Riverside Stamps

Favorite Links

Over time I have found or been refered to many interesting and informative websites that have helped me learn about stamp collecting. Note: descriptions in quotes come from the websites themselves.

As of 5/5/2024 all of the links have been checked and any bad links have been repaired or removed.  If anyone has additional websites they'd like to see added please let me know.

Getting kids started in stamp collecting:

1. Who invented the Post Card? This site was refered to by Julie who thought it would be a good addition to my website.
2. Home hobbies, Stamp Collecting: This site was found for me by Courtney's Kids from Colorado who "are ALL interested in stamp collecting. We've been scoping out all the different stamps from Disney to cat stamps!"
3. Stamp Collecting Software and Resources: This site was found for me by Elliot, a young collector who thought it would be a helpful article for kids starting out in the hobby.
4. A Beginner's Resource Guide to Philately: This site was refered to me by the Lake Jennings BSA Troop 325.  The Scouts in the Troop were doing research for the Stamp Collecting Merit Badge they're working on when they came across this information and resource filled website that has two dozens links to a wide range stamp of collecting topics.

Organizations:

1. American Philatelic Society: an outstanding resource for the beginner to serious student of philately. The APS can expertize just about any world wide stamp but is the only outfit that does not grade stamps. Membership is well worth the cost and includes a monthly magazine.

2. Professional Stamp Experts: This group expertizies as well as grades stamps mainly for US stamp but I think they also do Canada.

3. The Philatelic Foundation: The premier foundation for research, expertiztion and grading. They have a searchable database of most of the certificates issued.

4. Philatelic Stamp Authentication And Grading: One of the big four stamp experizing oranizations and will also grade stamps

5. American Stamp Dealers Association: A fine source of information for the veteran dealer or the newly minted dealer. The magazine put out by the association is a great read and you don't have to be a member to get a subscription.

6. The U.S. Philatelic Classics Society: I came across these people while researching how to identify Scott #10. Their main focus is all aspects of U.S. 19th century philately.

7. China Stamp Society: a major source of information about Chinese philately, publishes a bi-monthly magazine.

8. Linn's Stamp News: Publisher of the Scott Catalogues and the Linn's Stamp News magazine.

9. The International Machine Cancel Society: If you want to learn more about the cancel on your piece of postal history this is the place to go.

10. New York Chapter of the U.S. Philatelic Classics Society: A society dedicated to the collection and study of 19th stamps and postal history.

11. The Precancel Stamp Society: A website with a lot of information regarding precancels.

12. Stamporama: A membership site that has some content available to nonmembers.

13. Post Mark Collectors Club: If you are into US post marks, this is the place for you.

14. American First Day Cover Society: "a volunteer non-profit and non-commerical organization serving the needs of First Day Cover collectors, cachetmakers, and dealers."

15. Virtual Stamp Club: An all around website with lots of information and a large number of archived articles.

Confederate Stamps:

1. Confederate States of America: an outstanding resource for Confederate stamps and postal history

Supplies:

1. Subway Stamps: It's were I get all my supplies from because they have the lowest prices bar none.

2. Sonic Imagery Labs: Makers of the Precision U.S. Specialty Multi-Gauge. It has 11 measuring devices on a single gauge.

3. SoftPro: Maker of software designed specifically for the stamp collector. Personally I use AlbumGen, EZGrader, and EZImage software.

4. Phil Bansner's website: Buyer and seller of stamps, postal history and literature.  Has one of the largest selections of philatelic literature I've seen on the web.

Helpful Information: 

1. Stamp Collectors Against Dodgy Sellers (SCADS): "SCADS was formed in response to an alarming increase in the number of altered, forged, and misidentified stamps advertised by Internet stamp dealers, primarily in online auctions such as eBay." This website has not been updated in a long time but still has good information that can be used to spot questionable sellers on eBay.

2. U.S. Stamps 1847USA: (Stamp Smarter now hosts the 1847USA.com website) "1847usa.com was designed primarily to aid collectors in their identification of U.S. stamps." and they aren't kidding. This is the best website for identifying Washing/Franklins as well as letting you know which one to be cautious about because of the possibility of faking. This website is an encyclopedia of philatelic knowledge.

3. Identifying Fakes: A website dedicated to identifying faked, forged, or altered stamps on EBay as well as identifying the bad sellers on EBay. A great website to learn how to spot faked or altered stamps.

4. Military APO price guide: This site gives a sense of rarity and prices for a large number of military APO addresses. How to interpret the price guide can be found here. Part of a larger website dedicated to postal history run by Jim Forte.

5. Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries Inc.: the catalogues of the rarities auctions contain a wealth of information, the power search allows one to look through past auctions to determine prices and rarity.

6. Washington/Franklin identifier: A well laid out site dealing with the often trick task of identifying the Washington/Franklin series of stamps.

7. Stamp Auctions Network: a site that lists all noteworthy upcomming stamp auctions.

8. Post Office in Paradise: "a site dedicated to the study and sharing of information about the stamps and postal history of Hawaii in the years before it became a territory of the United States on June 14, 1900." The only site I know of with such comprehensive information dealing with pre territory status Hawaiian postal history.

Blogs and discussion boards: 

1. Richard Frajola: An outstanding site dealing mainly with postal history.

2. Bob Swanson Stamps and Postal History: And interesting site with many articles and links to other sites.

3. 1895 Revenues: Dedicated to the US Revenues that financed the Spanish American War.

4. Jim Forte Postal History: Jim's site dedicated to world Postal history.

To Contact Riverside Stamps:
Email:
Mike Girard - Owner / Operator / Web Master: g1rardmn1099@comcast.net

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I am a member of the American Philatelic Society APS #: 205494 Visit the American Philatelic Society Website at www.stamps.org

I am a member of the United States Stamp Society USSS #: 16733 Visit the United States Stamp Society Website at www.usstamps.org

I am a member of the Perfins Club Perfins Club #: 4266 Visit The Perfins Club Website at https://www.perfins.org/