Any Difference Between Prinz And Showgard Mounts?

Searched to see if there was an existing thread on this and finding none; but having been a Showgard devotee forever; wondering if there is any difference between the two? Or are there other brands that will look exactly like Showgards?

Mounts seem to just be getting more and more expensive so being able to shop multiple brands would be ideal. That said, do not want to have noticeably different looking mounts in my albums for the obvious reason of aesthetics.

The differences I note - Prinz is a solid black film compared to the more translucent Showgard. It is not obvious when mounted. The Prinz is also not as rigid. Prinz comes in more sizes and has been cheaper.

I prefer Prinz.

I've used both. Once mounted in the album, I can't tell any difference in appearance.

I use them and Scott Mounts which I believe are just Prinz mounts rebranded. Among the supposedly different brands, you can identify minor differences up close and personal, but once mounted in an album there is effectively no difference at all. They look identical.

both Prinz Polystyrol stamp mounts and the Scott stamp mounts are considered archival-quality

Thank you all.

Old showguard mounts sometimes warp.

Yes, I have some that are now wavyt.

I've bought some over the years (Showards) that probably were stored in an attic or someplace not meant for stamps and such and did warp. Had to trash them. Yuck.

Have found that Showgards do hold up well over the years though.

Still annoyed how expensive they have become though; to the point where I'd spend 1k to buy direct, but in bulk and store them properly.

I completely forgot that I had unwittingly done a 40 year experiment on some Showgard mounts.

I recently opened a box which had been stored in various hot garages and a basement for maybe as long as 40 years from about the 1980s or so. It had a lot of stamp stuff in it, mostly "extras," but no stamps. I'm not that callous! But besides some old dealers' catalogues and lists, some hinges, and other things stamp related, I pulled out a box with a dozen or more packages of old Showgard mounts in strips that I'd saved. What condition were they in after all these years of being subjected to heat and cold?

A lot of the strips of mounts had adopted a curvy style that could not be flattened out. These are, I think, what some people mean by being "wavy". In trying to use those, I found that once a stamp was inside and the mount cut and attached to the page, they still looked pretty good. But I wonder if because they are already old, they will age or disintegrate more quickly now? I mean, they're not going to last forever. I guess I'd better check on them in another 20, 30 or 40 years. So that was a little troubling.

But even more troubling was the fact that a lot of the mount strips in many of the packages were suffering from "spotiness" or little areas which were no longer clear but oddly shiny as if they had little drops of water on them that were clearly visible in front of any stamp I put into them. They made any stamp in them look like it had mildew on it. Were these little spots of adhesive from the other mount strips next to each of them? Maybe. I tried removing it with warm water and soap, used my fingers, and so on, but those areas were firmly in the material of the mount and not on top of it. Those I had to throw away.

So, my take on this is that after years of heat and apathy, Showgard mounts will at least start to disintegrate. Even supposedly good mounts are not immune. Even with mounts holding your stamps, you're going to have to store your stamps (and your mounts) away from extremes of heat and cold (and moisture, mice, mildew, and other things harmful to stamps).

I have not noticed the clarity changes. I see it more on smaller sizes. I have alot of large mounts that look fine.

There's a reason why polystyrene is largely used in disposable packaging. It was never meant to be archival.

It lasts pretty well in landfill though.

I cannot emphasize this enough: the same factors that cause mounts to deteriorate will also damage the stamps themselves—heat, cold, moisture, and pests such as mice.

The microplastics are an issue but not as immediately harmful as something like say secondhand tobacco smoke.

Hey, they're getting a free smoke while I pay the 80% tax.