The Stamp Collectors Corner

A question was posed to me the other day by a person who was relatively new to the wonderful world of stamp collecting.  He wanted to know the difference between definitive and commemorative postage stamps issued by the United States Postal Service.  He also wanted to know if he should focus his collection on one [...]

In the fun world of stamp collecting there is no right or wrong type of stamp to collect.  Some people begin their endeavors collecting stamps that come on envelopes through the mail, while others begin their hunt of stamps at the post office, online auctions, stamp shows, with stamp dealers, estate sales, or from inheriting [...]

Whether you are new to stamp collecting or an avid collector, it is likely that at some point you will receive a postage stamp that is still attached to an envelope.  If it is part of a First Day Cover, it’s important to leave the stamp attached to the envelope, postal card, or postal material [...]

Before the days of the internet, postage stamp collectors had a far more difficult time finding stamps from different countries.  They were likely limited to trading with other local collectors, waiting for a special letter to arrive in the mail, or if they were lucky, they knew of a good Stamp Dealer.
Stamp Dealers are a [...]

In continuation from Monday…
Stamp Mounts…Stamp mounts are a fantastic way for you to be able to display your postage stamps without disturbing or damaging the original gum that is on the back of your stamp.  The back of the mount is coated with gum and attached to the album page while the front is of [...]

Postage stamps are like little pieces of art.  The more pristine condition they are in, the more value they have or will have in the future.  Although there are no exact rules for stamp collecting, there are tools that many collectors like to have on hand to minimize any potential damage to their treasured collection.
Magnifying [...]

Irving Berlin is by far the greatest composer of American music.  Born on May 11, 1888 as Israel Beilin in Russia, his family escaped religious persecution and immigrated to the United States when he was five years old.   He later changed his name to Irving Berlin. 
The United States Postal Service issued a commemorative postage stamp [...]

It’s hard to believe that it’s been 40 years since the biggest music festival of all time made its debut.  Woodstock, scoffed at by some, yet enjoyed by many more was a pivotal moment in music history.  Over half a million people traveled from locations near and far to upstate New York to experience a [...]

Do you remember when you first got interested in stamp collecting? Perhaps a friend or an older relative already engaged in the hobby and introduced you to it. Or maybe you just stumbled on stamp collecting on your own and found that is something you wanted to continue. Either way, you can help someone else [...]