Postage stamps of the USA and their possessions

Online stamp auction

The world philately market exceeds $10 billion, with the largest collections held by philatelists in the USA, Great Britain and France. Collecting stamps has long evolved beyond the simple collection of rarities. This is not only a popular hobby, but also a fairly profitable business. Philately is classified as one of the most profitable areas for investment with an annual income growth of 10%.

The commercial component of buying low and selling high is at the heart of many large collections. An online stamps auction is the best way for philatelists to buy or sell stamps at a fair price without intermediaries’ margins, with minimal commissions. The world of stamps is incredibly diverse.

The post stamp has become a collector's item the moment it appeared in the world. Such a hobby remained nameless until 1864, when the Frenchman George Erpin proposed calling stamp collecting philately from two Greek words phileo (philel) - love and ateleia (ateleia) - exemption from payment. Today, millions of people are fond of philately. National unions of philatelists have been established in more than 60 countries. This hobby has united millions of people.

Where to buy stamps

There is an unwritten rule in philately. If it turns out to be very profitable to sell one of the items from the collection (unless it is not the rare item) - it is worth doing it. Use the proceeds to purchase new interesting lots. Only in this way will the hobby develop and bring pleasure and income.

The question of where to buy stamps is important for even the most experienced collectors. There can be many options and places. However, perhaps the largest number of lots is concentrated only on online auctions. Without leaving your home, you can see the rarest items that may be in the possession of a collector in another country or on another continent. It is possible to participate in the auction at any convenient time. But if you set out to buy a unique rare piece, then you need to constantly monitor the auction site. And sooner or later, you will definitely find what you need.

Prices of a stamp

Importantly, when choosing the subject of collecting and when buying lots, you need to be aware of the stamp cost and its value, evaluate its attractiveness not only for yourself at the moment, but also for other philatelists in the future. This is important if, over time, there is a desire to sell some pieces for profit.

Of course, one of the most prevailing goals for most collectors is to find rare and valuable items for the collection.

Mostly the stamp price is determined by catalogs, auction data and expert opinion. This does not mean, when setting the price, one should be guided fully by catalog prices, however, the ballpark of market value is still preserved. All well-known catalog manufacturers reissue their products every year - and referring to earlier editions may cause some confusion when determining the correct value.

Prices of a stamp in catalogs are determined by the authors after market analysis. Usually this is an approximate price at which (or better below which) items are recommended to be bought. If you want to sell stamps, as sometimes happens, in bulk and everything at once, then the price will be much lower than indicated in the catalog.

It is important to emphasize that when determining how much a stamp costs one shouldn’t be guided by "average market price". No need to follow it strictly. It's a ballpark figure, and in different catalogs for the same brands, the cost may vary, but, as a rule, insignificantly. Online auctions have forums where you can communicate in more detail with collectors and specialists, ask for advice, get an opinion.

Stamp buying

Philatelists have different interests, and they choose different paths. A novice philatelist asks the question - how many stamps do I need so that the collection is of value.

There is no answer to this question. For example, just one brand, such as Mauritius, can bring a fortune. But this is rare.

A collection of stamps can start with those that have been inherited or found at home. If there are none, you can purchase several stamps from a philatelist and at an online auction.

Of course, the possession of such rarities like "Penny", "Mauritius" does honor to their owner, gives them authority and weight. But the point of today's antiques collecting is by no means limited to the possession of rarities. Now the collecting is more, perhaps, expressed in some exclusive idea of ​​the collection, in the thoroughness of its selection and completeness. This implies an analytical mindset, perseverance, the ability to meticulously search, attentiveness and thoughtfulness.

The stamps that make up the collection must be in excellent condition. This depends on their value. Therefore, for greater safety, stamps are stored in special albums with pockets. The stamp itself cannot be glued to a sheet, this will worsen its condition. Stamp books have been used for a long time. The age of the item does not play a role here. Many have been preserved in excellent condition. Safety, appearance, rarity and demand usually affect how much a book of stamps costs.

Philately is not only about the sale of stamps (or, their purchase) and not only about filling the collection. Immersion in the topic, willingness to work together with others are important criteria for a philatelist. And also meticulousness, scrupulousness. Some stamp collections are published and sold immediately in the booklet of stamps . If the collection is valuable and of interest to philatelists, then its completeness and its condition plays a role.

The stamps’ condition is affected by how and where it was stored. This testifies to the meticulousness and scrupulousness of the collector.

The better the brand is preserved, the more expensive it is. Any collector tries to buy from one series of stamps the one that is better preserved. Therefore, none of the experienced and serious philatelists keeps a stack of stamps or somehow in bulk. Books for stamps are normally used for storage of collectibles.

For many people, stamp buying to create a collection is just a hobby and an interest. And someone spends a lot of money and time on it. And not in vain.

After all, in the ranking of the most profitable investments, for example, stocks were given fifth place, while stamps - fourth! The level of interest in this type of collecting has not fallen since the very beginning of its existence.

There are two types of postal stamps to collect: canceled and unused. Unused stamps are valued much higher, since they are not damaged in any way, they were not used for postage. Canceled stamps can be damaged by ink from a postage stamp or damaged in transit.

The most valuable stamps in the world are "changelings", that is, stamps on which the image is located opposite to the letters and numbers. In fact, these are defective postage stamps. Their circulation was very small, because when the mistake was noticed, the production was stopped. Hence the high market value of such brands.

Collecting stamps

Collecting stamps is also an immersion into history. For example, Simcha Blushtein from Israel put together a collection of POW mail from German camps from 1939-1945. These are letters of historical significance, filled with pain and suffering of people who were desperate to see their homeland.

A stamp collector Lawrence Sherman chose a very special path, collecting only one stamp. It was the most popular at the time when the world fought against fascism. At that time, letters were sent to the United States from the front lines in the Pacific Ocean, in northern Africa, southern Italy, and western France. The stamp was the same, however with different marks on it: on a blue background, an American eagle with an olive branch of peace and the inscription in English: "Win the war."

As you know, the first postage stamp appeared in England in 1840. Following the first stamp, three more appeared - with the same pattern, but of different merits, on paper with watermarks. These collection stamps are of such high quality that philatelists consider them to this day to be the most beautiful two-color stamps in the world.

Interestingly, children also start collecting stamps. They are attracted by interesting and beautiful pictures. Gradually, from a hobby, it develops into an activity, sometimes a hobby for life.

For many, stamps were both the first step in understanding the world and the first hobby that contributed to the development of collecting skills: the development of visual memory, accuracy of storage, seriousness in research and analysis, understanding of value, the design of the collection, and the ability to communicate with colleagues.

A real collector should know and knows, as a rule, everything about the collectible: finds unique historical information, studies the details, draws his own analytical conclusions. Such collectors are always held in high esteem among colleagues. Such collectors create exclusive, rare and valuable collections.