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United States/Stamps : SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

 

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Precious

03 Mar 2009
07:45:23pm
I hear and read about collectors who are so upset about not being able to soak the reent years US comemoratives. Since I didn't make my first million I will share a simple process.
I have a plastic or tuperware container with top,
5 inches wide,4 inches high and 8 inches long
and I put a squirt of Joy (kitchen sink dish washing fluid) in the container. Then I almost fill the conainer with the hotest water I can get
from the faucet. I put the stamps in the fluid only on single paper
and shake them well off and on and leave the stamps for about an hour. I just did 200 or more stamps: flag commem coils, Oregon,Alaska,Albert Birstadt and christmas toy
soldiers. It does not work for the sunflower and Christmas Madonna stamps of 2008, and I am about to experiment with some of the definitives.
Since I have a lot of stamps it easy to experiment and hope you are sucessful.
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Jansimon
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collector, seller, MT member

04 Mar 2009
02:18:28am

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re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

and your stamps are very clean as well ;)

It sounds like a good solution, and most important, it seems to work. Thanks for sharing this

Jan-Simon

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Parkinlot
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Immediate Past President - West Essex Philatelic Society www.wepsonline.org

04 Mar 2009
09:44:21am
re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

According to the Virtual Stamp Club the Oregon, Alaska, Bistadt and Christmas Nutcrackers all have a green light for normal soaking.

http://www.virtualstampclub.com/2009usnew.html
http://www.virtualstampclub.com/2008usnew.html

For me anything after 2006 stays on piece. I get so few commemoratives that I cannot afford to ruin them in a soaking attempt. Since I only collect used stamps this has been a sad state of affairs for the past few years.

Bob

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Jjstampman

05 Mar 2009
06:16:23pm
re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

Could you clarify how many stamps you did at one sitting, 200 stamps on paper seems like a lot for that size container. Should we limit the amount based on container size and what would suggest is optimum and does over filling with stamps reduce performance of the soak.

Jason ( novice collector )

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Parkinlot
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Immediate Past President - West Essex Philatelic Society www.wepsonline.org

06 Mar 2009
12:27:34pm
re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

Hi Jason,

Being a novice collector you may not have understood what I meant by my previous post on March 4th.

Some background information:
Prior to 2006, almost all stamps would soak off their envelopes using plain water. Now only a few issues will soak off the paper.

The Virtual Stamp Club uses a traffic light symbol for each issue. Red means that the stamp won't soak off the paper at all, Yellow means that it will soak but be careful, you may damage it. Green means that it comes off the paper easily. All the issues that were soaked in the detergent that came off had a green light so they would have come off in normal water.

As to your question about soaking 200 stamps in a container. If the stamps come off the paper easily, as long as each stamp is wet, it will come off the paper. Not sure how the stamps would be affected by other chemicals (detergent or others).

Bob

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amsd
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Editor, Seal News; contributor, JuicyHeads

06 Mar 2009
02:19:27pm

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re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

I just tried soaking in water with a dab of detergent, without consulting any of the lists of good/bad soaks. All the ones I soaked came off easily EXCEPT one of the forever stamps (not the ATM version) which would not release its backing. However, two stamps were bleached by this household detergent: one of the Franklins (set of 4 from last year) and a 39c Hershey kiss love stamp. Both were still recognizable, but quite bleached.

Note, however, I'm not an expert soaker, and do it rather infrequently, so my poor experience may have more to do with me than other factors.

David

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Precious

06 Mar 2009
02:37:43pm
re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

To t ry to clarify a bit I use Joy dish sink
soap and it is real mild. Don't use but a drop and I soak about 150 to 100 at once and the stamps
Imentioned in the original message came out OK.
I try to put the stamps in the very hot water and shake it every now and then for about a n hour. The glue should sort of form a gummy substance and separate from the stamp. The gold
trim stamps of Christmas and sunflower do not work. Some of the forever Bell do not and the paper still sticks. I would limmit the amount of stamps so that they all soak and remember only one thickness of paper under the stamp.
You might just try the very hot water also.

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Mitoneu

18 Mar 2009
03:25:50pm

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re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

OK, the stamps soaked with waterand detergent do also come off with water alone. For years I always added drop of detergent to the water when soaking. It will clean the stamps. Be careful not to use too much detergentas it may bleach the stamps and also hurt your fingers, if you are allergic to chemicals.

Now for those that don´t come of with water: the only way is to use something like lighter fluid, or naphta, or even clean gasoline. In this case you should put the stamp in the liquid for not more than about 20-30 seconds, and then peel off the paper from the back of the stamps. In this procedure the stamps will remain with some glue on the back, but once the solvent evporated, you can spray some talk on it and it will neutralize the stickiness. Warning: the vapors of these fluids are not very healthey, so try not to be exposed to them for longer times. I soak in this way about 5 stamps at a time, and only the stamps that I will use in my collection! Duplicates stay on paper!
Hope this is useful !

Regards to all, Miguel

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Jansimon
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collector, seller, MT member

18 Mar 2009
04:07:19pm

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re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

gasoline is not only dangerous when inhaled, it can also have bad effects by absorbtion through the skin. You should be wearing gloves if you do this more often. The years I spent in the Occupational Safety and Health business finally pay off ;)

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Musicman
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APS #213005

18 Mar 2009
09:49:19pm
re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

...with all due respect to everyone on here, if you have to go to the trouble of using highly volatile, flammable, potentially dangerous chemicals such as gasoline to remove stamps, then I say leave 'em on the paper!

I'm an auto mechanic so I'm VERY familiar with handling gasoline (petrol for you British folk!)....but I'm certainly NOT going to go to all that bother - I'll put 'em in the album close-cut and call it good!

And, no - I'm not going to go to collecting just MINT stamps....I collect WHAT I want, HOW I want and you should, too!

After all, we can build our collections in any way we please, right?!?! That's what is so great about stamp collecting - there is no wrong way to collect. Oh, I'm sure some of the things I (and others) do in our collecting would make many other collectors cringe, but ultimately we can do it any way that pleases us as individuals because.....well.....because we CAN.

Soooo....if you want to use gasoline to soak your stamps, so be it! But for me, they look just fine on cut-close paper.

Ain't this here stamp collectin' fun, or what! LOL


Randy B.

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Mitoneu

19 Mar 2009
11:02:52am

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re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

EVERYONE IS RIGHT !!!

The main issue is that you should enjoy your hobby, and collect stamps in whatever form you like best.

Jansimon and Randy! I have been a Chemistry Professor for about 50 years: gasoline, light fluid, and similars are all the same stuff. Inhalation is not very healthy (but occasional exposure is not too bad, somehow like staying near the pumps when you are filling your tanks) Skin absorption is also not too serious (think of the car mechanics who wash their hands with it to clean them from grease or oil)...

So, I have been handling these solvents in my Labs for many years and are apparently quite healthy at this time (70 yrs). But a) you should always we aware of what you are doing and take into account possible damages; b) occasional short time exposures should not be too bad for most people; c) Collect the way you think is better.

Good luck!

Miguel

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Philatelia
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20 Mar 2009
08:38:25am
re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

If you soak many recent stamps, you might end up with a pretty backside - of the stamp that is - BUT I notice that many recent issues fade and worse. You often end up with dulled colors and wrinkled, puckered paper. Also, some inks flake right off the paper (such as the Greta Garbo issue). I'd rather leave them on paper and have crisp bright colors on the FRONT of the stamp which is the only part that will show in my album anyways.

Happy stampin'

Theresa

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Saleem
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20 Mar 2009
02:06:57pm
re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

Anyone tried putting the on-paper stamps in a freezer overnight and then peeling off the backing while it is still frozen? Have removed scotch tape from the front of stamps on covers this way and it worked. After returning to room temperature the back of stamp will adhere to any surface therefore keep some stamp backing paper at hand. Try it - this may work.
Saleem

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Avi
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22 Mar 2009
10:56:50am
re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

I have a different solution (formula) I only buy 1 stamp for my MNH "collection" and the rest for the little amount of mailing I do. For about 1 year I use the Internet for all my payments and friends with email service.
Mr.Zip, or Mr. Post Office KEEP your stamps try to be more administrator than just another hyena hungry for the $ of collectors. Times change, all you have to do is read the daily paper.
In solidarity,
Avi

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Harley

22 Mar 2009
01:03:35pm
re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

Avi has a point.
There are those of us against the price gouging the USPS has placed as priority, most important, to the survival of USPS, upon the stamp collecting community.
But on the other hand,some of us relish in the many "new" varieties of postage stamps being released daily,monthly,and yearly. It holds,and keeps our interests in our hobby.
One does not have to collect every stamp issued,but can specialize in a limited area,thus reduceing those rather exhorbitant prices for those little pieces of paper we so determine as "treasures' that we add with pride and feeling of completeness in our pursuit of happiness that we derive from our hobby.
There are arguments on both sides of the table.Some saying the USPS is overdoing it,, and gets mail to that effect. Then the USPS changes things around, (cost cutting) and produces less of a certain format, eiminates plate number changes,leaves out the soluable paper layer(those "unsoakable stamps"), deciedes to NOT issue certain stamps,or formats of same.
All this,makes less stamps to collect,mint or used, and eventualy cutting down on collectors expense for the hobby. AND they (stamp collectors) still complain.
There's no pleasing the collector,in general.We are a diverse bunch,collecting in many ways,and USPS cannot satisfy all of our needs.They,,after all,have most importantly based the "STAMPS" on a need for reciept of payment for services rendered,and stamp collectors needs ,or wants, are so far down the line of importants to be almost invisible to the eyes of those in charge at the USPS accountability dept.
THIS is getting too long, am stopping here. What are your opinions .
TOM

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Boston_bob

22 Mar 2009
02:14:59pm
re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

We all know that the USPS and other postal authorities worldwide are selling very small and very expensive pieces of paper to collectors in numbers that some might call obscene.

My question is this: Should we really be calling these overly abundant, pristine pieces of gummed paper "stamps"? (Yes, I can hear the howls now.) Or, should we really call them what they are...merely "stand ins" or facsimiles for the real thing.

To me, the word "stamp" should only be applied to that little piece of paper which actually performed the task for which it was intended, and that is the delivery of that item to which it was attached. Once that task has been completed, it can now be considered a "real thing", a stamp. And, at that point, and that point only should it become the object of real collecting, real philately.

I will now put on my armor shield and hat and retire to a safe and hidden venue.

Respectfully,

Bob

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Bobstamp
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22 Mar 2009
02:15:51pm
re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

At the end of the day, it doesn't matter what policies USPS or Canada Post or any postal administrations have in place. We can wring our hands all we want over the use of self-adhesive stamps and meter labels and ball-point pen cancellations. We can bemoan careless handling of the mail and excessive numbers of new issues and the high cost of stamps and issuance of "love" stamps and blatantly commercial stamps and kazillions of varieties of stamps. And it doesn't matter a bit, because these corporations will do what they will do, and you and I can't do a thing about it.

If postal administrations stopped issuing stamps today, we could still have a vibrant hobby based on all of the material that is already available. In fact, many of us already ignore new issues. I certainly do. Notwithstanding postage needs,I have purchased perhaps 10 new Canadian issues in the past 20 years because they fit into my collections. Would I have survived without them? You bet. I can scarcely deal with my accumulation as it is. I can use it to create hundreds of album pages, scores of web pages, endless numbers of articles and posts to groups like this. It is the source of continuing pleasure as I learn more and more about each item, and as I pursue additional material, none of it created no later than 1975.

Some may argue that they can never complete their collections because of the plethora of new issues and varieties. In my opinion, that's a pointless argument because completeness is impossible unless you place severe constraints upon what is considered to be "complete".

We have what we have. Our glass is half full, and we can use the lemons we have to make lemonade. I really believe that, at least when it comes to philately.

Bob

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Avi
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22 Mar 2009
02:24:03pm
re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

Well, Tom crossed the "T's" and "dotted the I's" is this the way to say it correctly? well, we are quite an intelligent group of stamp collectors and understand what I try to say.
Whoever's done any kind of correspondence with me knows I like to "decorate" my covers, using rubber stamps with the figures of different animals as well as one that is ONE FINGER POINTING to wherever I want to point. The other day I received a letter returned because of "USE OF ILLEGAL SIGNS" and Mr. Postman Schmuck had circled the finger he so much dislikes.
I returned the cover (should have kept it for my collection) but I added a little note, "Mr.Postalperson, I see you dislike the figure of a finger, if you are a male Postalperson you should get used to fingers when sooner or later you visit your urologist let's hope sooner. Now you can do whatever you want to do with this cover, have a terrible day!" Luis M Méndes.
My wife, of course, DISAPPROVED of what I did but her opinion just brought a smile, I am used to be disrespectful with "SHE WHO MOST BE OBEYED" ("Rumpole of the Bailey") nothing like having a good hearty laugh and like I said in my original post we do most of the payments using the internet cheating the PO of some extra revenue.
Hugs, Tom, you are unique! Hope u r feeling well my friend, hang in there, we're going for the long haul!
Avi
Hoboken NJ

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Bobstamp
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22 Mar 2009
03:33:59pm
re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

To Boston Bob: I am shocked -- Shocked I say!!! -- that you would impugn the collectors of mint stamps. Mint stamps, once they are in the hands of collectors, have done their duty, which of course is the raising of revenue so the executives of USPS can receive their annual bonuses, because who can live on only several hundreds of thousands of dollars a year? You can scarcely maintain more than two or three mistresses on such a poor stipend. And you absolutely need that bonus for your condo at Monte Carlo! It is painful to see the motive of USPS so maligned.

To Avi: Do you not realize that you fought for Freedom in Vietnam, for the right of postal employees to censor what is obviously your flagrant Un-American, anti-Christian, Pinko proclivities, which you display by stamping your covers with such universal salutes? Who do you think you are, a reincarnation of Canada's master of said salute, Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau? Know your place, Avi, and stay within it. Or call Jon Stewart -- he'd like your tale of American Democracy.

boB

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Harley

23 Mar 2009
09:27:09am
re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

Bobstamp,
I dont think Avi was giving "the salute". I've recieved several o his letters with the pointing finger,but usually pointing left or right,or in general direction at a slight angle. It may well be he inadvertantly placed the pointing finger in an upright, pointing upwards to an item of interest on the cover. In this postion it would "appear" to be the infamous Trudea salute.
It may have passed through the mail un noticed,but for one employee who was offended by the "seemingly" inapropriate gesture.
Even the most perfect person in the world, with a perfect record for 80 years, can make a mistake,and forever more be brandished ,and recognized only by the mistake made. Should we now forget all the good things Avi has done,and hence forth and forever more remember him as "Avi and his Trudeau salute" ???

TOM
btw,, as a youth,I never gave that salute,,I held up three fingers,and ask the person to "read between the lines"

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Rhinelander
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Support the Hobby -- Join the American Philatelic Society

23 Mar 2009
08:41:39pm
re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

Hello,

Now that is funny. Avi, I can't believe you returned the cover. You should have put it up on our auction. I am sure there would have been folks fighting over it. Such auxilliary markings are certainly not common.

Here is my contribution. A patriotic slogan cancel from Boston:

xyz

The card came in handy. I just got it from Josh (joshtanski) I am happy to pass it on (free, of course), if it fits someone's collecting interest. For my purposes, it is bad that the meter stamp is cancelled over. For purposes of this thread it is just PERFECT. If you want it, check the member database for my email address.

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Jimkuksuk

29 Apr 2009
09:24:05am
re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

There is a much easier way of removing the new U.S. Stamps but it is very time consuming but it does work great it involves using lighter fluid if anyone is interested on how to do please e-mail me at jimk1961@sbcglobal.net and I can send you the steps on what to do put soaking stamps in the subject lne so i dont delete them thanks.

Jim

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d1stamper
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10 Feb 2014
12:27:13pm

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re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

Do any of the US stamps issued since 2009 soak off paper using water?

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smaier
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Sally

10 Feb 2014
01:09:24pm
re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

The APS website has a list of all US recent issues by year. For 2013 and before, it also states if the stamp will not soak or if it might soak. It doesn't actually say that a stamp will soak off, just that it might. But it is very clear on which ones do not soak off. The APS site is www.stamps.org , along the top at the far left is a tab for Stamp Collecting, then the drop down menu has a clickable link for New Issues. You juat have to pick what year you are interested in. Sally

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d1stamper
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10 Feb 2014
01:50:01pm

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re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

Thank you Sally, Happy this is what I was looking to find.

Doug

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michael78651

10 Feb 2014
01:55:01pm
re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

Also, US listings in Scott now contain a red circle with a black "S" for US stamps that don't soak off paper.

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Author/Postings
Precious

03 Mar 2009
07:45:23pm

I hear and read about collectors who are so upset about not being able to soak the reent years US comemoratives. Since I didn't make my first million I will share a simple process.
I have a plastic or tuperware container with top,
5 inches wide,4 inches high and 8 inches long
and I put a squirt of Joy (kitchen sink dish washing fluid) in the container. Then I almost fill the conainer with the hotest water I can get
from the faucet. I put the stamps in the fluid only on single paper
and shake them well off and on and leave the stamps for about an hour. I just did 200 or more stamps: flag commem coils, Oregon,Alaska,Albert Birstadt and christmas toy
soldiers. It does not work for the sunflower and Christmas Madonna stamps of 2008, and I am about to experiment with some of the definitives.
Since I have a lot of stamps it easy to experiment and hope you are sucessful.

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Jansimon

collector, seller, MT member
04 Mar 2009
02:18:28am

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re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

and your stamps are very clean as well ;)

It sounds like a good solution, and most important, it seems to work. Thanks for sharing this

Jan-Simon

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Immediate Past President - West Essex Philatelic Society www.wepsonline.org
04 Mar 2009
09:44:21am

re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

According to the Virtual Stamp Club the Oregon, Alaska, Bistadt and Christmas Nutcrackers all have a green light for normal soaking.

http://www.virtualstampclub.com/2009usnew.html
http://www.virtualstampclub.com/2008usnew.html

For me anything after 2006 stays on piece. I get so few commemoratives that I cannot afford to ruin them in a soaking attempt. Since I only collect used stamps this has been a sad state of affairs for the past few years.

Bob

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Jjstampman

05 Mar 2009
06:16:23pm

re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

Could you clarify how many stamps you did at one sitting, 200 stamps on paper seems like a lot for that size container. Should we limit the amount based on container size and what would suggest is optimum and does over filling with stamps reduce performance of the soak.

Jason ( novice collector )

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Immediate Past President - West Essex Philatelic Society www.wepsonline.org
06 Mar 2009
12:27:34pm

re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

Hi Jason,

Being a novice collector you may not have understood what I meant by my previous post on March 4th.

Some background information:
Prior to 2006, almost all stamps would soak off their envelopes using plain water. Now only a few issues will soak off the paper.

The Virtual Stamp Club uses a traffic light symbol for each issue. Red means that the stamp won't soak off the paper at all, Yellow means that it will soak but be careful, you may damage it. Green means that it comes off the paper easily. All the issues that were soaked in the detergent that came off had a green light so they would have come off in normal water.

As to your question about soaking 200 stamps in a container. If the stamps come off the paper easily, as long as each stamp is wet, it will come off the paper. Not sure how the stamps would be affected by other chemicals (detergent or others).

Bob

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amsd

Editor, Seal News; contributor, JuicyHeads
06 Mar 2009
02:19:27pm

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re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

I just tried soaking in water with a dab of detergent, without consulting any of the lists of good/bad soaks. All the ones I soaked came off easily EXCEPT one of the forever stamps (not the ATM version) which would not release its backing. However, two stamps were bleached by this household detergent: one of the Franklins (set of 4 from last year) and a 39c Hershey kiss love stamp. Both were still recognizable, but quite bleached.

Note, however, I'm not an expert soaker, and do it rather infrequently, so my poor experience may have more to do with me than other factors.

David

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Precious

06 Mar 2009
02:37:43pm

re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

To t ry to clarify a bit I use Joy dish sink
soap and it is real mild. Don't use but a drop and I soak about 150 to 100 at once and the stamps
Imentioned in the original message came out OK.
I try to put the stamps in the very hot water and shake it every now and then for about a n hour. The glue should sort of form a gummy substance and separate from the stamp. The gold
trim stamps of Christmas and sunflower do not work. Some of the forever Bell do not and the paper still sticks. I would limmit the amount of stamps so that they all soak and remember only one thickness of paper under the stamp.
You might just try the very hot water also.

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Mitoneu

18 Mar 2009
03:25:50pm

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re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

OK, the stamps soaked with waterand detergent do also come off with water alone. For years I always added drop of detergent to the water when soaking. It will clean the stamps. Be careful not to use too much detergentas it may bleach the stamps and also hurt your fingers, if you are allergic to chemicals.

Now for those that don´t come of with water: the only way is to use something like lighter fluid, or naphta, or even clean gasoline. In this case you should put the stamp in the liquid for not more than about 20-30 seconds, and then peel off the paper from the back of the stamps. In this procedure the stamps will remain with some glue on the back, but once the solvent evporated, you can spray some talk on it and it will neutralize the stickiness. Warning: the vapors of these fluids are not very healthey, so try not to be exposed to them for longer times. I soak in this way about 5 stamps at a time, and only the stamps that I will use in my collection! Duplicates stay on paper!
Hope this is useful !

Regards to all, Miguel

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Jansimon

collector, seller, MT member
18 Mar 2009
04:07:19pm

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re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

gasoline is not only dangerous when inhaled, it can also have bad effects by absorbtion through the skin. You should be wearing gloves if you do this more often. The years I spent in the Occupational Safety and Health business finally pay off ;)

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Musicman

APS #213005
18 Mar 2009
09:49:19pm

re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

...with all due respect to everyone on here, if you have to go to the trouble of using highly volatile, flammable, potentially dangerous chemicals such as gasoline to remove stamps, then I say leave 'em on the paper!

I'm an auto mechanic so I'm VERY familiar with handling gasoline (petrol for you British folk!)....but I'm certainly NOT going to go to all that bother - I'll put 'em in the album close-cut and call it good!

And, no - I'm not going to go to collecting just MINT stamps....I collect WHAT I want, HOW I want and you should, too!

After all, we can build our collections in any way we please, right?!?! That's what is so great about stamp collecting - there is no wrong way to collect. Oh, I'm sure some of the things I (and others) do in our collecting would make many other collectors cringe, but ultimately we can do it any way that pleases us as individuals because.....well.....because we CAN.

Soooo....if you want to use gasoline to soak your stamps, so be it! But for me, they look just fine on cut-close paper.

Ain't this here stamp collectin' fun, or what! LOL


Randy B.

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Mitoneu

19 Mar 2009
11:02:52am

Approvals

re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

EVERYONE IS RIGHT !!!

The main issue is that you should enjoy your hobby, and collect stamps in whatever form you like best.

Jansimon and Randy! I have been a Chemistry Professor for about 50 years: gasoline, light fluid, and similars are all the same stuff. Inhalation is not very healthy (but occasional exposure is not too bad, somehow like staying near the pumps when you are filling your tanks) Skin absorption is also not too serious (think of the car mechanics who wash their hands with it to clean them from grease or oil)...

So, I have been handling these solvents in my Labs for many years and are apparently quite healthy at this time (70 yrs). But a) you should always we aware of what you are doing and take into account possible damages; b) occasional short time exposures should not be too bad for most people; c) Collect the way you think is better.

Good luck!

Miguel

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Philatelia

20 Mar 2009
08:38:25am

re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

If you soak many recent stamps, you might end up with a pretty backside - of the stamp that is - BUT I notice that many recent issues fade and worse. You often end up with dulled colors and wrinkled, puckered paper. Also, some inks flake right off the paper (such as the Greta Garbo issue). I'd rather leave them on paper and have crisp bright colors on the FRONT of the stamp which is the only part that will show in my album anyways.

Happy stampin'

Theresa

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Saleem

20 Mar 2009
02:06:57pm

re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

Anyone tried putting the on-paper stamps in a freezer overnight and then peeling off the backing while it is still frozen? Have removed scotch tape from the front of stamps on covers this way and it worked. After returning to room temperature the back of stamp will adhere to any surface therefore keep some stamp backing paper at hand. Try it - this may work.
Saleem

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"Experience is the name you give to the mistakes you made yesterday."
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Avi

22 Mar 2009
10:56:50am

re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

I have a different solution (formula) I only buy 1 stamp for my MNH "collection" and the rest for the little amount of mailing I do. For about 1 year I use the Internet for all my payments and friends with email service.
Mr.Zip, or Mr. Post Office KEEP your stamps try to be more administrator than just another hyena hungry for the $ of collectors. Times change, all you have to do is read the daily paper.
In solidarity,
Avi

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Harley

22 Mar 2009
01:03:35pm

re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

Avi has a point.
There are those of us against the price gouging the USPS has placed as priority, most important, to the survival of USPS, upon the stamp collecting community.
But on the other hand,some of us relish in the many "new" varieties of postage stamps being released daily,monthly,and yearly. It holds,and keeps our interests in our hobby.
One does not have to collect every stamp issued,but can specialize in a limited area,thus reduceing those rather exhorbitant prices for those little pieces of paper we so determine as "treasures' that we add with pride and feeling of completeness in our pursuit of happiness that we derive from our hobby.
There are arguments on both sides of the table.Some saying the USPS is overdoing it,, and gets mail to that effect. Then the USPS changes things around, (cost cutting) and produces less of a certain format, eiminates plate number changes,leaves out the soluable paper layer(those "unsoakable stamps"), deciedes to NOT issue certain stamps,or formats of same.
All this,makes less stamps to collect,mint or used, and eventualy cutting down on collectors expense for the hobby. AND they (stamp collectors) still complain.
There's no pleasing the collector,in general.We are a diverse bunch,collecting in many ways,and USPS cannot satisfy all of our needs.They,,after all,have most importantly based the "STAMPS" on a need for reciept of payment for services rendered,and stamp collectors needs ,or wants, are so far down the line of importants to be almost invisible to the eyes of those in charge at the USPS accountability dept.
THIS is getting too long, am stopping here. What are your opinions .
TOM

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Boston_bob

22 Mar 2009
02:14:59pm

re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

We all know that the USPS and other postal authorities worldwide are selling very small and very expensive pieces of paper to collectors in numbers that some might call obscene.

My question is this: Should we really be calling these overly abundant, pristine pieces of gummed paper "stamps"? (Yes, I can hear the howls now.) Or, should we really call them what they are...merely "stand ins" or facsimiles for the real thing.

To me, the word "stamp" should only be applied to that little piece of paper which actually performed the task for which it was intended, and that is the delivery of that item to which it was attached. Once that task has been completed, it can now be considered a "real thing", a stamp. And, at that point, and that point only should it become the object of real collecting, real philately.

I will now put on my armor shield and hat and retire to a safe and hidden venue.

Respectfully,

Bob

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Bobstamp

22 Mar 2009
02:15:51pm

re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

At the end of the day, it doesn't matter what policies USPS or Canada Post or any postal administrations have in place. We can wring our hands all we want over the use of self-adhesive stamps and meter labels and ball-point pen cancellations. We can bemoan careless handling of the mail and excessive numbers of new issues and the high cost of stamps and issuance of "love" stamps and blatantly commercial stamps and kazillions of varieties of stamps. And it doesn't matter a bit, because these corporations will do what they will do, and you and I can't do a thing about it.

If postal administrations stopped issuing stamps today, we could still have a vibrant hobby based on all of the material that is already available. In fact, many of us already ignore new issues. I certainly do. Notwithstanding postage needs,I have purchased perhaps 10 new Canadian issues in the past 20 years because they fit into my collections. Would I have survived without them? You bet. I can scarcely deal with my accumulation as it is. I can use it to create hundreds of album pages, scores of web pages, endless numbers of articles and posts to groups like this. It is the source of continuing pleasure as I learn more and more about each item, and as I pursue additional material, none of it created no later than 1975.

Some may argue that they can never complete their collections because of the plethora of new issues and varieties. In my opinion, that's a pointless argument because completeness is impossible unless you place severe constraints upon what is considered to be "complete".

We have what we have. Our glass is half full, and we can use the lemons we have to make lemonade. I really believe that, at least when it comes to philately.

Bob

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Avi

22 Mar 2009
02:24:03pm

re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

Well, Tom crossed the "T's" and "dotted the I's" is this the way to say it correctly? well, we are quite an intelligent group of stamp collectors and understand what I try to say.
Whoever's done any kind of correspondence with me knows I like to "decorate" my covers, using rubber stamps with the figures of different animals as well as one that is ONE FINGER POINTING to wherever I want to point. The other day I received a letter returned because of "USE OF ILLEGAL SIGNS" and Mr. Postman Schmuck had circled the finger he so much dislikes.
I returned the cover (should have kept it for my collection) but I added a little note, "Mr.Postalperson, I see you dislike the figure of a finger, if you are a male Postalperson you should get used to fingers when sooner or later you visit your urologist let's hope sooner. Now you can do whatever you want to do with this cover, have a terrible day!" Luis M Méndes.
My wife, of course, DISAPPROVED of what I did but her opinion just brought a smile, I am used to be disrespectful with "SHE WHO MOST BE OBEYED" ("Rumpole of the Bailey") nothing like having a good hearty laugh and like I said in my original post we do most of the payments using the internet cheating the PO of some extra revenue.
Hugs, Tom, you are unique! Hope u r feeling well my friend, hang in there, we're going for the long haul!
Avi
Hoboken NJ

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Bobstamp

22 Mar 2009
03:33:59pm

re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

To Boston Bob: I am shocked -- Shocked I say!!! -- that you would impugn the collectors of mint stamps. Mint stamps, once they are in the hands of collectors, have done their duty, which of course is the raising of revenue so the executives of USPS can receive their annual bonuses, because who can live on only several hundreds of thousands of dollars a year? You can scarcely maintain more than two or three mistresses on such a poor stipend. And you absolutely need that bonus for your condo at Monte Carlo! It is painful to see the motive of USPS so maligned.

To Avi: Do you not realize that you fought for Freedom in Vietnam, for the right of postal employees to censor what is obviously your flagrant Un-American, anti-Christian, Pinko proclivities, which you display by stamping your covers with such universal salutes? Who do you think you are, a reincarnation of Canada's master of said salute, Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau? Know your place, Avi, and stay within it. Or call Jon Stewart -- he'd like your tale of American Democracy.

boB

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Harley

23 Mar 2009
09:27:09am

re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

Bobstamp,
I dont think Avi was giving "the salute". I've recieved several o his letters with the pointing finger,but usually pointing left or right,or in general direction at a slight angle. It may well be he inadvertantly placed the pointing finger in an upright, pointing upwards to an item of interest on the cover. In this postion it would "appear" to be the infamous Trudea salute.
It may have passed through the mail un noticed,but for one employee who was offended by the "seemingly" inapropriate gesture.
Even the most perfect person in the world, with a perfect record for 80 years, can make a mistake,and forever more be brandished ,and recognized only by the mistake made. Should we now forget all the good things Avi has done,and hence forth and forever more remember him as "Avi and his Trudeau salute" ???

TOM
btw,, as a youth,I never gave that salute,,I held up three fingers,and ask the person to "read between the lines"

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Rhinelander

Support the Hobby -- Join the American Philatelic Society
23 Mar 2009
08:41:39pm

re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

Hello,

Now that is funny. Avi, I can't believe you returned the cover. You should have put it up on our auction. I am sure there would have been folks fighting over it. Such auxilliary markings are certainly not common.

Here is my contribution. A patriotic slogan cancel from Boston:

xyz

The card came in handy. I just got it from Josh (joshtanski) I am happy to pass it on (free, of course), if it fits someone's collecting interest. For my purposes, it is bad that the meter stamp is cancelled over. For purposes of this thread it is just PERFECT. If you want it, check the member database for my email address.

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Jimkuksuk

29 Apr 2009
09:24:05am

re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

There is a much easier way of removing the new U.S. Stamps but it is very time consuming but it does work great it involves using lighter fluid if anyone is interested on how to do please e-mail me at jimk1961@sbcglobal.net and I can send you the steps on what to do put soaking stamps in the subject lne so i dont delete them thanks.

Jim

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d1stamper

10 Feb 2014
12:27:13pm

Auctions

re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

Do any of the US stamps issued since 2009 soak off paper using water?

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smaier

Sally
10 Feb 2014
01:09:24pm

re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

The APS website has a list of all US recent issues by year. For 2013 and before, it also states if the stamp will not soak or if it might soak. It doesn't actually say that a stamp will soak off, just that it might. But it is very clear on which ones do not soak off. The APS site is www.stamps.org , along the top at the far left is a tab for Stamp Collecting, then the drop down menu has a clickable link for New Issues. You juat have to pick what year you are interested in. Sally

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d1stamper

10 Feb 2014
01:50:01pm

Auctions

re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

Thank you Sally, Happy this is what I was looking to find.

Doug

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michael78651

10 Feb 2014
01:55:01pm

re: SOAKING RECENT YEARS US COMMEMORATIVES

Also, US listings in Scott now contain a red circle with a black "S" for US stamps that don't soak off paper.

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