I specify the used part because I am not bothered about brand new sets of stamps (although I did buy the eclipse stamps just to keep!). I like stamps which have traveled a little, seen the world and got some frank marks.
I leave them on the corner of the envelops which I will tear off so I keep some of the frank marks and envelope intact.
Some of my favorites are when more than one of the same stamp had to be used to ensure delivery.
You see stamps less and less so I grab them when they land in the mailbox.
I seem to have picked most of the stamps from the Millennium collection which were issued in 2000 in the UK, I still lived in England and I am pleased I kept them.
One of my favorites is the stamp with the Queen and Prince Philip from 1961 and the set of owls too.
I do have lots of stamps from sales and thrift shops too, but I like these because they were on mail which I received.
Do you collect stamps? Â Did you as a child? I had a stamp album when I was a kid, but these are all kept in a zip-loc bag!
Happy Wednesday x
Clare Davis Etheridge 
What a sweet collection! I think that it’s sad that our children don’t get mail themselves, I always try to send birthday cards….try to keep snail mail alive! I can just see you looking back on your collection in years to come and tell their stories.
I agree, when I was a kid, we wrote lots of letters to friends and family and loved getting them back.
I have been toying with stamp collecting for a couple of months now. I’ve bought some magazines, read a bunch of blogs, bought a couple of envelopes full of used Canadian and American stamps.
I tried to go to a stamp dealer on my afternoon off. Alas, they were closed.
I blame Lawrence Block and his fantastic anti hero (and stamp collector) Keller for this.
I am saving for a vacation, so I am not buying any stamps right now….but the thought drifts in an out of my head every couple of days.
Glad to see you are enjoying your collection.
All my stamps are ones I have received on mail so much cheaper! They are fascinating to collect even on the small scale I do, good luck with expanding your collection.
Thank you. Right now my collection is much like yours. As for the future….I am undecided. Maybe just owning the full colour catalogue would be enough.
Very cool. I collect fish stamps, mostly asian ones. I like the whole envelope though. I have far too many!
Oh I bet a fish stamp collection is beautiful!