Beginner's Guide to Stamp Collecting

Are you wanting to gain that elusive and beautiful stamp avatar, or just looking for a brand new hobby on neopets? Whatever the reason, stamp collecting is a great new experience that can be pretty pricey, but is exciting and very addicting. But what is stamp collecting, and why is it so fantastic? Here is a guide to stamps, stamp collecting, and those rare stamp avatars for people who are new to the world of stamps.

“What is stamp collecting?”

It is exactly what it says – collecting stamps! There are stamps in Neopia that you can buy from the post office in the main Neopian shops or you can buy them from other people's shops by searching on the shop wizard. These stamps can be placed into your stamp album by selecting the item from your inventory and choosing ‘Add to my stamp album’. There are 25 stamps to complete on each page, and there are 19 pages to finish.

“Okay, I have added it to my stamp album now – where has it gone?!”

It’s in your stamp collection now – permanently. This means that it is no longer an item that you can sell or trade. It is on show to all of Neopia for them to browse and marvel at!

“Can I take stamps out of my stamp collection?”

I am afraid not – once you have put your stamp into your stamp album, it is final. You cannot remove it, you cannot sell or trade it. This is what makes stamp collecting so expensive, but also more exciting, as you have to earn the most expensive stamps!

“I’m looking for a stamp, but it doesn’t seem to restock, and I can’t find it in anyone’s shop. Why?”

This probably means it is a very rare stamp. It could be rarity 99, which means it does stock in Neopian shops, but very rarely. However, the stamp you are looking for could also be a rarity 101 stamp, which means it does not restock in Neopian shops, and there are a limited number of these stamps, which means they are very rare and expensive. Either way, these types of stamp are normally expensive, and can easily be in the tens of millions, so these stamps are often in trades or auctions, or even in galleries.

“Stamp collecting is only for really rich people, right?”

Not at all! Stamp collecting is for everyone, and especially people who are determined and work hard for their goals. If you are determined enough, you will get the stamp, no matter how long it takes you. The main thing to do is to keep focused, and be determined about it. After all, Neopia wasn’t built in a day, you know!

“What do I need to do to earn a stamp avatar?”

I cant tell you exactly because that would be cheating, wouldn’t it? However, I can tell you that it includes these pages of your stamp album.

• Mystery Island stamps
• Virtupets stamps
• Tyrannia stamps
• Haunted Woods stamps
• Lost Desert stamps
• Snowy Valley stamps

These stamp avatars are now very hard to earn, as they all have at least one rarity 101 stamp, and a handful of rarity 99 stamps, so they are extremely rare. All in all, it is expensive to earn a stamp avatar, but as you can imagine, it is definitely worth it, as you will have a rare and coveted avatar!

“How much does it cost to complete a page?”

That depends on which page you choose to complete. Some pages have lots of rare stamps; others do not, but chances are, completing a page will set you back at least two million neopoints. Completing the goals needed for a stamp avatar will cost you approximately 60 million; however, it depends which stamp page you choose to complete. Some can cost a lot more than this, so choose the page wisely!

“I’ve chosen which page I want to complete – now what do I do?”

Earn those stamps! Play games, restock, resell, and play the stock market. Whatever it takes to get neopoints (Within the rules, of course!). Try to buy any rarity 101 stamps first so that you will definitely get them, and you will not earn the other stamps only to find that the rarity 101 stamp you need isn’t being sold. Then work your way through any rarity 99 stamps and so on. This way it should be easier for you. Also, don’t be put off by the rarity of stamps! A lot of stamps that are rarity 101 and 99 stamps are expensive, but as long as you keep trying you will get there eventually. Just keep working hard, and keep your goals in mind!

“Which stamp page is the cheapest or easiest to complete?”

This question is asked so much, yet the answers are not all correct. They are all hard; however, the hardest pages are Mystery Island and Tyrannia, as they have 6 and 9 rarity 101 stamps respectively on each page, which makes it virtually impossible to collect these pages unless you are earning lots of neopoints per day or know people in high places. The other stamp pages are easier to collect stamps for; however, they are still rare. The Snowy Valley stamp collection is the easiest set to complete, and Lost Desert, Virtupets and Haunted Woods are slightly harder to complete.

“No one is willing to sell the stamp I need – what do I do?”

If you have neomailed every possible seller from trades, auctions and galleries and have had no good news, I suggest that you name your price. Tell them the price you are willing to pay, and make it high. Everyone has a point where they will sell something, even if they say they don’t want to. Just be persistent, but do not be rude or offensive. Have some common sense, use basic manners, and most of all, keep your fingers crossed.

That is the beginner’s guide to basic stamp collecting. I hope that this has helped you, and I hope I have corrected some of the false ‘myths’ about stamps, stamp collecting and stamp avatars. If you have decided to start collecting stamps, I want to wish you the best of luck!