Blackjack

essayk and ILS,

Because people in the past did things to their stamps you find questionable does not mean they were ignorant or "dumb". Perhaps they were pursuing their own collecting style, doing what they preferred, what made them happy, rather than following a set of proper collecting rules decided by committees and forums. I have seen many strange examples of what collectors have been willing to do to the backs of their stamps, for the most part leaving the front side untouched. I've seen strange things collectors have done to their albums. But, I try not to make any assumptions about their motivation (sometimes its hard though ).

In my opinion the worst thing you can do to a stamp is attach a gummed hinge to it. Does that make collectors that hinge ignorant of the damage they are inflicting on the stamp and their albums and the burden they are putting on the future owner of the stamp. Of course not. Owners of stamps can do whatever they want and have no obligation to future generations to preserve anything, even original gum. And suckers like me will spend hours rescuing stamps from these type of collections.

Cheers

Can't resist here guys.....reminds me of a funny comment I heard at a show from a dealer....

Very elderly man said to a dealer "I like hinges", and it was kind of a funny comment you might hear from someone who was in their 90's and not all there anymore...but it was really cute....and I saw the dealer roll his eyes, and then heard the dealer say-- "I like hinges too, but I wouldn't put one on a never hinged $5.00 Columbian if I were you!"

Just thought this was a good spot for it.....Ray

BTW, also couldn't resist posting my "wide" Black Jack again:

Glad you couldn't resist, worth another look, but can't get the image of an unhinged Columbian man out my head... I need a coffee (Columbian of course!) :)

No. On a mint stamp the gum has never been activated now has it? If you have something to say- say it.

Very strange science that. But the truth is that for the stamps of the classic period (up to 1870) when gum was first applied to the stamp in manufacture, it was a thick liquid, and went to work on the paper immediately. It dries, but the acids in it are still acting as always. Natural humidity keeps the gum active, the more the merrier. Depending upon the solvent used to moisten the gum to affix the stamp, other chemicals may be added in trace amounts. But as long as the gum remains on the stamp it is the primary antagonist affecting it, and that is true whether it is again moistened or not. The action is obviously very slow and protracted, or nothing would survive as long as it does. But, mint or used, if it's got gum, it's got the seeds for its own destruction. Nothing new in all that.

Instead of getting steamed and reactivating something sticky, maybe it's time to move on. Would you agree?

caertainly.

I'll second that motion and, following Ray.Mac's lead, take this opportunity to share these Scott 73's:

Those are honeys! Are you by chance a BJ specialist?

No, just lucky! Here is a very nicely centered Scott 87:



I acquired it on cover but needed to lift the stamp in order to confirm the grill type. See https://goscf.com/t/14828#14828

OH my! If that stamp is as nice on the back as it is on the front, I would send it to PSE for a grade. Too bad you had to lift it, because now that stamp cannot be certified as tied. Or had you submitted it BEFORE you lifted it?

Here are my 4 - top one resides in my album:

I sent the cover to Bill Weiss and received a certificate reflecting a Scott 87 tied; however, Bill was unable to accurately count the points or determing their direction with the stamp on cover. I lifted the stamp and sent it back to him, asking for a graded certificate. He confirmed it was an E grill and graded the stamp 90-95.

Well, at least you have one authority as a witness. Unfortunately, Bill runs a solo operation, so his testimony does not carry the weight with the major auction houses (the ones who usually get the best prices for high grade material) that the "committee" based expertization firms do: PF, PSE, APEX. Nonetheless, the quality of the off cover single puts it in the upper classes, and it is a very nice item to have. But you might want to get a cert from PSE or something like that, if you ever go to sell it at auction. Just a thought.