| Catalogs are a safe bet, whether you want to | | | | $8,070, or 1 1913 "kookaburra" one from Australia |
| buy postage stamps, sell or appraise your | | | | for $80. |
| collection. Stamp collecting and trading has | | | | This is the place to find a rare stamp or special |
| captured America's heart and millions of collectors | | | | gem for your collection. It should also be noted |
| for over a century. | | | | that in addition to the free online catalogue, |
| For the every day collector who can't wait for | | | | Stanley Gibbons also offers personal, web-based |
| the next auction, a Scott's catalog can fill the void | | | | stamp "My Collection" organization where you can |
| in one's collection. Additionally, the APS, Stanley | | | | keep an online database of your collection. |
| Gibbons, Kenmore Stamp and the US postal | | | | Kenmore Stamp Company from Buffalo, NY has |
| service offer catalogs for your enjoyment. | | | | been in operation since the 1930s and offers a |
| Scott's Catalogue is a world-renowned philatelic | | | | wide array of them from $10-20, Pope John Paul |
| reference for people who want to buy postage | | | | II and Lord of the Rings souvenir sheet types to |
| stamps and sell or appraise their collection. Annual | | | | $195, first Trans-Atlantic crossing / Zeppelin flight |
| subscriptions for this 5,000 page pamphlet cost as | | | | covers, $3,900 red-brown 5 cent Franklin |
| little as $18.97 for six months or as much as | | | | imperforates and mint 10 cent Washington blacks |
| $98.97 for three years. Subscribers can choose | | | | for $16,000! This is a great place to acquire them, |
| between print or online, or even receive both for | | | | whether you're a beginner or expert philatelist. |
| a small price! The Scott's Catalogue numbering | | | | The United States Postal Service puts out an |
| system is how most collectors categorize their | | | | annual catalog where you can find all the |
| collections, so it's not uncommon to refer to an | | | | commemorative and press sheet stamps put out |
| "Inverted Jenny" simply as "C3a." | | | | each year. At Shop USPS, you can order the full |
| The American Philatelic Society has a database of | | | | catalog or just browse a few categories. Buy 20 |
| over 270,613 items that you can search by | | | | Marvel comic ones for $8.20, a 79-cent Gerald |
| country, type, keywords, Scott Catalogue | | | | Ford one or an uncut Star Wars press sheet for |
| number, country and its type, country and | | | | $18.45. |
| keyword, its type and keyword, or Stamp ID | | | | There are decent prices for first-time collectors. |
| number. You needn't be a member to browse, | | | | Whether you'd like to purchase postage stamps |
| but if you'd like to buy postage stamps or get | | | | with pop culture themes as gifts or collectibles, |
| personal stamp information, you must become a | | | | you can find them here. |
| member. Membership fees go toward publishing | | | | Many people buy postage stamps through |
| their monthly journal and costs range from $11.75 | | | | legitimate catalogs to safeguard their investments |
| year to $38, depending on when you register | | | | and receive some sort of guarantee of |
| (July - September is best). | | | | authenticity. However, beginners might find it |
| The first Stanley Gibbons catalogue was published | | | | more advantageous to collect stamps online |
| in 1865 and since then, they've been a leading | | | | through an auction site like eBay, where bids start |
| resource for collectors looking to get postage | | | | as low as one cent. |
| ones from Great Britain or elsewhere, with the | | | | Trading stamps through catalogs isn't free, which |
| exception of the United States. You can find a | | | | is why other internet sites seem to have such an |
| $181,575 first day black cover from Great Britain | | | | enormous selection on hand. |
| (1840), an unused 1847 one from Tobago for | | | | |