-US stamps!

Thanks PB,
as a worldwide collector, sorting is very important.
If US only you should sort by value lots first, then year dates, then Scott numbers.

For worldwide, my route is a packet of new basic envelopes from the Post Office, (circa $4) pencil on the countries, and slip stamps in as they are sorted, they should fit neatly in any set of drawers near your desk.

Keep colonies in the 1 envelope (eg Portugal and possessions) Malay, France, GB etc.

As you pick a country then, value lots, then years, then Scott.

Good luck with whatever suits you.

Your album looks good, but you are faced with the unenviable task, of re-mounting the whole lot, it looks to me like the pages are beginning to "tone" which may damage stamps
(Opinion only)

Thanks Rod222

Looks like I have plenty to learn!

...and the rest of your life to enjoy it

There is not a single person here, who didn't start as you have.

Welcome!

Dale

You may want to get in contact with them
Baltimore Philatelic Society
Ellicott City, MD
(410) 465-5712
http://www.balpex.org

Welcpme to SCF and enjoy the hobby. Daniel

Welcome Pete from a fellow Marylander. I have lots to learn, still, and I have been doing this for more than 60 years. I remember hearing somewhere that it is called the "Hobby of a Lifetime."

Probably one of the first things you need to decide is whether you want to be a collector. Many folks who inherit or are given a collection just want to dispose of it, thinking, usually incorrectly, that it has huge monetary value.

Just in my humble opinion, once you decide you want to collect, the next thing you need to decide is what do you want to collect. One quickly learns that there is so much philatelic material that is interesting you just can't collect it all.

Have you decided you want to keep the collection and expand it? All the information you could ever wish is available here and on the Stampsmarter site.

If you decide to keep the collection, you need some equipment - stamp tongs to handle the stamps and a magnifying glass to look at the details of the stamp. Probably your father in law had those, but you will find them valuable.

Write back and tell us if you want to become a collector, and if you have an idea what you want to collect.

Best, BobbyT