Stamp Collecting in Plain English is oriented toward the person who has developed an interest in the hobby of stamp collecting and who is seeking very basic information to get started. Our initial videos are designed to introduce you to tools, jargon (all hobbies have it), and tips that allow you to take your first steps without fear of making silly mistakes. If the vast hobby of stamp collecting lacks anything - and it DOES have the largest body of literature of any hobby - it is any sort of array of basic introductory materials. Once your hands are wet (and we will show you how to do that, also), it is not very long before you are proceeding merrily with your own collection.

If there is anything, to me, that stands out as the most important aspect of stamp collecting, it is that there are no rules as to how or what you should collect. Your collection is a mirror of you. You might choose a collection of the country of your heritage, or a country you visited and loved, or a topic - your first lesson: TOPIC is based on what is depicted on the stamp - you enjoy. If you love to raise flowers, a collection of flowers depicted on postage stamps may be for you. Or, if you love bears and keeping them in your backyard will not work, then perhaps a collection of bears of stamps if for you. With more than 500,000 stamps issues since the first in 1840, there is no limit to what you can choose for your collection.

~ Richard L. Sine ~