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Stamp shows are a wonderful opportunity to meet others dealers in one location where you can sell, buy and trade stamps and covers and other philatelic items to complete your collection. There are always stamp shows available to attend, usually on weekends, if not in your own community an hour or two away from your home. Before you arrive here are some tips to help your few hours or few days go smoother.
Do some homework first. Read about the stamps, covers, or other items you are interested in, particularly its market value. This can be done through reading journals, philatelic newspapers or checking on-line sites.
Plan your visiting activities in advance. For example, you might want to check out the web site (see below) for the particular bourse you will be attending, looking for materials or dealers you know.
Budget your money before you go! This includes not only the show itself but for additional expenses as well, such as parking, etc. With so many choices and so much philatelic content at the show it can be easy to overspend at the beginning of the show. Plan to be surprised! This is part of the fun of going to shows, seeing what it is available. Check to see if the dealer will trade. It is always good to get rid of those duplicates while coming home with something you have been looking for.
If time allows attend the show twice. Go early in the morning of the first day to check out dealer stocks as this constantly updated. Go back a few hours before closing as the dealer will be happy to sell their heavy collections so they won't have to bring them home or back to their shop. Cash brings the best results.
Budget your time. Don't spend all your time and money with the first dealer unless he has everything you want at a price you find very reasonable. Spend time getting to know the dealers, how they got started in the hobby, their philatelic specialty and, of course, talking about your collection and your needs. Many long-lasting friendships began with chance meetings at stamp shows.
Visit the exhibits. I cannot strongly recommend this as I have personally spent half my time at a show examining exhibits of other collectors. You might even find one in your collecting interests as I did a few years ago when I found one at FRESPEX dedicated to Cats on Stamps.
Be careful when handling the dealer's stock. Don't learn on the glass counters as they are already heavy with philatelic items and may break. Use stamp tongs!
Make sure the materials you bring to the bourse have your personal identification on them. With so many philatelic items and people in such close spaces it can be easy to lose track of such items if you are not careful.
Please hit reload or refresh often as Stamp Shows pages are continuously updated.
Do you know of a stamp show in your area which you would like to share with Topicals On Stamps? Please e-mail Sarah at stamps@topicalsonstamps.com and it will be placed on this page.