Selvage - Save It Or Trash It

The image below is NOT my stamp, I'm just using it as an example. My question concerns selvage on a stamp, it has no markings of any kind but is nearly as wide as the stamp itself. How much "Value" does it add to a stamp, or not, monatary or eye appeal. Personally, I usually remove selvage from a stamp unless it has the plate number. If it has the plate number, I also consider the age and if it's mint or used.

I vote for "leave it" and if you would rather have one without the margin, trade it on to someone who wants it.

I understand that it would gum up the works in a hingeless album.

Just my 2d. (It would take nerves of steel to separate old blocks and margins...) [/shudder]

I agree. I'd leave it alone. While there may not be any monetary bonus for it in terms of stamp value, I think it adds to the stamp. Agreed, it wouldn't fit well into a preprinted album, but isn't that what Vario pages are for?

I agree as well. I generally leave them, even if they are blank like this one. I figure it is the 'state' of the stamp and wouldn't change it. I just cut my mounts bigger.

I vote to leave it also. I would pay a little extra for a better stamp with some attached selvage.

It seems to me that the selvage protects the perfs from damage on the side where it is attached. The perfs can't be creased or torn if the selvage is still there.

I also kep the margins on my stamps w/o question. That is the way it was issued, so, I keep it in it's orignal form so to speak.

Chimo

Bujutsu

I prefer to leave it as it is. I think it adds a bit of variation on the album page.

I would absolutely leave it! Definitely adds character to the stamp. Though it may not add monetary value there is something about the selvage still attached that I find appealing.

Yeah, leave it. Trade it to someone who wants it for one without selvedge, as @stamphound suggested.

Art!
This question reminds me of a story I once heard. A little old lady wanted to help her husband and tidy up his stamp collection. She took a pair of scissors and cut off all the ugly rough edges on his stamps.
Ron

For symmetry in an album, I'd remove it. I wouldn't pay more for a single sided selvage but if it had selvage on all four sides I would.

PP

Was thinking about the same issue over the weekend - at the end of the day I went with the "leave it on" course of action as I believe it to be an actual part of the stamp and not an optional extra something

Pull the selvage off, and you can never put it back on again. And who knows? That bit of paper might just help a specialist plate the stamp.

I'm always very reluctant to do anything to a stamp that diminishes the story it has to tell. You have the stamp now, but some day someone else will have it, and after them, someone else again; and someone had it before you. You're just a link in a chain of ownership: do you think its fair - even if you have the right - to alter the stamp?

A: I wouldn't pay more for it (unless it had the printers mark)

example: (this one is a keeper)


B: If it is of no consequence I would consider carefully removing it if the stamp was post 1950.

I think this isn't as easy a question to answer as first thought. I'd asses on a case-by-case basis.
I hope this helps some.

I should have made this a poll, it's about 5 to 1 to leave it on.

There are lots of good reasons to leave it on and the bottom line, it's my stamp, I'll do it my way and pull it off. Unless its one of those "special" stamps, of course. There always exceptions to a rule.

Art

I agree do what you want just be very careful is all (but you knew that already) :P