Best stamps you've ever seen

[Emma Jane Falconer]

One of the nice things about posting stuff is buying stamps with nice pictures and getting packages with great ones on. What's the best ones you've seen?

I once got a parcel with muppet stamps on. Muppet stamps!
I also recently bought some unicorn stamps.

[Erica S.]

Usually there are big posters on the walls with pictures of stamps. I just ask for "that one, and that one, and that one." Right now it's all about the holiday stamps, which I don't really like that much. I bought like five books of Simpsons stamps when they came out so I'll be using those for awhile.

[lizzy / marching stars distro]

Hungary caterpillar stamps. Had 2 small holes in them. Beautiful.

[Emma Jane Falconer]

I wish I'd bought loads of those. They've still got big sheets of unicorn stamps on the website though, I think I'll order some of those come payday.

marchingstars said:

Hungary caterpillar stamps. Had 2 small holes in them. Beautiful.

[Adrian Fynch]

That's wicked information, Tim!

Can I interest you in a trade for some old stamps, or do I have to try and find my own first? :P

D. Blake Werts said:

Having once been a stamp collector in my recent past, I learned about the practice of using older stamps as regular postage on today's mail. Since then, nearly 80% of the mail that I send out I do so with stamps that are even older than I. I'll try to explain:

For the most part, US Stamps and stamp collecting has not been an "investment" vehicle since they fell out of favor in the 70s and early 80s. The collector value of most stamps just has remained pretty stagnant, and maybe even has decreased a bit because of lack of demand for various reasons. As a result, stocks and stocks of complete sheets of unused stamps (30 - 50 stamps per sheet, often) have been traded around at a small percentage _below_ face value. And you can often buy these from established stamp dealers at their face value and use them just as you would use a stamp made yesterday. Most of these will be from the period of the 1960s - 1980s timeframe, however, I have purchased some from the 30s and 40s as well!

Since learning about this, I always keep a stash of these things around and use them on most all of my mail needs. I've got a slew of 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8 cents stamps. Harder to keep on hand are the "larger denominations" like 18, 20, 25, 27 cent stamps. It is fun to pick out commemoratives that match some interest of whomever I'm sending the letter or postcard to--there are so many to choose from. And sometimes I just like to fill a letter with nothing but 3 and 4 cent stamps to essentially make a piece of mail art. ;-) Of course, this is all legal stuff so long as you have sufficient postage for each piece of mail being sent. See examples in image below.

So check your town and see if there is still a stamp or coin dealer and give them a call. Ask them if they sell older stamps "for postage." The two places that I've been getting them, Independence Coin & Stamp in Charlotte, NC and Richard's Stamp Shop in Asheville, NC both have a rubbermaid-like plastic tub full that you can sort through and pick out a whole pile of them. And if you are picking out lots of smaller denominations, you can quickly build a massive pile for $10.

If you can't find a true coin or stamp shop in your area, check our for coin/stamp shows or conventions that may be happening hear you. Often the stamp dealers will also bring their "postage stamps" with them for people to dig through--lots of collectors fill out their stamp albums with these things since they are so cheap.

If you are interested and are still having a hard time locating anything, send me a message and maybe we can work out a trade. I'll be happy to pick up some for fellow zinsters.

[Adrian Fynch]

I just wanted to post and show off the wicked vintage stamps Blake sent me as a trade for a couple of zines. I specifically requested "as old as possible", or something along those lines, and got this fantastic stack of beautiful stamps. I can't use them, because I'm in Canada, but I was planning to send them out with my zines to people in the states. There are also a couple of closeup pictures in my album if you're interested. These are definitely the best stamps I've ever seen. :)

[tim scannell]

nice stamps and easy to get...just google Linn's and go to classified...it's called 'mint postage' and is usually sold for 'face value' (the amt. on each stamp) or 90-95% of face value...i buy mint postage in $50 & & $100 lots receiving a 3 cent to 39 cent variety. My stamp dealer is in Weed, CA (see Linn's classified)...also easy to get at your local stamp shows (just google 'stamp shows'.

[Blake]

Very happy that you like the selection. I always have fun digging through the big old plastic bin that the local coin/stamp dealer (Independence Coin and Stamp in Charlotte, NC) and picking some out. Their shop is not too far away from my home so I'm happy to pick up some stamps for anyone on WMZ -- just let me know you're interested and we'll work it out.

Adrian Fynch said:

I just wanted to post and show off the wicked vintage stamps Blake sent me as a trade for a couple of zines. I specifically requested "as old as possible", or something along those lines, and got this fantastic stack of beautiful stamps. I can't use them, because I'm in Canada, but I was planning to send them out with my zines to people in the states. There are also a couple of closeup pictures in my album if you're interested. These are definitely the best stamps I've ever seen. :)

[Blake]

Yes, this is also a good way to get these types of "old mint postage." I end up paying face value for the stamps that I pick out of the assortment. This way I can pick out the stamps/subjects that I find most interesting... or that I believe that others would find interesting, etc. I believe at the shop they do also offer a small percentage off of face value if I just take what they give me.

I've always believed that postage stamps are fantastic for art/craft projects. Though I've not done any mail art myself, I imagine that some really cool stuff can be done with this type of postage... or even used postage stamps from around the world, for that matter.

Tim, have you found any good sources for old Canadian postage or old Mexican postage?

tim scannell said:

nice stamps and easy to get...just google Linn's and go to classified...it's called 'mint postage' and is usually sold for 'face value' (the amt. on each stamp) or 90-95% of face value...i buy mint postage in $50 & & $100 lots receiving a 3 cent to 39 cent variety. My stamp dealer is in Weed, CA (see Linn's classified)...also easy to get at your local stamp shows (just google 'stamp shows'.

[Billy Da Bunny]

my friend, jacinta bunnell, has stamps of her face! and they're real stamps, real postage!

[Adrian Fynch]

How did she get those?

Billy Da Bunny said:

my friend, jacinta bunnell, has stamps of her face! and they're real stamps, real postage!

[Bradley Adita]

i thought this was going to be about rubber stamps

[Blake]

Adrian Fynch said:

How did she get those?

Like these?

http://photo.stamps.com/Store/?source=si10985886