What Would You Say Is Essential Tools For Collecting Stamps.

I went and checked out the scotts catalog from the local library. One of the people who worked there asked about stamp collectinga and wanted to know how to get started. I went on and explained a few of the basic and mention the tools. The tools I mentioned was tongs, magnifying glass, stamp book/stock sheets/book to store them in, and possibly hinges.

What other things would you have suggested.

*** Moved by Staff to a more appropriate forum. ***

Been treated here before, but you left out something very important - a perforation gauge

Peter

Ireland2018

I've found a USB Microscope helpful. It can make a magnifying glass obsolete.

There are many different methods, but a way to detect watermarks is essential if you're seriou about collecting, particularly if you collect from the classical period.

It depends on how you want to collect. A straightforward collection with an example of each design - as shown in Gibbons's Stamps of the World simplified catalogue - doesn't need more than a catalogue, some hinges and some paper to stick them on (or a stock-book). Tweezers if you're a little more fastidious. You can have a perfectly enjoyable time without a perf gauge, a watermark detector or any of the other implements for more advanced collecting.

I knew I was not remembering them all. I should have searched for it, but it slipped my mind, sorry for that. I wanted to make sure I was giving her good info. Im still getting all my tools together.

She just has an interest in it and will be coming by for more in depth.

Gettinold, never heard of it. Deffinately on my check it out list.

Where is a good place to get a perf gauge and the items to detect water marks?

Thanks everyone.
Richard

This might seem superfluous but i've found a good desk lamp, like an Ott Lite to be close to essential. It shows true colors of philatelic material. Most everything people have listed here with the exception of the perf. gauge and watermark detector can be found at a local Hobby Lobby store.

I rarely tell a new hobbyist to get a catalog. I find that catalogs encourage value orientated collecting, set unrealistic value expectations, and they tend to influence the direction of a new collector. It is easier today for new collectors to ID stamps without a catalog and there will be time in the future to start accumulating reference materials once a new collector has a better idea of their collecting interests.

I promote collecting areas of interest, and many times there are no catalog for specialize areas of interest. For example, collecting local postal history, local post cards, tiny covers, smallest post offices, auxiliary markings, topical stamps.

It is like teaching, do you just shove math down their throats or do seed learning about math by tying it in with their existing interests?

I also promote collecting areas which are not currently popular; for example postal stationary, HPO, etc.

I find that sending people in this country to a catalog tends to results in a another short-term US collector who thinks they have built a high value collection from ebay with sub-standard material.

When I encourage someone to collect what they are interested in, they tend to stay in the hobby for a long time and inevitably end up really enjoying what they build.
Don

If there is no stamp shop in the area, search "stamp collecting supplies" for online stores.

There was a very good newsprint paperbound Linn's Stamp Collecting Made Easy; it is still sometimes available secondhand and should be fairly cheap. There is also Linn's Complete Stamp Collecting Basics by Baedke.

Hy-brasil,

The nearest stamp shop kis like 2 and a half hours away unfortunately. I don't want to stear them to ebay till thy learn more. I will show my things and maybe stamp smarter and go from there.

Sometimes things just gotta get shoved! My students' existing interests involve mostly sex and drugs, but school admin frowns...


BrotherSquint, which Ott Lite do you recommend? I checked Amazon and there are many sizes/styles.


I live in the Los Angeles area. Does anybody know of a good stamp shop around here?

I know there is a stamp dealer in Temecula. The stamps of his look pretty good, but have not dealt with him or seen any of his stuff in person.

There are three other essentials needed for stamp collecting that were not previously mentioned.

1- a reasonably good set of eyes, cataract free
2- time & patience
3- some spare cash for purchases

Here is a pic of my most useful tools ... tongs, color key, 30x loupe, perf gauge and dagger to warn off anyone who would dare to mess with the stamps. Haha

The very first thing.
How to hinge correctly, everything else follows from this.

It's like jumping in the deep end to learn to swim, without your floaties.

Here are a few more! The glassines, stamp mounts, and drying books.

Other common sense things like when to leave stamps on covers complete as received; and how to properly remove used stamps from paper, and proper storage temperatures and humidity levels.