General Philatelic/Supplies, Literature & Software : Where Can I Buy the Cheapest Pre-Cut Mounts That Are Worthwhile to Use? (a pre-cut set of many different sizes, of course)
My subject heading pretty much says it all, but let's face it; for those of us who are not (yet) prosperous, the price of mounts can add up once you get into thousands of stamps. I've been buying pre-cuts from Mystic up to now, but there's nothing cheap about them. I want to get a large # of pre-cuts, and I especially want to find pre-cuts for World Stamps. Do I have to buy mounts for each specific country, or is there some sort of standardization regarding the size of stamps from different countries? Where's the best place to look. Thanks, and sorry for the barrage of questions! ;O)
re: Where Can I Buy the Cheapest Pre-Cut Mounts That Are Worthwhile to Use? (a pre-cut set of many different sizes, of course)
Hi Jake6,
Stamporama user ID "okstamps" recently had a bunch of precut mounts and strips in the Stamporama auction. Bids started at a nickel. I won several lots and the cost so low that I was basically paying for the shipping. If I remember, there were some lots of his mounts that did not receive bids. I wonder if he has any left over that didn't get sold?
You may want to post a message in the "Wanted To Buy" section of Stamporama.....
re: Where Can I Buy the Cheapest Pre-Cut Mounts That Are Worthwhile to Use? (a pre-cut set of many different sizes, of course)
Hi Jake;
Be careful....you get what you pay for. The cheapest mounts are probably the worst quality.
It sounds like you are expecting to buy hundreds or thousands of them over the years. So it would be wise to do some research. Check as many forums and stamp clubs as possible for collector opinions and reviews. If you Google "stamp mounts, customer reviews" that would be helpful.
Best tho to buy a dozen or so of all the brands in the different styles they offer, top loading, side loading, slit backs etcetera. Try them all out on scrap paper first and then in your albums. When you have the brand in your sights that fits your needs and expectations, then is the time to shop.
A good mail order supplier might be Subway Stamp Shop, Potomac Supplies, or Brooklyn Gallery, all very honest and reliable sellers.
Also keep your eyes open for bargains on eBay, Delcampe, eBid, and of course on here too. Beware of vague descriptions of lots sold on auction sites, or you will end up with odd-ball sizes, in large quantity that you would find not very useful.
When you order the sample lots of different brands, try to order assorted sizes, and keep records of the ones you use the most of, for future orders. If you do your homework first, you will save a lot of money in the long run.
re: Where Can I Buy the Cheapest Pre-Cut Mounts That Are Worthwhile to Use? (a pre-cut set of many different sizes, of course)
You ask about different sizes of pre-cut mounts for world wide stamps, and you will never satisfy all the varying sizes you will need.
I understand that you don't want scissor cut mounts with crooked edges (I see enough of those in photos of peoples pages).
Why not invest in a cheap paper cutter? You can buy one at Michaels, AC Moore, Hobby Lobby... under $20 and even use their 40% off coupon on it. That way you could buy single mounts of a larger size and cut them down as needed, or same with strips. That would work out economically and inventory wise.
