Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
But for mint stamps, with some heavy, or multiple hinges, I'm wondering if there is any decent method of removing them without significant GD. I would just leave them on, but they were obviously not well cared for have the HH creates a noticeable crease. Thoughts?
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I've never had much success at saving the gum. For stamps cataloging $5 and up I soak and press - usually the bulge/crease flattens, they look and feeol fresh and they sell well at 20 per cent of catalog (unless there is a stated cv for no gum). Never had much luck at selling HH as anything but fillers because of their appearance.
Just my experience, others experiences may differ.
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I've never had any luck saving the gum on old MH stamps. I've actually grown to dislike them as here in Florida, the humidity is so high that, even in an air conditioned house, many will stick to album pages. Let us know if you find a way!
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Putting a hinge on a stamp always introduces moisture, hence there is no chance that the gum on an unused one will be undisturbed afterwards. Some people may try to repair - in other words, re-gum - stamps, but that won't restore the original state, either. Furthermore, old stamp gum may contain chemicals that will over time affect the paper and/or the printing ink, hence sometimes it may even be adviseable to remove the gum ... but that's another kettle of fish. Just look up the German Ostropa souvenir sheet issue ...
As for our friends in tropical climates: I once read in an old German introductory booklet that "in some countries, collectors do not consider the gum on stamps to be important and sometimes remove it completely" (my translation from memory). Also, I found in an article about Chinese stamps that stamp were issued with and without gum - the latter to be sold in the humid southern parts of the country - , and a postmaster in one of the southern villages, upon receiving gummed stamps, proceeded to wash the sheets and dry them on the clothesline before selling them over the counter. Just to show that there may be arguments against keeping the gum of unused stamps by all means possible.
If the hinged stamps are not exactly rarities and still good for postage, one might consider using them as such. As an anecdote: a few years ago I received a letter from Italy plastered with older stamps, and upon soaking I found that they had been hinged while still unused. So, the sender cleaned out his album, and I got some fine used ones out of it - I guess this is a win-win situation.
Wishing you all a happy new year,
Martin
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It's a little tricky, and depends on the exact type of hinge and stamp gum, but I use my pointed stamp tongs. I've found that rapidly rubbing the back of the hinge with the tong tip can generate enough friction or heat to make the hinge loosen a little. Then it is sometimes enough to be able to get the tong tip under the hinge between the stamp gum and slice the hinge off. It still leaves the hinge mark on the gum, but my preference is for stamps to not have hinge remnants as I have the same concern the bending of the hinge remnant eventually will affect the condition of the stamp.
You have to be careful, as it is easy to damage the stamp if you slip. I mainly use on less expensive stamps. I think I got this tip from someone else on SOR years ago.
Josh
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...without significantly disturbing gum? In a "mystery box", I found several old wrinkled album pages of Canada stamps. Some very sellable (IMO) issues in decent condition. For used stamps I just soaked them, removed any remaining debris, put them in a drying book, and then in a heavy old Scott catalog to get them flat.
But for mint stamps, with some heavy, or multiple hinges, I'm wondering if there is any decent method of removing them without significant GD. I would just leave them on, but they were obviously not well cared for have the HH creates a noticeable crease. Thoughts?
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04:27:51pm
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re: Safely removing heavy hinge remnants from mint stamps....is it possible.....
I've never had much success at saving the gum. For stamps cataloging $5 and up I soak and press - usually the bulge/crease flattens, they look and feeol fresh and they sell well at 20 per cent of catalog (unless there is a stated cv for no gum). Never had much luck at selling HH as anything but fillers because of their appearance.
Just my experience, others experiences may differ.
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Login to Like.
05:57:34pm
re: Safely removing heavy hinge remnants from mint stamps....is it possible.....
I've never had any luck saving the gum on old MH stamps. I've actually grown to dislike them as here in Florida, the humidity is so high that, even in an air conditioned house, many will stick to album pages. Let us know if you find a way!
Login to Like
this post
re: Safely removing heavy hinge remnants from mint stamps....is it possible.....
Putting a hinge on a stamp always introduces moisture, hence there is no chance that the gum on an unused one will be undisturbed afterwards. Some people may try to repair - in other words, re-gum - stamps, but that won't restore the original state, either. Furthermore, old stamp gum may contain chemicals that will over time affect the paper and/or the printing ink, hence sometimes it may even be adviseable to remove the gum ... but that's another kettle of fish. Just look up the German Ostropa souvenir sheet issue ...
As for our friends in tropical climates: I once read in an old German introductory booklet that "in some countries, collectors do not consider the gum on stamps to be important and sometimes remove it completely" (my translation from memory). Also, I found in an article about Chinese stamps that stamp were issued with and without gum - the latter to be sold in the humid southern parts of the country - , and a postmaster in one of the southern villages, upon receiving gummed stamps, proceeded to wash the sheets and dry them on the clothesline before selling them over the counter. Just to show that there may be arguments against keeping the gum of unused stamps by all means possible.
If the hinged stamps are not exactly rarities and still good for postage, one might consider using them as such. As an anecdote: a few years ago I received a letter from Italy plastered with older stamps, and upon soaking I found that they had been hinged while still unused. So, the sender cleaned out his album, and I got some fine used ones out of it - I guess this is a win-win situation.
Wishing you all a happy new year,
Martin
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re: Safely removing heavy hinge remnants from mint stamps....is it possible.....
It's a little tricky, and depends on the exact type of hinge and stamp gum, but I use my pointed stamp tongs. I've found that rapidly rubbing the back of the hinge with the tong tip can generate enough friction or heat to make the hinge loosen a little. Then it is sometimes enough to be able to get the tong tip under the hinge between the stamp gum and slice the hinge off. It still leaves the hinge mark on the gum, but my preference is for stamps to not have hinge remnants as I have the same concern the bending of the hinge remnant eventually will affect the condition of the stamp.
You have to be careful, as it is easy to damage the stamp if you slip. I mainly use on less expensive stamps. I think I got this tip from someone else on SOR years ago.
Josh
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