I've been agonizing over this for quite a while. A few years back, my father died and I added his stamp collection to mine. During the 1970s and 1980s he decided he would collect mint sheets from Canada Post. However, the mint sheet files that he stored them in were not designed for the larger sheets - the end result is that the edges of these sheets were not protected. For most of the larger sheets, the stamps themselves are fine, but the selvage is mangled/damaged. I have several questions coming out of this.
1) Is the value of the sheet compromised by damaged selvage?
2) If I remove the damaged selvage, is the value of the sheet compromised?
3) If I break the sheet up (which I will need to do with some of the more damaged sheets) what's the best way to do it?
Few of the stamps are high value or valuable in of themselves - I just hate the thought of breaking them up.
re: Advice needed - if,when and how I should break down mint sheets?
Any damage compromises the value of the item. Of course the value of the individual stamps is not compromised unless the stamps are damaged.
If you remove the selvage, then you no longer have a sheet.
If you break up the sheets, it will depend what you want to collect from the sheet. You can make singles, pairs, blocks, and inscription/plate blocks. Check a specialized catalog for the configuration of plate and inscription blocks.
If you live in Canada, you can always use the surplus stamps for postage. If not, you can sell them to get some money to buy more stamps!
The bottom line is that it will depend how you want to collect the stamps. You could always just get a larger sheet album and store them in there as is. Overall, you shouldn't worry about the value. You are collecting stamps for fun, and the emotional attachment of the stamps to your father is probably greater than any desire to break up the sheets. There's no need to rush to do anything about the sheets, unless you have a need to.
re: Advice needed - if,when and how I should break down mint sheets?
Doomboy:
Canadian mint stamps, post-1935, in complete panes or not, are in a market that is flooded.
Stamp dealers are currently paying 30 % to 50 % of face-value, and selling them off as postage to charities, businesses, etc. That is becoming more difficult as fewer folks mail much, to-day.
Collect what you like, as this is a grand and wonderful hobby.
To quote Michael:
"Overall, you shouldn't worry about the value. You are collecting stamps for fun, and the emotional attachment of the stamps to your father is probably greater than any desire to break up the sheets. There's no need to rush to do anything about the sheets, unless you have a need to."
That which you decide not to keep, your best use is for postage.
Enjoy the hobby.
David Giles
Ottawa, Canada
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"President, The Society for Costa Rica Collectors"
re: Advice needed - if,when and how I should break down mint sheets?
Even as discount postage they are difficult to use since the rates today require so many old stamps.
Here in the US I bought a lot of $50 postage for $40. I was amazed at what I got. Old commemoratives from the late 1930s through 1950s, ten of each as if they emptied a dealer stock book into the bin. And the major portion was all 10 cent commemorative plate blocks. Lots of them. I still cringe when I break up one of those for postage.
So with the lot I bought, I'd need to put 4 10 cent stamps, or an entire plate block, plus 3 3 cent stamps to make up the 49 cent rate. There's often not enough room on an envelope for all that!
re: Advice needed - if,when and how I should break down mint sheets?
our good friend Roy often has large US discount postage of recent vintage, so it's a single commem plus one or two make-ups. and his stuff is quite nice, often including SSs and such. Always a good buy, and I usually grab a lot or two when they come up.
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