The Importance of Safe Sorting and Selection
Once your postage stamps are completely dry, the next step is organizing them before they are mounted in an album or stock book. Sorting is a continuous, rewarding process for collectors, but it requires a methodical approach to prevent physical wear. Handling dry stamps safely ensures they maintain their condition and long-term value.
Using tools like StampSnap can help you quickly identify the country of origin or design variations during this initial phase. However, before you place any stamp into a permanent album, you must evaluate its physical state, separate duplicates, and decide on an organizational system that fits your collecting goals.
Safe Handling Rules for Dry Stamps
The golden rule of philatelic preservation is to handle your stamps as little as possible. Even clean hands carry natural skin oils that can transfer to the paper and cause gradual deterioration over time. To prevent this, collectors should use specialized stamp tongs rather than their fingers.
Stamp tongs resemble tweezers but feature a smooth gripping surface designed specifically to avoid crimping or tearing delicate paper fibers. It is critical to distinguish between wet and dry stamps during this process. While tongs are excellent for dry stamps, you should never use tongs on wet or softened stamps, as wet paper is highly vulnerable to tearing and structural damage. Always allow your stamps to dry completely overnight before handling them with tools.
Evaluating and Selecting the Best Copies
If you have gathered multiple copies of the same postage stamp, you do not need to mount all of them in your primary album. Instead, carefully evaluate each duplicate to select the single best copy for display. Look for stamps that are well-centered, meaning the margins around the central design are even on all sides.
Additionally, examine the cancellation marks on used stamps. A lightly canceled stamp, where the postmark does not obscure the main design or portrait, is generally preferred for a clean album presentation. Once you have selected the premium copy, the remaining duplicates can be safely stored in glassine envelopes to be saved for future trading with other collectors.
Identifying and Managing Damaged Stamps
During the sorting process, you will inevitably encounter stamps with physical defects. Carefully inspect each specimen for tears, thins, missing perforations, or heavy staining. As a general rule, badly damaged stamps should be removed from your main collection to keep your album in prime condition.
However, there are exceptions to this rule. If a damaged stamp is highly valuable or exceptionally difficult to replace, you may choose to keep it as a temporary space-filler until a better copy can be acquired. For common stamps, discarding or separating damaged copies ensures your collection maintains a high standard of quality.
Choosing an Organizational System
There is no single right or wrong way to organize a stamp collection; the choice depends entirely on your personal interests. Many collectors prefer to sort their stamps by country of origin. For stamps without an obvious country name, remember that Great Britain is the only nation permitted to omit its name from postage stamps, using an image of the ruling monarch instead. Using StampSnap can help you identify these country-specific details or organize your digital inventory before physical sorting.
Alternatively, you can organize your collection by topic, such as space, animals, or history, which is known as topical collecting. Another practical method is sorting by the specific service the stamp was designed to provide. This includes grouping airmail stamps, special delivery stamps, postage due, parcel post, or revenue stamps together.
Safe Temporary Storage Options
Before you are ready to mount your sorted stamps into an album or stock book, you must store them safely to prevent environmental damage or curling. Glassine envelopes are an excellent, acid-free option for temporary storage during the sorting phase. They keep your stamps clean, dry, and organized by category.
When you are ready to transition them to a permanent display, use peelable hinges or clear plastic mounts. Never use household tape or glue, as these adhesives contain chemicals that will permanently stain the paper and drastically decrease the stamp's value. Using safe, philatelic-grade materials ensures your collection remains preserved for years to come.
Frequently asked questions
How do I choose which duplicate stamp to keep in my album?
When sorting duplicates, compare the centering of the design and the heavy or light nature of the cancellation. Select the copy that is well-centered with a light, clean postmark that does not obscure the stamp's design, and save the other duplicates in glassine envelopes for trading.
Should I keep a damaged stamp in my collection?
Generally, badly damaged stamps should be removed during the sorting process. However, if the stamp is highly valuable or rare and difficult to replace, you may keep it in your collection as a temporary placeholder until you find a better copy.
Can I use regular tweezers to sort my stamps?
No, regular household tweezers often have ridged or sharp tips that can easily puncture, scratch, or tear delicate stamp paper. You should use professional stamp tongs, which have a smooth gripping surface designed specifically for handling dry stamps safely.
What are the different ways I can organize my stamp collection?
You can organize your stamps by country of origin, by topic (such as animals or history), or by the specific service they provided, such as airmail, special delivery, postage due, parcel post, or revenue stamps.