Hobbies And Interests
What to Collect
It is easy for beginning collectors to quickly become overwhelmed by the sheer variety of stamps. Collectors (philatelists) often limit their collecting efforts to a particular country, subject matter or time period. To engage the interest of kids, begin by encouraging them to collect stamps in subject areas that interest them such as sports, animals or even cartoon characters. Kids may also express an interest in stamps from foreign countries and exotic locales.
Acquiring Stamps
The starting place to acquire stamps for kids is simply from your mail. You may be surprised at the variety of stamps that come in routine mail. Also acquire stamps at the local post office, which will have newly issued stamps and special collectible materials of interest to budding philatelists. Another popular place to acquire stamps is from dealers that have mass inventories such as the Kenmore Stamp Company and Mystic Stamp Company.
Choosing an Album
A good album is critical for a well-organized collection. Parents will want to choose albums that illustrate basic and popular stamps that beginning collectors can easily acquire. It is best to start with an inexpensive, yet high-quality album designed for novice philatelists (such as the Harris Traveler Stamp Album). An expensive, comprehensive album will be a waste of money if a child's interest in stamp collecting wanes after a short time. However, avoid cheap albums that are marketed for children since kids will quickly outgrow them.
Other Basic Needs
A new philatelist will need a set of basic tools to augment their album. A stamp catalog is useful to learn detailed information about each stamp. To avoid handling with dirty fingers that can smudge and damage stamps, tongs are needed to keep them in good condition. A magnifying glass is necessary to see stamp detail. After gaining experience, collectors also like to purchase perforation gauges and watermark detector fluid to tell nearly identical stamps apart.
Mounting Stamps in Albums
If stamps are still stuck to envelopes, it will be necessary to soak them before mounting. Soak stamps for 10-15 minutes in room temperature water. Remove promptly once they loosen from backing paper and dry between layers of plain, white paper towels. Once dry, they are ready for mounting. Although there are a variety of stamp mounts, paper hinges with moisture-activated glue are recommended for mounting inexpensive stamps on album pages. Never attempt to "re-stick" stamps onto an album page.