What Stamps Should I Soak (Or Not Soak)?

Hey everybody,

This is probably a dumb question, but I'll ask it anyway. I have about 10,000-15,000 stamps in plastic tub. All of them are used; some on paper, some off. I typically soak the ones on paper. The question is, what should I do about the ones that have hinges, pieces of hinges, hinge and glue residue, and those which have had glue added on after they have been used? Also, do you ever soak a stamp that is extremely wrinkles/wavy to try to flatten it out?

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Hinges soak off extremely easily. No problem there.

Not sure about glue residue or glue added after use. Do you mean gummed stamps which appear to have been cancelled in the mail? If so they are probably CTO - cancelled to order, and not actually ever used.

Hinges should be peelable, but if you are worried, you can leave them on. You just have to decide whether you'd rather have a hinge remnant on the back, or remove the original gum.

To save time, pick the best example to soak, and leave the others on paper. Just be careful with some earlier stamps, which were printed with fugitive ink - check the catalogue first.

Soak the ones that you need and leave the rest alone.

Do not soak...
Early Netherlands Indies
Any stamp on coloured envelope
Purple and Magenta stamps.
Stamps on Yellow Manila paper.

That should protect you at best, of course there are exceptions.

The crucial question remains why you would want to soak all stamps.
Soak the one you wish to mount in your album, leave the rest.
You may be damaging Postmarks or other information that interests others.
Save your valuable time.

Thanks for the info. As far as the question about glue, I do have some that are CTO's---I don't worry about those. I also have some that have been used and someone has re-gummed them. I would have preferred that they had just left them alone. The odd thing though is that I actually have some that look like they had been mounted in an album with some sort of glue, some with Elmer's type of glue and some with an epoxy. I have never seen that before.

I am soaking a large number of the stamps because I work with elementary kids and I am introducing them to Stamp Collecting, but we don't have a lot of time to do all of the soaking there at the school. That's why I bought this box of stamps, so they could have a good variety with which to work.

As far as the hinges go, some come off pretty easily, but some leave pieces on the stamp. I don't mind the residue to much, but the OCD in me hates leaving part of the hinge there.

Some of the ancient hinges are very stubborn. Never attempt to "force the issue" with them.

Fabulous !

A clear bowl of COOL water, and say max 20 stamps, should have them release within 15 minutes. Sometimes gently rubbing betwixt thumb and index finger (in the water), should remove and small pieces of paper and gum.

Note some stamps defy soaking, be cognisant of self adhesives, and as you have discovered, strange mucilage.

Search this forum for a Cheap "Drying sandwich" which will deliver up beautifully flat and tidy stamps

Keep up the good work.

Do not soak aniline ink stamps. The USA has some of these issues. I seem to recall some GB Jubilees are aniline? And of course self-adhesive stamps present their own challenges.

It's nice to hear that you are encouraging kids to collect. Good luck.