Thoughts On Removing Desired Stamps From Covers?

My personal preference is to display certain stamps together, off cover. Not in all cases, but in this particular case.

I have examples that are on cover currently, some certified on cover.

What are opinions on removing (soaking) these stamps off their cover, retaining their cover, so I can mount the stamps as desired on my page?

I recently heard of a situation where a particular rare stamp would need to be removed and the back examined to fully determine quality and possible hidden flaws. The dealer explained that this is occasionally done in a manner that doesn't damage anything, and is then re-affixed to the cover (with a hinge? I think he said that) if the owner desires.

I would retain the cover and several high quality photos of the in-tact lot, should the next owner wish to re-affix it.

Thoughts?

Overall to extreme for me to contemplate.

No, don't do it. Let the next owner decide. Sell it "Buy It Now" or auction on ebay with excellent pictures of the whole cover and close-ups of the stamp (straightened) and you'll do well if it is a very desirable classic item.

As you may know, years ago many if not most people soaked stamps off of covers and mounted them in an album. Then over time the study of postal history evolved to where many of us now realize how much can be lost when separating a stamp from its cover. I appreciate your note about keeping them together- that's good, however, once its off, and someday your heirs sell your material - no doubt the stampless cover will get discarded and so on.

Appreciating full covers has been a real paradigm shift in the hobby over time. I have plenty of covers that I bought just for the stamp - which can be mounted on a page with off cover stamps just fine.

The thoughts are going to be - Don't do it. You really have 2 types of stamps in this case.
1. Common stamp - should be easy enough to find a good used copy so don't mess with the postal history. However, if the cover has no postal markings, no important person, a common postmark and thus is also so common then removing the stamp is not an issue.
2. Uncommon stamp - may be hard to find a good used copy but you will be messing with a postal history cover that is obviously going to be hard to replace.

Both instances lead to - Don't remove it.

You might want to find a trade partner that like stamps on cover and see what kind of deal you can work out. Trade to covers for stamps that you want.

Final thought - collect the way that makes you happy. Good Luck.

Thoughts On Removing Desired Stamps From Covers?

DON"T.

If the stamps are worth enough that they were worth certifying they ideally shouldn't b removed from the cover. Find another already off cover example and then sell the cover (or trade he cover for an off cover example, possibly plus somethig else if the on cover use is particularly interesting)

I agree that in most cases, lifting a stamp from the cover shouldn't be done. However, with the Washington-Franklin series, its sometime necessary . Four of the EDUs I have for this series required lifting to be certified. I have another that I will be sending to the PF for a cert. that also required being lifted to verify by watermark or the absence of one. Since the series overlaps in the two different watermarks or absence of a watermark, lifting may at times be necessary for proper identification. Its the exception to the "rule".

In the words of some famous people - DON'T.

Agree with Mr. Gator about identification of some WF stamps for EDUs. I have one I need to send in that I seriously think may be a candidate.

Short answer: DON'T!

Long answer:
1. You put all of us at a disadvantage by asking a question without showing us the cover(s) in question. Partial disclosures and coy questions are not very fair. Please show us the cover(s).
2. There is an archival preservation difference between "lifting" and "soaking". Your initial query does seem to recognize this important distinction. Lifting should be done sparingly and by experts.
3. We are custodians of the philatelic material we own for a while. Yes, it's your property and you can do with it whatever you want, but we should strive to be good stewards and "do no harm" whenever possible. I do not see a compelling reason to remove a stamp from a certfied cover for the ego of an album page.
4. Financially it is also likely a poor decision.

Coy? It was a legitimate question. Thank you all of weighing in.

COY: reluctant to give details, especially about something regarded as sensitive. "he is coy about his age"

You seem reluctant or unwilling to give details, thus coy fits.

That said: