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 Replies: 14 / Views: 591 |
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Valued Member
United States
57 Posts |
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What is the best way to remove stamps from envelopes? Any help will be appreciated.
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Pillar Of The Community
United States
4336 Posts |
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Depends on the adhesive and the age of the postal history. Details are needed. |
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Pillar Of The Community
Netherlands
6564 Posts |
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And it also depends on the printing of the stamps: fugitive inks dissolve when soaked in water. Sometimes, a stamp is printed on a layer that dissolves in water, causing the image to separate from the paper. |
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Pillar Of The Community
United States
790 Posts |
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Valued Member
United States
57 Posts |
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Some of the stamps are from the 90s and have a gum adhesive.
Others are more modern and have self adhesive.
Thank you for your help
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Pillar Of The Community
Netherlands
6564 Posts |
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The modern stamps with gum, normally can be soaked in cold water.
The self-adhesives depend on the country. |
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Valued Member
United States
57 Posts |
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Pillar Of The Community
United States
790 Posts |
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This has been covered in older threads here. Self adhesive issues need special handling. Check the stampsmarter.com site for more info. |
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Pillar Of The Community
United States
941 Posts |
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Pillar Of The Community
United States
4336 Posts |
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Few 90s US stamps are worthy to save on cover as postal history. You should understand which before they are cut from and soaked in water. Used self adhesives can just be carefully trimmed close. |
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Valued Member
United States
57 Posts |
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The stamps are nothing special. I figured they would be good practice, for more collectable stamps
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Pillar Of The Community
United States
790 Posts |
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Valued Member
United States
9 Posts |
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There were several years after US self-adhesive stamps started that the stamps could still be soaked off in water. Like other countries, they had a water soluble layer that let the stamps be removed. It ended in about the mid-2000s. Currently, there are a couple of US stamps that can be soaked but most can't. |
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Valued Member
United States
57 Posts |
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Pillar Of The Community
United States
1093 Posts |
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Replies: 14 / Views: 591 |
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Posted 04/18/2026 9:52 pm
