The actual tools that a philatelist (coin collector) uses are extremely simple and inexpensive. It is the coin collection and the process of acquiring the stamps that can get expensive sometimes. A coin collector should definitely have stamp tongs. These come in handy when you want to handle the stamps without causing them any damage. These are used when you want to pick up a stamp for identification or when you want to mount it in an album. It is easier to use a tong that does not have too much tension in the spring in order to be able to handle it easily.

A perforation gauge along with a millimeter rule helps in measuring the perforations on the stamps. This is a simple gadget that can be printed on a cardboard or paper too. All you have to do to use the perforation gauge is to move the stamp along the gauge till all the perforations are aligned completely. Post this you can use the millimeter part of the gauge as an ordinary tool.

Serious stamp collectors also invest in a watermark detector so that they can understand and fund out more about the stamp that they have acquired. For those who want to be able to read the specific items on the stamp a magnifying glass may come in handy at times. Some avid stamp collectors carry an eye glass with them all the time so that they do not have to worry if they want to have a closer look at a specific stamp.