Collectors Buying With Confidence – Buying Mint stamps

Mint stamps, whether mint with hinge or mint never hinged, how do you get them, how are they packed in the envelope you receive when you buy?

I will tell you.  Let’s say a set of 4. They come all together in a 102 card, all touching, gums touching. Right?   Well perhaps 95% of the time, no matter whether mint hinged or mint never hinged.  How many sellers put the stamps in a stock sheet and separate the stamps so the gums are not touching and the stamps are packed in a sealed plastic protective sleeve or envelope?  How many pack each stamp in a black mount?   Like I showed in Part III.  and as below

I have written this before so apology if it is a repeat to you. Years ago when I lived in Australia our post box for receiving mail was at the end of a long driveway and was not, I realised one day, not 100% secure from the weather element of rain. One day I picked up the mail and the envelope was a bit wet. Just a bit.  But a bit is enough to damage mint stamps isn’t it. The mint stamps I had purchased were ruined of course. At best mint no gum 😊  once separated.  Ok I know what you are saying, that was my fault.

Whatever, the message is the same. If the stamps had been packed  more securely because they were mint stamps,  they might well have survived.

Think about another scenario, stamps from perhaps Rhodesia, Malta, early Germany, Fiji, Papa New Guinea even some US issues during certain periods. The list goes on. Many countries used very soluble gums back in the day. All those types of stamps could have the gums stick to the stamps just because of the humidity, heat,  and rain of course.

Collectors Buying With Confidence know this and perhaps pay attention to the shipping / packing practices of a seller.  Perhaps even ask the seller to ensure a secure and safe packing because they live in a rainy climate?  Or, even if they don’t, they just want to make sure the stamps are appropriately packed given they are mint stamps.

If there is one thing in the field of selling stamps it is that a very large % of sellers are nowadays people who were once collectors  who are now getting rid of their collections.  That is a trend these days, yet these sellers, it seems to me, and this is from a sample of over 50 different sellers  I have bought from over the years I might add, they do not pack mint stamps, in particular, in a way that will protect the stamps.  Is that strange?

So as Collectors Buying with Confidence let’s do our little bit to ensure we get our stamps in good condition.  1)  buy from a seller we know does the right thing. 2) ask the seller to pack to protect the stamps.

One final comment – and I give no guarantee this will work – I have tried it with good results and  without. If you do get mint stamps stuck together, put them in a freezer for a while – very cold temperature  – for say a day or longer – obviously make sure no water / wetness will be present,  so it is best to have  the stamps in a sealed plastic bag. The stamps just may come apart without damage.   This is often referred to as the dry freezer method.   There are other “methods”, including using a special lifting fluid, I know nothing about this, or perhaps the steam apart over a boiling kettle  method – sounds tricky to me, or the warm dry iron.   Hhhhhmmmm,  again, doesn’t sound like a good idea to me. But hey read YouTube and see for yourself

Good luck.                    

Michael  cddstamps.com …. Please visit my online store https://www.hipstamp.com/store/cddstamps    where I think you will see quality and appropriately described stamps.