| With experience comes knowledge and understanding | | | | knowledge. |
| that collector will gain and continue to increase as they | | | | The first postage stamp was issued on the sixth of |
| add to their collection. There is no set amount of | | | | May in 1840 in Great Britain, but up until that time the |
| exactly how many stamps can be included in a | | | | posting of letters was extremely expensive. The |
| collection, however there is valuable information for the | | | | person who received the letter was the one who had |
| collector to learn with each new stamp within their | | | | to pay for the letter being sent, but this first postage |
| collection. | | | | stamp allowed the sender to pay the postal fee and |
| To start your own stamp collection begin saving any | | | | reduced the delivery cost. |
| envelopes with stamps on them. By soaking the | | | | The value of a particular stamp is determined basically |
| envelopes for fifteen to twenty minutes in warm | | | | on the demand of the stamp and its supply, not to |
| water the stamps will remove easily from the | | | | mention its condition. If a stamp is high in demand, but |
| envelopes. Inform your family, friends, and neighbors | | | | the supply is low, then the price will normally increase. |
| that you have decided to start your own stamp | | | | The same goes if the supply and the demand is low, |
| collection and ask them if they will start saving their | | | | then the price will either stay the same or it will decline. |
| empty stamped envelopes for you. Soon your | | | | Any stamp that has a high quality of condition will |
| collection will begin to grow and you may desire to | | | | generally cost more than those that have a low quality |
| purchase new stamps and with stamp dealers all over | | | | of condition. |
| the world it will not be entirely difficult. | | | | Stamps have not always been printed the same way |
| Catalogs and newspapers offer individuals the | | | | in the United States, because from 1847 to 1922 most |
| opportunity to conveniently purchase stamps through | | | | stamps were actually produced on a type of flat bed |
| the mail. Catalogs give collectors the ability to add | | | | press, which was a slow process. This was due to the |
| stamps to their collection as you wish and even to | | | | presses only being able to print one sheet of stamps |
| build a type of wish list for your collection. Some | | | | at at time, but in 1923 the rotary press began being |
| catalogs allow collectors to look at stamps before | | | | used. This process proved to be more effective due |
| purchasing them, then to keep only the stamps they | | | | to the stamps being able to be printed on a continuous |
| want. Then the collector returns the unwanted stamps | | | | roll of paper. These stamps were longer and wider |
| with payment for the stamps that were kept. | | | | than stamps that were printed on a flat press. Today |
| Collectors wonder if it is valuable for them to join a | | | | stamps are printed a new improved way where an |
| stamp club, and the fact is that these clubs are | | | | inked impression from a plate is first made onto a |
| extremely popular and are an easy way gain access | | | | rubber covered cylinder, then it is transferred to the |
| to hard to find stamps. Clubs allows collectors to meet | | | | paper it is being printed in, which is called offsetting. |
| and interact with other collectors, which can save | | | | This printing process is less expensive and more |
| them when searching for particular stamps. Other | | | | flexible in the production of multicolored stamps. |
| collectors are also a great source of information and | | | | |