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Chapter 7. The Next Step

Having acquired the beginner's outfit, as described in the foregoing chapter, the next step is to get to work on your treasures.

A good site for operations is the dining-room table as it offers plenty of room and, also, the rest of the family can sit around and put in their "two cents' worth" on occasion. Perhaps, later you will wish to make this a one-man project and retire to your den, but right now it will be more fun to let everyone in on the act for you are going to need much help sorting that initial packet of stamps.

Put your album aside (after it has been duly admired by all and sundry), along with the watermark detector and perforation gauge. Open the packet of stamps and dump the contents out on the table. Now, using your tongs to handle the stamps, start sorting them into three separate piles, as follows:

1. Stamps you can identify as to country of origin. You will find quite a few of these for you will recognize the names upon them.
2. Stamps you think you know but are not quite sure of. This will constitute a much larger pile.
3. Stamps you cannot identify at all. This will be your largest pile.

Stamp collecting - the hobby for the entire family.

C) Unknown

Now on the first time through the packet of stamps you will not have made much progress. In comparison with the others, Pile No. 1 will be small indeed. But by the time you have gotten to the end of the packet you will have recognized many characteristics on stamps that clearly indicate they have a common origin.

Then you are ready to tackle Pile No. 2 and will be able to put not a few of them into Pile No. 1. And now you will find Pile No. 3 will yield contributions to both Piles Nos. 1 and 2.

You will note that I am advising you to cast into one pile Pile No.1 all stamps that you have identified as to country of origin. Do not try to separate them into separate countries. To do so would provide you with so many little piles you would become hopelessly confused. Even the most erudite collector will not attempt to break down the assortment into its ultimate parts in one operation. Make only three general piles as indicated.

Having made two trips through the packet of stamps you will have about exhausted the possibility of identifying further stamps at this time. (You will be surprised how much the rest of the family will have helped you up to this point.)

Now put aside Piles Nos. 2 and 3 and concentrate on Pile No.1 the stamps you have identified as to country of origin.

If this is not a large pile you may sort the stamps into separate piles each of a single country. However, if the pile is quite large, you had better proceed by sorting alphabetically: all "A" countries in one pile, "B" countries in another, and so on. Then go back to the "A" countries and sort into individual countries. Again I caution you, do not try to do too many operations in one sorting. No matter how expert you will in time become, you will find it necessary to sort any large accumulation of stamps by stages. If you get to the point where you can identify the country of origin of every stamp issued you still will have to sort into alphabetical piles before attempting to sort a large lot into individual countries.

Now, you've sorted your Pile No. 1 into individual countries. You are ready for your album. Open it and find the proper country for the stamp you wish to mount. All printed albums have an index or are arranged alphabetically, so this will be an easy chore, Now search for an illustration matching the stamp you wish to mount.

Having found the illustration you may discover that it is of a one-penny stamp whereas the stamp you have is a two-penny but of the same design. You will find that following the illustration in your album there will be several blank spaces. In the more elaborate albums these spaces will contain descriptions of the exact stamp to be placed within them; thus there will be in the space next to the illustration of the one-penny stamp, a catalog number or a description somewhat as follows:

If this description matches your stamp, you have found its proper place and may proceed to mount your stamp in accordance with the instructions given in the next chapter. If a catalog number is given refer to your catalog to obtain a description of the stamp. We explain in a later chapter how to use this catalog.

If the blank spaces in your album do not contain descriptions of stamps, you should mount your stamp if not of the denomination shown in the illustration to the right of the illustration. If the stamp is identical to the illustration it should be mounted on top of the illustration.

Most printed albums, especially those beyond the toy stage, contain much valuable information about the countries that issue the stamps and about the stamps themselves. Study this information carefully before mounting your stamps. It will add to your pleasure and your knowledge and, don't forget, it will help you identify some of those stamps in Pile No. 3 which you have not yet tackled.

A printed album page. In addition to illustrations, descriptions indicate locations of stamps in more elaborate albums. Page shown is from The Comprehensive World-Wide Stamp Album, created to hold more than 30,000 stamps.

By now it will have become obvious that stamps do not find their way into the proper spaces in your album without considerable study. But also, by now you will have discovered just how fascinating stamp collecting can be. Take a look at the clock. You will be amazed at how quickly the evening has passed-and at how much you have learned. But, as the saying goes, "you ain't seen nothin' yet!" What about those pictures on the stamps? The men and women, the landscapes and seascapes, the ships and battles, the flora and fauna? All of these are just crying for exploration and all will reveal stories of fascination beyond belief.

But tomorrow is another day. So far you've gotten the feel of collecting. You've learned how to go about sorting stamps and have had a glimpse of the great exploration that lies ahead. There is much more to learn. What, for instance, does one do with the perforation gauge and the watermark detector?

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