Which Is More Valuable...

Which is more valuable. An unused stamp with a very heavy hinge that distorts the stamp? Or the same stamp with the hinge soaked off and pressed flat in a drying book?


-IBFS

Wow! To me it would surely depend on the stamp and how rare it was or how badly I wanted it.
I do not believe I have ever had this sort of thing crop up. Could you maybe elaborate a bit more?

Peter

It is really a close call. I am assuming the stamp currently has original gum. Depending on whether or not you soak it, you will have either a stamp with original gum that is very heavily hinged or a no gum stamp. For most U.S. classic period stamps, the value of a heavily hinged original gum example would have a significant discount from one that is lightly or moderately hinged but that value would be somewhat greater than the value of the example in no gum condition. There are exceptions, of course, and I do not know about the values of other countries' stamps, etc. in the various gum states. It really depends on the stamp and the collector. For example, value may not be of great importance to you and how it looks in the album may be the highest priority.

I can't comment as to general market value. To me, personally, the no gum stamp is probably more desirable. The kind of heavy hinging I'm thinking of (and I think IBFS is thinking of) warps the stamp to the point where it's visible from the front. To me, that's ugly, or at least it seriously detracts from the appearance. A nice looking stamp with no gum still looks nice and I may never see the backside of that stamp again.

That being said, I don't know that I'd *pay* more for the no gum stamp, if I had the two side by side. If the gummed one was cheaper, I could just buy that and soak off the remnants. So, it would seem to follow logically that the version with gum would have more value in the marketplace, everything else being equal.

I just have an unused stamp warped by a hinge and thought I'd ask around before I went one way or the other.


-IBFS

Q-tip the hinge & catalog it as unused-disturbed gum???

Yes, in this instance I would also go ahead and soak the stamp. To me gum is not all that important!

Peter

I don't know (or care) about market values, but I have recently soaked mint stamps where the hinge had caused them to go 'bumpy' and distorted. For me, the appearance of the stamp/album is more important than the percentage of cat value which might be at stake.

I have a set of very small artist brushes and will often wet only the hinge. You can typically get it off without disturbing the rest of the gum. When it has dried enough to no longer be tacky, put a piece of plastic wrap over the back and press just like you'd do with a used stamp you have soaked. When it's fully dry the plastic will just peel off.