Storage Of Old Stamps On Envelopes

I came across this Sc# 10 on an envelope. Can I just store this like I would an FDC? While there are certainly better examples of this particular stamp, I really like how the envelope as a whole looks. Are there any concerns about the envelope paper being acidic and damaging the stamp?

For something that old, I think I would put the cover into a protective sleeve or a page protector or at least a glassine envelope to protect it from further damage.

It is a nice cover and while there could be argument that the paper envelope of that day would be acidic, I don't think it would be a major problem to leave it just as it is, as I suspect the stamp "on cover" is worth a great deal more than the stamp alone. In fact, my old Scott Specialized Catalog suggests it's worth 70% more on cover than the value of the stamp alone.

You may be interested in this link to the cemetery gravestone of the addressee who lived from 1794-1875 ... more than 80 years ... which was quite an accomplishment in itself in the 19th century:

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/f...Rid=17557104

And to just think that she lived through some significant American history, having been born while George Washington was still alive and having died well after the US Civil War.

I agree with wt1's advice. The stamp is not a #10. It is a type II, scott #11A. Sorry about the bad news.

I agree with WT1. Keep the stamp on cover. It looks better that way, and it is worth more that way, regardless of which Scott number it is. I keep my older covers in 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 Archival sheet protectors (here sold at Staples Item #15942) with a archival backboard (cut to fit 110 lb white acid free white card stock). Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for the findgrave link. That's a very interesting site! I agree it looks like a scott #11. I need to do some more reading, but it doesn't look like these are easy to tell apart. From what I gather, Scott #11 used the same plates but a different ink that didn't wear the engravings as much. Is that about right? The pictures I've looked at show the color as all over the chart so that really doesn't seem to be a reliable indicator. Is identification done by looking at the wear alone?

Attached is a picture of a second similar stamp I found in the same collection. My guess is also a scott #11. It's slightly curved due to being stored this way for literally decades. It's a bit sharper but not nearly as sharp as the images I've seen of a scott #10.

I'll do some more looking into how to differentiate between the two. In the meantime, I'm open to any tips!

PoStat4evR, thanks for the info on the sheet protectors. I have a number of covers I would like to save and have been looking for an affordable solution -- something that doesn't include vario sheets.

PoStat4evR, I have a bunch of covers like this that I would like to save and those sleeves from staples look great. Do you mount your covers onto the card stock or do you leave the covers in loose? If you mount your covers, how do you do it?