How do I find out more about stamp collecting?

Finding out more about stamp collecting is easy and fun. There are excellent books, newspapers and magazines devoted to stamp collecting. Stamp catalogs will help you organize and value your collection.

A. What books are recommended for beginning stamp collectors?

• Guide to Stamp Collecting http://www.postalmuseum.si.edu/museum/1g_store.html#1
• Encyclopedia of US Stamps and Stamp Collecting http://www.postalmuseum.si.edu/museum/1g_store.html#2
• Stamp Collecting for Dummies http://www.amazon.com/Stamp-Collecting-Dummies-Richard-Sine/dp/0764553798/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1224525365&sr=8-1

B. What stamp identifiers are available to help me identify stamps? http://www.askphil.org … click “AskPhil" list of stamp identifiers

C. What stamp collecting publications can I read to find out more about what is happening in the stamp hobby?

1. American Philatelist – American Philatelic Society monthly magazine http://www.stamps.org/Services/ser_TAP.htm magazine’s web page
2. American Stamp Dealer and Collector – American Stamp Dealer Association magazine http://www.americanstampdealer.com/ magazine’s web page
3. Linn’s Stamp News – Amos Press weekly newspaper http://www.linns.com web page for the journal but only subscribers can access the journal itself online
4. Scott Stamp Monthly – Amos Press monthly magazine http://www.scottonline.com/ magazine’s web page
5. Global Stamp News – monthly newspaper http://www.revenue-collector.com/gsn.shtml magazine’s web page
6. Mekeel's/ Stamps – weekly newspaper http://www.stampnewsnow.com/ magazine web page
7. U.S. Stamp News http://www.stampnewsnow.com/
8. Other resources

• The Chronicle of U.S. Postal Issues – for collectors of 19th century U.S. stamps http://www.uspcs.org/chronicleteaser.html magazine web page
• The Specialist – for collectors of 20th century U.S. stamps http://www.usstamps.org/journal.html magazine web page
• Topical Time – for those who collect by topic http://www.americantopicalassn.org/topical_time.htm
• The Revenuer – for collectors of revenue stamps http://www.revenuer.org/ magazine web page
• The Airpost Journal – for airmail collectors http://www.americanairmailsociety.org/html/airpost_journal.html magazine web page
• British North America Society journal
• View all back issue of BNA Topics with a link to the journal of the Royal Philatelic Society of Canada journal http://www.bnatopics.org/
• United Kingdom Philately http://www.ukphilately.org.uk,
• Royal Philatelic Society London http://www.rpsl.org.uk
• Find every U.S. stamp ever issued – Arago, the National Postal Museum’s databank of information http://www.arago.si.edu

D. What catalogs and price lists can help me organize and learn about my stamp collection?

1. Scott catalogs – comprehensive US and worldwide catalogs http://www.amosadvantage.com/scottonline/ Amos Press web page, click on Products
2. Stanley Gibbons – standard catalogs used in Britain and British Commonwealth http://shop.stanleygibbons.com/index.asp?page=pubs&catgrouping=catalogues catalog web page
3. Brookman Price List http://www.coverspecialist.com publisher’s web page
4. Mystic Stamp Company Catalog – free full-color price list http://www.mysticstamp.com/ publisher’s web page

E. What books, publications and other literature are available about stamp collecting, and where can I find them?

1. Libraries
   • Local Libraries
   • NPM http://www.sil.si.edu/libraries/npm
   • APRL http://www.stamplibrary.org/thelibrary/lib_abouttheaprl.htm
   • Rocky Mountain Philatelic Library http://www.rmpldenver.org
   • Western Philatelic Library http://www.fwpl.org/
   • List of Philatelic libraries http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_philatelic_libraries
2. Stamp Publications
   • APS Marketplace http://www.stamps.org/Services/ser_Marketplace.htm
3. Newspaper Columns
4. Book Sellers go to http://www.askphil.org/b37.htm and enter “literature” into Specialty textbox, without quotation marks, for a list
   • Stamp Dealers
     • http://www.subwaystamp.com/
     • http://www.pbbooks.com/
     • http://www.jameslee.com/
   • National book chains

F. Where can I find stamp collecting organizations?

There are many societies, clubs, museums, libraries and associations that are dedicated to providing stamp collectors help, education and access to stamps and services.

1. American Philatelic Society – America’s stamp club, 40,000 members worldwide http://www.stamps.org
2. Smithsonian National Postal Museum – America’s stamp and postal history museum http://npm.si.edu
3. American Stamp Dealers Association – dealer’s organization over 500 members worldwide http://www.asdaonline.com
4. Specialty Societies – full list of APS affiliates that specialize in a particular field of collecting http://www.stamps.org/directories/dir_SpecialtySocieties.htm
   http://www.askphil.org/b02.htm
5. Stamp clubs – full list of APS local stamp clubs, by state http://www.stamps.org/directories/dir_LocalClubs.htm
   http://www.askphil.org/b34.htm
6. International Stamp Federations and Clubs (FIP) – http://www.f-i-p.ch
   http://www.ukphilately.org.uk
   Inter-American Stamp Federations (FIAF) http://www.fiaf-filatelia.org
   
   

G. What resources are available for teachers who want to use stamps to enrich a learning experience?

Teachers find that using stamps in their classroom is a valuable tool to bring history, art, science, mathematics, geography and social studies to life. Stamps make learning fun.

1. American Philatelic Society
   http://www.stamps.org/kids/kid_YouthLinks.htm
   http://www.stamps.org/kids/kid_StampFun.htm
   • Activity pages http://www.stamps.org/kids/kid_ActivityPages.htm
   • Beginner’s information http://www.stamps.org/kids/kid_BeginnersInfo.htm
   • Lesson plans http://www.stamps.org/kids/kid_LewisClark.htm
2. Stamp Camp USA http://www.stamps.org/kids/kid_StampCamp_Teachers.htm
3. USPS
   http://shop.usps.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/EducationCategoryDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10001&catalogId=10152
4. National Postal Museum Curriculum Guides are located at http://www.postalmuseum.si.edu/educators/4b_curriculum.html including the following great guides for teachers:
   Letters From Home: An Exhibit-Building Project for the Advanced ESL Classroom
   Grades 8 - Adult

   Enrichment materials for the advanced English as a second language (ESL) classroom. Students use letters to build language and communication skills. Contains activities to illustrate the dynamic power of personal letters and create an exhibition of letters.

   Postal Pack for Elementary School Students
   Grades K - 6

   Collection of illustrated activity sheets that teach about postal transportation history, and encourage letter writing and an appreciation of stamps and historic letters.

   Stamp Mural Mosaics
   Grades K - 6

5. Stamps are exciting, educational tools! Using stamps, you can explore other countries, learn about history, and experience art. The activities on this web page will show you and your students how to use cancelled stamps for a variety of creative projects.

   Pen Friends Across the Nation: An Intergenerational Letter Writing Project
   Grades 6 - 9

   A guide to setting up a writing partnership between classroom students and older adults in the same community. Use local cultural landmarks to develop an intergenerational letter-writing program. The project involves an exchange of three letters which concludes in a meeting, if possible.

6. Teacher guides and lesson plans
7. National Postal Museum resources

   The Postal Museum often presents free workshops in Washington, DC. “Collection Connections,” for example, is an introductory workshop about stamp collecting. Learn the basics of stamp collecting and embark on the world’s most popular hobby— philately! More than just a little piece of paper, everyday and exotic stamps open doors to all corners of culture, history, art, and geography. Start your journey by making your own stamp collection to take home. To find out about upcoming workshops, visit:

   • http://www.postalmuseum.si.edu/museum/1b_calendar.html
   • http://www.postalmuseum.si.edu/resources/6_resources.html
8. National Postal Museum for Educators
   • http://www.postalmuseum.si.edu/educators/4_educators.html
   • http://www.postalmuseum.si.edu/educators/4b_curriculum.html
9. Online Quizzes and tests.
   • http://money.aol.com/special/stamps-quiz
   • http://www.postalmuseum.si.edu/activity/8b_3_quiz.html
10. Surveys about stamp collecting

APS Stamp Collector Survey 2007 http://www.stamps.org/Almanac/ExecutiveSummary.pdf

H. Is my stamp genuine?

Valuable stamps have sometimes been faked to deceive collectors. Before you spend a lot of money on a stamp, make sure it is authentic.

1. Philatelic Foundation (PF) – US and foreign stamps http://www.philatelicfoundation.org
   • Terms used in expertizing stamps http://www.philatelicfoundation.org/expertizing/expertizing_terms.htm
2. American Philatelic Expertizing (APEX) – US and foreign stamps http://www.stamps.org/Services/ser_aboutexpertizing.htm
3. Professional Stamp Experts (PSE) – US stamps http://www.psestamp.com
4. Royal Philatelic Society London (RPSL) – Great Britain and Commonwealth, worldwide http://www.rpsl.org.uk