I recently purchased a significant amount of Czechoslovakian stamps and was busy mounting them on Friday when my printer stopped working. Leaving them on my desk for several days I came back to them today and noted that the stamps I had already mounted were stuck to the mounts and those which I hadn't yet mounted and had lazily left on my desk were all stuck together.

Upon noting this I rushed to my other mounted and unmounted stamps but luckily these other stamps had not been effected. I live in an area with high humidity and have noted recommendations for these conditions which I have not yet taken up.

However I was wondering if other issues could be at play as well as the humidity for this particular batch of stamps.

Regards


Richmond

re: Batch of Stamps Sticking Together

Michael

Thanks that was very informative

Are there other countries I should be aware of that can exhibit the same tendencies?

Finally are the stamps beyond redemption and may as well be thrown?

Regards


Richmond

re: Batch of Stamps Sticking Together

Sorry they were MLH

re: Batch of Stamps Sticking Together

If you consider the presence of gum to have any value, you may try gentle heat, and bending the stamps a little. I have tried that a few times with old unused stamps that were "half-stuck" to album pages, sometimes it worked, and the stamps came off with minor damage to the gum and none to the stamp paper, sometimes they took a little of the printing of the album page with them (hence it is perhaps not a good idea if a stamp is stuck to the printed side of another), sometimes I had to resort to soaking anyway. In the end, I have now got a bunch of nice clean 1920s stamps unused without gum, which have probably lost most of their catalog value because of that condition, but that's fine with me. I don't collect for value.

I would be reluctant to try deep freezing, as cold conditions tend to cause condensation, and that may aggravate the problem.

Considering that the dextrin based gum of the Czech stamps (and of 1950s to 1960s German stamps, too) is rather easily soluble in water, and you are apparently living in a seaside town in a warm climate, I'd recommend either soaking off the gum, or sticking (pun intended) with used stamps.

Martin

re: Batch of Stamps Sticking Together

Hi Richmond;

Too bad you did not follow up on some really good advice, "have noted recommendations"
being your obvious mistake!

@ everyone:

TO ALL OF YOU who do not live in the Sahara, or Death Valley, PAY ATTENTION, please! No
matter where you live, there are almost always certain times of year where relative humidity
can be too high.

These precautions used to prevent this problem are very cost effective and simple to do.

Just get a 5,000 BTU (room size) air conditioner, and a inexpensive temperature-humidity
meter. These should be used in a room with a door that can be closed 24/7, and a window
large enough to fit this sized air conditioner. If your stamps are stored in a basement, move
them upstairs immediately, or just throw them out!!!

Yes the stamps of Czechoslovakia stick more easily than some others, but I lost a set of
Canada, Queen Victoria Jubilee, stamps that are now mint-no-gum and worth about 2%
of catalog value. This will happen to all lick-em-stick-ums, sooner or later, no matter what
country they are from.

Your sweaty fingers have perspiration that includes salts and fatty (Greasy) acids. Wash
them every 30 minutes or more! The salts contained in your sweat likes moisture and will
pull water right from the atmosphere. So even low relative humidity will not protect your
collection entirely!!

Walmart has GE brand 5,000 BTU units for $125. They also utilize screw compressors instead
of piston types. These are so quiet you can hardly tell when the compressor is running. If
you continue to put off this necessary protection, you will destroy your entire collection with
way more than just damaged gum, but also moldy stamps, that are worthless no matter how
long you soak them. Then you will not only have worthless mint stamps, but all of your used
stamps will be worthless as well. Mold, once it has started, can spread unchecked and
growing 24/7 x 365, VERY quickly.

Michae##### has experimented with removing mold stains with ammonia and with fairly
good results. However do you want to do that to a collection of tens of thousands of
stamps? Good! I didn't think so. Now keep reading and PAY ATTENTION!

I use a GE 5,000 BTU unit in addition to monitoring relative humidity, to keep it at 70% or
lower. I use a six foot tall by three foot wide, metal cabinet for loose stamps in envelopes
and boxes. It was purchased second hand at a garage sale for $20. Inside I have six large
3 oz. size or larger desiccant packs.

Learn about desiccants here: Desiccant

Learn about silica gel here: Silica gel

Just one of many places to purchase silica gel here: purchase here or elsewhere

The above link is not to promote this particular source, but more to show an example of a
good reusable container and size for your cabinet. so buy the product anywhere you
like. However buy the largest size you can afford, several ounces or more. Make sure it is
advertised as rechargeable.

I don't think anyone who collects stamps will recommend that you continue to do nothing
about this. It is akin to smoking cigarettes and whining about having lung cancer or short-
ness of breath.

If anyone thinks this reply is too harsh, then I do not apologize, as that was my intention.
Then I will not have to read about this unnecessary tragedy ever again.

Still just sortin'....
TuskenRaider


www.webstore.com/store,pgr,37572,user_id,37572,ac,shop

re: Batch of Stamps Sticking Together

Hi Darryl;

That size of AC used in a small room with the door kept closed will dry the air very quickly.
If you think otherwise, then get a dehumidifier with the capacity to handle that room size.

Do not expect a 5,000 BTU to cool a whole apartment, unless you want to replace it every
couple years. That would be just false economics, otherwise known as being a cheap skate.

Others do this, and it works very well for them.

As for harsh, that was my intent, so that everyone will pay attention and doesn't end up
losing a set of Canadian, Victoria Jubilees!

Still just soakin' & dryin'....
TuskenRaider

www.webstore.com/store,pgr,37572,user_id,37572,ac,shop