Also not necessary, but a real help, is a stamp "catalogue" (translation for you Yanks: "catalog"). These are wonderful aids for telling you the description of stamps, and you will see that stamps are often issued in "sets", issued by the Post Office all at the same time. Clue: maybe organizing your stamps by "sets" is a way to go?
You can find out-of-date catalogues at a real bargain, but if you want the latest stamps, you must buy a new catalogue. You can buy them for a single country, or you can buy one that includes many countries. You might also find stamp catalogues at your public library. Question: what would you like to collect?
What else do you need? Well, actually - nothing!! Put some stamps into an album and you are now a stamp collector. Congratulations!! In fact, you can also call yourself a "philatelist", because stamp collecting is known as "philately", in fancy language. Isn't it interesting that my name is Phil A. Tellick? Well, so maybe that isn't my real name!
 | As you become more involved with the hobby, you might want some additional equipment. A magnifying glass is useful if you become interested in small details of stamps, such as printing mistakes that may be hard to see without a glass. Just don't leave the magnifying glass on the table in the bright sunlight - things can get burned that way! Another thing could be a perforation gauge. You know those jagged edges around modern stamps? They are called perforations, because the sheets of stamps are 'perforated' with holes, to make it easier to tear off a stamp from the sheet. |
At one time, they didn't do that, so you had to cut the stamps off the sheets, using scissors. Those old stamps without perforations are called "imperforate". Anyway, I do ramble, don't I? The perforation gauge I mentioned can be used to measure the number of perforations on any stamp. So why would anyone in their right mind want to do that? Well, there was a time when certain stamps were issued that had perforations closer to each other than did other issues of the same stamp! And, collectors being collectors, they found that it was useful to know which was which.
For example, suppose you have 20 copies of the same stamp that was issued with different perforations (you can find out that by looking in your handy catalogue). So, you find a well-lit place, so you can see easily, and you put the perforation gauge alongside each stamp. You might find that some of them measure 11.5, and some measure 12. Your catalog should tell you that this stamp was issued in both perforation sizes. Often, we stamp collectors (you and me) shorten the word to "perf". So, say that you have 2 stamps with perf 12, and 18 stamps with perf 11.5. Your catalog might tell you that the perf 12 stamps are worth 3 times as much as the others, so it was good to have that piece of equipment!
Some older stamps were printed on paper that had invisible marks in it. These marks are called "watermarks" and can be seen with special equipment. One way is to use a special liquid in a black tray. DO NOT try this without help from an adult!! Ask your stamp store for advice.
A final word about equipment. You do not have to have any of the fancy things to enjoy your hobby! The important thing is to have fun learning, then later on see if you want to get more serious about it.
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