Hinge Remnant

I just came across a beautiful stamp today with great color and excellent centering. Unfortunately, it also had a hinge remnant, which led me to some questions. The search turned up some threads but not what I was looking for.

My Questions:

Should a collector ever try to remove a remnant?
If so, what method is most effective and least intrusive?
How does having a remnant affect the value of a stamp?

thanks everyone.
wp62

It may not help but for me if it don't disturb the way it hold in a mount I don't care. But I have to say I give no value of what is at a back of a stamp ( gum no gum hinged or not ) , only the face count for me.

Sometimes a hinge remnant can bend or warp a stamp, which can be a problem. Also, sometimes there are multiple layers of hinge remnants. In addition to this, there may be a fault underneath the hinge remnant that cannot be detected unless the hinge remnant is removed.

One can try lightly pulling or peeling the hinge to see if it easily is removed. If not, there are multiple ways to remove hinges.

If the stamp is used, you can soak the stamp in warm water to remove the hinge remnant. If the stamp is unused with gum, you may be able to gently and lightly brush the hinge (only) with a damp Q-tip or fine paint brush. With multiple applications of the dampened brush or Q-tip, the hinge may separate easier.

I use a fine, pointed, very small artists paint brush and water. I dip the brush in the water, and "paint" it on the hinge remnant, being careful not to go past the edge of the hinge. Then I let it soak in and repeat. After 6-7 treatments I test the hinge to see if it will give. If not, keep painting the water on and test it again. Different hinges seem to take differing amounts of time. If you are unsure of this method, put a hinge on an inexpensive mint stamp, and let it dry Then experiment to see if you are comfortable with it.

Generally however, if the hinge remnant does not warp the stamp I leave it.

For used stamps, I just soak as normal.

I use a moistened Qtip works well for me. If it is a single hinge I sometimes leave it.

Dianne

I'll apologize in advance for giving you a philosophical answer, but ask yourself this...

How much will it bother you knowing the hinge is on the back of the stamp?

. . . . .VERSUS

How bad will you feel if you damage the stamp while trying to remove the hinge?

A more practical answer..

Rubbing the hinge with the flat (spade) of your tongs, will often generate just enough heat to make an old hinge peel-able.

Just be careful not to "snag" an edge of the hinge while rubbing. If the hinge is uneven or a fragment, place a glassine between your tongs and the hinge.

KirkS

That's a great one, Thanks Kirk

Dianne

As long as the remnant isn't causing the stamp to warp or bend, I just leave it. I basically never look at the back of the stamp after it's mounted, anyway.

How does it affect the value of the stamp if you sell it?

I don't recall have purchase a valuable stamp with huge hinge remnant at the back, only partial remnant that in no case I will try to remove. If I resell a stamp I don't expect to make profit, I just want not to loose too much, as the stamp I sell are duplicate.

Kirk is right. here is a trick I learned back when I was in World War I.






-IBFS

This is just an educated guess as I've never sold an "expensive" classic stamp with a HR. But I'd guess a stamp with a HR would bring somewhere around 10-20% less than a stamp that was simply previously hinged (lightly or otherwise). I'd think it would depend somewhat if it were a large remnant, whether it was causing the stamp to warp or otherwise deforming it, etc.

I always removed the hinge remnant (either the water brush method above or dry removal)--taking care not to damage the stamp of course.

I might have a contrarian view--but the back does matter to me with mint unused stamps. sometimes I look at the back first. of course, a well center stamp is more valuable but having a nice un-hinged back does add value in my opinion.

However, in my view the value is already impacted if there is a hinge remnant, bad or good--so the incremental value of a properly removed hinge is close to $0. ie, I would pay a premium for a perfect, undisturbed back, but anything short of that is sort of the same value. others may disagree and pay more or less, and I do note all my mint stamps to reflect various levels of hinge damage like
HR, or LH, or VLH

I always remove hinge remnants when possible. I have to know if they are hiding damage, and anyway, I don't think they help the long term prospects of the stamp.

If they are on used stamps, removing them is generally not a problem. Warm water will dissolve most old gum/adhesive. If hinge remnants are on old Austrian stamps, I don't bother with them...they are not coming off no matter how patient you are.

My main concern with a HR on a relatively expensive stamp is that it could be hiding a fault. If bidding on an online auction, I'd probably bid (or not bid, as the case may be) as if there is, in fact a fault there.