If You Hinge, What Is Your Clip Level Between Hinge Or Use Mount?

Clip level is the stamp value (or other criteria) that one decides whether to hinge or not.

I only use mounts so curious how someone decides if they use both.

What do you mean by "clip level"? Failure to communicate here.

I do not fully agree with the failure to communicate comments since clip level usually transition such as value but I amended the original post. I assume value but someone may have other criteria.

It is a fact that it failed to communicate to me, therefore I suspect it did to many others as well.

How do you determine if you hinge or mount if you do both?

I do not believe I have set a "clip level" although I do both.
I have specialized collection of Transportation Coils that consists mostly of plate strips of different lengths. My home made Album Easy pages can accommodate strips up to 12 stamps which is the ultimate length of the mounts. Anything between 12 and 18 stamps go in a SAFE album, anything longer ( like very long strips or complete rolls ) I keep in medicine bottles.
Several other collections I use hinges.
One example is a plating collection of the 1st issue of the Netherlands. I have yet to find a satisfactory way of using mounts for this


Peter

I had no idea what "clip level" meant either, but from context I assumed the question was: "How do you decide when to use a mount or use a hinge"?

I am a frugal collector and try to avoid having more money invested in supplies and binders than in the value of the stamps. My general criteria is to use mounts for mint stamps (including mint stamps that had been previously hinged, no need to add further blemish to the original gum) and hinges for used stamps. Used stamps that I have learned or think may have some market value (let's say like 50 cents or more) may go in a mount rather than be hinged.

I also use the hinges currently available on the market, not the no longer manufactured (thus more expensive) peal-able ones. I apply moisture sparingly and have found they may peal, but if not dabbing some water on the hinge with a foam brush causes them to lift right off.

It does not bother me to have stamps in mounts and hinged stamps on the same page. However, if there is a set with some mint and some used, I'll have the entire set in mounts as I'll hope to replace the used with mint over time.

Clip level. New to me. Looked on line but have not found a definition yet in this context. I do not hinge. When I used to hinge in "Big Blue" I used Dennison. Stayed away from adding MNH. However, my clip level in using a mount was $5.00 but it very much depended on the stamp and condition. The "rare" time I had a MNH my clip level was $1.00. Also, since it was "Big Blue" with thin pages I used mounts "very" sparingly.

Personally, I don't use mounts - I don't like the bulk and the look of them.

Of course, I avoid MNH when possible, and if it's unavoidable (generally the case for pretty cheap, plentiful material), then I hinge it anyway. No qualms doing so.

For my Scott International, I exclusively use hinges, although perhaps I would be tempted for anything ultra rare (here I'm thinking Syria 106c, which I have in an envelope, but not put into the album yet).

As for the vintage hinge mania - yes, they're better than the current ones, but not so much better that they're worth the astronomical prices they fetch on ebay.

My trick is to use modern hinges, but cut in half, and then stick the longer part on the stamp, and the shorter part on the album page.

The opposite of standard practice, but should I have to remove the stamp later, it means less wear and tear on the album page (which is itself vintage). Then I float the stamp in water for a few seconds and the hinge pops off perfectly. A quick press and it's good as used!

As others posted here , my rule is that if it was previous hinged then I will hinge it . My rules are over $10.00 for MNH then it will go into a mount but my used over $50.00 it will go into a mount also . All these recent issues about 1990's and above will get hinged .

You will notice the stamp auction firms are dropping the words Mint Never Hinge when discussing collections after 1990's , look around and some firms only use MNH only before 1960's .

Just a smart a$$ remark to those who mix mint hinged and mint never hinge sets into mounts , all your doing is down grading your collection when it goes up for sale ,because buyers or future buyers will not spend the time to sort out which is which when viewing your collection. It will be viewed as hinged in mounts . stop it . My friend Doctor BOB will only spend 5 minutes viewing your collection then give you a price ,he is not interested in lifting mounts,yes spot check the 3 or4 sets and if one set is hinged then everything is hinged .

"Clip Level" -- I thought this was going to be some sort of technical topic (clips = tongs, maybe? or mount cutter?) about techniques to hinge and mount stamps


Personally, I don't hinge MNH stamps--I just don't feel comfortable. Even if it worth $0.05, if it has survived 50 years or 80 years and has been unhinged all this time, why change course now? I do hinge used stamps--so the only real question is for MH stamps. Could do either way, depends on the mood of the day and what else is on the page.

I tend to look at this topic from an environmental standpoint. In a World where we are always on the verge of impending doom due to the climate change menace I cannot in good conscience add copious amounts of plastics to my album pages. My God, at least think of future generations if there is even enough time left for one future generation. To make matters worse it is virtually impossible to remove all of that plastic from your album pages if you wanted to do the right thing and recycle them. Not to mention the chemicals used to manufacture mounts and the coal fired electricity used to heat and the plastic pellets that are extruded into sheets. More electricity is used to weld the seams. The mounts are heavier than hinges and therefore need more fossil fuels to transport. And then you have all of that packaging. No, count me out of mounts. And fiberglass hinges are biodegradable!

For USA and possessions material = $1.00 and up in current catalog whether mint, mint NH or used. All mint NH in a mount.

For non-USA and possessions material = $30.00 and up in current catalog whether mint, mint NH or used. All mint NH in a mount.

I use clear mounts for aesthetics and not concerned about resell. Visually, I find hinged / clear mount combination better appearing then hinged vs black mounts.

If someone is trying to sell a nice collection. For resell, I think a good inventory would be needed to accompany any collection if being dumped to some auction house for resell.