August
August is Stamp Collecting month, Australia Post’s annual celebration of a very old hobby.
How long can old stamps be used?
If you purely want your postmark for collectable purposes, and won’t be placing your envelope into the postal system, there is a grace period of up to 4 weeks beyond the first day of issue when you can still get your item postmarked.
What is the main reason for collecting stamps?
Simply for joy, fun or enjoyment For some people, just the simple and pure fun of the hunt (similar to treasure hunting), and the moment of actually finding and successfully acquiring a particular stamp is a good enough reason to collect stamps.
Are modern stamps worth collecting?
The collecting of modern commemorative stamps IS about the enjoyment, history, and education realized from the hobby. It IS NOT about the money. Most of the modern commemorative stamps will probably never be worth much more than the face-value printed on them.
How do I value a stamp collection?
Contact the Philatelic Traders’ Society by visiting its website. They will be able to give your collection an ‘appraisal’ for free and give you advice as to whether or not your collection may be worth something.
How old do you have to be to have a stamp collection?
Collections can be valued by a Philatelic Traders’ Society Member, if they fall into one or more of the below categories: The stamps in the collections must be issued no later than about 1960. This is very important; stamps within the collection will be more collectible and therefore more sought-after if they are older.
Why did old time stamp collectors leave the hobby?
Stamp collecting suffered a serious setback because not only did the “investors” leave, but many “old time” stamp collectors had already left the hobby in disgust because stamps had become “too commercialized” and they could no longer afford to collect.
Can a old stamp still be used for postage?
Indeed, rare old stamps can be worth high amounts of money. This is from a collectible perspective. If you are asking whether an old stamp can still be used for postage, that depends on the currency stamped on it and the postal service’s rules on the use of older stamps. Just take care not to send a rare, valuable old stamp as modern postage!
Is it possible to find a rare stamp collection?
Unearthing a rare stamp or collection is akin to finding a needle in a haystack, according to Mr Warren. However, they do sometimes turn up. For example, someone came in with a collection of stamps which the owner wanted to get rid of and almost sold for £50 previously.
