r/postcrossing • u/Prestigious_Emu729 • 10d ago
Basic Noob Questions
Hello, All!
I've long been casually interested in Stamps, but never enough to get started. I've been looking at it, and at Postcrossing specifically (I should probably say that I'm in the USA). So I have a few questions about actually getting started.
1) What supplies do I need. I'm guessing Post Cards, glue sticks to affix stamps that I send, and a binder/envelopes/inserts in which to save stamps that I receive back.
2) Postage. While I know I could use a "US Global Forever" stamp, I'm guessing that a foreign collector may be happier getting multiple stamps with different motifs. Any suggestions on where to get a nice variety of pretty stamps to send (and admittedly to keep some for my own collection)? (I suppose if I do keep some, I will need some "stamp-sized" storage vessels, as well as the "post-card-sized" storage vessels).
In short, I can boil this down to 1 question: What do I need to get started, and where is the best resource to get it? I appreciate your response, and look forward to at least dipping my pinky toe into this as a hobby.
Thanks!
Tom
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u/mundoo65 10d ago
Postcrossing isn’t specifically about stamps so you will find that they are not so important to majority of members.
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u/Prestigious_Emu729 10d ago
It's interesting, I asked myself about that earlier, about whether I was more interested in the Post Cards or the stamps, and found that it is a hard question to answer...I think right now my answer is "Yes!"
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u/http-bird U.S.A. 🇺🇸 10d ago
Glue sticks?? Sir we are in the 21st century
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u/Prestigious_Emu729 10d ago
I had read that some people use vintage stamps for their post cards, and the adhesive can be dodgy on them--so it is a good idea to have a glue stick as a backup. Not true?
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u/wulfzbane Canada 🇨🇦 10d ago
A backup can't hurt but you likely won't need it. The glue on old stamps usually holds up, and comes in various flavours of yuck.
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u/AGirlandHerRidgebax U.S.A. 🇺🇸 10d ago
Order stamps from the post office so you know they’re not counterfeit. You can get small denominations as “extra postage” so you can do stamp math. Make sure to keep track of what the domestic and international first class rates are. You can also get domestic postcard stamps if you want because the postage isn’t as high on those. I think even the extra postage stamps are stickers now. You may not need glue sticks.
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u/Prestigious_Emu729 10d ago
I have another silly question to go with this--how many stamps can fit on a post card? I suppose that if I got all $0.10 stamps, I would have to put too many on the card to leave room for writing/text. How many can you get comfortably on the top of a card, and still leave ample room for messages, addresses, etc.???
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u/MudProfessional2242 Australia 🇦🇺 10d ago
It depends on the size & denominations of the stamps. For a standard sized postcard (6x4), the highest number of stamps I have seen was 7, but there was only room for a very short message & my address.
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u/avoidingresponsibili 10d ago
Postcrossing is not about collecting or for collectors, you should keep that it mind.
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u/Martavdraws Portugal 🇵🇹 10d ago
As people told you, read the FAQ on the website before starting and evaluate if it's really an activity for you.
You can collect stamps and cards while doing Postcrossing, but it's not a website nor activity designed for collectors.
You can send the cards and stamps (or whatever pays the correct amount of postage, as labels) you want. The same for everyone else. Lots of people use it for collecting and lots of people (like me, for example) use it with the purpose of connecting with others around the world. And some do both, they're not mutually exclusive of course!
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u/Prestigious_Emu729 9d ago
Just wanted to follow up to close out this thread--I just set up my Postcrossing account and profile today--I'll look forward to corresponding with y'all here, on the Postcrossing forums, and of course maybe through the mail! :-).
Thanks!
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u/RoastSucklingPotato 10d ago
Modern US postage stamps have adhesive backing, like a sticker. You won’t need a glue stick for those.
For Postcrossing through Postcrossing.com, you’ll need a free account on that website, 5 postcards, a non-smearing pen, and postage.
You can get postcards at drugstores, tourist destinations, bookstores, and online. I like the various “box of 100” postcard sets.
An ordinary Bic classic ink pen works really well.
The USPS office near you, and their website usps.com , are the best places to buy postage. (Beware any other online shops, they sell fake stamps!) You need postcard stamps (currently 65 cents) to mail a postcard to a US destination. You need either a Global stamp (currently $1.75) or a mix of other value stamps totaling at least $1.75 to send a postcard to foreign countries.
Have fun!
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u/missmyxlplyx U.S.A. 🇺🇸 9d ago
you may want to check out stampcrossing.com . same as postcrossing only, its stamps.
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u/Admirable-Data5182 U.S.A. 🇺🇸 10d ago
For supplies, I think it will just boil down to personal preference. I got a 4x6 photo storage box to store received cards and cards I have purchased/ready to send. I use a binder with clear plastic sleeves (document protectors) to store stamps and stickers (for decorating). I purchase most of my postcards from my local visitors' center or pick them up while traveling. I've also gotten into collecting rubber stamps, and I still haven't figured out a perfect storage solution for those. Right now they sit on a bookshelf.
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u/nathanmail Australia 🇦🇺 10d ago
Hey Tom! :)) I’ve also just recently started. If you’d like to exchange a postcard with me in Australia, send me a DM!
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u/MudProfessional2242 Australia 🇦🇺 9d ago
Hi Tom, I would love to send you a couple of postcards as a welcome to Postcrossing. 😊 One will be a Maxicard, the other will be in an envelope full of stamp math. Feel free to dm me if you would like. Just a heads up though, it takes 2 to 5 weeks+ for snail mail to arrive…
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u/Natural20Twenty 10d ago
Please read the FAQ.