MISCELLANEOUS
Flood Damaged Stamp Collections
by Wayne A Nyre, A.P.S.
(The American Philatelist, August 1972, Volume 86, No. 8; pp 674-676)
by Wayne A Nyre, A.P.S.
(The American Philatelist, August 1972, Volume 86, No. 8; pp 674-676)
Your stamp collection is all wet and muddy from the flood. What can you do? Everything is a mess.
First, get all of your flood-damaged stamps into a room that has a table or large working space. Then get your stamp tongs, two tubs of cold water, a stack of dry newspapers, some dry catalogues or books, a sheet of plastic and a stamp lift. If you do not have a stamp lift, you can make one out of a plastic box. Place a very wet sponge into a plastic box. On top of the sponge place a plastic grid -- heavy screen will work. Next you find a top for the box and allow at least 1/4-inch between grid and box top. Do not use any iron materials as they will rust and stain your stamps.
Now you should be ready to begin salvaging those stamps.
Examine the stamps carefully for mud, dirt, dampness or sticking together. Place all clean, dry stamps into a box for sorting at a later date. Place all damp and muddy used stamps into a tub of cold water. Cold water is used because some colors on some stamps will run in hot water.
Let the stamps soak in the water for about a half-hour. Rinse the dirt off slowly by moving the stamps through the water. Once the stamps are clean you place them upside down on newspapers. The newspapers draw the water out of the stamps so that the stamps will dry faster. When the stamps are almost dry you place them into catalogues, books or between sheets of cardboard for final drying. This method will press the stamps flat while drying. If you do not hold the stamps flat, they will curl while drying. Once curled, the stamps will be almost impossible to handle.
Now comes the agonizing part. How do we salvage the mint or unused stamps? This is a very sticky problem. Place all of the clean stamps that are stuck together, or stuck to paper, in the stamp lift. Do not stack them. Just place a few at a time, face down, on the grid in the stamp lift. Be sure to close the lid or the stamp lift won't do its job. Let the stamps lay in the stamp lift for 20 to 60 minutes. The time needed to soften the gum on the stamps varies with the different types of gum and paper used by the printers of the stamps. When the stamps get moist enough -- (1) slide them apart carefully, or (2) carefully slide the paper off the stamps. Do not slide the stamps off the paper. By sliding the paper off the stamps carefully, you have a good chance of recovering some of the original gum. Once the paper is removed, or stamps separated, you place the stamp gum side down upon a sheet of plastic. Let the stamp dry thoroughly on the plastic. If it starts to curl, place another plastic sheet on top to hold the stamp flat. Once the stamp is thoroughly dry, it should pop off the plastic. Then you can file the stamp in a glassine envelope or stock book for use at another time.
*I see these instructions have not really changed over the years!
First, get all of your flood-damaged stamps into a room that has a table or large working space. Then get your stamp tongs, two tubs of cold water, a stack of dry newspapers, some dry catalogues or books, a sheet of plastic and a stamp lift. If you do not have a stamp lift, you can make one out of a plastic box. Place a very wet sponge into a plastic box. On top of the sponge place a plastic grid -- heavy screen will work. Next you find a top for the box and allow at least 1/4-inch between grid and box top. Do not use any iron materials as they will rust and stain your stamps.
Now you should be ready to begin salvaging those stamps.
Examine the stamps carefully for mud, dirt, dampness or sticking together. Place all clean, dry stamps into a box for sorting at a later date. Place all damp and muddy used stamps into a tub of cold water. Cold water is used because some colors on some stamps will run in hot water.
Let the stamps soak in the water for about a half-hour. Rinse the dirt off slowly by moving the stamps through the water. Once the stamps are clean you place them upside down on newspapers. The newspapers draw the water out of the stamps so that the stamps will dry faster. When the stamps are almost dry you place them into catalogues, books or between sheets of cardboard for final drying. This method will press the stamps flat while drying. If you do not hold the stamps flat, they will curl while drying. Once curled, the stamps will be almost impossible to handle.
Now comes the agonizing part. How do we salvage the mint or unused stamps? This is a very sticky problem. Place all of the clean stamps that are stuck together, or stuck to paper, in the stamp lift. Do not stack them. Just place a few at a time, face down, on the grid in the stamp lift. Be sure to close the lid or the stamp lift won't do its job. Let the stamps lay in the stamp lift for 20 to 60 minutes. The time needed to soften the gum on the stamps varies with the different types of gum and paper used by the printers of the stamps. When the stamps get moist enough -- (1) slide them apart carefully, or (2) carefully slide the paper off the stamps. Do not slide the stamps off the paper. By sliding the paper off the stamps carefully, you have a good chance of recovering some of the original gum. Once the paper is removed, or stamps separated, you place the stamp gum side down upon a sheet of plastic. Let the stamp dry thoroughly on the plastic. If it starts to curl, place another plastic sheet on top to hold the stamp flat. Once the stamp is thoroughly dry, it should pop off the plastic. Then you can file the stamp in a glassine envelope or stock book for use at another time.
*I see these instructions have not really changed over the years!
The Philatelist
Some women want a city house
And some like mountain camps;
Give me a room, a table and
A great big pile of stamps.
Now diamonds and pearls may be bought by other girls,
But not by a philatelist.
I'd rather have a pair of some stamp that is rare
Than a coat of sable, racing stable or even Clark Gable.
A Saxony Red, a Bomba Head --
I'd rather have them than be kissed.
I like First Day Covers -- prefer them to lovers.
I'm a real philatelist.
Some gals go for Art, others crave limousines,
But not a real philatelist.
And some think it smarter to dress up like queens
In a gown that fits to go and dine at the Ritz.
Philately was meant for me --
A fine Penny Black I can't resist.
I like postage dues, revenues I won't refuse.
I'm a real philatelist.
A stamp is not only to stick on a letter --
Ask any philatelist.
I never am lonely or sick, I'm much better
When with tong and hinge I go on an evening's binge.
Mint or used, I'm not confused
With both Minkus and Scott to assist.
And I'll buy all the inverts though the cost of this whim hurts.
I'm a real Philatelist.
Sung at the banquet for the "Women in Philately" exhibition held December 11, 1953, through January 9, 1954, at Philadelphi's National Philatelic Museum
Sung to the music of Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend.
And some like mountain camps;
Give me a room, a table and
A great big pile of stamps.
Now diamonds and pearls may be bought by other girls,
But not by a philatelist.
I'd rather have a pair of some stamp that is rare
Than a coat of sable, racing stable or even Clark Gable.
A Saxony Red, a Bomba Head --
I'd rather have them than be kissed.
I like First Day Covers -- prefer them to lovers.
I'm a real philatelist.
Some gals go for Art, others crave limousines,
But not a real philatelist.
And some think it smarter to dress up like queens
In a gown that fits to go and dine at the Ritz.
Philately was meant for me --
A fine Penny Black I can't resist.
I like postage dues, revenues I won't refuse.
I'm a real philatelist.
A stamp is not only to stick on a letter --
Ask any philatelist.
I never am lonely or sick, I'm much better
When with tong and hinge I go on an evening's binge.
Mint or used, I'm not confused
With both Minkus and Scott to assist.
And I'll buy all the inverts though the cost of this whim hurts.
I'm a real Philatelist.
Sung at the banquet for the "Women in Philately" exhibition held December 11, 1953, through January 9, 1954, at Philadelphi's National Philatelic Museum
Sung to the music of Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend.
A Stamp Collector's Letter to Santa
Santa, dear old friend of mine,
Please this year bring very fine.
Less of those old candy canes,
Bring me lots of booklet panes!
Prexies, airmails, U.S. One,
These to me are much more fun.
TIPEX, CIPEX, FIPEX, please,
In my stock i'd like these.
No more socks, ties or bras galore,
I need hinges, bring me more!
Sitting by my nice warm fire,
I could use a magnifier.
Santa, now just two more hints,
Bring me Kansas overprints!
Mint or used with cancellation,
They'll all help my celebration.
Flag sheets, White Plains cause me joy,
Just this once my dear old boy;
Bring me what I long to touch,
One small Invert means so much!
Merry Christmas, Santa dear,
I've been good the whole long year.
So bring me Zeps and Penny Blacks,
And everything my album lacks!
~ Author unknown
(adjusted slightly to accommodate both men and women stamp collectors!)
Please this year bring very fine.
Less of those old candy canes,
Bring me lots of booklet panes!
Prexies, airmails, U.S. One,
These to me are much more fun.
TIPEX, CIPEX, FIPEX, please,
In my stock i'd like these.
No more socks, ties or bras galore,
I need hinges, bring me more!
Sitting by my nice warm fire,
I could use a magnifier.
Santa, now just two more hints,
Bring me Kansas overprints!
Mint or used with cancellation,
They'll all help my celebration.
Flag sheets, White Plains cause me joy,
Just this once my dear old boy;
Bring me what I long to touch,
One small Invert means so much!
Merry Christmas, Santa dear,
I've been good the whole long year.
So bring me Zeps and Penny Blacks,
And everything my album lacks!
~ Author unknown
(adjusted slightly to accommodate both men and women stamp collectors!)