Are you still using stamp hinges? Do you want to know the correct way to mount your unused stamps without damaging it?
Then you need to know what are stamp mounts and how to use them.
What are stamp mounts?
Stamp mounts are small transparent sleeves or envelopes that are used to hold stamps in place in order to protect them from damage.
Postage stamp mounts are made of lightweight transparent plastic on the front so that the face of the stamp can be displayed. While the background is colored black so as to highlight the stamp’s perforations.
Stamp mounting also leaves no trace of hinge remnants or marks. This is why a lot of collectors today prefer it over hinges.
What are the different types of stamp mounts?
Stamp mounts are available in different precut sizes that can fit single stamps, coils or full panes. Users are advised to use a mount that is slightly larger than the stamp in order to decrease bents on the perforations. Use a stamp mount scale to determine the correct size.
There are also stamp albums that already feature stamp mounts inside them. Such stamp albums are expensive but they can save you time.
Some of the popular stamp mount brands are Showgard stamp mounts, Hawid stamp mounts and Prinz stamp mounts.
How to put your stamps on the stamp mounts?
First of all, it is important that moisture does not enter the stamp mount when putting your stamps on the mount to avoid damage. A sure way to lessen the moisture is to use pointed end stamp tweezers.
Pointed end stamp tweezers are tapered and sharp pointed tools that are used to separate individual stamps from a pile. These tweezers are ideal philatelic tools to use for positioning stamps on stamp mounts.
So with your pointed end stamp tweezers on hand, slide the top part of the stamp inside by lifting one flap on the back of the stamp mount. After that, lift the other flap leaving the stamp to lay flat inside.
Permit both of the flaps to close over the stamp’s back. Stamps should fit inside smoothly so as to avoid cramping and bending of the top part or bottom.
After this, use a little amount of moisture to wet a small part of the gummed flap on the back of the stamp amount. Then press the stamp mount firmly into the stamp album.
Other tips you need to know about using stamp mounts
It is recommended that stamp mounts be used only on one side of the page so as to avoid the album’s pages from snagging.
To achieve a balanced presentation, spread out the stamps when mounting. Move the mounts around until a balance effect is achieved. Do not cram stamps on one page.
If in the future you want to remove the stamp mounts out of the album, the right way to do this is to take out the stamp first out of the mount. Then use a knife or a letter opener and put in between the page and the mount to take it off.