Mounts Vs. Hinges For Used Stamps - Based On Scott Value

My US albums are all hingeless, so.....

On my Steiner pages there are only a coupe of countries I collect mint, those all get mounts. Everything else I collect used and its mostly hinges, but will use mounts for CV>$10.

Well, I have tended over the years toward uniformity. My US used was hinged due but my Israel mint are mounted.

But recently I encountered a "challenge." I purchased some US revenues - newspaper stamps. They are not the most valuable stamps in the world, but the price tag is enough to make me look at a hinge and say "wait a minute...."

I have Steiner pages printed for about 30 countries or so, and I collect primarily used stamps. For about the last 9 months or so, I've been mounting anywhere from 1000-3000 stamps a month on the pages, using hinges for all but a handful of them. Mounts would break my bank if I were to go through that many.

That being said, I actually use a 3-tier system. 95% or better of common stamps - those cataloging a few dollars or less - get a standard, el-cheapo modern hinge. For stamps cataloging a few dollars and up, or for LH or even cheap NH mint stamps, I use a Dennison hinge. I do use clear mounts (which look fine alongside hinged stamps) for higher cat items and for some NH stamps, but I probably don't even consider a mount for most stamps cataloging under $20 or so. I figure that the "real world" value of most stamps - i.e. what I can actually get for them - probably isn't much more than 10% of Scott (if even), so even a $20 cat stamp isn't really worth more than a few dollars at best. As long as such stamps are used or previously hinged, its value won't be affected much by applying a hinge, assuming the hinge doesn't damage the stamp, of course.

When you start talking multiple tens of dollars and up in cat value, I'll definitely use a mount, not just because I'm worried about what the hinge will do to the stamp, but because a mount holds the stamp more securely. For all the talk about how un-peelable modern hinges are, I seem to have a lot of problems with stamps just plain coming loose from the hinges, probably because I try to go very lightly on the moisture use very little pressure when applying the hinge.I want that hinge to adhere just barely enough, which of course means if I under-shoot that goal just a tad, the stamp can come loose. If I overdo it, a modern-day hinge can become virtually permanently attached, so it can definitely be tricky getting it right, which is a big reason why I use Dennison hinges or mounts for higher cat items.

This is very interesting to me and I hope even more folks weigh in. There seem to be some agreements/some disagreements, etc., which is a really good thing in my book.

Centerstage: you're correct in that I will usually hinge a stamp cataloging $40 (the example you give). In addition to being pricy, mounts also add weight to individual album pages. I will use mounts on lesser values if they are never-hinged, rather than hinging them.

I'm also aware of trends & changes in catalog numbers. As an example, Scott is 2/3 of the way through re-cataloging the 1914-30 Ceres issues of Portugal and colonies in the Classic Specialized. They're now actually differentiating among the two perf types and the various papers. I've had a couple of Ceres issues from Portugal; cataloged in the older Classic catalogs at a few dollars each; rise up to $300 and $150 for mint, hinged copies. Those will go into mounts when I get some time.

I have yet to figure out if I have the one that now catalogs $800, mint hinged, instead of a few dollars. It's one of the lesser used paper variations on perf 12 x 11 1/2.

That's interesting about the Portugal Ceres .. I love that issue, though I don't have any of the pricey. Wait, that's off point .. so, back on, thanks again for sharing.

The reason I asked is that I am finally able to work on my collection, albums (Steiner pages), etc., and I want to make a decision soon how I will put these in albums - hinges, mounts, Scotch tape, glue ... just kidding - either of the first two, of course.

It may look funny, but I think I am going with these limited collections of mounts with all mint stamps (regardless of value) and mounts on used stamps with CVs over $1. Hinges for the rest.

I only save mint, never hinged stamps and I place all in Scott albums using Scott or Showguard clear mounts. However, lately I have been using BCW sleeves, cutting to size and using an archivial double sided tape to place in album- lot less expensive and look good.

I think it more likely that the stamp gum will damage the stamp before any applied hinge.

Terry

oooh fancy. How about duct tape or blue painters tape....!