Canadian Stamp Collecting Facts

by Don Tanner

Since its inception on May 6, 1840, “postage stamps”
have been a part of history. It's one the best lines of
stamp collecting that collectors have enjoyed to this
day.

Since the time postage stamps were created, the idea
of collecting them came into view right after they were
circulated into the market. This is because some people
have grown a fondness to these artistic creations.

For this reason, stamp manufacturers have realized the
values that stamps bring. That is why Canada decided
to make their own stamps. These stamps were previously
created to reflect the historical background.

From the well-known maple leaf coin down to the
historical stamps, Canada has remarkably created a
culture of its own.

From this, Canadian stamp collecting started. From the
commonly used stamps up to those that are classified as
rare and hard to find. Stamp collecting in Canada is
definitely a rewarding hobby.

So, if you are a Canadian citizen or not, and are
interested in starting a Canadian stamp collection, here
are a few pointers that you need to know before you
start collecting these miniature masterpieces:

1. The ability to sort stamps.

Every stamp collector, whether a Canadian or not, should
learn how to sort different kinds of stamps. It would be
better to sort them first before you keep them in your
album for record keeping.

The sorting process will be based on the type of stamp
collecting that you are interested in. For instance, if you
want to collect stamps by topic, say, historical facts, start
from there.

You can even sort them according to their classifications
like separating the special delivery stamps to those of the
revenue stamps, and the list will go on.

2. Learn how to remove stamps from the envelope without
damaging them.

If you have decided to start Canadian stamp collecting, it is
extremely important that you know how to peel off these
stamps from the envelopes without damaging even the
slightest corner of the stamp.

To do this, you must learn the proper way of soaking. In this
process, you will be able to peel off the stamp without any
damage to the stamp.

This is relatively easy because all you have to do is to cut
the portion where the stamp is placed, taking extra care
not to cut the stamp itself. Then, soak them in a basin of
water, stamp side up. It would be better if you will use
some tepid water, not hot, as this will ruin your stamps.

Do not be in a hurry when soaking stamps. You might have
the propensity to soak too many stamps in one batch. The
idea here is to give the stamps extra room to drift up to the
surface of the water. Once they begin to resurface, try to pull
them out carefully and then peel them off. Once you see that
they are ready to be detached from the paper, remove them
and any traces of adhesives at the back, then, place them
between “two paper towels” to dry.

Keep in mind that if you have a lot of stamps to soak, change
the water every two sets to ensure that the stamps will
peel off easily. This will save time and preserve any
identifiable marks within the envelope. It is best to keep
the stamp as it is placed on the envelope. This will make
your stamp collection more valuable.

3. Use the right mounting tools

The next thing to learn is how to place your stamps in the
album. It's definitely a NO-NO to place your stamps in the
album using a glue or any other kind of adhesive.

Mounted or hinged is the best way. The choice is yours, but
either will do. These options are available from any stamp
dealers in your community. Just try to choose the one that
will work best for your collection.

The above methods boil down to the fact that starting a
Canadian stamp collecting, or any other, is not complicated
once you know these three pointers. The idea of stamp
collecting is to keep all of your stamps organized. Once
you have familiarized yourself with Canadian stamp
collecting, you are definitely on your way to a gratifying
pastime.