The choice of an album is a matter of great importance. If the beginner has only a few stamps, it will probably be better to buy one of the usual type, which has the title of the country and brief geographical and historical notes at the top of the page with illustrations of one or two stamps, while below there are squares of the stamps themselves.
There is no special space for any particular stamp and consequently, the collection is usually not arranged in any consecutive order.
When a good number of stamps have been obtained it will be wise to move them to an album in which spaces are provided for each particular stamp; the description of the stamp or an illustration of it will be wise to move them to an album in which spaces are provided for each particular stamp.
Albums either interleaved with plain paper or with spaces for stamps on one side of the page only are the preferable option.
If the collector wants more freedom than the printed album, there are loose-leaf blank albums in which he can arrange his stamps in any order that pleases him and can alter that order from time to time just as he may wish, process ranging from half-a-crown to several guineas.
Whether a blank or printed album is being chosen it should bear the name of a reliable dealer, should have a strong binder and the pages should be of a good stout paper.
Stamps should never be pasted sown in the album or stuck in with stamp edging. Not only does this spoil the appearance of the book and detract from the value of the stamps, but it marks the collector as ignorant of rudiments of his hobby. Transparent stamp hinges, doubly gummed, and of the best obtainable quality, can be bought for a few pence a thousand, so there is no excuse for using a substitute.
There are several different kinds of catalogues varying the detail which they give. The larger catalogues provide descriptions and lists of every stamp. If you are looking for absolute simplicity, Simplified Catalogues are a good option.
The catalogue should be supplemented by a good stamp magazine from which you will learn about new stamps that are issued, and which will also contain interesting articles on all sorts of subjects connected with your hobby, from which you will get many helpful hints.
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