Stamp Collecting The Essentials

i have to go to work..our school custodians do not like to work a whole 5 day week so I get called in..but I wanted to start a thread if possible on the essentials of stamp collecting. Most of us started with a bag of stamps, a sack of stamp hinges and a cheap album..if we are bitten by the bug we move on..a pair of stamp tongs and a magnifying glass..glassines for duplicates to trade(we hope) we begin reading stamp newspapers or magazines..just two years ago the wife and I purchased an ultra violet light..we had reached that point in our evolution as collectors or philatelists..as I mentioned this week I purchased a set of 6 2008 catalogs...because I feel they are important and something I do not want to do without in my collecting...ok, talk to you later..hope to hear your views !

Because of the great influx of older stamps I just bought I now need stuff to look for water marks. I had to run real fast now I can finish my thoughts. There was a lot of the tools that I just did without such as watermark solution etc.

However I soon found as my collection grew to the early years I now needed a better source of information thus I bought the Scott US book. This one book gives me most of the information I need to develop my US collection and knowledge. The real truth is I love history onm the hobby and books so I do look for any book that would have information on US stamps.

With an additional person sharing the hobby I now find her interest in running both USA and foreign. To be honest I'm lost without a good reference book. There is just so far you can go with information from the internet only.

In addition I have branched out in different ways with my US collection from cancellations, attached coil stamps, sheets to canceled blocks and pairs. Now I find that an album set for MNH and another for Used stamps is not enough. I have a strong urge to use a large stock book for stamps that may be doubles but are just too interesting to trade, sell or set in a glassine out of site.

A few years ago I had three albums today I have twelve and that isn't enough.

Phil
I agree somewhere in between buying hat cheap album and tongs some of us become more serious and we upgrade to a better album and we begin to do more research about our stamps, I have always used a Scott's specialized catalogue, but now that I have branched out to another country for the first time, I need additional resources. Since my library does not have catalogue I will need a complete set someday so I can figure out what I really have in my worldwide accumulation, I try to keep that count down but over the years I have kept the older issues I find. As I "finish" my US interest I find myself looking at other collecting areas I am thinking of starting a worldwide E1 collection for example. It all begins somewhere I think the great thing about our hobby and passion is we all end up somewhere different.

As the old saying goes, Phil - Been there. Done that. And except for the ultra-violet lamp, bought the T-shirt.

I've been buying large lots of duplicates for the last month or so myself, mkfarm. I enjoy having an "accumulation." Some day maybe I'll even be a famous ebay seller like Modern!

Rick, we both have a lot of duplicates..perhaps some time we can work out xchanges ..i am sure we both have stamps sitting around the other can use..thanks for sharing your views !!

Phil

Any time just let me know what you are looking for if I have it I'll get it to you

Phil:

Starting at our last meeting on Thursday, once per month, the OPS (Ottawa Philatelic Society) has a "Philatelic Foundations" discussion. On Thursday, everyone brought in one or more catalogues, and we had a general discussion on catalogues.

We had over fifty catalogues on the table. we discussed the pros and cons of Scott, SG, Yvert & Tellier, etc. as well as the benefit os specialised catalogue.

Todd (the President) and I (the Vice-President) figured the discussion would last about 15 minutes... it went on for over an hour, and there was great success with it. We have our next "Philatelic Foundations" discussion next month.

David

Wow, thanks to Mkfarm for reminding me about watermark fluid...i also forgot the perf guage...like Laswabbie says..we all have our ways and priorities..but when we get together we are all stamp collectors !!

Great thread Greg

I'm starting to find that I need more specialized equipment as well. I'm trying to Identify a King Leopold from Belgium. Can anyone tell me what watermark fluid is composed of and if there is a substitute that I can get from the drug store ( without damaging the stamp of course). We don't have a stamp anywhere near here. I did try an ultraviolet light at work but was unable to see anything.

I'm also looking in to buying a couple more albums. Can anyone tell me where the the best place to start would be.

Dianne

Diane, I can not tell anyone what to do..but I use ronsonal lighter fluid for detecting watermarks...seems to work as well as anything else !!

Thanks Phil

Dianne

Dianne, people used to use benzine then lighter fluid (which is naphtha). I think watermark detection fluid is a fairly recent "safe" alternative.

An ultraviolet light will not detect watermarks but phosphorescent tags on stamps. You can see these tags under ordinary light as off-white strips along the vertical perforations on Canadian stamps such as the 1972-76 definitive series (Scott 586-593) and the 1974 "keep fit" stamps (Scott 629-632 and 644-647). If you have any of these, take them to work and try them under UV.

Thanks modern for clearing that up modern.

Dianne

lighter fluid has been used for so long that if you have a stamp that is listed as having a watermark then it has probably been soaked in it at least once. The secret is good ventilation and no source of spark or flame. If you avoid these things you should be safe. After identifying the mark simply put the stamp on a paper towel for about five minutes and it will be totally dry. I usually do many at once so as not to waste fluid. I mark several pieces of paper towel with all the various marks that I am looking for and then put each stamp on the appropriate towel. that way I am not trying to remember which one is which when the fluid dries. A few drops on the bottom of a glass plate, the darker the better (no patterns) will be enough to see the water marks.

Richard

Richard

One more thing, Dianne. Besides the lighter fluid you will need a black dish (or possibly even a piece of black plastic) to substitute for a watermark tray. Just put the stamp face down into it (or onto it) and moisten with the fluid. Some watermarks show so easily you can even see them by holding the stamp up to normal light. Others can be difficult even when using the tray and fluid.

Thanks guys

wouldn't have known to use a black tray.

Dianne