How Do You Tell Self Adhesive Stamps From Previously Used Gum Type

Getting ready to remove some stamps from paper but not sure how to tell which stamps are the self adhesive type. Any help would be appreciated. Jim

The self adhesive types are usually die cut as opposed to perforated.

Peter

To add a little more to the above advice, I would say that you have to look at them with your magnifying glass. The self-adhesive, die-cut stamps will have perfectly blunt and smooth perf tips.

As you have no doubt found out, if you try soaking the self-adhesive stamps, some of them will be ruined because the self-adhesive material isn't water soluble. This causes the paper surface to craze and buckle.

Yes, but this depends on the country. Most of the world's self-adhesive stamps (well, at least those that I come across) are soakable to one degree or another. The self-adhesives of most European countries soak off almost as easily as older, water activated gum. Japan's are soakable, although they take a little bit longer. Australia and New Zealand are soakable, but they need to soak for quite awhile and they usually need to be "helped" off the paper. Notable exceptions are Brazil, UK Machins, and some issues of Ireland, although some of them can sometimes be coaxed off carefully. Most US issues are not soakable. Computer-printed issues from Spain, Ireland and Italy usually won't soak off, either.

"The self-adhesives of most European countries soak off almost as easily as older, water activated gum."

I'm not sure about this. My experience with countries I have soaked recently, including British, French, Lithuania, and Estonia is different.

But this is beside the point. The point I was making is that if you are soaking worldwide, self-adhesive stamps, you will damage some percentage of them because postal administrations have stopped putting a water-soluble layer between the stamp paper and the self-adhesive material.

It is getting worse! Belgian self-adhesive stamps are printed now -since 2009 - on so-called FSC paper, meaning environmentally correct, but philatelically ready for the waste paper basket! - with NO extra layer of water-soluble gum as they had earlier!

One more reason for the post office to use such rubbish is to prevent people from re-using stamps as often the postal system saves money by not using cancellations! Nobody cares for a date on the stamp anymore! Just be happy to receive your mail should be enough!