Journey into the fascinating World of STAMPS!   Here we have put together an on-line session, beginning with how stamps came to be and introducing how-to get started or improve your stamp collection!

Where did it all begin?

• Stamps and Collectors Are Born - how stamps came to be
• Stamps through the Years - a chronological listing of how stamps have evolved.
• Postage Rates -- Then and Now - a rate table showing postage rates over the years.
• Who Decides What is on a Stamp - believe it or not, Americans from all over the world can contribute to the creation of a stamp!

Getting Started in the Hobby:

• Welcome to the Hobby!
• What Kinds of Stamps are There? - definitives, commemoratives, sheets, coils, postage due, mint, sounds confusing doesn't it? But it's not!
• How to Decide What to Collect - your philatelic adventure begins and the decision is yours!
• Where to Get Stamps - of course you'll need stamps for your collection!
• Stamp Tools - an overview of stamp tools.
• Stamp Tips - a review on how to soak, sort, and mount stamps.
• Condition/Value of a Stamp - how to judge the condition of a stamp and how to tell what a stamp is worth.
• Vocabulary Lesson - "Collector Lingo" - Stamp collecting words and their definitions.
• Youth Resources - where to learn more about your new hobby.

Still have questions? Contact us at doris@stamps.org

We wish to thank the U.S. Postal Service for allowing us to use the images of the stamp characters, Stan and Natalie, which were originally featured in the Ben Franklin Stamp Club's "Stamp Fun" newsletter