The Importance of Safe Stamp Preservation
Preserving the physical condition of postage stamps is the most critical responsibility of any philatelist. Loose stamps are highly vulnerable to environmental hazards, physical creasing, and chemical degradation. To protect your collection, you must establish a methodical process for handling, organizing, and storing your stamps.
By using proper tools and storage materials, you can prevent irreversible damage and preserve the historical value of your collection. Understanding the difference between safe temporary housing and permanent display methods is the first step toward successful long-term preservation.
Handling Dry Stamps Safely: The Role of Stamp Tongs
The first rule of philatelic preservation is to minimize direct contact with your stamps. No matter how thoroughly you wash your hands, natural oils from your skin will transfer to the paper and cause gradual, permanent damage. To prevent this, always use specialized stamp tongs when handling dry stamps. Unlike household tweezers, stamp tongs feature a smooth gripping surface designed specifically to handle delicate paper without leaving marks or tearing the edges.
However, handling rules change entirely when dealing with wet or softened stamps. Never use tongs on a wet stamp, as wet paper is exceptionally fragile and highly susceptible to tearing. If you have soaked stamps to remove them from paper, allow them to dry completely overnight between paper towels under a heavy book before attempting to handle them with tongs or sort them.
Temporary Storage: Utilizing Glassine Envelopes
Before you are ready to mount your stamps into a permanent album, you need a safe environment to store them. Glassine envelopes are the industry standard for temporary storage. These translucent, semi-opaque envelopes protect loose stamps from dust, light, and physical friction.
Storing your loose stamps in glassine envelopes allows you to keep them organized by country, topic, or service while you plan your final album layout. Using StampSnap can help you quickly identify your loose stamps and create a digital record of your inventory while they remain safely stored in their glassine envelopes.
Choosing Safe Albums and Stock Books
When transitioning your stamps to permanent storage, selecting the right housing is vital. You can purchase specialized stamp albums, create your own, or use a photo album, provided it contains acid-free paper. You must never use photo albums with sticky pages, as the adhesive on these pages will permanently bond with and ruin your stamps.
Alternatively, a stock book is an excellent option for organizing loose stamps. Stock books feature pages with built-in plastic or paper pockets, allowing you to slide your stamps in safely without using any adhesive. Because stock books do not contain pre-printed pictures of specific stamps, they offer complete freedom to organize your collection however you wish.
Mounting Methods to Avoid: The Danger of Tape and Glue
When mounting stamps into an album, you must use safe, reversible methods. Never use household tape or glue to secure stamps to a page. Adhesives like tape and glue will severely decrease a stamp's value and cause catastrophic damage if you ever attempt to remove the stamp from the album.
Instead, use peelable stamp hinges or clear plastic mounts. Hinges are small, thin, folded pieces of translucent paper or plastic with a special gum on one side. To use a hinge, lightly moisten the short end and press it to the back of the dry stamp, placing the fold about an eighth of an inch from the top. Then, lightly moisten the larger portion to attach it to the page. For unused or highly valuable stamps, clear plastic mounts provide a protective sleeve that secures the stamp without applying moisture directly to the stamp itself.
Deciding Whether to Keep Stamps on Cover
Before attempting to remove a stamp from its original paper, you must decide if soaking is truly necessary. In many cases, keeping a stamp on its original envelope—known as a cover—is the best preservation choice.
If the envelope features a unique postal marking, a special cancel, or an appealing design, you should keep the entire envelope intact and place it directly into your album. Removing a stamp from a historically significant cover can destroy valuable postal history that cannot be replaced.
Organizing and Cataloging Your Collection
Once your stamps are dry and safely housed, you can begin the rewarding process of sorting and cataloging. You can organize your stamps by country, topic, or the specific service they were meant to provide, such as airmail, special delivery, postage due, or revenue stamps.
To assist in identification, a physical stamp catalog is an invaluable reference. Catalogs provide detailed illustrations, issue dates, printing methods, and descriptions of both used and unused varieties. By combining physical catalogs with digital tools, you can easily manage your collection. For instance, you can use StampSnap to scan a stamp and establish a likely identification, then verify its production details and varieties using a standard catalog.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use regular household tweezers to handle my stamps?
No, you should avoid using regular household tweezers. They often have ridged or sharp tips that can easily tear or dent delicate stamp paper. Instead, use specialized stamp tongs, which feature a smooth gripping surface designed specifically for handling stamps safely.
Is it safe to use self-adhesive photo albums for stamp storage?
No, you must never use photo albums with sticky or self-adhesive pages. The glue on these pages will permanently bond with your stamps, causing severe and irreversible damage. Only use albums with acid-free paper or stock books with protective pockets.
Should I always remove stamps from their original envelopes?
Not always. If an envelope features an interesting postmark, a special cancel, or historical markings, it is best to keep the stamp on the cover. Removing it can destroy valuable postal history and reduce its overall appeal to collectors.
Can I use tape or glue to mount stamps in my album?
No, you should never use tape or glue to mount stamps. These adhesives will ruin the stamp's paper and gum, severely decreasing its value. Instead, use peelable stamp hinges or clear plastic mounts designed specifically for philatelic use.