Stamp Swap Review – Become a Philatelist (Yes, that’s a real word!)

Disclaimer: Stamp Swap was provided for free by Stonemaier Games, although the writing and opinions of this article are my own.

Though I never got into stamp collecting, my childhood was all about Tazos, Pogs, and Pokémon cards. The thrill of finding a rare piece or completing a set is something I know all too well.

Stamp Swap, the latest release from Stonemaier Games, sets out to capture that same rush in board game form. So grab your albums and prepare to dive into the art of stamp collecting – let’s see if it delivers!

How to play

Stamp Swap unfolds over three rounds, each divided into three distinct phases. Your goal is to earn victory points by collecting stamps and carefully arranging them in your scrapbook. But it’s not just about grabbing any stamp – size, colour, and theme all play a crucial role in your pursuit of points.

Each round kicks off with the Collect phase, where you’ll draw event cards to determine which stamps are added to the market and whether they’ll be face-up or face-down. The final event card drawn triggers a special event, shaking things up and adding variety to the round.

Beside their size, theme, and colour – each tied to specific objectives – most stamps will earn you points at the end of the game. But beware! Cancelled stamps are worthless, and faded ones will actually cost you points. On the bright side, rare golden-embossed stamps are not only worth a ton of points but also look stunning in your scrapbook.

Once you know what’s on offer, players take turns drafting six stamps from the market, one at a time. When everyone has their six stamps, it’s time to move into the Swap phase.

In this phase, you reserve one stamp from your draft, then divide the remaining stamps into two piles, placing them in front of your scrap book. Players then take turns choosing a pile. If you select a pile, it’s yours – but the player who created the piles gets the other one. This continues until all piles are claimed.

With your stamps in hand, it’s time for the Show phase.

Here, you carefully arrange your collected stamps in your scrapbook and select one of the four scoring opportunities for the round. Be strategic – once you use a scoring opportunity, it’s locked for the rest of the game. Place your ticket stub to mark your choice, count your points, and prepare for the next round.

Stamp Swap may sound straightforward, but there’s a lot going on with all the competing scoring objectives, specialist cards that grant unique abilities, and special events. Survive all three rounds, complete the end-of-show objective, and tally your points to crown the ultimate philatelist!

A passenger rather than a driver

Swapping stamps isn’t the easiest theme to sell. Unless you’re part of the underground stamp-collecting scene, the concept doesn’t exactly ignite the imagination. Compared to Stonemaier Games’ other releases this year – Apiary (bees in space) and Expeditions (mysterious tundra adventures) – Stamp Swap didn’t excite me in the slightest.

This was one of those moments where I closed my eyes and leapt into the abyss, fully trusting Stonemaier Games’ reputation for delivering quality titles. And to their credit, they didn’t let me down. Despite the theme initially working against my enjoyment, I walked away happy with the game… though not without a few caveats.

Stamp Swap brilliantly captures the essence of being a collector. Whether it’s books, trading cards, or Monopoly memorabilia, it taps into that universal feeling of satisfaction we get from hunting down rare items. The rush of acquiring the exact stamp you need – especially the rare gold-foil stamps – is undeniable.

But it’s not just the theme (and rare stamps) that shines. Stamp Swap keeps your brain engaged with a steady flow of decisions, big and small. No matter the round or phase, there’s always something to think about.

Now, whether those decisions feel meaningful or arbitrary is something we’ll touch on shortly, but as someone who enjoys staying busy, I appreciated the constant mental engagement.

Each round of Stamp Swap is divided into three phases: drafting from the market, reserving and splitting your stamps, and a second draft where players pick piles. All three phases are fun in their own right, but I’m not entirely convinced the first draft is necessary.

With face-down stamps, random events, and your opponents’ meddling, the first draft feels chaotic, like wandering a crowded convention floor. It’s exciting but can leave strategic players feeling lost in the shuffle. Thankfully, this initial chaos doesn’t define the experience. The later phases offer a much-needed dose of strategy and are where the game truly shines.

After the drama

Figuring out how to split your loot is like playing a psychological chess match. Do you divide your stamps into two balanced groups where you’re happy no matter what your opponent picks? Or do you gamble, stacking one pile heavily in your favour while luring them into taking the other?

Face down stamps are the wild cards that make this phase sing, turning it into a bluffing game within a game. As the draft unfolds, everyone’s carefully crafted lies and traps come to light, and picking piles feels like unravelling a conspiracy. Who’s bluffing? Who’s hiding their best stamps?

Once you’ve made your picks and flipped the stamp tiles face up, the big reveal can trigger everything from cheers of triumph to groans of defeat as players discover what they actually claimed.

After the drama, the scrapbooking phase is a calming yet strategic interlude. Arranging your stamps in your scrapbook isn’t just satisfying – it’s critical for scoring. Every placement matters, as it ties directly into end-of-round and end-of-game objectives. Plus, the beautiful stamp artwork adds a little extra joy to this puzzly phase.

Finally, the toughest – and most delightfully agonising – decision comes in choosing which end-of-round objective to score. It’s a balance of short-term gains versus long-term strategy. Do you secure points now or hold off for a bigger payoff later? This choice is both dreadful and fun, demanding careful planning while keeping your options open.

That all said, Stamp Swap can feel overwhelming at first. Between the various stamp sizes, colours, and themes, plus the specialist cards and numerous scoring objectives, there’s a lot to juggle. Even though the core of the game isn’t overly complicated, the first few games might leave you scrambling to piece it all together.

Stamp Swap at two

After experiencing Stamp Swap with higher player counts, stepping down to two players felt like a bit of a let down. Sure, the game moves faster—there’s less market setup, and turns fly by – but the smorgasbord of options that makes the higher-player experience so engaging is noticeably absent.

However, now every stamp feels like a direct contest, either going to your scrapbook or your opponent’s. While this tug-of-war adds a layer of control, it lacks the bustling, chaotic energy of a crowded convention floor. That sense of abundance and competition, which elevates the game at higher counts, just isn’t there.

Overall, Stamp Swap may not have the flashiest theme, but it delivers a rewarding experience full of strategic depth and collector’s joy. For fans of Stonemaier Games, it’s another solid addition worth a closer look.