Are your stamps postally used or mint ?
You would have to tell us that before a valid answer can be made.
Most people who spen the money to collect mint stamps choose some kind of mounts.
If you are interested in used stamps as I am, hinges work just fine, cost a lot less and are very easy to use..
Can make one valid answer regarding which mounts not to buy:
Crystal Mounts are a clear tube-style mount that come in different sizes. There also are other similar mounts under different brand names. You slide the stamp into the tube, and then cut the tube to the proper size for the stamp. To attach to an album page, you pull off the protective backing from the glue strip and place the mount on the page. These tend to collect moisture, which over time will glaze the gum on unused stamps, and cause toning problems on the paper of all stamps.
The American Philatelic Society sells mounts for its members to use when preparing books to sell stamps through the society. The mounts are like a clear pocket with an adhesive strip along the top. The mounts are easy to use, but are not intended to be used in a collection. The adhesive, particularly on older supplies, is not acid neutral and can damage the album and/or stamp over time. The mounts also can be very difficult to remove from a page in case you ever want to remount an album page. Most likely removal of the mount will damage the page. These are offered sometimes for sale to non-APS members on web sites. Good for approval sales books, but not necessarily for stamp albums.
Marlate Mounts are an old-mounting system where you cut the mount to the shape of the stamp, and then cover it with a clear plastic material. The plastic attaches to the black back of the mount on all sides. It is very difficult to remove stamps from these mounts without causing some sort of damage to the stamp. Usually the use of a hobby knife is necessary, and there is a risk of cutting the stamp while trying to cut open the mount. Even though this mount was around in the 1950s and 1960s, I mentioned it, because there are supplies of these mounts that show up now and then for sale on web sites.
For me, all my stamps get put into a mount and then into an album. It doesn't matter if they are used, unused or mint. The type of mount I use are black back (they also come in clear) with a clear front. The front actually protects stamps against ultraviolet light. These mounts come in pre-cut or long strips. Stamps are inserted from the back, which is slit in the middle. The stamp sets quite nicely protected in the mount. There are two primary brand names for these: Showguard and Prinz. Scott Mounts are made by Prinz. There is a slight different between the two where Showguard are a little more rigid than Prinz.
There is a similar type mount under Hawid name (Showguard makes them), and Prinz makes them as well. They are open on the sides and top. Some people prefer these. I don't as stamps don't fit snuggly in and can fall out of the mount.
Oh yes, NEVER use tape to close off the open sides of a mount. The adhesive in the tape is acidic and will ruin the stamp and album page.
When I first began collecting I would use mounts for mint stamps and hinges for used ones. The presentation looked terrible but it was all I could afford.
Now I use black Showgard mounts for both mint and used stamps.
I've been buying "seconds" in strips of various sizes and I cut them to size using a Showgard Excal guillotine (I measure the width of the album space, cut the mount to size, and then insert the stamp).
Steve
Picking up where Michael78651 left off concerning Crystal Mounts and Scotch tape...
I collect several of the British Omnibus issues. Today, I saw that a gentleman in England has offered up on eBay a complete White Ace album of the 1937 KGVI Coronation issues all mint never hinged! I though what a great deal. So, I open up the listing to look further, and behold:
All of the stamps were mounted in the infamous Crystal Mounts... And, to insure that the stamps would not slip out, a small piece of scotch tape was applied to the left side of each mount, additionally securing the mount to the page. One could easily see how the stamp had slid into the tape.
The listing describes the collection as being "well cared for". But, sadly, I had to pass on this amazing deal.
I'm sure many stamps have been ruined using the Crystal Mounts. The Hawid, Showgards or Scott mounts are the only ones I use. I do prefer the Showgards since there are seconds available at such reasonable prices and I've never found one that was defective.
Mike
I recently purchased a collection which was mounted somewhere in the 1950's or 1960's using professional mounts that look like acetate. Does anyone know if there were mounts on the market in that period that might have been harmful to the stamps themselves? I had planned to store some as-is, but I'm wondering if I should take them out of their mounts.
Ken
Ken,
That is another question with a difficult answer, that relates with the way the albums have been stored over the last 50 or 60 years. As we know, albums should be stored standing up, never by laying them down, because of the pressure the weight causes by laying a stack of them down. I would take a sampling of the stamps in question and gently remove the protective cover to see how they have survived the test of time. If they look good, keep them as they are and transfer them to your new album. If they may have stuck down or in some other way damaged ascertain if it would be beneficial to remove the cover, or better off leaving them as they are since you may cause more damage by removing them from the cover.
Good luck with your project and WELCOME to SOR!
Mike
Marlate mounts are not good for stamps, or for removing the stamps from those mounts. Got to be very careful.
I would use any of the polystyrene mounts, but not PVC. I wouldn't touch Crystal Mounts with a ten foot pole.
This presentation might be useful: http://stamps.org/userfiles/file/pcpm/StampsPlastics.pdf
In my more youthful naivete, I used Crystal Mounts (who knew? they were for stamps, right?). So all those US stamps (all right they were from the 40's to the 60's) ended up being postage. But I was so proud of my mounted stamps....
Roger
i bought a basketful of those things, on sale. I later gave them all away. See my comment on frugality in another thread to understand my pain
Did the same thing back in the 60s, Roger. And in Texas, believe me, the heat and humidity did a number on my stamps!
Reviving this thread with a new question:
What type of mounts do you prefer, those with top opening or center opening, and why?
I just received a package of goodies today, and in it are some mounts that I had added to my order of catalogs. I hadn't considered that there were (at least) 2 types of mounts. Those with top opening, and those with center opening. I had seen so many pictures of the ones with center opening (in mount tutorial videos, etc) that I didn't check what type I had ordered.
I personally prefer the center-opening mounts. It's more difficult to get stamps in and out of them, but the stamps are more securely mounted. By the way (and as you probably already know), center mounts should be affixed to album pages using just a light lick across the top, not with top-and-bottom licks; the latter technique will make your stamps almost impossible to remove from their mounts later on. I made this mistake early in my collecting and wound up having to re-mount my stamps in a whole new album doing it the right way.
Initially I used center-opening mounts, but have recently switched to top-opening for certain albums. The biggest reason for using the former, for me, would be to limit exposure to the elements. However, I don't live in a climatically challenged area (e.g, high humidity) and I always use slip covers for albums, so one enclosure is probably enough to protect from dust. But, if I didn't use slip covers I would certainly want to ensure my mounted stamps were not exposed at the top, due to bad things falling into them over long periods of time, mainly dust.
If you've seen the damage exposure can do in poor environments, you know what I mean.
I grew tired of hinges that didn't peel, mounts that curled, album supplements that cost more than the stamps etc. So I started using Hagnar and Vario sheets exclusively. I LOVE it! I collect a mint and used of each issue plus varieties, so this offers me the flexibility I need.
Everyone finds their own best way and no one way is right for everyone.
Thanks for the feedback
"So I started using Hagnar and Vario sheets exclusively. "
I use the Vario sheets for larger items like souvenir sheets and covers. They do come double sided. I use Hagnar for the stamps - you can buy those either single or double sided. It is easier to move single stamps in and out of Hagnar sheets because you hold the flap down while you place the stamp. The stamps also seem to stay put better in Hagnar.
Another perk to using Hagnar and not an album - instead of looking at the empty spaces which seem to draw your eye when looking at an album, you only see the stamps you do have. It may seem weird, but I like that!
Clear vario sheets are GREAT when you want to see BOTH sides of the stamps. Perfins are a perfect example of when this is important. I have my Irish perfin collection on clear vario sheets with black interleaves. I also have a tiny collection of New Zealand that has advertising printed on the backs.
Does anyone else here in Stamporama use Hagnar sheets?
Yes, I love those where you can hold the flap down and place the stamp inside. I don't like the ones where only the top is open and you have to slide the stamp in; at the edges, it gets very tricky to do so easily.
I keep most of my completed collections in stockbooks (e.g., omnibus issues) and use Scott Specialty binders for the bulk of my specialized collections (e.g., HK treaty ports). But by far the bulk of my collections are in Hagner or Prinz stock pages in binders.
Peter
For my Hong Kong collection, I use Hagner leaves exclusively. I go one further though: instead of using ordinary two or four ring binders, I house mine in A4 artist's portfolios.
These are very robust spline 'binders' that have a zip all around the other 3 sides. There is an air gap where the zip terminates.
These binders have a sprung carry handle on the spline.
I have been use crystal mount and perma guard mount and still on but only I can buy at ebay auction
I have no plm with crystal mount and perma guard mount so I see some people use large or medium size and not fold it so they put tape to not stamp fall out the mount oh wow that why I fold it line on top as size that what I am doing for long time without the plm!
older crystal mount that gum on the mount that come out that glue is old so be careful
newer crystal mount was not plm that was good
Perma guard mount are great
watch out the crystal mount made in germany and not hard tube that was soft tube that I not like it
I like gummed mount not peel and stick no way
if you not like crystal mounts so let me know so I can buy from you ok
stephanie
I don't know if they changed the formula for manufacturing Crystal Mounts, but the old mounts for sure were are major problem for stamps. The older mounts collected humidity and caused foxing and other gum-related damage to the stamps. Crystal Mounts should be avoided, the older manufactured ones at least.
I have seen plenty of collections where the stamps were mounted in albums and pages using Crystal Mounts, so I have seen the toned gums, fixing of the paper, etc.. Also, as you mentioned, many collectors use tape to secure the stamps in the mounts. The tape simply ruins the stamps and the collection.
I collect WW, so I use hinges for most items, but will use mounts for MNH stamps or stamps above a certain CV. I use clear Hawid (open on three sides) mounts because they mix well with hinged stamps. I like the clear mounts because they still allow you to see the border around the stamp (again similar to hinged stamps).
"I like the clear mounts because they still allow you to see the border around the stamp (again similar to hinged stamps)."
So - I decided to work on my Canada collection - I have all the mounts ready and my stockbook is open, just ready to grab those mounts. I finish the QV pages and start to move on to the commemoratives of KE VII - grab my mount and ... wrong size. Ok, grab the other size I have ready - nope, wrong size! Oy!!!! So now I've put it on hold so that I can go and buy S26 and S27 to mount my KE VII section.
I've decided to give up the idea of fancy boxes, etc. I'm simply mounting in order according to Era. That way I can work on the commemoratives separately according to issue dates and then come back another time to do the definitives. I'm actually surprised that just a "blank" paper (I use a parchment colour stock card paper that looks fantastic!) with a fancy header and fancy border with clear mounts and stamps, looks quite nice actually.
I spent several months last year creating Canada pages based on Steiner and I never did print them because I just got discouraged - what if I have doubles, colour varieties, cancellations, pairs, strips, blocks ... etc., where do I put them? Ugh - so I finally just decided to go with this method and it looks good.
I'm going to do some of my other countries that way as well.
I do not have access to my old Scott Minuteman album these days, but I do remember the mounts.
They were pre-sized for individual stamps/pairs/blocks. There was a thick black paper piece, with a self-adhesive back. There was a clear (acrylic?) plastic front piece, itself about 1/4" larger than the black piece.
The manufacturer had folded three sides of the clear plastic front piece, and the mount came with the thick black paper piece 'inserted'.
This left one edge open.
I would insert a stamp, leave the open edge as the top edge, remove the protective strip from the self-adhesive back, press down and ... done!
The alternative (and perhaps the expected usage) was to insert the stamp, remove the protective strip from the self-adhesive back, fold that last edge of the clear plastic front piece so as to fully enclose the stamp, press down and ... done!
Once upon a time, perhaps twenty years later, I opened the album to find individual mounts easily falling off of their respective pages. Closed it, and left it alone.
Q/ Does anyone remember the names of these mounts?
Q/ Did you close yours, or leave the last edge open?
Q/ Have you since hinge'd the mounts to their pages?
Q/ Have you since cursed violently, and re-mounted with another product?
Cheers,
/s/ ikeyPikey
Steiner pages do have space for many minor varieties. I couldn't tell you about Canada, however, to see if many minors are on the pages. However, when I have minors that Steiner doesn't have space for, I create a blank page using the Steiner blank pages. I put the information at the top of the page, print it out and then add the stamps.
I hear you Kelly. I like to add interesting things to my collection. I want to be able to edit my pages to allow me to add pairs, blocks, plate singles or covers.. whatever has tickled my fancy for that stamp. I have always been that way. I look in my old Minuteman USA album from 1972 and I see I have Christmas seals in the white space near that year's commemorative stamps.
I used to use CAD programs, but don't have access to any right now. I do use Microsoft PowerPoint and Publisher, and I might be tempted to design an album on Publisher. I'd save the pages so I could go back and modify the collection as I wish.
Back in the 1970s I used to hand draw and type my pages. I came across an album I did for Bicentennial stamps back then, I'll have to scan a few pages to show the board. Today we have all these computer tools so it should be much easier with more professional results.
"Q/ Does anyone remember the names of these mounts?"
"Q/ Have you since cursed violently, and re-mounted with another product?"
I believe you are referring to Marlate mounts. Several years ago (1980's) I bought a collection of US Classics with some nice grilled banknotes and 1869 issues.
You need to open that book and see what you have.If it has been in high heat or a moist area it may entail a lot of careful work to extricate them. Definitely plan on remounting them.
With the small amount that I did manage to do, I was really surprised to find that it looked nice just to have the rows of stamps without the boxes. When I know I'm missing a stamp, I can guestimate the amount of space it will need based on the others and it will be fine and if not, I can always create a new page and move things.
I'm going to re-do my other collections this way as well. I can create write-ups separate as time permits and just pencil in a number or letter beside a set and use it in my write-up on a separate page to reference to and place that page in front of the stamps.
This way I'll actually SEE some progress in my collection and have some nice albums instead of stockbooks. I have all the albums and the paper and everything, but as long as I'm wasting my time creating boxes and irrelevant info, I'll never see any progress.
Being able to sort it all into stockbooks and seeing what I'm missing by the empty spaces will also help me to fill them. So at least now I've got things moving in the right direction
Here is a tip: You can use older mounts from spent pages, and you can also re-use and reposition your mounts very easily. You can move them around without damaging your pages. And you can acquire tons of them used without breaking the bank!
I do that until the book is finally "complete" (if there is such a thing). The key is to use removable tape (once again, the magical Scotch 811 photo safe removable tape) on the mounts. Then you can move the stamps in their mounts until you are satisfied, and you do not have to glue the mounts permanently to your pages, as the used mounts without glue can be used.
I sometime will get an old buch of album pages with black mounts attached, but no stamps...I actually will now search for these at stamp shows. These can be removed from the pages (you may destroy the pages, so do it when you are sure you don't need the pages), and often, a little bit of saliva or water will rub off any adhesion left on the one half side that was stuck to the page. Then re-use the mounts with the 811 tape in order to be able to freely move them around when needed. At the end, you can stick the mount on your page permanently by moisturizing the half that was not previously stuck..or as I do now, simply attaching them with the 811 tape...one never knows if you will need to re-configure a page later.
Since I use a lot the Steiner pages for my albums, this technique allows easy reprinting and adjustments to existing album pages one at a time if required, That takes care of pages that need modifications.
Mounts can add up to quite a bit of money (some times more than stamps!), so this method certainly works if you are watching your budget. Now, when at a stamp show, I ask my favorite dealers to set aside spent pages (with mounts) that they would normally discard, and I have a box full of peeled mounts ready to crop to size and reuse as needed.
rrr...
On the subject of mounts, one can spend a lot of time and money acquiring the perfectly sized mount to accommodate the larger items, Souvenir sheets, full sheets, mini sheets, blocks, se-tenant etc...
Here is a technique I now use. (I can recycle older mounts for that purpose, just cutting the edge on one side. The photo shows the use of black mounts or clear mounts (2 out of 4 on the lower S/S)...both will work. Not sure which one is my favorite.
Incidentally, if no gum is left on the mount remnant, I once more will use the removable tape on the back of the mount to position it perfectly.
Actually, even if glue remains, I find it easier to reposition and move it as needed, without permanently gluing it to the page, and risk making a mistake..especially pages that are hard to replace (like Scott pages rather than Steiner self-printed pages).
rrr...
Hmmm...
I would not expose part of the souvenir sheet to paper/air and the rest to mount. Fully enclosed material will be much better protected and all surfaces will receive the same degradation if any.
Plus, the clear top portion/cover of the mount blocks UV light from getting to the stamp.
Most of my pages are in plastic sheet protectors, since I am standardizing on Steiner pages.
So the partial mounts are just to hold the sheets in place.
Plus my Scott pages are in books which are in dust covers? What UV?
Rrr
In a perfect world we would all have an infinite budget and infinite ressources, but if you are operating on a budget you do not need to use "gold plated" supplies, which are already ridiculously priced as compared to the cost of the stamps and furthermore so bulky. In many places, collectors store stamps and collections in stockbooks, not albums. It is cheaper, it is more flexible, it is much more compact to store...and yes stamps are partially exposed just like my mount system..but I have not heard anyone refer to the dangers of stockbooks storage to UV, or air exposure.
Once more, I find our hobby stuck in old timers technology and afraid of innovation....just like the bulk of (older) stamp collectors, I again see reluctance to step outside the bounds of commercial driven solutions that only benefit the manufacturers pocket books! If your sheet is worth hudreds of dollars, maybe, but should you spend more on the mount than what the stamp is worth?
And no, I have not had a bad night!
rrr...
I agree, Ralph. So many collectors, I've found (and I don't necessarily mean hear on SoR) have an attitude of "no price is too high for the protection of my precious 10c stamps."
When you consider how many stamps have survived in perfectly fine condition over the years despite the truly poor mounting and storage conditions imposed by collectors of yore, I find this attention to the minutiae of mounting and storage (outgassing, UV exposure of enclosed albums, etc) shown by some collectors as an over-reaction at best, and, at worst, an unhealthy neurotic obsession.
I have seen simulated-aging test results performed on various famous-name storage sheets, and none of them perform perfectly with no signs of yellowing, brittling, or disfiguration. I also read of so many collectors printing their own pages on Office Depot paper -- paper that is in all likelihood NOT acid-free.
And what about the aforementioned outgassing? Stamp paper, adhesives, and inks, all emit chemical vapors which, when enclosed in a mount, such as a Showgard or Hawid, offers no circulating air in which these vapors can be dissipated. Instead they are trapped, where the chemicals can react with one another, with deleterious consequences to the stamp.
So, why do these things not matter to some collectors, while things such as UV exposure to stamps in a slipcased album, or non-uniform exposure to airborn pollutants? One reason is because nobody spends much time addressing these points. And the reason for that is plain; once you start taking the arguments to such extremes, the only logical conclusion you come to is that all currently available mounting and storage methods are deficient and should be eliminated.
It is also natural, I guess, for people to pick and choose their battles according to a) their understanding of the various facets involved, and, b) their own tolerance for the economic cost of ever more "improvements". (How many of you have built climate-controlled storage areas for your collections? If not, why not? Don't you care about your stamps?)
Why do collectors think they have done their fiduciary duty by placing their gems within Showgard mounts, yet maintain blissful ignorance to the effects of the acidic album pages, and the volatile gases emitted from their vinyl binders?
I am all for taking proper care of my stamps and preserving them for future generations. I am also all for not getting carried away in an endless and, ultimately, unfruitful quest for a panacea. All current solutions fall short in one way or another. It doesn't mean they should all be abandoned. But it also means one should not follow current conventions slavishly, or obsess about other problems, real or imagined.
If you are satisfied with spending 10 times the value of your collection for alleged perfect mounting and storage solutions, that is your prerogative. I will continue in my own way knowing that my stamps have survived a hundred years or more without these methods, and that with a moderate (not crazy expensive) amount of care on my part, will still be around 100 years from now.
Ted
Ted, that reminds me of something Kim said not too long ago. His biggest phobia is fingerprints!
Yes, MNH stamps with faint oily fingerprints, then they get nicely housed in gorgeous mounts! And you know how many collectors handle stamps with their fingers to get the stamps in the mounts.
Rrr...
Q/ The 'bare' corners on those souvenir sheets won't curl?
Never have Michael S. But then these are on pages in books stored vertically (usually in dust covers) and secured with a rubber band. Not much chance to move and curl. These are actually on my old Scott books, but I am moving away from Scott pages as I mentioned. The new books will have all pages in sheet protectors..one more layer of protection, although Ted has me now thinking about gases...lol.
Here is another trick. Get an old tire tube (you may find some discarded inner tubes at old tire repair shops) and slice 1/4 inch strips..they are the perfect rubber band to secure your albums. Don't go too thick..as they are pretty strong and you don't want to bend the covers under tention. I like keeping the albums securely closed, when not in use.
But if you are concerned about curling corners, there are also many ways to use mounts remnants to secure large sheets..here is an example that lack symmetry, but where I was concerned about possible interference from my working on the stamps mounted above (not yet secured in their own mounts, so they are emporarily in place, and the sheet is more secured in the corners.
(As you supect, I have experimented, from small remnants of mounts to full strips across the two top/bottom edges..it all works, so it is an individual choice).
rrr...
Could someone help me ? What are the best mounts to buy? also is it better to use stamp hinge? also what sizes do I buy? Thanks for any info
re: Stamp Mounts
Are your stamps postally used or mint ?
You would have to tell us that before a valid answer can be made.
Most people who spen the money to collect mint stamps choose some kind of mounts.
If you are interested in used stamps as I am, hinges work just fine, cost a lot less and are very easy to use..
re: Stamp Mounts
Can make one valid answer regarding which mounts not to buy:
Crystal Mounts are a clear tube-style mount that come in different sizes. There also are other similar mounts under different brand names. You slide the stamp into the tube, and then cut the tube to the proper size for the stamp. To attach to an album page, you pull off the protective backing from the glue strip and place the mount on the page. These tend to collect moisture, which over time will glaze the gum on unused stamps, and cause toning problems on the paper of all stamps.
The American Philatelic Society sells mounts for its members to use when preparing books to sell stamps through the society. The mounts are like a clear pocket with an adhesive strip along the top. The mounts are easy to use, but are not intended to be used in a collection. The adhesive, particularly on older supplies, is not acid neutral and can damage the album and/or stamp over time. The mounts also can be very difficult to remove from a page in case you ever want to remount an album page. Most likely removal of the mount will damage the page. These are offered sometimes for sale to non-APS members on web sites. Good for approval sales books, but not necessarily for stamp albums.
Marlate Mounts are an old-mounting system where you cut the mount to the shape of the stamp, and then cover it with a clear plastic material. The plastic attaches to the black back of the mount on all sides. It is very difficult to remove stamps from these mounts without causing some sort of damage to the stamp. Usually the use of a hobby knife is necessary, and there is a risk of cutting the stamp while trying to cut open the mount. Even though this mount was around in the 1950s and 1960s, I mentioned it, because there are supplies of these mounts that show up now and then for sale on web sites.
re: Stamp Mounts
For me, all my stamps get put into a mount and then into an album. It doesn't matter if they are used, unused or mint. The type of mount I use are black back (they also come in clear) with a clear front. The front actually protects stamps against ultraviolet light. These mounts come in pre-cut or long strips. Stamps are inserted from the back, which is slit in the middle. The stamp sets quite nicely protected in the mount. There are two primary brand names for these: Showguard and Prinz. Scott Mounts are made by Prinz. There is a slight different between the two where Showguard are a little more rigid than Prinz.
There is a similar type mount under Hawid name (Showguard makes them), and Prinz makes them as well. They are open on the sides and top. Some people prefer these. I don't as stamps don't fit snuggly in and can fall out of the mount.
Oh yes, NEVER use tape to close off the open sides of a mount. The adhesive in the tape is acidic and will ruin the stamp and album page.
re: Stamp Mounts
When I first began collecting I would use mounts for mint stamps and hinges for used ones. The presentation looked terrible but it was all I could afford.
Now I use black Showgard mounts for both mint and used stamps.
I've been buying "seconds" in strips of various sizes and I cut them to size using a Showgard Excal guillotine (I measure the width of the album space, cut the mount to size, and then insert the stamp).
Steve
re: Stamp Mounts
Picking up where Michael78651 left off concerning Crystal Mounts and Scotch tape...
I collect several of the British Omnibus issues. Today, I saw that a gentleman in England has offered up on eBay a complete White Ace album of the 1937 KGVI Coronation issues all mint never hinged! I though what a great deal. So, I open up the listing to look further, and behold:
All of the stamps were mounted in the infamous Crystal Mounts... And, to insure that the stamps would not slip out, a small piece of scotch tape was applied to the left side of each mount, additionally securing the mount to the page. One could easily see how the stamp had slid into the tape.
The listing describes the collection as being "well cared for". But, sadly, I had to pass on this amazing deal.
re: Stamp Mounts
I'm sure many stamps have been ruined using the Crystal Mounts. The Hawid, Showgards or Scott mounts are the only ones I use. I do prefer the Showgards since there are seconds available at such reasonable prices and I've never found one that was defective.
Mike
re: Stamp Mounts
I recently purchased a collection which was mounted somewhere in the 1950's or 1960's using professional mounts that look like acetate. Does anyone know if there were mounts on the market in that period that might have been harmful to the stamps themselves? I had planned to store some as-is, but I'm wondering if I should take them out of their mounts.
Ken
re: Stamp Mounts
Ken,
That is another question with a difficult answer, that relates with the way the albums have been stored over the last 50 or 60 years. As we know, albums should be stored standing up, never by laying them down, because of the pressure the weight causes by laying a stack of them down. I would take a sampling of the stamps in question and gently remove the protective cover to see how they have survived the test of time. If they look good, keep them as they are and transfer them to your new album. If they may have stuck down or in some other way damaged ascertain if it would be beneficial to remove the cover, or better off leaving them as they are since you may cause more damage by removing them from the cover.
Good luck with your project and WELCOME to SOR!
Mike
re: Stamp Mounts
Marlate mounts are not good for stamps, or for removing the stamps from those mounts. Got to be very careful.
re: Stamp Mounts
I would use any of the polystyrene mounts, but not PVC. I wouldn't touch Crystal Mounts with a ten foot pole.
This presentation might be useful: http://stamps.org/userfiles/file/pcpm/StampsPlastics.pdf
re: Stamp Mounts
In my more youthful naivete, I used Crystal Mounts (who knew? they were for stamps, right?). So all those US stamps (all right they were from the 40's to the 60's) ended up being postage. But I was so proud of my mounted stamps....
Roger
re: Stamp Mounts
i bought a basketful of those things, on sale. I later gave them all away. See my comment on frugality in another thread to understand my pain
re: Stamp Mounts
Did the same thing back in the 60s, Roger. And in Texas, believe me, the heat and humidity did a number on my stamps!
re: Stamp Mounts
Reviving this thread with a new question:
What type of mounts do you prefer, those with top opening or center opening, and why?
I just received a package of goodies today, and in it are some mounts that I had added to my order of catalogs. I hadn't considered that there were (at least) 2 types of mounts. Those with top opening, and those with center opening. I had seen so many pictures of the ones with center opening (in mount tutorial videos, etc) that I didn't check what type I had ordered.
re: Stamp Mounts
I personally prefer the center-opening mounts. It's more difficult to get stamps in and out of them, but the stamps are more securely mounted. By the way (and as you probably already know), center mounts should be affixed to album pages using just a light lick across the top, not with top-and-bottom licks; the latter technique will make your stamps almost impossible to remove from their mounts later on. I made this mistake early in my collecting and wound up having to re-mount my stamps in a whole new album doing it the right way.
re: Stamp Mounts
Initially I used center-opening mounts, but have recently switched to top-opening for certain albums. The biggest reason for using the former, for me, would be to limit exposure to the elements. However, I don't live in a climatically challenged area (e.g, high humidity) and I always use slip covers for albums, so one enclosure is probably enough to protect from dust. But, if I didn't use slip covers I would certainly want to ensure my mounted stamps were not exposed at the top, due to bad things falling into them over long periods of time, mainly dust.
If you've seen the damage exposure can do in poor environments, you know what I mean.
re: Stamp Mounts
I grew tired of hinges that didn't peel, mounts that curled, album supplements that cost more than the stamps etc. So I started using Hagnar and Vario sheets exclusively. I LOVE it! I collect a mint and used of each issue plus varieties, so this offers me the flexibility I need.
Everyone finds their own best way and no one way is right for everyone.
re: Stamp Mounts
Thanks for the feedback
"So I started using Hagnar and Vario sheets exclusively. "
re: Stamp Mounts
I use the Vario sheets for larger items like souvenir sheets and covers. They do come double sided. I use Hagnar for the stamps - you can buy those either single or double sided. It is easier to move single stamps in and out of Hagnar sheets because you hold the flap down while you place the stamp. The stamps also seem to stay put better in Hagnar.
Another perk to using Hagnar and not an album - instead of looking at the empty spaces which seem to draw your eye when looking at an album, you only see the stamps you do have. It may seem weird, but I like that!
Clear vario sheets are GREAT when you want to see BOTH sides of the stamps. Perfins are a perfect example of when this is important. I have my Irish perfin collection on clear vario sheets with black interleaves. I also have a tiny collection of New Zealand that has advertising printed on the backs.
Does anyone else here in Stamporama use Hagnar sheets?
re: Stamp Mounts
Yes, I love those where you can hold the flap down and place the stamp inside. I don't like the ones where only the top is open and you have to slide the stamp in; at the edges, it gets very tricky to do so easily.
I keep most of my completed collections in stockbooks (e.g., omnibus issues) and use Scott Specialty binders for the bulk of my specialized collections (e.g., HK treaty ports). But by far the bulk of my collections are in Hagner or Prinz stock pages in binders.
Peter
re: Stamp Mounts
For my Hong Kong collection, I use Hagner leaves exclusively. I go one further though: instead of using ordinary two or four ring binders, I house mine in A4 artist's portfolios.
These are very robust spline 'binders' that have a zip all around the other 3 sides. There is an air gap where the zip terminates.
These binders have a sprung carry handle on the spline.
re: Stamp Mounts
I have been use crystal mount and perma guard mount and still on but only I can buy at ebay auction
I have no plm with crystal mount and perma guard mount so I see some people use large or medium size and not fold it so they put tape to not stamp fall out the mount oh wow that why I fold it line on top as size that what I am doing for long time without the plm!
older crystal mount that gum on the mount that come out that glue is old so be careful
newer crystal mount was not plm that was good
Perma guard mount are great
watch out the crystal mount made in germany and not hard tube that was soft tube that I not like it
I like gummed mount not peel and stick no way
if you not like crystal mounts so let me know so I can buy from you ok
stephanie
re: Stamp Mounts
I don't know if they changed the formula for manufacturing Crystal Mounts, but the old mounts for sure were are major problem for stamps. The older mounts collected humidity and caused foxing and other gum-related damage to the stamps. Crystal Mounts should be avoided, the older manufactured ones at least.
I have seen plenty of collections where the stamps were mounted in albums and pages using Crystal Mounts, so I have seen the toned gums, fixing of the paper, etc.. Also, as you mentioned, many collectors use tape to secure the stamps in the mounts. The tape simply ruins the stamps and the collection.
re: Stamp Mounts
I collect WW, so I use hinges for most items, but will use mounts for MNH stamps or stamps above a certain CV. I use clear Hawid (open on three sides) mounts because they mix well with hinged stamps. I like the clear mounts because they still allow you to see the border around the stamp (again similar to hinged stamps).
re: Stamp Mounts
"I like the clear mounts because they still allow you to see the border around the stamp (again similar to hinged stamps)."
re: Stamp Mounts
So - I decided to work on my Canada collection - I have all the mounts ready and my stockbook is open, just ready to grab those mounts. I finish the QV pages and start to move on to the commemoratives of KE VII - grab my mount and ... wrong size. Ok, grab the other size I have ready - nope, wrong size! Oy!!!! So now I've put it on hold so that I can go and buy S26 and S27 to mount my KE VII section.
I've decided to give up the idea of fancy boxes, etc. I'm simply mounting in order according to Era. That way I can work on the commemoratives separately according to issue dates and then come back another time to do the definitives. I'm actually surprised that just a "blank" paper (I use a parchment colour stock card paper that looks fantastic!) with a fancy header and fancy border with clear mounts and stamps, looks quite nice actually.
I spent several months last year creating Canada pages based on Steiner and I never did print them because I just got discouraged - what if I have doubles, colour varieties, cancellations, pairs, strips, blocks ... etc., where do I put them? Ugh - so I finally just decided to go with this method and it looks good.
I'm going to do some of my other countries that way as well.
re: Stamp Mounts
I do not have access to my old Scott Minuteman album these days, but I do remember the mounts.
They were pre-sized for individual stamps/pairs/blocks. There was a thick black paper piece, with a self-adhesive back. There was a clear (acrylic?) plastic front piece, itself about 1/4" larger than the black piece.
The manufacturer had folded three sides of the clear plastic front piece, and the mount came with the thick black paper piece 'inserted'.
This left one edge open.
I would insert a stamp, leave the open edge as the top edge, remove the protective strip from the self-adhesive back, press down and ... done!
The alternative (and perhaps the expected usage) was to insert the stamp, remove the protective strip from the self-adhesive back, fold that last edge of the clear plastic front piece so as to fully enclose the stamp, press down and ... done!
Once upon a time, perhaps twenty years later, I opened the album to find individual mounts easily falling off of their respective pages. Closed it, and left it alone.
Q/ Does anyone remember the names of these mounts?
Q/ Did you close yours, or leave the last edge open?
Q/ Have you since hinge'd the mounts to their pages?
Q/ Have you since cursed violently, and re-mounted with another product?
Cheers,
/s/ ikeyPikey
re: Stamp Mounts
Steiner pages do have space for many minor varieties. I couldn't tell you about Canada, however, to see if many minors are on the pages. However, when I have minors that Steiner doesn't have space for, I create a blank page using the Steiner blank pages. I put the information at the top of the page, print it out and then add the stamps.
re: Stamp Mounts
I hear you Kelly. I like to add interesting things to my collection. I want to be able to edit my pages to allow me to add pairs, blocks, plate singles or covers.. whatever has tickled my fancy for that stamp. I have always been that way. I look in my old Minuteman USA album from 1972 and I see I have Christmas seals in the white space near that year's commemorative stamps.
I used to use CAD programs, but don't have access to any right now. I do use Microsoft PowerPoint and Publisher, and I might be tempted to design an album on Publisher. I'd save the pages so I could go back and modify the collection as I wish.
Back in the 1970s I used to hand draw and type my pages. I came across an album I did for Bicentennial stamps back then, I'll have to scan a few pages to show the board. Today we have all these computer tools so it should be much easier with more professional results.
re: Stamp Mounts
"Q/ Does anyone remember the names of these mounts?"
"Q/ Have you since cursed violently, and re-mounted with another product?"
I believe you are referring to Marlate mounts. Several years ago (1980's) I bought a collection of US Classics with some nice grilled banknotes and 1869 issues.
You need to open that book and see what you have.If it has been in high heat or a moist area it may entail a lot of careful work to extricate them. Definitely plan on remounting them.
re: Stamp Mounts
With the small amount that I did manage to do, I was really surprised to find that it looked nice just to have the rows of stamps without the boxes. When I know I'm missing a stamp, I can guestimate the amount of space it will need based on the others and it will be fine and if not, I can always create a new page and move things.
I'm going to re-do my other collections this way as well. I can create write-ups separate as time permits and just pencil in a number or letter beside a set and use it in my write-up on a separate page to reference to and place that page in front of the stamps.
This way I'll actually SEE some progress in my collection and have some nice albums instead of stockbooks. I have all the albums and the paper and everything, but as long as I'm wasting my time creating boxes and irrelevant info, I'll never see any progress.
Being able to sort it all into stockbooks and seeing what I'm missing by the empty spaces will also help me to fill them. So at least now I've got things moving in the right direction
re: Stamp Mounts
Here is a tip: You can use older mounts from spent pages, and you can also re-use and reposition your mounts very easily. You can move them around without damaging your pages. And you can acquire tons of them used without breaking the bank!
I do that until the book is finally "complete" (if there is such a thing). The key is to use removable tape (once again, the magical Scotch 811 photo safe removable tape) on the mounts. Then you can move the stamps in their mounts until you are satisfied, and you do not have to glue the mounts permanently to your pages, as the used mounts without glue can be used.
I sometime will get an old buch of album pages with black mounts attached, but no stamps...I actually will now search for these at stamp shows. These can be removed from the pages (you may destroy the pages, so do it when you are sure you don't need the pages), and often, a little bit of saliva or water will rub off any adhesion left on the one half side that was stuck to the page. Then re-use the mounts with the 811 tape in order to be able to freely move them around when needed. At the end, you can stick the mount on your page permanently by moisturizing the half that was not previously stuck..or as I do now, simply attaching them with the 811 tape...one never knows if you will need to re-configure a page later.
Since I use a lot the Steiner pages for my albums, this technique allows easy reprinting and adjustments to existing album pages one at a time if required, That takes care of pages that need modifications.
Mounts can add up to quite a bit of money (some times more than stamps!), so this method certainly works if you are watching your budget. Now, when at a stamp show, I ask my favorite dealers to set aside spent pages (with mounts) that they would normally discard, and I have a box full of peeled mounts ready to crop to size and reuse as needed.
rrr...
re: Stamp Mounts
On the subject of mounts, one can spend a lot of time and money acquiring the perfectly sized mount to accommodate the larger items, Souvenir sheets, full sheets, mini sheets, blocks, se-tenant etc...
Here is a technique I now use. (I can recycle older mounts for that purpose, just cutting the edge on one side. The photo shows the use of black mounts or clear mounts (2 out of 4 on the lower S/S)...both will work. Not sure which one is my favorite.
Incidentally, if no gum is left on the mount remnant, I once more will use the removable tape on the back of the mount to position it perfectly.
Actually, even if glue remains, I find it easier to reposition and move it as needed, without permanently gluing it to the page, and risk making a mistake..especially pages that are hard to replace (like Scott pages rather than Steiner self-printed pages).
rrr...
re: Stamp Mounts
Hmmm...
I would not expose part of the souvenir sheet to paper/air and the rest to mount. Fully enclosed material will be much better protected and all surfaces will receive the same degradation if any.
re: Stamp Mounts
Plus, the clear top portion/cover of the mount blocks UV light from getting to the stamp.
re: Stamp Mounts
Most of my pages are in plastic sheet protectors, since I am standardizing on Steiner pages.
So the partial mounts are just to hold the sheets in place.
Plus my Scott pages are in books which are in dust covers? What UV?
Rrr
In a perfect world we would all have an infinite budget and infinite ressources, but if you are operating on a budget you do not need to use "gold plated" supplies, which are already ridiculously priced as compared to the cost of the stamps and furthermore so bulky. In many places, collectors store stamps and collections in stockbooks, not albums. It is cheaper, it is more flexible, it is much more compact to store...and yes stamps are partially exposed just like my mount system..but I have not heard anyone refer to the dangers of stockbooks storage to UV, or air exposure.
Once more, I find our hobby stuck in old timers technology and afraid of innovation....just like the bulk of (older) stamp collectors, I again see reluctance to step outside the bounds of commercial driven solutions that only benefit the manufacturers pocket books! If your sheet is worth hudreds of dollars, maybe, but should you spend more on the mount than what the stamp is worth?
And no, I have not had a bad night!
rrr...
re: Stamp Mounts
I agree, Ralph. So many collectors, I've found (and I don't necessarily mean hear on SoR) have an attitude of "no price is too high for the protection of my precious 10c stamps."
When you consider how many stamps have survived in perfectly fine condition over the years despite the truly poor mounting and storage conditions imposed by collectors of yore, I find this attention to the minutiae of mounting and storage (outgassing, UV exposure of enclosed albums, etc) shown by some collectors as an over-reaction at best, and, at worst, an unhealthy neurotic obsession.
I have seen simulated-aging test results performed on various famous-name storage sheets, and none of them perform perfectly with no signs of yellowing, brittling, or disfiguration. I also read of so many collectors printing their own pages on Office Depot paper -- paper that is in all likelihood NOT acid-free.
And what about the aforementioned outgassing? Stamp paper, adhesives, and inks, all emit chemical vapors which, when enclosed in a mount, such as a Showgard or Hawid, offers no circulating air in which these vapors can be dissipated. Instead they are trapped, where the chemicals can react with one another, with deleterious consequences to the stamp.
So, why do these things not matter to some collectors, while things such as UV exposure to stamps in a slipcased album, or non-uniform exposure to airborn pollutants? One reason is because nobody spends much time addressing these points. And the reason for that is plain; once you start taking the arguments to such extremes, the only logical conclusion you come to is that all currently available mounting and storage methods are deficient and should be eliminated.
It is also natural, I guess, for people to pick and choose their battles according to a) their understanding of the various facets involved, and, b) their own tolerance for the economic cost of ever more "improvements". (How many of you have built climate-controlled storage areas for your collections? If not, why not? Don't you care about your stamps?)
Why do collectors think they have done their fiduciary duty by placing their gems within Showgard mounts, yet maintain blissful ignorance to the effects of the acidic album pages, and the volatile gases emitted from their vinyl binders?
I am all for taking proper care of my stamps and preserving them for future generations. I am also all for not getting carried away in an endless and, ultimately, unfruitful quest for a panacea. All current solutions fall short in one way or another. It doesn't mean they should all be abandoned. But it also means one should not follow current conventions slavishly, or obsess about other problems, real or imagined.
If you are satisfied with spending 10 times the value of your collection for alleged perfect mounting and storage solutions, that is your prerogative. I will continue in my own way knowing that my stamps have survived a hundred years or more without these methods, and that with a moderate (not crazy expensive) amount of care on my part, will still be around 100 years from now.
Ted
re: Stamp Mounts
Ted, that reminds me of something Kim said not too long ago. His biggest phobia is fingerprints!
Yes, MNH stamps with faint oily fingerprints, then they get nicely housed in gorgeous mounts! And you know how many collectors handle stamps with their fingers to get the stamps in the mounts.
Rrr...
re: Stamp Mounts
Q/ The 'bare' corners on those souvenir sheets won't curl?
re: Stamp Mounts
Never have Michael S. But then these are on pages in books stored vertically (usually in dust covers) and secured with a rubber band. Not much chance to move and curl. These are actually on my old Scott books, but I am moving away from Scott pages as I mentioned. The new books will have all pages in sheet protectors..one more layer of protection, although Ted has me now thinking about gases...lol.
Here is another trick. Get an old tire tube (you may find some discarded inner tubes at old tire repair shops) and slice 1/4 inch strips..they are the perfect rubber band to secure your albums. Don't go too thick..as they are pretty strong and you don't want to bend the covers under tention. I like keeping the albums securely closed, when not in use.
But if you are concerned about curling corners, there are also many ways to use mounts remnants to secure large sheets..here is an example that lack symmetry, but where I was concerned about possible interference from my working on the stamps mounted above (not yet secured in their own mounts, so they are emporarily in place, and the sheet is more secured in the corners.
(As you supect, I have experimented, from small remnants of mounts to full strips across the two top/bottom edges..it all works, so it is an individual choice).
rrr...