Article by Victor Epand

The hobby of collecting stamps has become the foundation of trust between collector and dealers all over the world. Philatelists conduct transactions by dealing with reputable dealers and individual collectors who have memberships in the American Philatelic Society and/or the American Stamp Dealers Association.

By working with members of these associations, collectors can rely on the authenticity of stamps they are purchasing. Collectors are offered peace of mind and that enables them to purchase stamps without too much worry. The primary source to purchase stamps is with dealers and collectors who belong to one or both of these two organizations to ensure the authenticity of your collection.

The Internet is another vital source of information for stamp collectors. You can do search for information on individual stamps by using key words, such as “stamp collecting”, “philately” etc. If the Universal Resource Locator or URL is known of any dealer, then all that is needed is to key in the URL into your browser, which will bring up the dealer’s website. Another way to search is through the American Philatelic Society website where you can find a list of dealers.

There are also a variety of auctions where you can purchase stamps at a price that is below their market value. Philatelists typically subscribe to auction catalogs to stay current on any stamps that they are interested in and to find out if any are going to soon be offered at auctions.

Understanding the process of purchasing stamps at auctions will give any collector another avenue to purchase the stamps they need for their private collections. By joining area stamp clubs or a philatelic organization you will be able to accomplish this and at the same time become acquainted with other collectors having the same interest.

A number of affiliated organizations of the American Philatelic Society devote their time to stamps from particular countries, themes, and topics. One such organization is the United States Philatelic Classics Society that specializes in stamps of the 19th century within the United States. By maintaining a membership in one or more of these organizations many doors will open for you, which include obtaining valuable information on how to purchase stamps through trading with group members.

Periodicals are constantly being published that include stamp show schedules, which seem to be the most active market for purchasing stamps. These types of shows tend to be on a large scale and any collector should be able to locate reputable firms who specialize in dealing with philatelic material. Another valuable source for acquiring stamps for your collection is directly from the postal administrations of various countries, which can be found in publications such as a stamp almanac.

When you develop a better understanding of purchasing stamps from the market place, another way to obtain stamps is by running a classified ad in your local newspaper under either Stamps Wanted or Buying Stamps. You might be surprised at the number of people that are interested in selling their stamps. Collectors all over will sell their stamps to remove particular stamps from their collections or they will run an ad offering to sell their stamps. However, before searching for any stamp be sure you are acquainted with all purchasing methods.

About the Author

Victor Epand is an expert consultant about rare coins, stamp collections, and rare collectibles. Follow these links to find the best marketplace for: rare coins, acquiring stamps, and rare collectibles.

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