Used, Mint Hinged Or Mint Never Hinged

Hi all,

I am starting to collect again after a very long pause (Since I was 10 years old ..... I am now 40 years )
When I was collecting it didnt differ if the stamps were Used, Mint Hinged or Mint Never Hinged .... but when I returned back to the hobby.... I hear these three terms a lot.

I have read through catalogs about stamps (specially Egyptian stamps)and nearly decided what I will start with, regarding country and type but I dont know anything about condition.

I mean Used, Mint Hinged or Mint Never Hinged

What condition should I buy?

What did you all do and woulk like to advice me to do or not to do regarding this subject?

Thanks

Amr

Hi, and welcome back to the hobby. I also collected when I was younger, and just returned a year ago after a 45 year absence.

I collect USA (home country) and worldwide. For the USA, most are mint no hinge. BUT, as the value gets higher, I've bought mint with hinge, and then for the expensive ones, I have bought used. I also followed this process for the worldwide. Anyway, said another way, my pocketbook tells me what I can buy...........

Welcome back EgCollector!
I collect US (home country) and WW.
Over many years of collecting on and off, I now try to collect current/modern MNH US. US classics and before I look for the best I can afford. WW I collect mostly used, but will always add MNH (or MLH) when I can.
As has been said by so many, it is your collection so you decide how you want to collect.
The advice here is always helpful.
Good luck!

I prefer stamps that actually went through the mail. The more interesting the cancel, the better.

As a side benefit thay are usually cheaper to buy.

The problem with mint stamps, once you get past say 1930, they aren't even worth face value anymore.

All of the above :)

I generally collect stamps issued before 1975 or so focusing on the classic era stamps (say up to 1940-45 whatever - no hard date for me really). I collect in a few choice countries, Central Europe and US mostly.

Since I bought mostly in bulk to start each country, the majority are used stamps. But I also have acquired some mint. So I collect at least one used example first, then a mint example if I have one, eventually hoping to complete both used and mint collections. But note, collecting classic mint stamps is going to be more expensive, so the early stamps of a country I probably won't have mint examples.

For the mint stamps, I prefer to have "never hinged" mainly because they're valued higher (if you believe the catalogs), but I won't reject a hinged or lightly hinged copy. I don't look at the back of the stamp once the stamp is mounted so as long as the hinging didn't affect the front and didn't produce a thin or tear then I don't care all that much.

I collect Mint Never Hinged.
I dont collect used one unless it was on a cover.
Also it all depends on your budget and what you really like.
Once I finish my Lebanese collection, I will start collecting King Farouk stamps era.

My logic is that I like to have stamps with a clean vignette. So I collect "unused". Since MH is about half the cost of MNH, I buy MH. I'm getting to the point rapidly now where I am going to have to consider buying used, because I simply have most of the unused stamps I can afford. But nice clean used stamps cost as much as MH stamps. I will soon have to figure a way out of this quandary.


-IBFS

Welcome back Amr, good to see you here again.
I try to collect a new (MNH) and used copy
of all stamps from Australia, and what
ever comes my way for stamps from the rest of the World.
Like, what was said previously, it depends on your budget.

Steve

EgCollector as stated above it really is up to you which ones you collect. Used,Mint or Mint Never Hinged. Which you choose will likely be Dictated by your wallet size and how much you want and can afford to spend. The only thing I will say is If it is Mint in either condition Mint Hinged or Mint Never Hinged. DO NOT hinge them. Purchase from a company like Mystic Stamp Company. Purchase Stamp Mounts and place the Mint stamps and even any older valuable stamps,even if they have previously been hinged,in the mounts. NO NOT HINGE THEM. The older used ones you run the risk of damaging the backs on them and if they are Mint Never Hinged you will lose value if you hinge them.

For the most part I collect only mint never hinged but I will, when available, pickup items in any state as long as it is a sound unit. Some items in my collection seem to be duplicates but are MNH, MH, used or CTO all on the same page or area. All will be identified as such. I don't think there is a wrong way to collect as long as you know what you have.

Hi EgCollector, Welcome back to the fun zone. I have 3 albums per collection, consisting of used, hinged and not hinged. So my used collections are huge, my hinged collections are good sized and my not hinged are average. I take whatever I can get. I figure whatever I get, especially used, is a stamp that will fill my albums. Thats why I collect all countries.
I guess I could try and buy all the stamps I need but that would take the fun out of searching thru boxes of stamps I have acquired thru the years, plus I would be broke. I metal detect also and its more fun finding old coins than new ones.
The most enjoyable part is being part of a stamp community where you can get the knowledge for areas you lack. If we didn't have this type of social meeting place I believe stamp collecting would be more frustrating, because you would be lost. Sorry for rambling.. Gary

Thank you all very much for your warm welcome and precious advice

I Like the stamps of the Kingdom of Egypt (1922-1952) so I think I will start with used stamps just to warm up and then see what sets I will be more interested in and get them in MH or MNH (according to my budget).... this is an initial plan that I am leaving it flexible to be changed at any time

Will go to the stamp shop next Saturday and will scan and post pics of what I will buy.

Thank you all very much

Amr :)

I don't much care about the condition of gum on a stamp. Once a stamp passes my basic criteria - well-centred, clean fresh-looking front; no thins; no tears, no missing perfs, no creases, no stains - it makes it into my collection. I do collect mint stamps for many countries, especially British Commonwealth, but once the stamps are mounted and go in the albums, I don't look at the backs, so MNH - doesn't matter much. I'll buy MNH if they are affordable but not a big deal. I do clean up heavily hinged used stamps and CTOs.

Hinged VS. Unhinged ?

Which of these is hinged ?