Cover Collection Organization

I agree that covers of all kinds are a fascinating collecting area. If one wanted to collect only event covers, pictorial cancellations and/or cachet covers, what might be away to organize xuch a collection? I am referring to US covers as well as worldwide covers.
thanks for the input.
Joel

Hi Joel.....


You might consider organizing your US covers by cachet maker and/or topic, for WW I'd organize by country just to make everything easy to find.

I would go for a sturdy shoebox style box that fits the wider of the covers.
Dust is the philatelist's enemy so encase ever cover in an archival pocket
(cheap as chips $12 per 1000 I think)then slip each in alphabetical
using a cardboard bookmark with A,B C etc.
A good tip for organisational duties, is to attend a stamp fair, and see how the professionals do it, you can pick up nifty ideas from those who make it their job.

I am new here, where does one purchase these archival pockets to protect covers?

Thank you!

~TLC in WV~

Hello TLC.....


Welcome to the club.....


Here's a link to subwaystamps......clear plastic cover sleeves....order by the size of the cover you want to protect.

http://subwaystamp.com/searchprods.asp


Here's a list of ebay auctions.......

http://stamps.shop.ebay.com/Protect...ts=704%2C260

How does one organize them ? I have hundreds in misc. cover albums and 5 Nike and plastic sweater boxes...

Dependant upon the cover you could organize by topic, country, stamp, year of issue, cachet artist/company, as you acquire them, or whatever way you come up with. I have used cover albums and archival sleeves in an acid free storage boxes. Check out some of the cover topic threads for others collecting interests. I collect Abraham Lincoln and Route 66 items on covers. I have images of my Route 66 frame exhibit which includes dozens of covers and several various Lincoln covers on this site.

My postcards and postal history covers are all in large sturdy plastic boxes. I prefer plastic over metal and cardboard simply because their lifespan is longer than the other two types and less susceptible to dampness and humidity once closed.

Chimo

Bujutsu

I specialize in collecting USA 1847 issue, with my stamps and covers I use my computer to make individual pages which I laser print on fancy ridged paper, thick like for certificates or such, I have my description of the individual cover, I use Showgard mounts, and I slide the entire page into a clear plastic page protectors (3-ring binder type).

I easier to organize for me being I collect one issue, but I thought I'd mention this option and post a couple of pictures to show you.

How does everyone feel about covers in binders?
some of the covers I inherited are in binders with corner holdersand under plastic, is this a good way to store them long term?
or should I remove them and store them in boxes?
thanks

You have a lovely way of displaying your covers Andy
I am surprised you use 3 ring binders, I find that places
pressure on the rings of the plastic covers, so I have used
only 4 ring now exclusively.

Here are the sheet protectors I use from OfficeMax. So far I have had no problems with 3-ring binder.

Andy,
I assume that that package says on it somewhere that they are archival safe? You must pay a pretty penny for those covers, and I'd hate to see them ruined by some bad sheet protectors... I seem to remember some discussion on these in a different forum a couple of years back, but I don't remember the specifics, but I do remember the conclusion was you needed to be careful that if you used this approach that you used archival safe materials.

Oh, and beautiful job on those pages, by the way!

-Allen

Good lookin' out Allen, the protectors are "archival safe; acid free" are it's printed on the box lower left but the above picture is to small to be able to make that out. I also have the covers in a Showgard mount on the page that slides into the protector so they are very protected.

Rod222, I assume you mean the "sagging" issue. I use 3 ring binders also, only because they are easier to find and less expensive. Also the majority of the plastic covers around here have only 3 holes.

However, I have found that using the heavy-weight (3.3 mil or thicker) plastic prevents sagging. I have some that are well over 10 years old and are still fine.

Indeed, Bee See,
the "sagging" was a real problem, I agree with your solution
but since going to the cheap 4 ring binder, I wouldn't go back
ever to the three ring.
($4.50 each from Officeworks)
Unfortunately I have as yet, been unable to source locally, that thicker plastic you talk of, I would dearly love to put those to use, but now I am only using the paper thin plastic prot sheets, that I have checked with the Bilstein test for archival use.

Most Aussie plastic protector sheets cover all contingencies, and come with 11 holes.

The plastic/cellophane debate can be confusing too, I have
decanted "Readers Digest" stamp sets from the 1960's
housed in cheap cellophane, and they come out looking absolutely
pristine.
The only damage so far I have come across, is the cheap plastic pockets used for FDC's, and have seen impessions of the cachets infused and migrated into the plastic, most probably during our very hot days.