Adhesive For Modern US Self Stick Stamps

A while ago I wrote into this forum and pointed out that used self stick stamps that were more than 20 years old we're getting harder and harder to remove from their covers. What I was seeing was that the glue was degrading in such a way that solvents wouldn't release it from the paper. (I know this makes the postal history folks cringe. I do save covers that are interesting intact.)

I tried using a few 33 Cent self-stick stamps on a package today. I'm seeing a similar issue with mint stamps: that they are not releasing from their backing paper. I peeled off maybe half of the backing paper from the stamp, and then the backing paper would start to thin out and leave a thin layer of backing paper on the stamp.

My guess is the 40 or 50 years from now, none of the current mint stamps will be able to be separated from the backing paper. I wonder if this glue is going to degrade to the point that it discolors the stamps as well?

I've been using 32, 33 and 34 cent self-adhesives to mail items to ebay customers for the last few years and haven't had the problem you describe. These have been almost all coil stamps. As a PNC collector, I have lots of scrap left over after removing the PNCs from each roll. All were purchased by me when current and have been kept in my climate controlled homes since then.

I'm not too worried about 40 or 50 years from now as I won't be here.

Hey :-}

I've noticed this as well. But for me, it's not even the older ones from the early days of S/A stamps, but even ones from a few years ago that have been sitting on-paper since, say 2015 or even later.

I release my S/A stamps by spraying a touch of electrical contact cleaner on the back of the paper. This makes paper like envelopes and stuff translucent and turns it into something like the slick backing stamps are supplied with. Peel away a corner, and the stamp peels off. Once the solvent evaporates after a few seconds, the stickiness returns and I neutralize it with talc powder.

If I'm working with stamp that's been attached to paper for a year or three, it can be slower to release, sometimes parts of the adhesive surface act similar to gummed adhesive. I've been able to worry them all off so far, however.

Stamps like Australia and various other countries vary in ease of removal. Some are difficult, others easy. Sweden is easy. Australia and Italy are harder.

When I receive a cover, I try to keep it intact. I get stamps torn off envelopes that I remove. If I receive a cover from outside the US, I NEVER remove stamps. Most US covers are the same for me. Ordinary commercial covers with Bulk Rate and "flagg" stamps sometimes get the stamps removed, however.

Josh