Help With Stamp Organization And Storage :]

Hey everyone.. I'm new to stamp collecting and so far I'm just getting some mixtures and soaking stamps off of old envelopes. I just got 500 US stamps and I realized I need to find a way to store these in a somewhat organized fashion. Is a stockbook my best bet before I decide what to collect/what album to use? I'll have one later this week.

I'm just curious about how some of you organize.. do you just keep countries together, or individual stamps together? Any pictures of what you use would be helpful.

Also, what should I collect? I want to have something I can work towards completing. I'm thinking I might start out by just picking a year and trying to collect every US stamp from that year. I also want to complete 2012 and 2011 and maybe work my way backwards.

What suggestions do you have for goals in my collecting?

Sorry for all the questions but one more thing.. If I buy a US album, I'd like to have one that has spots for basically every stamp.. just because I like knowing that if I finish something it really is finished. Would a Mystic stamp album have space for all US stamps? Any recommendations?

Thanks a lot! I ran a couple searches and decided to just make a new post. I'm having fun so far :]

1st Sort:

Brown Manila envelopes from the Post office
approx 6"x10"
Name each envelope with the country that comes to hand
stand upright in shoebox
with stiff board at the back (I have a DVD box)

That clears all stamps from the desktop
and gets them ready for the "2nd sort"

Hi Short1! Welcome to the hobby, and to the Forum!
Nice to see you diving into that pile of stamps!
With any question you ask on the forum, you will get a host of different answers. Often there is no right or wrong, everyone's collection is completely individual, and yours will be too.

If you want o pick a year and complete it, might I suggest one of the years from 1950-1980? I started with trying to complete the 1950s decade, and it has proved pretty easy to do, well, I am almost done! Stamps from this decade are cheap and quite common, in many cases easier to get hold of than more recent stamps. That might sound odd, they are so old, must be rare and valuable, right? Not necessarily. Letterwriting was more common in those days, not so many phones, and no internet. Stampcollecting was also more common, so many stamps were kept and have been passed on. There were also fewer stamps issued each year, so fewer needed to complete a year. Compare that with today - few letters or bills etc are sent by post, we email, pay bills online, shop online. Those stamps that are used tend to be self-adhesive, which makes them tricky to soak, and some are lost in the process. Recent stamps are available in mint condition, aimed at collectors, but these can be expensive.
I'm not trying to put you off collecting modern stamps, I am just comparing the two!

If you are collecing US stamps you will need access to a Scott Catalog. This lists all the stamps issued from the very first, and gives an idea of value. If you are going to collect 2011/12, you will need an up to date catalog. These may be available in your local library. To buy a full catalog new can be expensive. Older ones can be picked up second hand, and would do for older stamps. Or I believe there are more basic catalogs available for US stamps, Something produced by the PO at around $20? perhaps a US member can help out with info on that?

A stock book is a good start to your organisation. I'll leave it to others to advise on albums, or you may want to make your own, lots of info on downloadable and design-your-own album pages in other threads.

For sorting, most people sort by country and then year, then date of issue. If you are just doing a rough sort then what Rod says is ideal. You can also use clear polypockets in binders to sort. I have several of these binders. Some have a country per polypocket, or when I start organising a country in more detail, I will start splitting them into a year per polypocket.

To do an initial sort of your US, you might want to think about keeping obvious sets together, and keeping definitives and commemoratives separate. Just to make it easier when it comes to final sort/ID.

Your sorting and storage methods will change and develop to what suits you and your collection. The important thing is to see and handle as many stamps as you can, this way you will find out what really appeals to you and your path (or likely, Paths!) will become clearer.

Stay on the forum and keep posting!

'If you are collecing US stamps you will need access to a Scott Catalog.'

Actually, there's a free online catalogue for US stamps here:

http://www.mysticstampcatalog.com/

It's excellent and, what's more, it uses Scott numbers. What could be better?

Thanks folks!

So far I've been doing the envelope thing and just working on soaking some old stamps from my grandma's saved mail :]
It's neat to see a pile of 'junk' turn into a nice array of good looking stamps!

What do you think about mint/used stamps? Should I mix them in my collection or maybe think about keeping an album with mint stamps (like the mystic one) and then maybe using album pages and my own binder for some used ones?

I ordered a mystic album. What's the difference between the $30 one and the $100 dollar one? They sounded like they were the same idea and had the same amount of content.

And I see what you mean by the modern stamps! It seems weird to get them used since they're so new, but it would also be expensive to get them mint now. There are also high priced ones where I would blow $10 on one stamp just to have the mint one and then not use it.

Soaking stamps can be great fun and as you say, very satisfying.
Can I add a note of caution? Something else for you to think about..
Great too that you have so many saved envelopes.
Have you thought about keeping some of the envelopes intact? Many people collect covers (the whole envelopes). they can be interesting, with different stamps and postmarks on them. Think about keeping a few whole for now, if you can. You can always soak them later if you decide you're not interested. But you can never go back and restick them to the envelopes..!
Can't help on the album question, but I know it has been discussed on the forum, try a search?

Some people just collect use, some just mint, some mix with the more expensive items used and the common material mint. It's up to what you like and what your budget is.




If they're the same content, then the more expensive one is usually better materials with a better binder and paper. The more expensive album could have precut hingeless mounts in it, instead of requiring you cut your own or use stamp hinges. If you post the albums, we can tell you more about the differences.




Which is why a lot of people just collect used stamps. It's much cheaper and the postmark often adds something to the stamp.

My dad gave a couple USPS books from when I was born that had the mint commemorative stamps in them. Mint stamps are sooo nice! haha But I can definitely understand wanting to just get used.

The thing with me is that my brain freaks out if I don't have a very specific plan or if I don't do the whole thing one way. If I collect something, I like them all to be the same.

Sorry to post a link as a new member, but I think it helps:

http://www.mysticstamp.com/product_...roup=&type=M

DS111 is the one I just purchased.

DS113 is basically the same idea but I'm assuming higher quality/mounts like mentioned above.

Anybody know the difference?

I support Stampgal's advice.
Generally speaking there are millions of stamps of each type.
Soak off cover as a last resort.
This is especially pertinent to someone new to the hobby,
you could perceivably damage something valuable.

Take rods advice about soaking off stamps as the cover (the envelope) tells a story of where it has been and the route it traveled to get there and the time and date. There is a lot of useful information contained on a cover!

About the mint vs. used question: I only collect US used stamps simply because I started to realize that the postmarks are as wonderful (most times) as the stamp itself! here is a decent example.

As far as organization, this how I try to keep up with my hoard/collection.

First I have cheep sorting cases. These work well because I rarely finish sorting in one sitting so I can close the lid and finish later. Also I travel so I can throw these in my luggage and I can continue working in the hotel. These trays have flown all over the world.

Trouble uploading file from phone. more to come....

Hi--I just wanted to let you know the difference in the 2 Mystic numbers DS111 and DS113. The DS113 is an order for a quantity of 3 of the 3-album set that you purchased. It's for groups or clubs.

I ordered the same one you did, and absolutely love it. The pages are well organized by year, and the layout is well spaced. Plus the description of each stamp on the opposing page. You won't be disappointed. The ONLY drawback I found with it is it has spaces for blocks and sets as still attached, especially in the later (more recent) years. All I do to remedy this is make a copy on a tan colored card stock that matches the pages almost perfectly. Then if I get a complete attached block, I have a space for it, AND the singles on the other page.

Enjoy your album, and welcome to this wonderful hobby. You'll find a vast wealth of information here from these fine people. They are very helpful--don't be afraid to ask questions. Have fun!

Peace,
Chad

I like Locobot's idea of sorting. I bought several bead cases from Michael's crafts. I paid between .99 and 1.19 per case. Awesome for sorting by year, topic, perf, etcetera.

Nice ^^

That would work well because I can stash duplicates at any time whenever I sort through piles haha

I'm excited for my album to come! It'll be cool to actually put my stamps somewhere instead of just having them. :]

I think I have about 19 of these boxes and these are just for modern US PSAs that I've collected from offices. My water activated are all in Manilla stock pages, decorative boxes and a shoe box. Slowly getting it all sorted out though. I've been more active with it this year.

Short1
Each of us have worked out our own methodology, as I'm sure you will as well. Let me tell you about my methodology, which I've worked out over the years, which has worked out well for me.
First, it involves no bins, which I've never considered because they seem too cumbersome and limiting.
My approach is relatively simple. I use a large 3-ring binder, half of which contains black see-through glassine strips (6 or 7 strips per page) and the other half contains somewhat fewer manila stock book pages with more strips, maybe 10, where you can only see the top half. You do the placing and initial sort in the black see-through pages, (Place stamps by class, those that look similar; don't worry about sequence) and the final sort, selectively taking from the black section, picking sequentially by Scott# and placing in the same sequence in the manila section. You'll sort, re-sort, and re-re sort as required until it's reasonable sorted down. You can even sort in sections to avoid complete resorts.
Why the two types of pages? You need to see the complete stamp in the first process but not in the second. In the second, you don't need to see the whole stamp because you've already identified and labeled it. You're trying to use as few pages as possible.
In the first process, leave a lot of spaces between groups and within groups.
Also in the first process, after you've completed the grouping (or maybe you've gone as far as you want to go) look up each issue (by group, etc., ) in the catalog, and identify the issue by Catalog No., record the quantity of the issue that you've grouped together, and the price.
When you've grouped your collection to the point that you feel it is reasonably complete, you can either show it, or store it, or both.
I have some of my collection to show, but the bulk is stored in glassine envelopes and stored in a cabinet. It is in sequence by country and Catalog Number.
Many collectors do not retain a computerized inventory, but I find one invaluable. I started with an Excel Spreadsheet and continue to use it for a majority of my inventory. Some years ago, I bought a set of stamp software called EZ Stamp, which simplifies the process. You won't need to consider that for some time yet. I'll send the format for it when I get clearance to send it(the spreadsheet) to you.
More Later.
Art