Collecting stamps is a hobby that attracts people from all around the world. When you're collecting stamps you can find them from a multiple of sources, including free sources, as well as paying for those stamps that you just can't do without. When you start collecting stamps you'll want to spend as little money as possible and concentrate on getting a beginner's collection of stamps.
As a beginner in stamp collection you might not know where to begin as you may not have any thing to start with. In such a scenario you can buy a packet of stamps which will have an assortment of stamps from different countries. This will also help you focus on the kind of stamps that appeal to you.
The Internet is another great source for finding stamps. Places such as eBay have many stamp sets where you can buy for relatively low prices. Again, you should try to get as wide a variety of stamps as possible, so you can find out what stamps interest you and allow you to get plants from some other countries. Once you have a batch of stamps you'll need to organize your collection so you can make some decisions about what direction you want to pursue in your collecting.
Most of the stamps that you buy will still be on the paper on which they were mailed. This makes them durable and easy to handle. Once you remove the paper backing the stamp becomes much more fragile and you'll have to be very careful in the way that you move it around. This is why you should sort out your purchased stamps according to country before you take off the paper backing.
While taking off the paper backing from the stamps do not just try pulling the paper away from the stamp in a hurry. Take your time and be patient so that you do not damage the stamps. Pulling the paper off in a hurry can rip the stamp edges. So use scissors to cut the paper backing as close to the stamp body as possible.
Fill a shallow bowl or plate with a small amount of clean water. Place the stamp with the paper still attached, stamp facing up, and allow it to soak for about ten or fifteen minutes. After sufficient time ha passed, carefully pick the stamp up out of the water and try to slowly remove the stamp from the paper.
Once you've removed the stamps from the paper you need to allow them to dry out. You want to take care when drying the stamps so that they dry slowly and gently - this reduces the folds and wrinkles that may occur on the stamp. Lay the stamps of a layer of paper toweling, making sure that none of the stamps touch or overlap. Gently lay a paper towel on top of the stamps and lightly press (be very gentle) to remove the excess water from the stamps.
Once the stamps have had an opportunity to dry out, flatten them by putting them between the pages of a large book, or use a special drying book (you can find these books at hobby or stamp collecting stores). After the stamps have been dried and flattened, you can begin the process of sorting and storing them in your stamp collecting books.
