From old to new
About
Donate Stamps
Every stamp tells a story worth preserving and sharing. Our work keeps those stories in circulation.
Our mission
Make philately accessible to a new generation.
Donate Stamps was founded on the belief that every stamp tells a story worth preserving and sharing. As a social-purpose organization, our mission is to inspire new collectors by making philately accessible to everyone.
By sharing stamps with teachers, students, and first-time collectors, we hope to foster a deeper understanding of the world's diverse cultures and traditions. We want young people to see themselves as detectives, exploring an interconnected world through the history of stamps—and to have fun while doing it.
Our motto is ab vetero ad novum, “from old to new.” From old stamp collections, we make new collectors.
Our approach
Donations from individuals and institutions around the world give us a diverse inventory. We reorganize that material into smaller collections for schools, clubs, community organizations, and individuals. Our goal is to find a new home for every stamp.
Who Runs Donate Stamps?
Bryan, the general manager, has run Donate Stamps for seven years. An avid stamp collector since age nine, he continues to collect today, with a focus on Latin American countries.
Frequently Asked Questions
Donating a Collection
What can I donate?
We accept most traditional mint and used stamp collections from any country, including individual stamps, complete sets, loose mixtures, albums, stock books, and inherited collections. We also accept catalogs, glassine envelopes, hinges, mounts, tongs, magnifiers, stamped envelopes, postcards, and other stamp-collecting materials. Collections do not need to be sorted or organized before you send them.
Can I send an inherited collection as it is?
Yes. You do not need to sort, organize, identify, or evaluate the collection first. Albums, loose stamps, supplies, catalogs, and related materials can remain together. Please do not remove stamps from envelopes or postcards before sending them.
Do you accept UNICEF albums or commercial subscription collections?
No. Please do not send mass-produced, preassembled collector products or subscription albums. This includes UNICEF and United Nations Flag Series albums, as well as publisher-produced thematic collections featuring birds and flowers, aviation, and similar subjects. We respect the care that went into these collections, but we are already fully stocked—we have more than we can place with recipients and no room to store additional copies. These products often consist primarily of presentation pages, collector cards, souvenir material, or commercially assembled first-day covers rather than the kinds of stamps we can redistribute to students and collectors. We are unable to use or return these materials, even when they are complete or in excellent condition. A collection assembled by an individual collector may still be useful even if it focuses on one of these subjects; the exclusion applies to publisher-produced subscription and presentation products. If you are unsure what you have, please email photographs of the album covers and several interior pages before mailing anything.
Should I contact you before sending a collection?
Small and ordinary collections can usually be sent without contacting us first. Please contact us before sending a very large collection, arranging an in-person handoff, or shipping from outside the United States.
What should I not send?
Please do not send material with active mold, water damage, or insects. Remove unrelated personal papers, photographs, coins, and currency before shipping. Contact us if you are unsure whether something belongs with the collection.
Do you appraise or buy collections?
No. We do not buy collections, provide appraisals, or estimate monetary value. If you believe a collection may be especially rare or valuable, consult an independent philatelic appraiser or established stamp dealer before donating it. Once a collection is donated, we use it to support our educational and collecting mission.
Who pays for shipping?
Donors usually pay to ship collections to us, and Donate Stamps pays to send stamps to recipients. If you have a particularly large collection, contact us before shipping it. In some circumstances, we may be able to help arrange transportation or an in-person handoff.
Will I receive an acknowledgment?
We send a thank-you note when a donor includes a name and mailing address. If the collection is being donated in honor or memory of someone, include that information and tell us whom you would like us to notify. Our acknowledgment is a thank-you, not a charitable tax receipt.
Are donations tax-deductible?
No. Donations to Donate Stamps are not tax-deductible, and we cannot provide charitable tax receipts.
Receiving Stamps
Who can request stamps?
We provide stamps to classrooms, youth programs, community organizations, senior centers, museums, artists, stamp clubs, families, and individual collectors. Young and first-time collectors are especially welcome.
Do you provide new or unused U.S. postage stamps?
No. Donate Stamps is not a source of current postage for mailing. We distribute donated collectible stamps—primarily used or canceled stamps from the United States and countries around the world. Our packets vary according to what has been donated, so we cannot promise unused stamps, current issues, particular countries, or stamps that remain valid for postage. Collectors of every age and experience level are welcome, and used stamps may also be requested for art and personal projects.
How do I request stamps?
Complete our stamp request form and tell us who the stamps are for and how they will be used. Teachers, clubs, community programs, artists, families, and individual collectors are welcome to apply.
Open the stamp request formAre the stamps free?
Yes. Donated stamp packets and shipping to U.S. mailing addresses are free. We do not currently ship stamp packets internationally; international requesters may ask for a Donate Stamps postcard instead.
Do you send stamp packets outside the United States?
We are not currently able to mail stamp packets outside the United States because international package postage is beyond our budget. International collectors are still welcome to contact us. As a small alternative, we can send a Donate Stamps postcard bearing a U.S. postage stamp, which will be canceled on its journey to you. Postcards are sent as our resources allow.
How long will it take to receive stamps?
Fulfillment time depends on the stamps available and the number of current requests. We will contact you if we need more information or cannot fulfill a request promptly.
About the Project
What happens to a collection after it arrives?
We review donated material, keep useful groups and related supplies together when appropriate, and reorganize other material into collections for recipients. Our goal is to place as much of every donation as possible with people who will learn from, collect, or create with it.
Why does Donate Stamps exist?
Stamp collecting offers an inviting way to explore geography, history, art, science, and culture. We help older collections reach classrooms, clubs, community programs, and new collectors who can continue learning from them.