When To Hinge, When Not To Hinge?

Just curious on what the general consensus is on when to hinge stamps. I know never to hinge mint stamps, but at what value and below is okay, in general, for used stamps?

Hi there,

For myself, if it's been hinged before then re-hinged it will be. Anything that has been used, as in canceled I hinge. Canceled stamps are low man on the totem pole in value anyway. If I find a canceled stamp that is worth a little more because of an oddity, then it either gets put in a mount and added to the album or it gets put away in a stock book.

Donna

I wouldn't hinge a stamp not previously hinged but it is fair game after that. Modern hinges are better than older ones and are unlikely to cause thins etc. Remember, though, when hinging mint stamps use minimal moisture and don't wet the gum off the stamp, it will just stick to your album page.

I don't hinge any stamp I put into an album, but I don't think there is anything wrong with hinging a used or ungummed stamp.

Unless, of course, this is how you do it:

For me, any post-1940 used stamp that has been previously hinged or catalogs for <$1 is fair game for using the traditional hinge. Anything else gets the stapler.



Sorry, I cannot agree. The brand makes a bigger difference than the age of the hinge. Very few hinges will beat a genuine Dennison; and definitely no modern hinge that I know of will beat a Dennison. Just my opinion.

Well I think that's funny!

This board has changed. It's gotten too serious. Both your stapler joke and Greg's hinge licking dog above it didn't earn a comment in nearly half a day; nor a smile; nor the little guy rolling around on the floor. So sad.

Yeah. Let's confuse people. I colleceted in the 1970's and spent a fortune on Crystal Mounts. I've come back and now someone asks a very legitimate question about when to use hinges and when to use mounts.

Thanks Larry! But I understand that it is harder for members to roll around on the floor laughing when still in a straight jacket. Or maybe, as my wife has told me several times: "You know, you really aren't funny."

Sorry, Prince! But if I made my replies any less confusing, I'd have to start charging my regular consultant's fee, and then you'd have to issue me a 1099... so just take my word for it, it's a lot easier if I just confuse everybody.

k

First, It's 2 a.m. here and so everything is a bit topsy-turvey. Why did I agree to the graveyard shift?

Second, I'm beginning to rethink this business about Crystal mounts. I've got a TON orf them in two albums - a Harris Citation WW album and a US Liberty Album. The last stammp I put in there was probably in 1975 and I've checked several of them. I don't see any damage, glazing or curling or anything else.

Is this just a hype thing? Admittedly, I didn't store these in the garage or in the leaky basement for the last 35 years, but I'm seeing nothing negative nowhere with the Crystal Mounts.

Maybe they improved the quality of Crystal Mounts between the 60's and 70's. Maybe it's a storage issue, as you suggest, or maybe you haven't had yours as long as some of the ones I've seen. Next time I see some of these I'll be sure to get some pictures.

As for when to use hinges and when to use mounts, it's just common sense based on one's preferences. I use hinges exclusively, hinging virgin MNH material all the time. But I would rather sell an never hinged stamp of significant value than destroy that quality for someone who might appreciate it more than I do. For the cheaper MNH or the MNH stuff that sells way below catalog such as some of the earlier Canadian that must obviously be over valued since everyone on ebay is selling them but almost no one is buying them, hinging is no problem because they obviously aren't worth what they say they're worth and I won't collect on them anyway.

Bob, here is a link to a Crystal Mounts thread you began on 02/28/08, just two weeks after you joined.

https://goscf.com/t/593&SearchTerms=crystal,mounts

I have just recently pulled out my old Harris Liberty Album, and found a few that I mounted in Crystal Mounts. If my memory serves, these were mounted in the early 70's. Most of them look pretty bad, yellowing and curling up. I tryed to remove one and it tore the page. Some of this might have been the way I used the mounts. I am sure I licked them, and most likely pretty heavy. I stopped using them way back then for some reason, and with the results I have seen, I will stick with Scott.

I generally use mounts, even for less desirable stamps, under the theory that I will someday upgrade the stamp and it will be much easier to do without damaging the album page if I use a mount. On the other hand, I cut my own mounts to size and when dealing with volumes of stamps it can be tedious album work.

I use hinges on all my stamps, I do not collect mnh or unused,I prefer the look of hinged stamps on pages, mounts look cluttered and bulky on album pages in my opinion.

Beginning, I collected everything in Hagners,
now I hinge eveything.
I like the feel, the look and the layout,
none of my stamps are expensive, so no thoughts
of the damage to quality material.