Beginner series · November 1, 2026
Stamp collecting for beginners — 01. What to collect first
The most common beginner mistake is collecting everything. Narrowing down is what turns a pile of stamps into a collection.
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A course in eight parts, in order. Each lesson is about ten minutes and assumes nothing — by the end you can buy, store and describe a stamp with confidence.
Beginner series · November 1, 2026
Stamp collecting for beginners — 02. Handling and storage
Most damage to stamps happens after they are collected, not before. Four habits prevent nearly all of it.
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Stamp collecting for beginners — 03. Reading a catalogue entry
Catalogue entries look like code until someone explains the order they are written in. They always follow the same order.
Read →Beginner series · November 1, 2026
Stamp collecting for beginners — 04. Judging condition
Condition is the largest single factor in what a stamp is worth. It is also the one you can learn to assess yourself in an afternoon.
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Stamp collecting for beginners — 05. Where to buy safely
Four places to buy, and what each is good and bad at.
Read →Beginner series · November 1, 2026
Stamp collecting for beginners — 06. The stamps you’ll meet
Definitives, commemoratives, miniature sheets, first day covers — what each one is and why collectors treat them differently.
Read →Beginner series · November 1, 2026
Stamp collecting for beginners — 07. Building a thematic collection
Collecting by subject — birds, railways, cricket — instead of by country. How to choose a theme and give it shape.
Read →Beginner series · November 1, 2026
Stamp collecting for beginners — 08. Perfins
Stamps punched with initials or a symbol to stop theft. Almost every country allowed them, so they turn up far more often than collectors expect.
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