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How to ID Postage Stamps

Stamp collecting is a time-tested and celebrated hobby, enjoyed by people of all ages. But in order to graduate from novice collector to expert collector, you have to know what your stamps are worth and what to look for from stamps you intend on purchasing in the future. Knowing how to identify postage stamps will allow you to delve deeply into the fascinating world of stamp collecting.

Things You'll Need

Stamp collection
Stamp book
Computer with Internet access
Watermark tray
Watermark fluid
Stamp tongs
Magnifying glass

Instructions

- 1
  Begin with the most obvious mark of a postage stamp--its country of origin. Separate your stamps by grouping them by countries of origin, and then placing them in your album to keep them organized. Google the name of the country on the stamp if you're not sure what country it is. For instance, Germany will say Deutsche; not Germany.
- 2
  Look through your now nation-separated stamps and identify the denomination (amount of postage) on them. Organize your collection further by keeping the 5's together, the 22's together and so on. Note that most stamps denoted to dollar values will have the "$" sign in front of the number.
- 3
  Check for identifying watermarks on the stamp by holding it up to a fairly strong light. If you can't see anything with the light, then set the stamp face down in your watermark tray and drop a couple of drops of your watermark fluid onto the back of the stamp.
- 4
  Hold the stamp up with your stamp tongs and use a magnifying glass to identify any unique markings and artwork printed on the stamp. Search online for stamps that match your country of origin, denomination, water markings and design.
- 5
  Consult the Scott Catalogue if all else fails. Use the information you've obtained from Steps 1 through 3 to identify your exact stamp and its value in the book.

Stamp Collecting