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How to Care for a Stamp Collection
👉 How to Care for a Stamp Collection : Around the world, people transmit packages and letters using stamps. Stamps provide a unique purpose and are also well-liked collector’s goods.
Many people have taken up philately (stamp collecting) as a hobby because of their historical significance and the abundance of art/design alternatives available. Philately is the study of stamps, postal history, and other related topics.
Stamp collectors need to take good care of their antique collections. Since a stamp is inherently just a small piece of paper, it is incredibly fragile and frequently rather tough to retain in mint condition.
Here are some actions you may take to reduce the likelihood that your collection will sustain harm.
It’s all explained in this video:
Stamp Handling Basics
When learning how to take care of a stamp collection, the most crucial and frequently given advice to new philatelists is straightforward: Don’t touch the stamps. Although no two fingerprints are identical, they all share the amount of grease, dirt, and grime that covers them.
Always use stamp tongs rather than tweezers to avoid harming your priceless collection. These tongs have unique, tear-free jaws that are smooth and thin enough to pick up a stamp easily.
Beginning collectors are frequently advised to develop their skills on less precious or easily replaced items because using tongs properly requires a little technique.
It is maybe not surprising to hear that a wide variety of very fancy and highly specialised stamp tongs are sold in a pastime that is solely centred on expensive details. A fast Google search will yield numerous possibilities at various price points.
Don’t touch the Stamps
Don’t touch the stamps is the first thing you should know about keeping your stamp collection in good condition. Fingers draw dirt, filth, oils, and acids that will stain and fade your stamp collection over time.
Use stamp tongs or tweezers to manipulate your stamps to prevent this. With the aid of tongs, you can pick up stamps without breaking or folding them, thanks to their smooth jaws.
👉Stamp tongs come in three different categories:
| 👉 Pointed end stamp tongs – These tongs feature a pointed end that is sharp and tapered, making it possible to take out individual stamps from a collection and mount them. Remember that as pointed stamp tongs can easily pierce a logo, they should always be handled carefully. |
👉 Spoon end stamp tongs – Spoon end stamp tongs, also known as shovel tip stamp tongs, are distinguished by their broad tips that can bend at an angle.
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Choose the right stamp stockbook/album
The two most popular ways to store stamp collections are in-stock books and albums. Consider the paper quality, paper colour, binding style, and interleaving material when choosing a stockbroker or album.
Store your albums and stock books vertically to distribute weight more equally and prolong the life of your collection.
Additionally, it would help if you refrained from overfilling an album or stock book because doing so would put too much pressure on the stamps and could harm them.
Store stamps high up
Instead of placing your stamp collection in a box on the floor, place them on a high shelf or cupboard.
This will reduce the likelihood of water damage from bursting pipes, unintentional spills, or floods. Damage from water might include gum damage, warping, and fungus infections.
In addition to reducing the chance of water damage, keeping stamps up high puts them out of the reach of kids who can unintentionally ruin your collection.
Store stamps in a dry space
When reserving your stamp collection at home, humidity is still another aspect to consider in addition to water. Temperature temperatures may be pretty consistent throughout the year, but humidity levels can vary greatly.
The value of your collection may be diminished by mildew growth, mould, warping, and other issues brought on by humidity. Ensure your stamps are kept dry and away from much condensation throughout the year to prevent this from happening.
If your neighbourhood is prone to humidity changes, you can also think about setting up a humidifier or dehumidifier to keep the moisture content in the air between 35 and 55%.
Store stamps in a dark room
Not only should the location you choose for storage be dry, but it also needs to be dark. You are probably already aware of the harm that sunlight can do to printed materials, dyed materials, paintings, upholstery, and clothing.
The same is true for stamps: too much sunshine can fade, break, yellowing, or colour changes. Limiting your stamp collection’s exposure to direct sunlight is essential if you want it to last for a long time.
Although it may be alluring to display your favourite groups in a prominent spot for easy viewing, it is preferable to keep them as hidden as possible.
Store stamps in a temperature-regulated room
Frequent changes between high and low temperatures can also harm stamps. The paper may shrink or expand due to temperature changes, hastening its degeneration.
Philatelists (collectors of stamps) shouldn’t store their collection in a garage, basement, or attic because these areas are more susceptible to temperature changes. Keep your stamps in a space where the temperature won’t frequently fluctuate between 65°F and 72°F.
How to Soak and Separate Stamps?
👉It’s all explained in this video:
Protect your Stamps from pests
Pests like mice, insects, and microbes adore organic things like paper. These pests can potentially destroy your collection permanently in a short period.
Always avoid keeping your group in a paper container to prevent this. To prevent infestation, make sure to shut off any entryways in your house.
Protect your Stamp collection from chemical damage
Perfumes, aerosol sprays, and pesticides cause chemical damage when present in the air. Stamps made of sensitive paper may eventually degrade due to such chemicals.
The best way to reduce long-term chemical exposure is to store your collections in sealed containers. It would help if you also exercised extreme caution when working or cleaning next to an exposed group.
Protect your Stamp collection from theft
Unfortunately, the theft of expensive or rare stamps has become more frequent. Even if the average burglar isn’t very knowledgeable about stamp values, keeping your collection safe from trespassers is still essential. Put them behind closed doors.
Even better, think about storing your priceless collection in a bank safety deposit box, which simultaneously solves several of the abovementioned problems.
Buy insurance for your Samp collection
Accidents can occur despite your best efforts to take care of your stamps. A priceless stamp collection should be safeguarded in addition to its historical and aesthetic worth. Many businesses now provide unique insurance plans for stamp collections.
If your stamps are insured, you will occasionally be paid (depending on the type of damage and coverage purchased). Please be aware that a professional appraisal will probably be needed before the range is offered.
Appraising Your Collection
Many insurance plans demand a qualified assessment of coverage. Even if that isn’t possible for you, knowing the actual value of your collection is crucial when deciding how to arrange your stamps for storage.
Conclusion
Therefore, we may conclude that stamp collecting is a hobby both young and old enjoy. It can broaden your understanding, whether you’re interested in popular historical stamps or stamps from a particular country.
The most crucial thing a stamp investor or collector should understand is the worth of their collection.
Stamp Collection-FAQ
How do I care for my stamps?
Click here for detailed advice from our conservators on how to take care of your stamps. There are some simple ways of caring for your collection as a beginner. Try to handle your stamps as little as possible; instead, use tweezers.
This lessens the possibility of tearing while also preventing dirt and oils from your hands from getting on the stamps.
How do you maintain a stamp collection?
Keep your stamps in the proper albums, out of direct sunlight, in a wine cooler with a temperature of 12° and a relative humidity of 50–55%, and in complete darkness.
Keep the collection in total darkness and take steps to ensure that the temperature and humidity are accurate if the “ideal” can’t be achieved in your home.
How to store stamps?
At-a-Glance: How to Store Stamps 1 Keep temperatures between 65°F and 72°F 2 Keep humidity levels between 35% and 55% 3 Avoid excessive exposure to natural light 4 Keep your collection at least 6” off the floor 5 Don’t use cardboard boxes or other materials that attract bugs
How can I protect my stamp collection from damage?
Always use stamp tongs rather than tweezers to avoid harming your priceless collection. These tongs feature special smooth jaws that prevent tearing, but are thin enough to pick up a stamp quickly.
What do I need to start my stamp collection?
There are a few necessities you will require when beginning your collection. The Stamp Catalog (check your local library to see if they have any catalogs for reference) Stamp Mounts or Hinges Tweezers (so you don’t have to touch the stamps, learn more later…)
What is the best way to store stamps?
Stockbooks and albums are the two most popular choices for storing a stamp collection. Each significant issue has its own space in a stamp album that is expressly printed for a focus region, such as a country, era, or topic.
These spaces are frequently accompanied by explanatory text.
How to prevent damage from stamps?
Ensure your collection is kept in a secure location that is unlikely to be damaged by vibrations or unexpected impacts and inaccessible to inexperienced handlers.
If you keep your stamps in an album, flip over the pages occasionally to keep them from adhering to one another.
How to care for stamps?
When learning how to take care of a stamp collection, the most crucial and frequently given advice to new philatelists is straightforward: Don’t touch the stamps. Although no two fingerprints are identical, they all share the amount of grease, dirt, and grime that covers them.
Always use stamp tongs rather than tweezers to avoid harming your priceless collection. These tongs have unique, tear-free jaws that are smooth and thin enough to pick up a stamp quickly.
Beginning collectors are frequently advised to develop their skills on less precious or easily replaced items because using tongs properly requires a little technique.
What causes stamps to break down?
Chemical exposure: Chemical deterioration of stamps can occur in various ways, from perfume and aerosol sprays in the air to dirt and filth transferred while handling without tongs. These substances can adhere to fragile materials.
What happens if you spill stamps?
It should be clear that water can ruin an expensive stamp collection; common effects of an accident spill include warping, degradation, fungal infections, and gum damage.
Avoid keeping alcohol close by while working on your group to reduce risk. Another smart move is to take precautions to avoid flood damage, such as always keeping your stamps higher than 6 inches above the ground.
Why should stockbooks be stored upright?
To distribute weight and pressure more evenly, store your albums and stock books vertically.
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