Guest Author - Lin

Some Stamp Tools You Will Need

Many hobbies require a lot of expensive equipment and supplies to begin with. This is not so with stamp collecting. The principal tools the beginning stamp collector needs are simple and inexpensive to acquire. Here is a description of the most commonly used stamp collecting equipment and supplies the stamp collector needs.

Stamp Tongs

As described in a future article, stamp tongs are an essential tool for collectors. Although tongs resemble tweezers, they are specially designed for picking up and handling stamps. Do not handle your stamps with your hands, always use tongs. Stamp tongs are made of either stainless steel or plastic. Either type will do but make sure you choose tongs that does not have sharp edges to avoid damaging your stamps.

Magnifying Glass

A small magnifying glass is useful in order to closely examine the features of a stamp. A good magnifying glass will enable you to spot small creases, tears, or other problems, all of which can affect the value of your stamp. Magnifying glasses can be made of glass or plastic. Buy the best magnifying glass you can afford. The cheap ones can be hard on your eyes.

Glassine Envelopes

These are thin translucent envelopes that are available in a variety of sizes and are useful to store your stamps in before you mount them in a stamp album. They can also be used to mail stamps to other people. Ordinary paper envelopes may have a high acid content to them that over time can damage your stamps in a previous article I stated you could use ordinary envelopes to begin with., until you can obtain some glassine envelopes.

Perforation Gauge

Perforations are the series of tiny holes between blocks of stamps in a sheet or booklet that facilitates the separation of the individual stamps. A perforation gauge measures the number of holes per 2-cm length of the perforations. Two stamps that may appear to be alike may have a different perforation count. The perforation gauge is useful in determining the difference between them.

Watermark Detector

A watermark detector enables you to view the hidden embossed or imprinted pattern that was made on the paper when a stamp was printed. Granted some stamps do not have watermarks, but some stamps that look identical may have different watermarks. Watermarks can be useful in detecting forged stamps or in identifying different stamp varieties.

Stamp Newspapers/Magazines

The more knowledge about stamp collecting the better collector you will become. You may wish to subscribe to any one or a number of stamp newspapers, newsletters, or magazines to keep up on current trends. Of course the Internet is another great source of stamp information. There are many great web sites to enhance your knowledge.

Stamp Albums

Stamp albums enable you to keep your stamps safe while at the same time permitting you to organize your collection and display them. There is quite a variation in stamp albums. Look around first before buying the first one you happen to find. A future article will explain how to choose a good stamp album.

Stamp Hinges

Stamp hinges are small, folded rectangular pieces of glassine or paper coated with gum. One end of the hinge is moistened and gummed onto the back of a stamp and then the other end is gummed onto the album page, thereby firmly fixing the stamp onto the page. Stamp hinges are rather inexpensive to purchase. Email me at stamps@bellaonline.com for more details as to where to obtain these items.