What are some insider tips for collecting and preserving first day cover stamps? When a post office introduces a new stamp, it lets citizens know by posting notices on bulletin boards at local offices and on relevant websites. You can also get the ''inside scoop'' on a new issuance by speaking directly with connected U.S. Postal Service officials.

Is it that important to ''get the jump'' on other collectors? For rare or limited issue first-day covers, time may indeed be of the essence. However, you should measure the costs of investing your resources against the benefits of adding cool stamps to your collection. For instance, is it worth it financially for you to travel all the way to Alberta, Canada to get an FDC of Canada's eight-dollar grizzly stamp? Factoring in airfare, food, and other costs, this trip could run as much as $1,500. You could purchase an FDC grizzly stamp from a trader online for a lot less than that.

Don't confuse ''first day cover'' issued stamps with ''earliest known use'' stamps. First day cover stamps can sit in warehouses or local post offices for weeks, if not months, before they see use. War, postal service disruption, corruption, accidents, and even consumer disinterest can all contribute to ''delinquent'' earliest known use dating.

In terms of preserving your FDC stamps, don't just toss them in any old plastic or paper folder. Hard polymers may scratch your precious mint stamps at the microscopic level, thereby devaluing them. Similarly, acids and other chemicals in paper folders may discolor proof stamps over time. Speak with your local philatelist society for more information about how to store FDC proofs.