Modern U.S. stamps don’t have watermarks, but many older ones do, in the shape of a single line or double line U, S, or P. See illustrations below. To see if your stamp has a watermark, place it face down in a watermark tray, and pour enough watermark fluid over it to cover completely.
How do you know which postage stamps to use?
The APS offers a Stamp Identifier for sale at our "Publications Shop" or visit the Worldwide Stamp Identifier site. While identification by country may initially satisfy you, many collectors will want to know when their stamp was issued and how much it is worth. Catalogs exist to help in this way.
Do I need ID to buy postage stamps?
How Can I Identify Old Stamps? The only way to tell these two stamps apart is to measure their perforations and watermark them. Some stamp designs look the same, but have been issued for different purposes. The only difference when you look at them may be the number of sides with perforations. A sheet stamp has perforations on all four sides.
Are those stamps valid for postage?
Identify the stamp. Find out when was the stamp issued. Know the stamp's age and material used. Determine the centering of the design. Check the stamp's gum. Determine the condition of the perforations. See if the stamp has been cancelled or not. Find out the rarity of the stamp.
What kind of postage stamp should I use?
Kenmore Stamp Company has been pleasing collectors for over 80 years. Kenmore Stamp Company. Menu. Search. Account. Cart. Search. Search. Search. Advanced Search ... Get the inside scoop on how to distinguish valuable U.S. postage stamps from the common varieties with our U.S. Stamp Identifier. 1847 First Issues vs Reprints (#1 vs 3, #2 vs 4 ...
How to tell if a stamp has a watermark?
To see if your stamp has a watermark, place it face down in a watermark tray, and pour enough watermark fluid over it to cover completely. (Never use water.) The watermark should be visible; how well it shows varies with the stamp. You may not see a whole letter or design, but only part of one.
What is the difference between stamps?
Sometimes the only difference between stamps that look alike is their watermark. Watermarks are letters or patterns impressed into the paper used to produce certain stamps. Modern U.S. stamps don’t have watermarks, but many older ones do, in the shape of a single line or double line U, S, or P. See illustrations below.
What is a coil stamp?
Coil stamps are issued in long strips for use in vending machines. They have straight edges on opposite sides and perforations on the other two sides. Booklet stamps come from a small pane or block of stamps which is part of a booklet sold at post offices or in vending machines.
What is self adhesive stamp?
Self-adhesive stamps are issued on a special backing paper. Once peeled off the backing, a pre-applied adhesive allows the stamps to be affixed without being moistened. They may have wavy, “serpentine perforations” or be imperforate. Always take the horizontal perforation measurement first, then the vertical.
What is pre applied adhesive?
Once peeled off the backing, a pre-applied adhesive allows the stamps to be affixed without being moistened. They may have wavy, “serpentine perforations” or be imperforate. Gauging Perforations. Always take the horizontal perforation measurement first, then the vertical.
Turn to a stamp dealer for help
There are many online services as well as professional stamp dealers that can define the value of a postage stamp in a short period of time. The best way to find such a specialist is to consult with other collectors who have more experience in this issue.
Identify a stamp
On the first stage you should identify a postage stamp. It is one of the most important steps in the process of determining its cost. For this purpose take a look in a special stamp catalogue.
Determine the centering of a stamp
To determine the grade of philatelic items it is important to determine their centering. It is made in order to see if a stamp’s design is balanced in relation to its other parts, such as the margin and the vignette. So, centering is the key factor in determining the grade of a stamp.
Pay attention to the degree of cancellation
What is a stamp cancellation? In simple words it is a method of applying a marking on a philatelic item to indicate it has been already used.
Condition of the perforation
Stamp perforations are circular holes punched onto a printed stamp to facilitate its separation from other items that the sheet contains. The perforations can be different in size, in its number etc. The valuable stamp in a good condition should have full teeth and clean holes. To measure the stamp perforations you can use perforation gauge.
Determine the rarity of philatelic item
To determine the rarity of a stamp one can check the philatelic market on its availability. If there are no such items for sale, it is likely that this stamp is extremely scarce. For some collectors rarity is the key factor in determining the postage stamp’s value.
The material and age of a postage stamp
Stamp collectors and dealers like stamps with rich and interesting history as the origin of some items can tell about the period during which they were issued, the place where they were manufactured, as well as the type of material that was used to create this tiny works of art.
