US Stamps

About US Stamps

Many of today's collectors started collecting U.S. postage stamps as kids, often with a parent or family member. The US stamp collecting market has weakened in recent years, however, with many stamps and even entire collections trading below face value (so many copies of common stamps were printed that there's not enough demand to warrant a premium). Rare or unusual U.S. stamps, however, are another story - there's a robust market for those, and some specimens can be worth thousands of dollars or more.

There are many ways to approach collecting U.S. stamps. Some collectors focus on a specific time period, like the 19th century. Others choose specific themes like airmail stamps or duck stamps. Some focus on specific formats like sheets, plate blocks, coils, or booklets. There are also a large number of collectors who focus on first day covers - stamps that were affixed to a special envelope and cancelled on the first day of issue...

As with many collectibles, rarity and condition are two key determinants of value. U.S. stamps can be either unused (never cancelled) or used, and there are collectors who focus on both varieties.

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Interviews & Articles

An Interview With U.S. Stamp Collector Bob Allen

Like many collectors, I collected when I was a child, and then I became interested again in the ‘90s. I thi… [more]

An Interview With Postal History Collector Richard Frajola

I have a stamp collection, but I don’t consider myself a collector. I have a collection of my initials on s… [more]

Essays, The Stamp Designs That Also Ran

It was a shock to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing when a critic pointed out that the view of "Gatun Lock… [more]

Postally Used Works of Art

Paintings and sculpture galore have been reproduced on postage stamps, sort of an Everyman's art gallery. But… [more]



Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)

1847USA

1847USA

Bob Allen's beautiful and well organized catalog of US stamps from 1847 to 1970 is a fantastic resource for all US … [read review or visit site]

PhilaMercury

PhilaMercury

Richard Frajola's incredibly rich database of over 11,000 U.S. and foreign 19th Century postal stamp covers. This s… [read review or visit site]

Post Office in Paradise

Post Office in Paradise

Post Office in Paradise showcases Hawaiian postal history from the years before Hawaii became a part of the United … [read review or visit site]

Alphabetilately

Alphabetilately

This creative website is essentially a giant glossary of stamp collecting, 'from advertising covers through Zeppeli… [read review or visit site]

The Stamp Collecting Round-up

The Stamp Collecting Round-up

Don Schilling's long-running, in-depth blog on stamp collecting and postal operations. Schilling stays up on all th… [read review or visit site]

National Postal Museum

National Postal Museum

If you're into postal history or collectibles, check out the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum. This extensive s… [read review or visit site]

Private Die Proprietary Stamps

Private Die Proprietary Stamps

Bob Hohertz's impressive database of U.S. Private Die Proprietary stamps from the Civil War and Spanish American Wa… [read review or visit site]

R. A. Siegel Auction Galleries

R. A. Siegel Auction Galleries

This auction house site offers an extensive online database of US stamp information. Includes PDF catalogs of past … [read review or visit site]


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Clubs & Associations: US Stamps


Other Great Reference Sites: US Stamps

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Top eBay Auctions  Help | Get weekly US Stamps email

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Ryukyu Sc#17 Nh Very Rare Error Dropped 0$1,499 Ends in 8 hours 1 bid 18 watchers
Key Value Us Commemorative Stamp Coll Many Mint Nh$1,126 Ends Monday 9 bids 14 watchers
Amazing Mint Nh Us Zeppelin Set C13 To C15 No Reserve!$989.79 Ends Wednesday 4 bids 8 watchers
245, Used $5 Columbian F-vf Registry Cancel Cat $1500.$975.00 Ends Sunday 1 bid 2 watchers
Scott #39 With Weiss Cert. Stating That It Is Used!!$810.00 Ends Monday 11 bids 12 watchers
Large Donation Box-us And Ww-large Catalog Value!$810.00 Ends in 6 mins 14 bids 21 watchers
Us Scott # 244,1893, Serie Of Columbian, Vf $760.00 Ends Monday 10 bids 22 watchers
2,000 Stamps-34 Cent & 2,000 Stamps-.10 Cent= 44 Cents $755.55 Ends Monday 3 bids 5 watchers
Us Scott # 245,1893, Serie Of Columbian, Xf H, Og$667.66 Ends Monday 8 bids 19 watchers
Us-guam Plate Imprint Block 0f 6 With Cert. See Details$660.00 Ends Sunday 19 bids 5 watchers
Us-guam Sc# 7 Plate Impt Block 0f 6 With Cert. $645.55 Ends Sunday 18 bids 5 watchers
Dr. Bob Us Scott #2 Used Sound Stamp$535.50 Ends Wednesday 13 bids 22 watchers
Scott #244 Xf-superb Mint $4 Columbus Cv $2600.00$531.00 Ends Sunday 14 bids 26 watchers
Scott #c15 Vf Mint $2.60 Zeppelin Airmail$455.55 Ends Sunday 11 bids 19 watchers
Scott #293 Vf Mint Mississippi Cv $2100.00$455.00 Ends Sunday 9 bids 25 watchers
#1295 Moore Promax $5.00 Bcv $2.650.00 Mnh Og Xfs+1966$435.00 Ends Wednesday 9 bids 12 watchers
Us Scott #243,1893,serie Of Columbian, Vf Gum Disturbed$417.11 Ends Monday 7 bids 21 watchers
Us Stamps # 241 $1 Columbian Fvf Og$412.00 Ends Sunday 1 bid
1000 Each Stamps 10 Rolls Of U.s Flag Stamps $440 Value$398.80 Ends in 2 hours 5 bids 2 watchers
Dr. Bob Us Scott #244 Used Sound $4 Columbian Stamp$393.96 Ends Wednesday 15 bids 21 watchers
Us Scott #242,1893,serie Of Columbian, Vf Gum Disturbed$385.00 Ends Monday 8 bids 11 watchers
10 Rolls Us Postage Stamps $375.00 Ends in 8 hours 2 bids 1 watcher
Hawaii Sc#76s, Please See Details On This Scarce Gem..$364.95 Ends Thursday 8 bids 7 watchers
Us Stamps # 30 5c Jefferson Fvf Og Hr$358.00 Ends Sunday 1 bid 3 watchers
Scott #122 Used 1869 Lincoln Cv $2500.00$355.00 Ends Sunday 7 bids 15 watchers
Amazing Mint Nh Us Zeppelin Set C13 To C15 No Reserve!$354.98 Ends Thursday 5 bids 5 watchers
U.s. Scott C15 F-vf Used High Value Graf Zeppelin $333.76 Ends in 6 hours 14 bids 10 watchers
Dr. Bob Us Scott #291 Mint Sound $1 Transmississippi $308.00 Ends Wednesday 12 bids 12 watchers
Dr. Bob Us Scott #1 Used Sound Xf Stamp$306.01 Ends Wednesday 6 bids 12 watchers
Us Stamps # 244 $4 Columbian Fvf Used$306.00 Ends Sunday 1 bid 5 watchers
Us #243 Mint Rg Scott Cv 950 Fresh And Clean!$305.00 Ends in 5 hours 4 bids 10 watchers
Dr. Bob Us Scott #505 Mint Block Of 9 5?? Error $302.00 Ends Wednesday 7 bids 7 watchers
Rw1 Uncancelled On 1934 N. Dakota Hunting License Rare $300.00 Ends Sunday 20 bids 14 watchers
United States 1898 # 292 Used Stamp, Scv $ 600, Nr$299.50 Ends Monday 1 bid 2 watchers
505 Mint Vf Og Lh Cat$300$290.00 Ends in 15 hours 9 bids 2 watchers
#1612 Rr Lantern $5.00 Bcv $1,825.00 Prem Mnh Og Sg1979$282.87 Ends Thursday 9 bids 9 watchers
Dr. Bob Us Scott #c15 Mnh Og Well Centered Zeppelin$280.01 Ends Wednesday 5 bids 14 watchers
Dr. Bob Us Scott #290 Mnh Og Plate Number Pair W/cert$256.01 Ends Wednesday 9 bids 3 watchers
Scott #c14 Vf Nh $1.30 Zeppelin Airmail$255.00 Ends Sunday 8 bids 20 watchers
1869 #118 I 15c Brown Blue Unused Ng$230.00 Ends in 4 hours 29 bids 7 watchers
Dr. Bob Us Scott #c14 Mint Nh Og Well Centered Zeppelin$224.50 Ends Wednesday 7 bids 13 watchers
#618 Birth Ofliberty 2ct Bcv $525.00 Mnh Og Xf 1925$211.01 Ends Sunday 12 bids 7 watchers
Us C15 Zeppelin $2.60 Air Mail Og Mint Lh Cv$615$208.50 Ends Monday 3 bids 9 watchers
Scott #243a Mint W/ Certificate Cv $1900.00$207.50 Ends Sunday 7 bids 20 watchers
Scott #241 Mint $1 Columbus Cv $1200.00$204.50 Ends Sunday 6 bids 24 watchers
#1611 Karosene $2.00 Bcv $825.00 Prem Mnh Og Sg 1979$202.11 Ends Thursday 5 bids 3 watchers
Sc#122 1869 90c Carmine & Black Lincoln $200.00 Ends in 22 hours 12 bids 27 watchers
Hawaii #6 Gem Stamp Only 1,000 Known Catalog $700.00++$200.00 Ends Friday 6 bids 15 watchers
1910 1c Shermack W/perforated Control Mark$199.99 Ends Thursday 1 bid 2 watchers
11; Cameo; Engine Boiler Machines; Detroit, Mi$195.00 Ends Sunday 3 bids 5 watchers
Scott #245 Xf-superb Mint Reperf Cv $3000.00$192.50 Ends Sunday 5 bids 26 watchers
Us Stamps Scott #120 Cv $775.00$192.49 Ends Monday 2 bids 6 watchers
Hawaii #9 Line Through Honolulu 200 Known Cat $750.00+$182.50 Ends Friday 8 bids 8 watchers
Scott #404 Mint Nh San Francisco Cv $2000.00$178.50 Ends Sunday 14 bids 17 watchers
Usa. 1847. Sc. # 1. Used.$175.00 Ends in 22 hours 1 bid 6 watchers
Us #8a Used, With Doporto Certificate$167.50 Ends in 3 hours 14 bids 14 watchers
#658 To 679 Mnh Complete Kans. / Nebr. Overprint Set$162.48 Ends Sunday 6 bids 6 watchers

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Recent News: US Stamps

Source: Google News

Postal mark, date, ID number among points questioned
WND.com, November 6th

one of the top postal historians in the country who wrote a stamp column for the New York Times and authored "Stamp Collecting for Dummies...Read more

Things to do in your area
Hunterdon Review, November 6th

Stamp Collecting Meeting, The West Essex Philatelic Society (WEPS) meets at 7 pm second and fourth Mondays at the Verona Public Library,...Read more

Journey of Indian railways depicted through stamps
Little About (blog), November 6th

"Just to focus this book because stamp collection is dying in the world. To promote this book is written on railways philately through railways," said...Read more

Timecare: Why Alternative Commodities Are Helping Savers Beat the Banks
Reuters, November 4th

Stamps We`ve all heard of the famous `Penny Black`. Recently one of these rare stamps sold for £250000 - making stamp collecting a lucrative investment...Read more

National Postal Museum Presents British Stamps in a New Online Collection
7thSpace Interactive (press release), October 29th

Stamp Magazine, a publication devoted to stamp collecting, debuted in Britain the same year. For the past 75 years, the magazine has reported on news and...Read more

Stamp of approval
Juneau Empire, October 29th

Collecting naval covers is a specialized area of philately, the official term for stamp collecting. "This has been a viable hobby now for almost 100 years,...Read more

It's easy to 'Learn About Stamps'
North Fort Myers Neighbor, October 20th

October is National Stamp Collecting Month and the National Postal Museum has launched a new Web site designed to introduce visitors to stamps and stamp...Read more

Stamp collecting: history lesson, hobby
Mirror, October 12th

“The Complete Illustrated Guide to Stamp Collecting,” by James Mackay, is a good book to check out for those interested in starting a stamp collection but...Read more

US Stamps

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