Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Here is a question for the FDC collectors out there.
I'm thinking of ways to display my FDC's in book format and wondered what you all liked for this?
I have three FDC albums that I can use, but I might make a "special" display book with additional facts about some of the FDCs.
I'm not sure the best way to accomplish this. I had thought of using a larger sketch book (blank pages) and those little adhesive "corners" that one would use in an old photo album and affix the FDC this way, with a description of sorts below the FDC.
This presents a weird problem. If the FDC is displayed this way, you have to tear out 1/2 of the pages in the sketch book to account for the thickness added by the FDCs to the book. Thus any kind of really nice "bound" sketch book is difficult to use for this purpose, because the pages cannot easily be torn out (read: not perforated).
Anyway, enough rambling...
Any ideas on this topic are welcome!
Johnny
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Those little "Adhesive corners" may permanently stain the corners of the covers judging from sorting through thousands of them over the years.
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11:03:06am
There are many different products to store and mount FDCs, and I don't have time this morning to go into all of them. Will try to add to this as I get free moments.
However, after having bought hundreds of cover collections, I can offer a couple of "Don'ts" so you don't get off to the wrong foot.
1) Don't use a hard bound book. building a collection is an evolving process, and as long as you stay interested, you will always find something new to add. If you want the look of a hard bound book on the shelf, use an attractive 3-ring binder like this one:
2) If you want to use "written up" pages, do not use the photo corners you describe. I am picturing the old style gold corners, with "lick and stick" gum and a black back). They are too thick and over time often leave indentations in the corners of the covers. They are too small. The "lick and stick" gum frequently sticks to the covers, often leaving black residue when removed years later.
There are proper cover mounting corners available with self-adhesive, peel and stick gum, large enough that only two are required to securely hold the cover, and easy to apply.
See my Stamporama Exhibit Very Cool Covers for a collection mounted in this manner.
Another way of writing up a collection is to use Vario pages in the 2-pocket per page size. Use top or bottom to insert the cover, the other half to insert a descriptive (and decorated with drawings?) card you printed off with your computer. One advantage to this is that you can purchase these pages in a clear format that allows you to see the back simply by turning the page (with more notes about the back markings) on the other side. This is very useful for postal history where the back is frequently as important as the front. Larger covers can be accommodated with 1 pocket per page size. Of course, if is a "only one-side is important" collection, the black ones are fine. Only one negative: the weight does add up quickly!
The same idea can be used in a fixed page FDC album, but one loses the flexibility of moving things around or inserting new material easily.
Roy
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Hi Roy,
Thanks for the great reply!
I'd love to find these:
"There are proper cover mounting corners available with self-adhesive, peel and stick gum, large enough that only two are required to securely hold the cover, and easy to apply."
I'm not familiar with the Vario pages, but will look into them.
Thanks again for the great ideas!
Johnny
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01:58:30pm
Potomac Supplies:
Cover Corner Mounts
Vario Pages
For the record, I have no affiliation to Potomac Supplies, nor have I any recommendation. I have never done business with them. It is just a convenient place to point to the products in question for our US members. I can supply such products for Canadian members.
Roy
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Thanks Roy!
Really appreciate that reference!
JR
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Johnny, here's how I keep my collection...
I've been collecting a single, a plate block and a cover or more per stamp issue. If I have more, I just continue on the next page! There is no limit on what you can collect, or rules. Find an interesting post card related to the stamp? Add it!
Blocks of any size, anything you choose to collect around any stamp issue.
Here's one with a theme related cover. A Defense theme meter cancel slogan. I have a lot of WWII patriotic covers mixed into this era!
And here's the pages. They are the Ultra Pro 2 pocket clear pages. On eBay you can buy 100 for $17.70, I buy 500 for $77.89 which brings them down to 15.5 cents per page. Use any 3 ring binder.
I make the page inserts from card stock. I buy that 250 sheets to a pack and they go through my inkjet printer fine. I have a paper cutter, so I cut the sheet to 7" wide and 5 1/2" for the two cards that go inside the pouches. I add text in Word and print. The card stock gives the pages substance.
After much searching to find a way to display everything together, I have finally come upon this solution. It makes collecting very enjoyable for me.
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Tom, I've found the quality of sheet protectors to vary widely.
I like the ones that are made from heavy plastic stock, because I will place covers or cards in them like I want them, then seal the front to the back using a freezer packaging tool (FoodSaver) locking the items in place. The poor quality (thin) sheet protectors curl up pretty badly when subjected to that local sealing heat. Don't bother with anything sold at WalMart or CVS.
I also use the A4 (European) size. Four postcards fit nicely in the A4 size, but stick out the top of a typical 8.5"x11" (US) size.
I have been VERY happy with C-Line number 08013. Also sold on eBay for about 30 cents each.
-Paul
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Paul, Ultra Pro is a company that is well known in the sports card and memorabilia hobby. Their products are a fairly heavy plastic, and state "No PVC - Acid Free" and have "UV Protection". I think they are okay to use.
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Tom,
That's marketing spin and has no real testing behind it; there is no oversight and the companies can put whatever they want on the package.
Try to get any archival testing they have done (they have not done any) or try to get any documentation they might have for the exact chemistry of the protectors ()they won't release this).
Another example, the paper that is sold at office supply houses is marked 'acid free' but that is total BS. A paper manufacturer can throw a handful of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) into the paper slurry and then mark it 'acid free'.
True 'acid free' paper has to be buffered with at least 2-3% calcium carbonate, have a cotton content of 25% or greater, and it should only contain high alpha cellulose pulp from purified wood fiber (contains no Lignin). Go price this paper and get ready for stick shock, it is quite costly but this is what true acid free paper costs.
I support folks who are experimenting with new storage methods, this is how we learn (we can't count on philatelic organizations to help). But we should be careful to note that these are experiments when we recommend this to new hobbyists.
For anyone who may be doubtful, simply remember Crystal Mounts and how they told they were 'safe'.
Don
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Don, you suck the joy right out of the hobby!
What you are saying is no doubt correct. If any company can put any claims on their product, and there is no overseeing board for our hobby or otherwise, to protect us, how can we believe or trust anything at all?
I have logically agreed to trust this brand because they are the brand most used in the sports card hobby, another hobby where condition is everything. I have pages of theirs I bought for my postcard collection 20 years ago that show no deterioration.
When I pulled my collection out of storage, as put away circa 1979, I found that there was very little deterioration of the pages, plastics and mounts I had chosen as a teenager. The pages I chose from stationary stores and K-Mart for my exhibits and albums all were in good condition. Most of the page protectors were the 1970s rigid plastics and some of those have toned on the edges, but I don't see any damage on covers or stamps placed in these collections. Now this is nearly 40 years.
We know about some major things to avoid... scotch tape, rubber cement, newspaper and other pulp papers, those self adhesive photo albums of the 1980s, etc. And some things are inevitable. I've noticed even Artcraft first day covers, always reputed to be produced on the finest envelopes, are now showing glue stains through the front after 50 or more years.
So where do we go? And at what cost? Note that the vast majority of the stamps we are collecting are low to no value, so what drastic means do we go to protect them? And at what consequence of paying more for supplies than stamps themselves? And ultimately, do we keep them in air tight vaults where we cannot enjoy them?
Note that all the pages I've shown in this thread are 1930-1980. Most of what is in this era is essentially worthless, but I enjoy the nostalgia of collecting it. I really enjoy being able to pull one of my albums in this format from the shelf and leafing through it. At 60, I don't anticipate being around another 40 years to spend all my time fretting about protecting stamps rather than enjoying them.
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I totally agree with BOTH Don and Tom!
On the other hand, Tom, it might be instructive to look up the rules on labeling a la US Dept. of Commerce or some such...
I know that the FDA is quite strict about food and drug labeling, don't know about other commodities so much...
-Paul
(Federal Inspector, in my day-job)
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here is a link to a philatelic society that does have information on the care and preservation of philatelic materials. There are also some links to suppliers of archival material.
https://stamps.org/preservation-and-care
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"Don, you suck the joy right out of the hobby!
"
Aw, that certainly was not my intention! My intention and context is that these public forums are read by many folks and for many years to come. But most importantly, many folks have all kinds of varying environmental conditions. What has worked for one person may not work for another. And this is exactly what happened with Crystal Mounts. Many people found problems 5-8 years after using them while other did not see any issues for a few decades. Heck, I have found some Crystal Mounts today that are still viable.
"So where do we go? And at what cost?"
I fully support folks experimenting with new storage methods. My point here is that they are experiments so two things are important… First, anyone who experiments should obviously keep a close eye on their material. Second, it should be noted these are experiments and if others try them out that they too should be diligent.
The APS link that Vinman supplied has some good information; in particular note ‘The Mechanism of Paper Deterioration’ document. In it they reference the results of paper testing on some of the album pages. (If I owned any Harris albums I would be freaking out.) This is testing that should be done very frequently by 3rd party organizations and by anyone who may be experimenting. But the document also has some significant oversights; they do not mention that the manufacturing buffering only lasts X amount of time. The buffering is not ‘forever’. If the paper contains Lignin it will always drift to being acidic over time, the buffers will eventually run out. Keeping the paper in ideal environmental conditions greatly reduces acidification process and will make the buffer last longer. Good, archival paper is costly for a reason. If the album manufacturers had any sense, they would be testing and promoting the archival qualities of their product to fight against the ‘print your own’ album pages trend.
Does any of this matter if the stamps in question are common and were printed in the billions? Probably not. But since we do not know how others might use the information contained in our pubic posts it seemed worth mentioning. Sorry if it came across as negativity.
Don
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Don, note that I had a smiley after the statement! 
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Hi all,
Here is a question for the FDC collectors out there.
I'm thinking of ways to display my FDC's in book format and wondered what you all liked for this?
I have three FDC albums that I can use, but I might make a "special" display book with additional facts about some of the FDCs.
I'm not sure the best way to accomplish this. I had thought of using a larger sketch book (blank pages) and those little adhesive "corners" that one would use in an old photo album and affix the FDC this way, with a description of sorts below the FDC.
This presents a weird problem. If the FDC is displayed this way, you have to tear out 1/2 of the pages in the sketch book to account for the thickness added by the FDCs to the book. Thus any kind of really nice "bound" sketch book is difficult to use for this purpose, because the pages cannot easily be torn out (read: not perforated).
Anyway, enough rambling...
Any ideas on this topic are welcome!
Johnny
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11:01:43am
Auctions - Approvals
re: FDC - Need "display" ideas (book? FDC binder?)
Those little "Adhesive corners" may permanently stain the corners of the covers judging from sorting through thousands of them over the years.
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BuckaCover.com - 80,000 covers priced 60c to $1.50 - Easy browsing 500 categories
15 May 2018
11:03:06am
re: FDC - Need "display" ideas (book? FDC binder?)
There are many different products to store and mount FDCs, and I don't have time this morning to go into all of them. Will try to add to this as I get free moments.
However, after having bought hundreds of cover collections, I can offer a couple of "Don'ts" so you don't get off to the wrong foot.
1) Don't use a hard bound book. building a collection is an evolving process, and as long as you stay interested, you will always find something new to add. If you want the look of a hard bound book on the shelf, use an attractive 3-ring binder like this one:
2) If you want to use "written up" pages, do not use the photo corners you describe. I am picturing the old style gold corners, with "lick and stick" gum and a black back). They are too thick and over time often leave indentations in the corners of the covers. They are too small. The "lick and stick" gum frequently sticks to the covers, often leaving black residue when removed years later.
There are proper cover mounting corners available with self-adhesive, peel and stick gum, large enough that only two are required to securely hold the cover, and easy to apply.
See my Stamporama Exhibit Very Cool Covers for a collection mounted in this manner.
Another way of writing up a collection is to use Vario pages in the 2-pocket per page size. Use top or bottom to insert the cover, the other half to insert a descriptive (and decorated with drawings?) card you printed off with your computer. One advantage to this is that you can purchase these pages in a clear format that allows you to see the back simply by turning the page (with more notes about the back markings) on the other side. This is very useful for postal history where the back is frequently as important as the front. Larger covers can be accommodated with 1 pocket per page size. Of course, if is a "only one-side is important" collection, the black ones are fine. Only one negative: the weight does add up quickly!
The same idea can be used in a fixed page FDC album, but one loses the flexibility of moving things around or inserting new material easily.
Roy
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this post
re: FDC - Need "display" ideas (book? FDC binder?)
Hi Roy,
Thanks for the great reply!
I'd love to find these:
"There are proper cover mounting corners available with self-adhesive, peel and stick gum, large enough that only two are required to securely hold the cover, and easy to apply."
I'm not familiar with the Vario pages, but will look into them.
Thanks again for the great ideas!
Johnny
Login to Like
this post
BuckaCover.com - 80,000 covers priced 60c to $1.50 - Easy browsing 500 categories
15 May 2018
01:58:30pm
re: FDC - Need "display" ideas (book? FDC binder?)
Potomac Supplies:
Cover Corner Mounts
Vario Pages
For the record, I have no affiliation to Potomac Supplies, nor have I any recommendation. I have never done business with them. It is just a convenient place to point to the products in question for our US members. I can supply such products for Canadian members.
Roy
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this post
re: FDC - Need "display" ideas (book? FDC binder?)
Thanks Roy!
Really appreciate that reference!
JR
Login to Like
this post
re: FDC - Need "display" ideas (book? FDC binder?)
Johnny, here's how I keep my collection...
I've been collecting a single, a plate block and a cover or more per stamp issue. If I have more, I just continue on the next page! There is no limit on what you can collect, or rules. Find an interesting post card related to the stamp? Add it!
Blocks of any size, anything you choose to collect around any stamp issue.
Here's one with a theme related cover. A Defense theme meter cancel slogan. I have a lot of WWII patriotic covers mixed into this era!
And here's the pages. They are the Ultra Pro 2 pocket clear pages. On eBay you can buy 100 for $17.70, I buy 500 for $77.89 which brings them down to 15.5 cents per page. Use any 3 ring binder.
I make the page inserts from card stock. I buy that 250 sheets to a pack and they go through my inkjet printer fine. I have a paper cutter, so I cut the sheet to 7" wide and 5 1/2" for the two cards that go inside the pouches. I add text in Word and print. The card stock gives the pages substance.
After much searching to find a way to display everything together, I have finally come upon this solution. It makes collecting very enjoyable for me.
1 Member
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11:38:24am
re: FDC - Need "display" ideas (book? FDC binder?)
Tom, I've found the quality of sheet protectors to vary widely.
I like the ones that are made from heavy plastic stock, because I will place covers or cards in them like I want them, then seal the front to the back using a freezer packaging tool (FoodSaver) locking the items in place. The poor quality (thin) sheet protectors curl up pretty badly when subjected to that local sealing heat. Don't bother with anything sold at WalMart or CVS.
I also use the A4 (European) size. Four postcards fit nicely in the A4 size, but stick out the top of a typical 8.5"x11" (US) size.
I have been VERY happy with C-Line number 08013. Also sold on eBay for about 30 cents each.
-Paul
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this post
re: FDC - Need "display" ideas (book? FDC binder?)
Paul, Ultra Pro is a company that is well known in the sports card and memorabilia hobby. Their products are a fairly heavy plastic, and state "No PVC - Acid Free" and have "UV Protection". I think they are okay to use.
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Login to Like.
re: FDC - Need "display" ideas (book? FDC binder?)
Tom,
That's marketing spin and has no real testing behind it; there is no oversight and the companies can put whatever they want on the package.
Try to get any archival testing they have done (they have not done any) or try to get any documentation they might have for the exact chemistry of the protectors ()they won't release this).
Another example, the paper that is sold at office supply houses is marked 'acid free' but that is total BS. A paper manufacturer can throw a handful of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) into the paper slurry and then mark it 'acid free'.
True 'acid free' paper has to be buffered with at least 2-3% calcium carbonate, have a cotton content of 25% or greater, and it should only contain high alpha cellulose pulp from purified wood fiber (contains no Lignin). Go price this paper and get ready for stick shock, it is quite costly but this is what true acid free paper costs.
I support folks who are experimenting with new storage methods, this is how we learn (we can't count on philatelic organizations to help). But we should be careful to note that these are experiments when we recommend this to new hobbyists.
For anyone who may be doubtful, simply remember Crystal Mounts and how they told they were 'safe'.
Don
Login to Like
this post
re: FDC - Need "display" ideas (book? FDC binder?)
Don, you suck the joy right out of the hobby!
What you are saying is no doubt correct. If any company can put any claims on their product, and there is no overseeing board for our hobby or otherwise, to protect us, how can we believe or trust anything at all?
I have logically agreed to trust this brand because they are the brand most used in the sports card hobby, another hobby where condition is everything. I have pages of theirs I bought for my postcard collection 20 years ago that show no deterioration.
When I pulled my collection out of storage, as put away circa 1979, I found that there was very little deterioration of the pages, plastics and mounts I had chosen as a teenager. The pages I chose from stationary stores and K-Mart for my exhibits and albums all were in good condition. Most of the page protectors were the 1970s rigid plastics and some of those have toned on the edges, but I don't see any damage on covers or stamps placed in these collections. Now this is nearly 40 years.
We know about some major things to avoid... scotch tape, rubber cement, newspaper and other pulp papers, those self adhesive photo albums of the 1980s, etc. And some things are inevitable. I've noticed even Artcraft first day covers, always reputed to be produced on the finest envelopes, are now showing glue stains through the front after 50 or more years.
So where do we go? And at what cost? Note that the vast majority of the stamps we are collecting are low to no value, so what drastic means do we go to protect them? And at what consequence of paying more for supplies than stamps themselves? And ultimately, do we keep them in air tight vaults where we cannot enjoy them?
Note that all the pages I've shown in this thread are 1930-1980. Most of what is in this era is essentially worthless, but I enjoy the nostalgia of collecting it. I really enjoy being able to pull one of my albums in this format from the shelf and leafing through it. At 60, I don't anticipate being around another 40 years to spend all my time fretting about protecting stamps rather than enjoying them.
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01:01:15pm
re: FDC - Need "display" ideas (book? FDC binder?)
I totally agree with BOTH Don and Tom!
On the other hand, Tom, it might be instructive to look up the rules on labeling a la US Dept. of Commerce or some such...
I know that the FDA is quite strict about food and drug labeling, don't know about other commodities so much...
-Paul
(Federal Inspector, in my day-job)
Login to Like
this post
re: FDC - Need "display" ideas (book? FDC binder?)
here is a link to a philatelic society that does have information on the care and preservation of philatelic materials. There are also some links to suppliers of archival material.
https://stamps.org/preservation-and-care
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
re: FDC - Need "display" ideas (book? FDC binder?)
"Don, you suck the joy right out of the hobby!
"
Aw, that certainly was not my intention! My intention and context is that these public forums are read by many folks and for many years to come. But most importantly, many folks have all kinds of varying environmental conditions. What has worked for one person may not work for another. And this is exactly what happened with Crystal Mounts. Many people found problems 5-8 years after using them while other did not see any issues for a few decades. Heck, I have found some Crystal Mounts today that are still viable.
"So where do we go? And at what cost?"
I fully support folks experimenting with new storage methods. My point here is that they are experiments so two things are important… First, anyone who experiments should obviously keep a close eye on their material. Second, it should be noted these are experiments and if others try them out that they too should be diligent.
The APS link that Vinman supplied has some good information; in particular note ‘The Mechanism of Paper Deterioration’ document. In it they reference the results of paper testing on some of the album pages. (If I owned any Harris albums I would be freaking out.) This is testing that should be done very frequently by 3rd party organizations and by anyone who may be experimenting. But the document also has some significant oversights; they do not mention that the manufacturing buffering only lasts X amount of time. The buffering is not ‘forever’. If the paper contains Lignin it will always drift to being acidic over time, the buffers will eventually run out. Keeping the paper in ideal environmental conditions greatly reduces acidification process and will make the buffer last longer. Good, archival paper is costly for a reason. If the album manufacturers had any sense, they would be testing and promoting the archival qualities of their product to fight against the ‘print your own’ album pages trend.
Does any of this matter if the stamps in question are common and were printed in the billions? Probably not. But since we do not know how others might use the information contained in our pubic posts it seemed worth mentioning. Sorry if it came across as negativity.
Don
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re: FDC - Need "display" ideas (book? FDC binder?)
Don, note that I had a smiley after the statement!
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