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Where can I buy stamps for a collection?

From stamp dealers, auction houses, stamp shows, online marketplaces, club circuit books and postal administrations. Which one suits you depends on whether you're filling gaps or buying in bulk.

Societies such as the American Philatelic Society publish dealer directories whose members sign up to a code of ethics, which is a sensible place to start.

How do I avoid overpaying for stamps?

Price from recent sold results rather than catalogue value or asking prices, and buy the best condition you can afford instead of several weak copies.

• Catalogue value is a reference, not a price. Common stamps routinely sell for a fraction of it. See what are my stamps worth?
• Grade before you bid. Centering, gum and faults move price more than the catalogue number does.
• One good stamp beats three poor ones. Weak copies are hard to resell at any price.
• Watch the extras. Buyer's premium, postage, insurance and customs can add a lot to a cheap lot.

How do I avoid fakes, repairs and reprints?

Buy from sellers who accept returns, insist on a certificate for expensive stamps, and learn the common tricks: reperforated edges, regummed backs, faked overprints and added cancels.

Any stamp valuable enough to fake has been faked. Certificates from services such as APEX, the Philatelic Foundation and BPA Expertising exist precisely so buyers don't have to take a seller's word. For a stamp costing hundreds of dollars or more, a certificate isn't optional. See how to tell if a stamp is rare.

What should a beginner buy first?

Buy material, not rarities: a mixture or two, a stockbook, and maybe a cheap country packet. Spend on single stamps only once you can identify and grade them yourself.

Kiloware, stamps still on paper sold by weight, is the classic starting purchase. It's cheap, it teaches you soaking and sorting, and it throws up surprises. See how to start a stamp collection and how to remove stamps from envelopes.

How do I buy stamps online safely?

Check the seller's feedback and returns policy, insist on clear photos of the front and back, read the condition description closely, and pay in a way that gives you buyer protection.

1. Ask for a scan of the back if it isn't shown. Thins, repairs and regumming hide there.
2. Read the description for the words that matter: faults, thin, crease, reperforated, regummed, “as is”.
3. Look for a returns window, and inspect the stamp the day it arrives.
4. For expensive stamps, ask whether it's certified, and by whom.
5. Factor in shipping, insurance and any import charges before you decide it's cheap.

What should I expect to pay for common stamps?

Common used stamps cost a few cents each in mixtures and packets, and better single stamps are priced from catalogue value with a discount that depends on condition and demand. The gap between those two worlds is where beginners get caught.

The practical rule: never pay single-stamp prices for material that turns up in every mixture, and don't expect mixture prices for stamps that dealers actually have to find. When in doubt, check recent sold prices before you buy. See what are my stamps worth?