11 November 2015 | 3 mins
Sometimes stamp collecting can be financially rewarding, but for most collectors, this isn’t the case.
Many hobbies don’t involve making money, yet they remain rewarding. Stamp collecting is no different. Often the rewards come in the form of knowledge, relaxation and friendships gained from pursuing your hobby.
Most stamps available for collection aren’t rare and can be bought for relatively low prices. This is because they’re produced in large quantities to meet postal needs and collector demand. Since so many stamps are made, they usually don’t increase in value once they’re no longer available at the Post Office. Of course, there are exceptions.
Read our guide if you’d like to learn more about how the value of a stamp is determined.
Why some stamps are more valuable than others
The simple answer is supply and demand. If something is scarce and in high demand, its price will be high. If it's plentiful and demand is low, the price is lower.
Supply and demand determine the value of most marketable items, including stamps. Australian stamps that exist in limited numbers tend to have a high value, while those produced in large quantities usually have a lower value.
Tips for beginners
It’s a good idea to take your time building experience and knowledge so you can learn which stamps might eventually become valuable. Recognising opportunities to acquire worthwhile stamps isn’t easy, and naturally, there are no guarantees. Even experts can’t be sure their purchases will pay off.
For beginners, it’s often better to buy stamps and accessories without expecting them to increase in value. Instead, focus on choosing stamps that appeal to you and enjoy adding them to your collection.
How to build a valuable collection
To build a valuable stamp collection, the best option is to purchase rare stamps and other philatelic items, such as postal history, at reasonable prices. Interest in these items may grow over time. If that happens, prices are likely to rise, making your collection more valuable.
Of course, it’s impossible to predict exactly which stamps will become popular in the future. Many experienced collectors understand that the true joy of collecting stamps comes from building collections around themes they love, with financial gain as a secondary benefit.
Not all old stamps are valuable
Many old Australian stamps are extremely common and low in value. A century ago, many collectors actively removed stamps from mail, so today those stamps exist in plentiful quantities.
However, some 19th-century stamps are scarce or rare. This is because they were either not commonly used on mail or were used earlier in the 19th century before stamp collecting was popular.
Getting your stamps valued
Most stamp dealers are happy to provide a brief evaluation of a stamp collection without charging a fee. View Australian Philatelic Traders Association for dealers near you.
Regardless of a stamp’s monetary value, collecting can be rewarding because of the passion, knowledge and friendships you’ll develop. If you’d like to learn more about stamps, discover their value, and connect with other collectors, you can join our Collecting Community.
This content was produced at the time of publication and will not be updated.
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