• Get to Know Popular Types of US Stamps

• Understand Stamp Terms

• Find US Stamps on eBay

• Buy US Stamps With Confidence

Get to Know Popular Types of US Stamps

Get to Know Popular Types of US Stamps

With new stamps issued every year, US stamp collectors know they can always find new designs to enjoy. United States stamps also make thoughtful gifts to mark special occasions such as births, weddings, anniversaries, graduations, and birthdays. If a recipient doesn't currently collect stamps, don't worry; many current collectors say a gift started their stamp collection.

• Historical US stamps: If you know someone who loves a particular period in history, United States stamps offer a world of possibilities. Unlike some other countries, American stamps never feature living people, which allows you to find US stamps featuring people with historical significance. You could find Benjamin Franklin stamps, George Washington stamps, or replica Inverted Jenny covers. A history buff would likely be thrilled to get a sheet of signed Enola Gay stamps or a vintage letter describing family life in the 1870s.

• Artistic US stamps: If you know someone who likes a certain artist or type of art, pick a stamp or First Day Cover featuring a favorite artist or stamp designer. For example, you may want to search for US stamps featuring the work of Louise Nevelson, Norman Rockwell, Georgia O’Keefe, or Al Hirschfeld.

• Movie-themed US stamps: For movie fans, look for Legends of Hollywood stamps. You may find James Dean stamps, Grace Kelly stamps, Charlie Chaplin stamps, Humphrey Bogart stamps, Alfred Hitchcock stamps, Clark Gable stamps, or Marilyn Monroe stamps.

• US stamps inspired by love: Love stamps make a touching gift for a bride-to-be, wedding anniversaries, and Valentine's Day.

• US stamps for kids: Start a collection for a child that matches their interests. You could choose sports stamps, toy stamps, music stamps, stamps featuring cartoon characters, or a set of Classic Movie Monsters stamps.

• Duck stamps: Duck stamps make up the largest category of Back of Book stamps on eBay. You may find anything from full sets of Federal duck stamps to 1985 Alaska duck stamps and First of State duck stamps (some First of State prints even come with artist-signed duck stamps). You might even find a state collection or rare 1957 federal duck stamp print with remarque and mint stamps.

• Revenue stamps: Revenue stamps closely follow duck stamps in popularity within the Back of Book stamps category on eBay. Many collectors seek sets of never-issued Marijuana Tax Stamps created for the IRS, used revenue stamps, special delivery revenue stamps, and McMunn’s Elixir of Opium stamps. You may even find 1910 Red Cross Christmas seals, 1943 war savings full coils, or a scarce sheet of pre-canceled Canal Zone 30-cent stamps.

• Errors, Freaks, Oddities: Errors, Freaks, Oddities includes United States Postal Service mistakes — and attracts its own group of devoted collectors. You'll find both genuine and faux versions of error stamps along with mis-cuts and off-center stamps on eBay. Error US stamps may include a pair of imperforated 1968 Christmas stamps, rare recalled Legends of the West sheets, or a block of "Falling off the Bobsled" error stamps with one of the Olympic bobsledders out of position due to a color shift. You may also find a sheet of imperforated Porky Pig stamps that were never available in local post offices.

• Event US stamp covers: Perfect for framing or display, postal covers feature a variety of subjects including major events, moments in US postal history, and more. Collectors create covers by sending an envelope prepared with adequate first-class postage (and perhaps a coordinating design) to the postmaster where a new stamp is being issued. You might find a collection of Bicentennial covers, covers featuring Olympic sports greats, Sylvester & Tweety covers, Lou Gehrig baseball covers, Presidential Libraries covers, or WWII general covers. You may even come across a rare, handmade Civil War cover or 1933 C-18 Zeppelin cover.

• First Day Covers: First Day Covers are envelopes with unused stamps (enough for first class mailing) attached, with a postmark indicating the first day of issue, city, and date. First Day Covers may be simple with a stamp on a plain envelope or cachets with imaginative hand-painted or computer-generated designs. Postal customers typically have 30 days from a new stamp's date of issue to purchase stamps, affix them to covers, individually address covers, and mail them to the First Day of Issue city. The post office then cancels them, overwraps the cover for protection, and returns the cover to the customer. You'll find First Day Covers dating from before 1951 as well as more recent First Day covers on eBay.

• Stamp sheets: Full sheets of unused US stamps feature a wide variety of subjects. You could find rare 1908 special delivery stamps, a margin strip of 1901 5-cent Pan American Exposition stamps, a pane of four Richard M. Nixon 32-cent stamps, or full sheets of 33-cent Legends of Baseball stamps.

To determine how much you should pay for US stamps, search Completed Listings to find out what similar items sold for on eBay in the past 14 days.

Understand Stamp Terms

Understand Stamp Terms

Sellers use a variety of terms to describe US stamps on eBay. Common descriptions in the Stamps category include:

• Aerophilately: "Aerophilately" refers to the practice of collecting air mail stamps and envelopes (covers) that have been sent by air mail, including those sent by airplane, balloon, and other types of aircrafts.

• Bright: The ink color on bright stamps is in good condition.

• Cachet: Cachets are designs on an envelope, usually text or illustrations relating to the subject of the stamp or event being commemorated. The envelope is known as a First Day Cover (FDC).

• Stamp coils: Coils, sold in rolls, are stamps made for use in vending or affixing machines. Coils feature perforations on two parallel sides with two straight cut sides.

• Mint: Mint condition stamps are in their original state of issue, unused and with full gum (if issued with gum).

• Off-centered: “Centering” describes a stamp’s position in relation to its perforations. Perforations on off-centered stamps are not equal distances from the printed area.

• Overprint: Overprint is any printing added to the face of a stamp after manufacture, usually done to make stamps suitable for a special purpose.

• Selvage: Selvage, the margin around a sheet of stamps, may include the copyright, plate number, and other markings.

• Tied stamps: Tied stamps are connected (or tied) to a cover by a postmark or cancellation.

Common abbreviations in the Stamps category include:

• COA: Certificate of Authenticity

• FDC: First Day Cover

• IMPERF: Not perforated

• LOA: Letter of Authenticity

• MH: Mint hinged

• MLH: Mint lightly hinged

• NH: Never hinged

• NR: No reserve (seller has not set a minimum price for sale)

• OG: Original gum

• STP: Strip

• XF: Extra fine

For a list of other popular coin terms, visit the Stamps Buying Guide and eBay's Popular Items - Stamps page.

Find US Stamps on eBay

Find US Stamps on eBay

Once you know what type of US stamps you need, go to the Stamps category portal, click United States, and start searching for US stamps on eBay.

• Categories: The Categories list on the left side of each page will help you narrow listings by item type. You'll find links for 19th Century: Unused, 19th Century: Used, 1901-40: Unused, 1941-Now: Unused, 1901-Now: Used, Back of Book, Confederate States, Covers, Errors, Freaks, Oddities, Plate Blocks/Multiples, Plate Number Coils, Possessions, Postage, Sheets, Collections, Lots, and Other.

• Keyword search: Search eBay listing titles for specific words. For example, if you want to find duck stamps, type "duck stamp" (without quotation marks) into the Search box. Click "Search title and description" to expand your results. Remember to use a "+" between consecutive words in a keyword phrase. After conducting your initial search, try misspelling the name of the item you desire, trying several variations. You'll likely come across additional listings. Visit eBay's Search Commands page for more tips on searching with keywords.

• Advanced search: eBay's Advanced Search feature allows you to conduct a more precise search and gives you the option to search by seller, buyer, or store. You can also narrow results to "All of these words," "Any of these words," or "Exact phrase." Search All Categories to find stamps listed in multiple categories on eBay, including Stamps, Collectibles, and Coins.

If you can't find exactly what you want, try shopping eBay Stores, tell the eBay Community what you want by creating a post on Want It Now, or save a search on My eBay and eBay will email you when a match becomes available.

Buy US Stamps With Confidence

Buy US Stamps With Confidence

Before making your purchase, make sure you know exactly what you're buying, research your seller, and understand how eBay and PayPal protect you.

Know your purchase

Carefully read the details in item listings.

• Sellers must adhere to a strict set of rules for selling stamps on eBay, which help protect you as a buyer. Get to know the Code of Conduct for selling stamps on eBay, developed with the American Philatelic Society, which outlines the types of stamps sellers can offer and how. If an item seems to be in violation of the Code of Conduct, or seems too good to be true, find a different seller/stamp.

• Figure delivery costs into your final price. If you spend a lot of money, make sure the seller will insure the item when it ships.

• If you want more information, ask by clicking the "Ask seller a question" link under the seller's profile.

• Always make sure to complete your transaction on eBay (with a bid, Buy It Now, or Best Offer). Transactions conducted outside of eBay are not covered by eBay protection programs.

• Never pay for your eBay item using instant cash wire transfer services through Western Union or MoneyGram. These payment methods are unsafe when paying someone you do not know.

Know your seller

Research your seller so you feel positive and secure about every transaction.

• What is the seller's Feedback rating? How many transactions have they completed? What percentage of positive responses do they have?

• What do buyers say in their Feedback? Did the seller receive praise?

• Most top eBay sellers operate like retail stores and have return policies. Do they offer a money-back guarantee? What are the terms and conditions?

Buyer protection

In the unlikely event that a problem arises during your transaction, eBay and PayPal are there for you.

• Pay safely with PayPal: PayPal enables you to pay without the seller ever seeing your bank account or credit card numbers. In fact, PayPal protects buyers 100% against unauthorized payments from their accounts. Plus, with PayPal Buyer Protection, your purchase can be covered up to $1,000.

• eBay Security & Resolution Center: Visit the Security & Resolution Center to learn how to protect your account and use eBay's quick and efficient resolution tools.