I Found a Rare Stamp in a “Postage Lot” I Bought on eBay
The Needle in the Haystack
I enjoy collecting stamps but can’t afford the rare, expensive ones. I buy “postage lots” on eBay—big bags of common, modern stamps sold by weight for people to use for mailing. I was soaking the stamps off the paper from one of these lots. In the middle of all the common flag stamps, I saw one that looked different. It was an older stamp with a small printing error. I looked it up, and the single, overlooked stamp was worth over $100. It had been hiding in plain sight in a bag of “junk” stamps.
How to Tell if Your Old Coin Is Actually Worth Money (Look for This Mark)
The All-Important Mint Mark
I inherited a jar of old silver dimes. I thought they were all the same. I learned that the most important thing to look for is the “mint mark”—a tiny letter on the coin that indicates where it was made. A 1916 Mercury dime, for example, is a common coin. But a 1916 Mercury dime with a tiny “D” mint mark on the back is one of the rarest and most valuable coins in American history. That one, tiny letter can be the difference between a coin worth a few dollars and a coin worth thousands.
The Best Way to Store Your Collection to Prevent Damage
The Enemy is PVC
When I started collecting coins, I put them in those soft, flexible plastic flips. This was a huge mistake. I learned that this soft plastic contains PVC, which, over time, will leach out and create a green, sticky residue that permanently damages the surface of the coins. The proper way to store coins is in hard, inert plastic holders or in archival-quality flips that are explicitly labeled “PVC-free.” It’s a simple precaution that will preserve your collection for a lifetime.
I Paid for My Hobby by Finding Errors on Modern Coins
The “Die Crack” and the “Double Die”
I thought coin collecting was all about old, rare coins. I learned that you can find valuable error coins in your pocket change. I started looking closely at the modern coins I got from the store. I learned to spot common errors like “die cracks” (raised lines on the coin) and “double dies” (a doubled image). These error coins are sought after by collectors, and I was able to sell the ones I found online for a nice profit, effectively paying for my hobby with my hobby.
The Secret to Soaking Stamps Off Paper Without Ruining Them
The Cold Water and the Slow Float
I was ruining a lot of stamps by trying to peel them off the envelope paper. I learned the proper, patient method for soaking stamps. The secret is to use a shallow dish of cool water. You place the piece of the envelope with the stamp on it face down in the water and just let it sit. Don’t touch it. After about 15-20 minutes, the stamp will naturally float off the paper on its own, with the glue completely dissolved. You can then gently lift it out and let it dry.
The Most Overlooked (and Undervalued) Area of Collecting
The Beauty of the “Back of the Book”
Most stamp collectors focus on the main “definitive” and “commemorative” postage stamps. I discovered the “back of the book” section of the stamp catalog. This is where you find all the interesting, esoteric, and often much cheaper stamps, like revenue stamps, duck stamps, and postage due stamps. These stamps often have beautiful, intricate designs and a fascinating history, but because they are less popular, you can often acquire rare and beautiful examples for a fraction of the cost of their more famous postage stamp cousins.
How to Use a Magnifying Loupe Like a Professional Grader
Bring the Loupe to Your Eye
I bought a jeweler’s loupe to look at my coins and stamps, but I was using it wrong. I was holding it up to the object like a magnifying glass. The proper way to use a loupe is to hold the loupe right up against your eye, almost touching your eyebrow. Then, you bring the object closer to the loupe until it comes into focus. This creates a stable, clear, and perfectly focused image and is the technique that all professional graders use.
I Started a “Topical” Stamp Collection and It’s More Fun Than by Country
A Thematic Journey
I was getting bored trying to collect one of every stamp from a specific country. It felt like a chore. I switched to “topical” collecting. I decided to only collect stamps that had pictures of mushrooms on them. This turned stamp collecting into a global treasure hunt. I was finding stamps from dozens of different countries and eras, all connected by my single, quirky theme. It was a much more creative and personal way to engage with the hobby.
The Coin That’s Still in Circulation That’s Worth $100
The “No-S” Proof Dime
I learned about a rare error coin that can still be found in circulation. In 1982, the US Mint in San Francisco forgot to put the “S” mint mark on a small number of Roosevelt dimes that were made for special “proof” collector sets. Some of these sets were broken up, and the “No-S” dimes were accidentally put into circulation. They are worth a lot of money to collectors, and it’s a thrilling reminder that there is still real, tangible treasure hiding in your pocket change.
How to Handle Old Stamps and Coins Without Leaving Fingerprints
The Power of the Tongs
The oils on your fingers can permanently damage the surface of a stamp or a coin, leaving a fingerprint that can never be removed. I learned that you should never, ever touch your collection with your bare hands. For stamps, I use a pair of special, spade-tipped stamp tongs. For coins, the proper way to hold them is by their edges, between your thumb and forefinger. By following these simple handling rules, you can ensure that your collection remains in pristine condition.