Hello to all,

Hi Phillyguy:

Welcome to the exchange. I'd recommend starting with a single country's commemorative stamps. Single country stamps are readily available at reasonable cost and printed album pages also available which avoids difficult organizational decisions.

I also recommend buying a catalog for the country you choose and the basic tools, i.e. tongs, magnifier, mounts or hinges, and perforation guage. U.S. commemoratives, starting at the end of WW II (1946) and working forward should be a good beginning. Lots of stamps to work with at a modest cost. You should decide also if you want to collect mint or used. Used are cheaper and you can hinge them without loss of value.

Lots of topical stamps available in packets, but they lack continuity and sometimes identification is difficult. There is also the frequent need for world-wide catalogs and the need to layout and draw ones own pages for mounting. Frequently overwhelming for beginners.

Keep us posted on how your collecting is progressing.

Don

 

DON is probably correct about a single country... Perhaps countries where your ancestors originated? Countries you've visited - or would like to visit? I've lived in Hawaii and worked in Newfoundland so am partial to islands such as those and Tasmania. Do some reading, poking around, see what grabs your interest.