Sealed Booklets

Maybe this should be "back of book" but my question is whether it makes any value difference if my sealed stamp booklets are opened flat to put into my vario pages -

Unexploded (unopened) booklets have been deemed more valuable than exploded booklets. I am not sure why that is, other than there is less risk to the stamps inside if it has always been closed. Booklets as a whole (after, say, 1940) aren't worth much more than face value, so I don't see much of a difference if you explode them or not.

While it may be generally true that "unexploded" booklets have been deemed more valuable, there is a comment made at the beginning of the "Booklet Panes and Covers" section of the Scott Specialized Catalog of US Stamps that notes:



Therefore, if you're looking at catalog values, a premium would probably be in order for an "unexploded" booklet; as the values listed in the Scott Catalog represent examples that are opened.

Of course, the advantage of "unexploded" booklets is that they had limited to no handling and the stamps are likely to be intact just the way they were when issued. Continued handling of booklet panes (most of which have been folded at least once) will continue to deteriorate to the point that they could fall apart over time, which is why true collectors of this specialty prize the "unexploded" booklet panes, as they are the ones which have seen limited handling and in theory should be in better overall condition.

As a general collector, I see nothing wrong with "exploding" the booklet for display, as one wants to enjoy their stamps, not just look at a booklet cover!

I open all my booklets because I want to see the stamps. I don't care if it lowers the value of my booklet because I want to see my stamps. Sometimes I even take the stamps out of the booklet because all I care about are the stamps.

And same goes for presentation packs...I take stamps out of presentation packs and then throw the presentation pack away.

Unexploded and opened do not necessarily mean the same thing.

For the older stapled booklets, exploding means the staples have been removed so that the covers and panes are now loose. In many cases, the sum of the loose panes is less than the intact booklet.

For the more recent booklets that are glued shut, opening the booklet is not the same as exploding - exploding would be one step further which would involve removing the panes (which are glued in). Just opening the booklet does not have the same negative effect on the value (unless you are really rough when you do it).

In the case of the most recent self-adhesive booklets, exploding them would involve tearing them apart at the folds, but almost no one does this.

That is not how I learned it. The typical book/online definition of unexploded booklet is:

"a booklet in the state in which it was sold by the post office"

I have interpreted that definition to mean that popping open any booklet that was originally sealed shut (by glue, by sticker...) by the post office, means the booklet is no longer unexploded. Because it is no longer in the state sold at the post office. I have not seen the term unopened booklet in the philatelic glossaries I've looked at.

As far as I'm concerned, unexploded booklets are only valuable for some of the early issues in which the booklets rarely exist intact. Back when booklets were stapled or sewed, exploding booklets was the only way to show the stamps without folding the cover. Most modern booklets are so plentiful, that any change in value of the booklet (in terms of absolute value) is not significant.

I like to be able to actually see the stamps I collect. But some people like to collect unexploded booklets, sealed coil rolls... hey, whatever makes them happy.

In looking at the Scott Specialized it seems virtually no premium is suggested for an intact booklet vs the sum of the value given for the panes. There is some premium for unfolded panes however.

If this had been posted in the main Stamp Collecting forum, a nice comparison could have been made between the different countries issuing Booklets, the types of Booklets and the differing terminology used in those countries.

Interesting thread, and a worldwide one is needed. Today I am busy so maybe next week.

Great stuff.

Londonbus1

That is true for the common booklets (which is most of them). As I mentioned, the phrase "unexploded" for modern booklets is nothing more than a sales gimmick. However, booklet panes with significant premium will also have an additional premium for the unexploded booklet. This is most noticeable in the pre-1930 booklets.

The "never folded" booklet panes carry a minor premium because they were only available from Kansas City.

Scott does not use the term unexploded. However, their prices for the stapled booklets are for "creased" (unexploded) booklets. Their prices for glued booklets are for "opened" booklets. As far as I know, Scott does not use the words unexploded nor unopened.