Begin a Stamp Collection

• 1). Collect them. Depending on the type of stamp and its condition, the value of recycled stamps varies. If the stamp is is in good physical condition and has a readable cancellation mark, its value often increases.
  
  
• 2). Cut away the envelope in straight lines, leaving the postmark and stamp alone. If you don't want the postmark, cut around the outside edge of the stamp, leaving a quarter-inch of the envelope around the stamp.
  
  
• 3). Store the stamps in a stamp album. An album will protect your stamps from dust and other factors that could cause them to deteriorate.
  
  

Cupcake Toppers

• 1). Trim the stamps away from the envelope. Leave about a quarter-inch of the envelope around each stamp.
  
  
• 2). Disinfect the stamp by filling a small bowl with rubbing alcohol. Place each stamp into the alcohol. Allow to soak for 15 seconds to kill any germs.
  
  
• 3). Remove the stamps from the alcohol. Dip the stamps into a bowl of clean water to rinse away the alcohol.
  
  
• 4). Place the stamps on a clean doubled tea towel, making sure that you do not overlap any stamps. Place another tea towel over the top and then lay a heavy book on top to help keep the stamps from curling. Leave the stamps to dry for a week.
  
  
• 5). Remove the stamps. Turn the stamps over so they are face down and put a line of glue down the center. Attach a toothpick or thin piece of wood onto the glue and hold the wood in place for a minute so the glue sets.
  
  
• 6). Allow the glue to dry. Stick the wood end into the cupcake with the flag stamp at the top.
  
  

Donate Stamps to Charity

• 1). Cut around the postage stamp, leaving a quarter-inch of the envelope around the outside of the stamp. You can throw the rest of the envelope into the recyclable paper basket. Some charities want stamps with the envelope in back, but trimmed. Other places like the stamps removed from the envelope. If yours does, continue with the following steps.
  
  
• 2). Separate the stamps depending on the color of the envelope they are on. Colored envelopes can bleed when exposed to water, ruining the stamps, so you will need to deal with those individually. Separate the pile of stamps on the white envelopes further if any have been canceled in red. These will also need to be handled individually, because the red ink tends to bleed into the water.
  
  
• 3). Fill a bowl with room-temperature water and place the stamps into the bowl with the stamp side facing down. Check the stamps after 20 minutes of soaking to see if any have come off the paper. Allow the stamps that are still stuck on the envelopes to continue to soak. Check them every half-hour, but be aware that the longer you leave the stamps in the water, the more fragile they become.
  
  
• 4). Remove the loosened stamps with tweezers. Be gentle with the stamps because they can easily rip or tear.
  
  
• 5). Fold a tea towel in half and place the stamps onto the towel, but do not overlap them. Place another folded tea towel over the top. To keep the stamps from curling, place a heavy book over the top. Leave them to dry for a week. Now they are ready to be packaged up and delivered to your local charity.