Newbies are always loaded with questions. This newbie is no different.
I was at my brother’s house over the holidays. It’s a shame the distance keeps us from seeing each other more often. While there, he pulled out a bag of stamps and asked if I’d be interested. All are US stamps. Said they’d been in his attic for between 45 and 50 years. I said yes without hesitation.
Today I started looking through them.
There’s between 3 and 4 hundred loose stamps (used) Most have been separated from the envelope. I’ve not started on those yet.
There were about a dozen FDCs between mid 50s and mid 60d. Some envelopes have caches others do not. Most are sort of dirty looking but intact.
Finally (and the reason for this question), there are about 50 blocks of four with plate numbers most in the 1950s and 60s. These were all stored in what appears to be glassine envelopes, but temperature and humidity of an attic has made them impossible to separate. I tried to peal open one (big mistake) and tore some of the margin of the block. I didn’t want to continue that route so I thought I’d ask the experts.
Can I simply trim away the excess glassine envelope and then soak them the same way you’d do with a paper envelope? If not, what would be the recommended way of getting these out of the glassine envelopes and dried and into fresh ones envelopes or stock pages.
Thanks
They who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. -Benjamin Franklin 27 Dec 2015 08:05:14pm
re: Stamps are Stuck
Mikey
Unless the plate blocks are very old (pre 1940 at least) their value is in their collectability, not dollars and cents. Such plate blocks without full original, undisturbed gum are not in demand and will fetch less than 50% of their face value. I have 100s of such plate blocks (all with full gum) from the 1940 - 1970 era and I use them for postage. The nice thing about using them for postage is that the ones considered noncollectible are just as valid for postage as those with full gum.
I have sold some (MNH) on the Stamporama auction and usually get 2 - 4 times their face value when they sell (most do not).
Login to Like this post
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. -Edmund Burke"
The truth is within and only you can reveal it 27 Dec 2015 08:12:00pm
re: Stamps are Stuck
Just soak them in water like you would a stamp on paper. Then you have to figure out what to do with them. Not very collectible without the gum and are to big to put on your outgoing mail.
They who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. -Benjamin Franklin 27 Dec 2015 08:19:50pm
re: Stamps are Stuck
I recently mailed a letter in a #10 envelope franked exclusively with 3 cent commemoratives (16) plus one 1 cent stamp. They all fit although I did use 4 of the small 3 cent commemoratives. I frequently use a 3 cent plateblock with a 37 cent stamp - makes an attractive envelope without overcrowding.
Login to Like this post
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. -Edmund Burke"
Thank you for the responses Bobby and Antonius and Bill.
For now, I'm only interested in the specific years my grandkids were born. Value is not really a primary concern.
Just wanted to salvage these if possible for future reference. Just couldn't see any logic in simply tossing them out. I'll try to salvage what I can, and put them on stock pages.
Hopefully one of the grandkids will take an interest in collecting.
Never any need to toss unused US postage stamps if you live in the USA. The stamps can always be used for postage. If the gum is gone, because the stamps had to be soaked, those little glue sticks don't cost so much!
