Where Do I Begin?
The Foundation Strategy
If you're here, you've probably read Start Here and decided that classic U.S. stamps just might make sense for you. Now the question is practical: How do you actually build a collection that's achievable, affordable, and satisfying?
The Foundation Strategy
Instead of trying to collect everything at once, start with what I call a foundation collection:
One example of every major stamp design used during the first 100 years of U.S. postal history (1847–1947)—primarily used stamps in Very Fine condition.
This approach is called design-type collecting. Here's why it matters:
Traditional Approach
1,000+ Stamps
Scott Major catalog numbers
(1847–1947)
>$11,000,000
Design-Type Approach
535 Stamps
Unique Stamp Designs
(1847–1947)
~$10,000
The 535 stamp designs cover regular postage, airmail, special delivery, parcel post—everything a normal person would have used to mail something.
Here's what makes this affordable:
~515
of those stamps
are inexpensive
($5–$25 each)
~20
of those stamps
account for most of the cost
(buy last)
Roughly 96% of the collection is very affordable. You can make enormous visible progress before spending serious money—and classic stamps retain value better than most hobbies.
What Is a Design-Type?
A design-type is defined by what you can see on the face of the stamp:
- A different portrait or illustration
- A different denomination
- A major intentional color change
What it does not include: perforation varieties, paper types, watermarks, shades, special printings, booklets, coils, or minor format changes. Those are variations—they matter, but they come later.
Why Used Stamps?
For the foundation collection, used stamps are ideal:
- Dramatically less expensive than unused
- Far less likely to be altered or faked
- You learn what "normal" looks like before spending serious money
Unused classic stamps carry risks—regumming, repairs, undisclosed faults—that take experience to recognize. Start with used.
How to Buy
Step 1: Start with the cheap ones
Buy the lowest-cost design-types first. Focus on appearance and centering. Learn how auctions work when the stakes are low.
Step 2: Use eBay and HipStamp
For inexpensive stamps, these platforms work well. Move slowly—this is training, not racing.
Step 3: Move to auction houses for expensive stamps
As prices rise, shift to established auction houses where descriptions, images, and guarantees are more reliable. The go-to resource for this level of collecting is Stamp Auction Network (stampauctionnetwork.com). SAN gives collectors access to all important auction houses except for Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries (siegelauctions.com), who began doing their own thing a number of years ago.
What Comes Later
At this stage, you're not chasing rare errors, buying expensive unused classics, collecting every variation, or completing catalog checklists. Those are all valid pursuits—but they come after the foundation.
Once your foundation is complete, you can add unused stamps, study variations, explore proofs, chase famous rarities—or stop right there with a complete collection that covers 100 years of American postal history.
The Foundation Album I Built
When I couldn't find a completed design-type album, I built one. It covers all 535 design-types from 1847–1947, organized by era and stamp category. Each page shows what belongs there and gives you a clear target.
You can browse it online, download the pages, or just use it as a reference while you collect.
➡️ View the Design-Type Album
The 535 stamps that form the foundation collection.