It is well known that we love to engage into various kinds of leisure activity to unleash the boredom sometimes life gives us. There are individuals who use paper money, toys, coins, stamps, memorabilia and sticker collections to accomplish this while others are content with other hobbies such as reading, playing chess, drawing, cooking, gardening, crafts and etc. All of these provide a certain kind of satisfaction that can’t be accomplish in other kind of activities.

Two of the most common hobbies in this planet at present are the stamp and coin collecting. It could have been known as the King and Queen of Hobbies. The price of these two leisure activities is incomparable to other types of hobbies.

How could it be?

It is for the reason that coin and stamp collecting do not merely embody the simple act of accumulating numerous types of coins and stamps but in addition it exemplifies the conservation of a nation’s history. Both stamp and coin collecting highlight the different images that are used to visually record a momentous event or period in history.

The two have become indistinguishable as far as value and appeal is concerned. For individuals who desire to collect coins, stamps or both here are some of guidelines that you need to know in order to begin collecting.

1. Do some investigation and research.

It is not sufficient that you are interested in stamp and coin collecting in order to begin this type of hobby, it is also vital to do your research firsthand so that you will have adequate information about this activity.

2. be always cautious when buying items from dealers of collectors who want to get rid of their stuffs.

If you can get items for free its good for you but if cannot acquire stamps and coins at no cost, and the lone way to start your collection is to buy the items, be very meticulous about it. Know the seller’s reputation. Know his/her history and determine the extent of period he/she has been in the business of trading these items. The purpose for this is that the longer the dealer has been in the business, the more dependable his reputation probably is but not always. It's your own discretion to see.

3. Know and learn how to identify the correct item.

Do not just buy these items without learning how to classify and identify them. For coins, it is best that you know how to grade them and know their metal content and mintmarks. For stamps, you should know how to identify any slight disparities in the kind of paper used or other discernible features such as watermarks, color, or perforations as these are paper and can be easily faked.

These are just some guidelines for aspiring coin and stamp collectors. With these tips, you can now start your stamp and coin collection with less difficulty and with confidence.