Our Mission

Donate Stamps (donatestamps.com) was founded on the belief that every stamp tells a story worth preserving and sharing. Our mission as a social purpose organization is to inspire the next generation of stamp collectors by making philately accessible to all. By preserving and sharing stamps with teachers, students, and first-time collectors, we hope to foster a deeper understanding the world’s diverse cultures and traditions. We want young people think of themselves as detectives exploring an increasingly interconnected world through the history of stamps. We also want them to have fun and, when their turn comes, share that joy with their own children. Our motto is ab vetero ad novum (“from old to new”), which reflects our hope that from old stamp collections we make new collectors.

Our Approach

Donations from individuals and institutions worldwide enable us to amass a diverse collection of stamps. We bundle these stamps into smaller collections which we donate to interested schools, clubs, and churches. While most of the stamps we receive find new homes in classrooms and among budding collectors, unusual or historically significant stamps may be donated to museums or philatelic organizations. Our goal is to find a home for every stamp and bring new collectors into this beloved hobby.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

• What types of stamps do you accept? We welcome all kinds of postage stamps, whether they are new, used, or collectible. We accept single stamps, series, albums, and complete collections from any country.
• Do you accept other philatelic items like books? We gladly accept books, tweezers, stamp albums, guides, glassines, or anything related to the hobby of stamp collecting.
• Are you accepting donations right now? Yes. We will update the website if we run out of storage room.
• Is stamp collecting a popular hobby? The short answer is no. Interest in stamp collecting has been on the decline for decades. According to the American Philatelic Society, the average stamp collector is more than 60 years old. Our goal is to introduce new collectors to the hobby through grassroots clubs and classroom activities.
• I inherited a large collection. Can I just send it to you as is? Yes, you can ship us whatever you have without organizing the contents. We’ll go through it carefully and do our best to find a new home for all of it. Most of the donations we receive arrive as boxes containing albums of stamps and old stamp guides.
• How do I donate stamps? To donate stamps, simply package them securely and mail them to the address provided on the Instructions page (here). For very large collections or valuable items, please contact us directly for specific instructions. We may be able to reimburse you for the cost of shipping a large collection.
• Do you appraise collections? We do not provide estimates or appraisals of any kind. We treat all donations as having only cultural value (not financial value). The vast majority of stamps, including valuable stamps, are donated to young collectors and schools. In some cases, stamps having special significance may be donated to a museum or philatelic organization.
• Who covers the cost of shipping? Generally, the person making the donation covers shipping costs. When you donate stamps to us, you pay to ship them. When we donate stamps to schools or individuals, we pay to ship them. In some cases, for particularly large donations, we can help with the cost of shipping. If you’re in New England, we may be able to meet you in person.
• Will I receive a receipt for my donation? We send a thank you note to everyone who makes a donation. If you’re making this donation on behalf of someone, please let us know if you’d like us to mail a thank you card to that person directly. We’d like to express our gratitude!
• Are my donations tax-deductible? Donations made to us are not tax deductible (and, likewise, we receive no tax benefits when we donate stamps to others). As the value of even large collections tends to be quite modest, we encourage donations for their educational and cultural value.
• Who can receive donated stamps? We distribute stamps to schools, community centers, non-profit educational organizations, and young collectors. Requests for stamps can be submitted through our ‘Instructions for Requesting Stamps’ page (here).
• How are donated stamps used by recipients? Recipients use stamps for a variety of educational and cultural purposes. For example, teachers might use them in lessons about geography, history, or art, while young collectors might receive stamps to help start or expand their collections. (We sometimes provide stamps to artists working on stamp-inspired art projects.)
• How can I apply to receive stamps? Visit the ‘Instructions for Requesting Stamps’ page on our website (here) and fill out the application form. Please provide as much detail as possible about how you plan to use the stamps.