I would like people's opinion on any perceived added value of the newer US self adhesives if they have been soaked off paper versus being left on paper? My wife and I have a method we use to get the newer stamps off paper and I think they are worth "more" in that condition rather than just trimmed closely around the stamps.
I imagine that a lot of collectors would prefer off-paper in their albums, and that may be enough to command a convenience premium, but Scott specifically says that for used self-adhesive stamps, the value is the same, whether on paper or off.
"Unused self-adhesive stamps are valued as appearing undisturbed on their original backing paper. Values for used self-adhesive stamps are for examples either on piece or off-piece."
From "Understanding the Listings: section 9 -- Value unused and Value used", at the beginning of any Scott volume.
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There sure seems be a difference in Ebay prices realized. I notice off paper lots of recent USA do seem to end up with higher bids. Some people don't know how to use the newer methods for removing the paper and are quite happy to have someone else do the work for them.
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It is a lot of extra work compared to dumping a kilo of stamps in the bathtub, adding water and yanking the loose stamps out. Paying a little extra (20 cents instead of 10 cents for a used common US self-adhesive) is worth it to many collectors. The process is labor intensive, at least it is in my case, applying the "pure citrus", peeling the stamp off slowly, scraping the adhesive that is still on the stamp, and waiting for the stamp to dry to make sure all the stickiness is gone. I wonder how many I could do in one hour.
I agree that they would be worth more if cleaned, but on one condition...that all the sticky
is off and NO TALCUM powder. Nobody wants the stuff on the stamps or in albums. Many
talcum powders are treated with fragrance and who knows what chemicals were used for
that?
Also PVA gum is problematic in that the stamps always seem to retain some residue that
causes the stamps to stick together.
Ken, I agree with you. Also, I am finding many soaked off self-adhesives to have thin marks from improper soaking, as well as creases and crumpled paper. Best to leave these stamps on the paper.
Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy.. 28 Mar 2015 12:00:50pm
re: Any added value to soaking new adhesives?
" .... There sure seems be a difference in Ebay prices realized. I notice off paper lots of recent USA do seem to end up with higher bids. Some people don't know how to use the newer methods for removing the paper and are quite happy to have someone else do the work for them. ..."
Absolutely better off paper.
Perforations can be seen better and matched easier.
The time consuming work is done, and if done properly can be examined.
Potential damage from unknown chemicals in the paper is eliminated.
Cleaned stamps rest better in an album without adding backing paper thickness to the gross volume.
Flaws concealed by paper are open to view and if the seller is honest will have been disclosed.
There are times when I come across what appears to be a real gem even from a mixed kilo lot and upon soaking discover why someone used it on an envelope initially. Once in a while I find something really attractive that should have a home in my albums only to discover upon cleaning that someone has attached the stamp to what must have been an envelope with the damnedest impenetrable glue. Probably it was a skip.
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