Stamp Collecting for Dummies

by Richard L. Sine

Postage stamps have evolved quite a bit since Great Britain's 1840 Penny Black, the world's first adhesive postage stamp. From simple designs featuring the monarch to works of art literally condensed to postage stamp size, hundreds of thousands of different stamps have been issued in the past 164 years--and the great majority of them remain reasonably priced for collectors. With so many stamps to collect from so many countries, a philatelist's choices...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0764553798
• ISBN13: 9780764553790
• Release Date: August 2001
• Publisher: For Dummies
• Length: 312 Pages
• Weight: 1.24 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 7.5" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

written with a light touch

This volume in the 'Dummies' series is written with a humorous light touch that makes it especially attractive to the Dummy who knows he is one and doesn't need to be reminded that he is one by being frog-marched through impenetrable jargon. In addition, Richard Sine or his editor have had the foresight to break the topics he treats up into very small sections and subsections. The result is a light-hearted but content-rich introduction to the topic, one that this reviewer is only beginning to explore. I cannot imagine a more effective starting point for the would-be stamp collector or - like me - the person who needs to know before he invests time and treasure whether this is something he's going to be able to manage.

A Great Starting Place

I have always thought the Dummies series of books were some of the best-written "How To" books on the market. This one lives up to that reputation. Mr. Sine has produced a well-written, clear guidebook for both new and experienced collectors. He manages to cover the subject without getting bogged down in the jargon of the hobby. His style and wit are welcome in a hobby whose literature can at times be very dry. This is a good guide to a great hobby.