Canadian Stamps: North America and Canadian Stamps Benjamin Franklin 1c 1910 US Postage Stamp

Stamp Collecting Canada Stamps

Stamp collecting can be a absorbing and rewarding pastime. While spending many wonderful moments with this facinating hobby, you become familiar with the culture of many lands, their arts, traditions and folklore. You man also find yourself devling into various topics such as: politics, history, biography, zoology, architecture, painting, botany and geography.

While this hobby may be popular with the well-to-do, a large stamp collection can be built with minimal resources. There can be just as much enjoyment out of the lower-grade stamps as from the rarest of the rare.

Stamp Collecting Equipment and Supplies

Some supplies may be useful for the proper care of your stamps.

Stamp Tongs - Tongs (or tweezers) are an important instrument in the proper handling of your stamps. They enable the stamps to be handled without coming into contact with dirty or greasy fingers.

Magnifying Glass - Useful for reading and identifying various types and marks on a stamp.

Stock Books and Binders - The sheets of a stock book have rows of transparent plastic pockets which stamps can be placed into. This allows the collector to preserve the the stamps without the use of hinges or other adhesives.

Stamp Albums

Many stamp collectors start out with an illustrated stamp album. These albums are normally organized by country. Each page contains pictures of stamps corresponding to that denomination. To place a stamp into your album, simply look for the design that matches your stamp. The more advanced the stamp album is, the more complete it will be. It is usually recommended to start with the most complete album you can afford.

If there is no particular place for a stamp, you can use whatever empty slots are available. This space problem can be overcome by purchasing a loose-leaf edition of a stamp album. In this way, you can add extra sheets as needed.

How to Hinge Stamps

Stamps should never be glued down into your album. Although there is some controversy regarding the use of stamp hinges, for used stamps, hinges are an economical way of mounting your stamps.

You should never apply glue, tape or adhesive to a stamp. Good hinges are available from stamp dealers or stamp supply companies. The adhesive on the hinge should allow for the hinge to be easily removed, thus avoiding damaging or taking off part of the stamp.

To apply the hinge, fold back the top portion of the hinge and moisten the gummed side. Apply this moistened part to the back of the stamp; on the top, below the perforation. The remaining portion of the hinge can then be moistened, and the stamp placed in your album.

Do not remove a moistened hinge from a stamp. If you need to remove a hinge, wait a couple of hours until the hinge is dry and then it should come off with ease.

Stamp Hinge Controversy

Gum or paper loss can make a stamp less valuable. Old style hinges are very difficult to remove and improper hinging can increase the chance for damage to a stamp. If one carelessly moistens the stamp in addition to the hinge, the stamp may stick in the album, increasing the chance for damage to the stamp with it comes time to be removed. Also, hinging a stamp too high may damage the perforations.

Collectors seek stamps which are closest to original condition as possible. Stamps in mint condition, that have never hinged or mounted, and still have the original gum intact, will maintain a higher value in the marketplace.

For the more valuable mint stamps in your collection, the ease and convenience of hinges is not a real benefit when compared to the potential for damage and loss of worth.

Stamp Mounts

Stamp mounts are transparent pockets in which your stamps can be placed. The mounts are pregummed and some mounts are also available with a black background. To fit various sizes of single stamps, strips or sheets; mounts may also be cut from transparent acetate.

Mounts offer better protection because your stamps can be viewed and examined with no need to actually touch them. Hinges may be inexpensive and easy to use, but mounts are a much better way to display the more valuable stamps in your collection.

Stamp Collecting Categories

There are numerous ways to categorize your stamps. A very good way to start is to categorize by the types of stamps you wish to collect. Broad categories might include:

By Country - Most countries have a postal system. It's easy to start collecting stamps from the country where you reside. Stamps can be purchased new at the Post Office or from local dealers who will normally offer wider selection of stamps to choose from, albeit at a higher price.

Worldwide - It has become far easier to find and purchase stamps from around the world. You can buy stamps from numerous online dealers and Internet auction sites like eBay.

By Topic - These are stamps issued to cover a special subject matter. The "Elvis" stamp is probably the best example of stamps in this category. Stamps are printed covering a wide variety of special subjects including art, architecture, history and famous personages.

Service Type - Most stamps are issued for ordinary use. But the Post Office also issues various types of stamps for specialized services such as Airmail, Express, Priority and Certified Mail.

Canadian Stamp Dealers and Stamp Auctions Canada

Arpin Philately deals in quality postage stamp collecting and collectible stamps. Croton Stamp Co. sells US stamps, Canada stamps, and Newfoundland stamps to collectors by mail, as well as publishes a stamps newsletter about U.S. stamps and Canadian postage stamps. R. Maresch & Son Auctions Ltd., is Canada's largest stamp auction firm and handles Canada, Provinces, British Commonwealth and Foreign material. The auctions are unreserved, offering valuable rarities, large lots, stamps, collections, covers and anything of philatelic merit. The Kenmore Stamp Company offers stamps, stamp collecting, stamp collector, us stamps, foreign stamps, free catalog, postage stamps, postal stamps, philatelic, catalog and online ordering. Canadian Rare Stamp Auctioneers Sandafayre provides online stamp auctions, stamp collecting, stamps collections for collecting dealers, UK stamp auction, GB, US, british, foreign, rare, old, philatelic material, postal history, postage stamps, topical stamps, canadian stamps and auctions. Jamestown Stamp Company is a mailorder stamps, coins, and banknotes dealer. Jack Nalbandian, Inc. supplies superior quality stamps and services to collectors and dealers and offers Premium Quality Mint and Used, United States Classics, Essays and Proofs, Canadian and Worldwide Listings.

iHobb.com is an Internet shopping source for collecting supplies. iHobb.com services the supply needs of stamp, coin, post card, currency and banknote collectors. iHobb's stock includes Scott, Coin World, White Ace, H.E. Harris, Whitman Press, SAFE, Lindner, White Ace, Showgard, Prinz, SuperSafe, Allsyte, Linns and more. Northland International Trading is a stamp and coin dealer. Northland Auctions specializes in United States, Scandinavia, and Hungary stamps and covers auctions.

Stamp Collecting Supplies Canada

Stamp Albums Canada

Canada Scott Master Album has fully-illustrated pages with stamp descriptions and Scott numbers. Canada Harris Album has over 1200 black and white llustrations printed on one side. Canada Tradition Album is made of light weight paper and has llustrations in black and white and printed on two sides. The Constitution Canada stamp album has black and white illustrations printed on two sides of lightweight pages. Canada Junior Album has Scott number description and identification for each stamp.

Canadian Stamp Clubs and Organizations

The Royal Philatelic Society of Canada (RPSC) features membership information and anonline library. The British North America Philatelic Society (BNAPS) is devoted to the collector and researcher of stamps, postal markings, and postal history of Canada, the pre-Confederation colonies, and Newfoundland.

Canadian Stamps

Canadian Postage Stamps

North America and Canadian Stamps Benjamin Franklin 1c 1910 US Postage Stamp