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How to Donate Postage Stamps

Stamp collecting is a fun and fulfilling hobby. Not only is it a pastime, but it is also a great way to give to a chartable organization. Whether you are a longtime collector with some extra stamps or someone who inherited a collection you do not want, donating your stamps to charity is a way to get them off your hands while helping important causes.

Things You'll Need

Stamp collection
Internet access

Instructions

- 1
  Find out how much your stamp collection is worth. It is always a good idea to do this before you donate something so you can get a receipt from whichever charity you ultimately decide to donate them to. If you donate to a 501c3 organization, the value of your donation is tax-deductible, which is a nice reward for your good deed.
  
  There are a number of ways to go about determining your stamp collection's value. The first is to do it yourself. This requires purchasing a recently published stamp collecting price guide and determining the value stamp by stamp. This can be very time-consuming, so if you do not want to go this route, find stamp dealers or appraisers through organizations such as the American Stamp Dealers Association Inc. or through several services online. If you research enough, you might even find a local stamp club willing to help you out free of charge.
- 2
  Research what kind of organization you would like to donate your stamps to. You could donate them to your local stamp club to help further the hobby of stamp collecting, or you could donate them to an organization that sells stamps and puts the proceeds toward a charitable need. Many of these charity organizations have websites.
- 3
  Decide on an organization. In order to do this, you should ask yourself about what you like to see happen with your stamps once they are donated. Do you want to see the stamps stay in the organization or sold? This may affect the amount of your donation that is tax deductible.
  
  What kind of causes do you want to help? After you find some charities online, do not hesitate to call and ask questions. Any charity should be happy to talk to you about your donation, and it is advisable to be weary of any organization that is not.
  
  If you are worried about the quality of the charity, be sure to review nonprofit directories such as GuideStar, which give detailed information about charities and nonprofits.
- 4
  Donate your stamps. If it's a local organization, bring them in person so you can preserve the quality best. If it is a distant organization, be sure to mail the collection securely with a lot of padding to prevent damage that may ultimately lower the value of your collection. Talk to the charity to see if it has any tips or suggestions for the best way to mail the stamps.
  
  To ensure your donation is tax-deductible, be sure to ask for a receipt.

Stamp Collecting