Removing Hinges From Mint Stamps

Hi,

Any suggestions for the best way to remove hinges from some mint stamps? I would presume to gently pull the hinge off on the bias from the edge to the center of the stamp.

I'd obviously like to minimize the damage.


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That's the only method I've ever found; be as careful as possible, though. It's a major problem when the whole flap is stuck down.

Use of a sweat box would be recommended, One may be purchased from such as Subway or a'google' should get you plans for a simple do-it-yourself project.

Extremely sorry to hijack a thread but I have a similar question and maybe we could benefit from the same answers.

The mixed lots I bought not too long ago included a variety of hinged stamps on some sort of cardboard stock. They're all very closely hinged together and I don't know how to go about removing them. Should I soak the display or will that do nothing to the hinge?

Picture:

In the latter case, the approach I would take is to soak the off if they are CTO's as they appear to be. Soaking will remove the hinge from the card stock and the stamp but remember it will also remove any glue.

Right, I'll have to check more closely before I soak but they do look mostly used now that I've come to look at it. Thanks for that and sorry again for hijacking the thread.

I have this supposed "mint" stamp a #264 - It has what looks like a hinge? or tape? doesn't that make this an unused stamp versus Mint? Also, if I am to remove this from the stamp - is the cleanest way to do it with the least amount of damage to the stamp using stamp lift or a wet q-tip like someone mentions above? Any other advice to remove it? Seems to be in the oddest place.

For US stamps, MINT means the stamp is exactly like it came from the post office - unused, with full and undisturbed gum (unless originally issued without gum), no thins, and certainly, never hinged. NH includes the selvage, if any is present (as in plate blocks, margin singles, etc.).

Anything else is either UNUSED or USED.

Your stamp appears to have been part of a multiple (like a block of four) whose perforations had been strengthened or repaired by the application of a hinge or something similar. Notice how the bottom teat goes through both perforations and patch identically. That's the only reason I can imagine for the location of that hinge.

That is what I thought. Thank you for the info - it is very helpful. sigh.

Nora - terminology differs from place to place. In Europe, "unmounted mint" (or equivalent in other languages) means that the stamp has full, original gum (although that may be qualified in a description). "Mint" means that the stamp has been hinged or the gum otherwise disturbed, but a good proportion of the gum remains. "Unused" means that the stamp is uncancelled, or apparently so, but no gum. There is also a sub-category of "unused, as issued" for stamps (eg many from China) that never had gum.

"Mint" used to mean pretty much "untouched" as if you had just bought the stamp brand new. Then along came MNH for "mint never hinged" which means exactly the same thing. That always seemed redundant to me, but it was supposed to allow "mint" to be used for stamps that were still unused but had maybe a hinge mark on the back. Why anyone cares if there is a small hinge mark on the back has never made any sense to me, but that is a whole 'nuther story.

if you remove hinge remnants with moisture, including steam, it has a very good chance of glazing the gum so that the stamp would no longer be considered "mint". Sorry, "MNH". By glazing I mean the gum gets wet and then dries with a kind of odd shine to it. It no longer matches the rest of the gum on the back of the stamp. This wouldn't bother me much, but it does bother a lot of collectors of the more fastidious type.

Gracias Drew, Yes - I see. I went ahead and sent the stamp back for a refund.... In my opinion it is 'MNH" or Mint Hinged, or Unused gum disturbed. The fact that they said Mint and that they were sending me a top quality stamp (no mention of hinge or GUM disturbance), did not sit well with me...so off it went, return to sender. Nora.