Gum & Stamps: Part II
Our last post got us thinking about some of the problems stamp collectors encounter with self-adhesive stamps. These little nightmares (for stamp collectors, stamp users love them) can wreak havoc in a stamp collection.
We've already posted about the difficulty many stamp collectors have when they try to soak used self-adhesive stamps, so we won't go into that again right now. But do you remember the first self-adhesive stamps issued by the United States? If they were kept on their backing paper (instead of being used in the mail) their gum bled right through the stamps, onto their face.
That's not good. And who knows what will happen with all the much more recent self-adhesive stamps that are being issued by countries all over the world. For them, it's much too soon to tell whether their gum will move through the stamp paper and to the face of the stamps or to the edges of the backing paper. But the only way to prevent it is, once again, keeping your stamps in a cool, dry place. And even that might not work with self-adhesive stamps. So once again, is it time to consider collecting only used stamps?
Showing posts with label gum damage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gum damage. Show all posts
Friday, May 22, 2009
Gum and Stamps: Part I
Problems with Gum Toning:
Some stamp collectors have been encountering problems with toning of the gum on some of their mint stamps. Toning is a condition where the gum darkens or becomes discolored and is usually caused by excess heat or humidity, or by acid paper. The stamps of some countries have always been a little prone to gum toning, which is sometimes called tropicalization. Those countries include Italy, France and the French Colonies, Portuguese Colonies, and several African countries. Many of the stamps will tropical gum (toned gum) are from the period between World War I and World War II, and as the stamps from that period age over time, the problem may affect more and more of them.
Reports from stamp collectors that are experiencing gum toning seem to indicate that the problem mostly occurs with stamp collections that have been stored undisturbed (i.e., left alone) for long periods of time in hot and/or humid locations. The toning may be the result of excess or long-term heat and humidity, from the stamps being printed (possibly) on acid paper, or a combination of both factors.
The moral of the story? Make sure your stamps, especially your mint stamps, are always kept in a cool, dry place. And if you collect stamps from the countries and time period where toning is becoming a problem, consider collecting only used stamps.
Problems with Gum Toning:
Some stamp collectors have been encountering problems with toning of the gum on some of their mint stamps. Toning is a condition where the gum darkens or becomes discolored and is usually caused by excess heat or humidity, or by acid paper. The stamps of some countries have always been a little prone to gum toning, which is sometimes called tropicalization. Those countries include Italy, France and the French Colonies, Portuguese Colonies, and several African countries. Many of the stamps will tropical gum (toned gum) are from the period between World War I and World War II, and as the stamps from that period age over time, the problem may affect more and more of them.
Reports from stamp collectors that are experiencing gum toning seem to indicate that the problem mostly occurs with stamp collections that have been stored undisturbed (i.e., left alone) for long periods of time in hot and/or humid locations. The toning may be the result of excess or long-term heat and humidity, from the stamps being printed (possibly) on acid paper, or a combination of both factors.
The moral of the story? Make sure your stamps, especially your mint stamps, are always kept in a cool, dry place. And if you collect stamps from the countries and time period where toning is becoming a problem, consider collecting only used stamps.
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