Instructions
Things You'll Need:
- Internet access
- Stamp collector's album
- Hinges
- Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalog
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1
Decide what types of stamps you want to collect (if you are looking to buy) or already have (if you want to sell) and familiarize yourself with them. For collectors, there are many commercially published albums, generally by country, with pictures of each stamp. Once you get that stamp, you simply stick it over the picture using a hinge. If you pick a more niche category, such as bird stamps from Mozambique or Elvis stamps from Asian countries, buy an album with blank pages and clear plastic strips to hold your stamps.
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2
Scout out prices. Talk to the owner of the local stamp shop. Visit online marketplaces like Stamp Wants (see Resources below). Join a stamp collectors' club. Check out price guides like the Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalog, a hefty, six-volume tome hailed as the bible of stamp collecting. And be sure to check out the stamp listings on eBay to determine typical street prices for the particular types of stamps you are interested in. If you go on eBay, be sure to click the tab for "completed listings" so you can see the actual prices stamps sold for once the auction closed.
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3
If you're looking to buy stamps, visit your local stamp shop. Go to Stamp Wants and see what's for sale. Or visit eBay and put in a bid. Ebay gives you the best shot at getting a bargain, especially in a slow bidding week.
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4
To sell stamps, talk to your local stamp shop owner and see if he's interested. List your stamps on Stamp Wants, or put them out to bid on eBay.
