One of the questions that many new collectors have is what is a stamp catalog, and what the correct way to use it would be. These questions are answered in the Using a Stamp Catalog series, which is part of the Stamp Basics section on the C3a learning platform. To access the course, go to https://stamps.org/learn/c3a-online-learning and click Enter C3a. The course will be under the my courses section of the menu on the left of the page. Please note that this course is available for members only. 

This four video series will help you to understand how to use a stamp catalog with more confidence. The four parts of the course are: 

Module 1 - Stamp Catalog: Format & Function which explains what a stamp catalog is and its different parts. 

Module 2 - Deciphering a Stamp Listing which goes further into how stamps are described in the catalog according to their elements such as paper type, watermark, ink, printing method and more! 

Module 3 - Using a Stamp Catalog to Identify an Item which explains how to find a stamp in a catalog using elements such as a vignette (person or event being commemorated), year and type of issue (regular, sepcial use), denomination, country of issue and elements mentioned in the last module! 

Module 4 - Stamp Catalogs which goes into the history of stamp catalogs and explains the difference between standard and specialized catalogs. This module also gives some tips for purchasing catalogs. 

More information about catalogs is available on the APRL website. To purchase the Stamp Collecting Fundamentals course (totaling 5 and 1/2 hours of content), which includes tips and techniques especially for new collectors, click here.