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General Philatelic/Newcomer Cnr : How to Start Organizing?

 

Author
Postings
maddyjeez

17 Aug 2020
09:47:25pm
I recently found my old stamp collection from when I was a child (hoping to attach some photos once I figure out how to make them the right size!) and decided I wanted to give it a go again. But this time, correctly. As you can see if I manage to upload the photos, I messily slapped stamps to a page with whatever adhesive I could find.
Despite the poor quality of this stamp collection, I really like the way I took notes about each stamp, where I got it, when, etc. I know this isn’t typically what stamp collections are for, as lots of the discussions on here seem to be about finding the rarest stamps; however, I like the idea of stamp collecting for memories.
So my question is, is there any recommended way to store stamps so that you can still take notes alongside them? I saw online that you can use stamp hinges, but can I attach these to any type of paper in any type of binder? Or is there a specific paper/binder/etc. I should use in order to keep the stamps in the best condition possible?
Thanks in advance for any help!
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michael78651

17 Aug 2020
10:27:15pm
re: How to Start Organizing?

Welcome back!

Regarding paper, you want to make sure it is acid free. Plenty of it is nowadays.

Yes, the hinges will attach to the paper.

You can make your own pages, and print them out. Nothing wrong with that. Many do that. remember it's your hobby. Do what you want with it, not what someone else does or tells you to.

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amsd
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Editor, Seal News; contributor, JuicyHeads

18 Aug 2020
08:23:09am

Auctions
re: How to Start Organizing?

Maddy,

collecting for its emotional appeal seems as potent as any Quixotic quest for the rarest stamps.

Writing them up to highlight that emotional connection is a piece of brilliance.

Glad to have you here.

David

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"Save the USPS, buy stamps; save the hobby, use commemoratives"

juicyheads.com/link.php?PLJZJP
Pogopossum

18 Aug 2020
12:00:09pm
re: How to Start Organizing?

Consider a stock book - no hinges necessary, and there is room to add identification and commentary.

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maddyjeez

18 Aug 2020
01:20:02pm
re: How to Start Organizing?

@pogopossum, I've seen the stock books, but they look like they have really short pockets, only about the height of the stamps, so I'm not sure how well taking notes beside it would work. But thank you!

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musicman
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APS #213005

18 Aug 2020
08:40:06pm
re: How to Start Organizing?

Maddy,

You could also use a D-ring binder and use your choice of Vario pages;

they have 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, & 8 pocket pages to choose from. you could go with

all the same or mix and match.


They can be seen here, but keep in mind that you can purchase them from many

other sources;



https://www.ihobb.com/c/VARIO-STOCKPAGES.html

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jmh67

19 Aug 2020
08:19:30am
re: How to Start Organizing?

There is no single way of arranging a stamp collection, as you will have found out by now, and your collecting for memories is probably just as good as any other. For designing your new albumpages, any word processing or text publishing software will be your friend. Print boxes just a little larger than your stamps are, and put your write-up next to them, and it will look quite neat. I just hope you have used water-soluble glue when you pasted your stamps on the old pages - anything else is difficult to get rid of.



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angore
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Al
Collector, Moderator

19 Aug 2020
11:54:12am
re: How to Start Organizing?

Since you are restarting, I also recommend stock books and avoiding hinges. Modern hinges are awful anyway. The stick too well to stamp and page.

After a while you will get a feel of what you really want to do and a stock book is an investment (can be repurposed).

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"Stamp Collecting is a many splendored thing"
clivel
Members Picture


19 Aug 2020
01:04:23pm
re: How to Start Organizing?

"For designing your new albumpages, any word processing or text publishing software will be your friend. Print boxes just a little larger than your stamps are, and put your write-up next to them, and it will look quite neat."


Or you could use dedicated stamp album page layout software such as AlbumEasy which is free, see the link in my signature.
Clive

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"AlbumEasy - Free software for creating custom stamp album pages."

www.thestampweb.com
Pogopossum

19 Aug 2020
01:05:41pm
re: How to Start Organizing?

To clarify, you may want to look into stock pages: they come in different sizes for storage and may meet your needs.

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maddyjeez

19 Aug 2020
08:30:00pm
re: How to Start Organizing?

Hi all, thanks for the help Happy
I got an acid-free scrapbook, some acid-free cardstock, and stamp hinges today. On the subject of acid-free, I was wondering (per recommendations to print the pages) if printer ink tends to be acid-free or if I need to also purchase that?
Also, re:the hope that I used water-soluable glue... who knows! I was 7, most likely used whatever I could find. I’m not planning on trying to salvage those stamps anyways. A third of them are ripped with a piece of scotch tape over them.
Thanks again

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DrWatson

19 Aug 2020
11:12:55pm
re: How to Start Organizing?

I'm relatively new to collecting but think the Vario System of stock-pages makes the most sense. You can easily move pages around as you build the collection.

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jmh67

20 Aug 2020
07:54:29am
re: How to Start Organizing?

Printer ink should be OK - it cannot be too acidic, anyway, as it might lead to corrosion in the printer mechanism otherwise. Besides, printed documents are supposed to last a while.

A scrapbook might not be ideal for a stamp collection. Better use a ring binder (file folder), then you can change the order of your pages or add some in between. There are also ready-made album pages and binders, but they can be a bit on the expensive side.


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maddyjeez

20 Aug 2020
06:53:10pm
re: How to Start Organizing?

@jmh67 Thanks! And I think the scrapbook will be alright. It is one you are able to add pages and move them around in.

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Speaker

20 Aug 2020
11:58:50pm
re: How to Start Organizing?

Maddy, you went against all the advice to use stock pages, and are going with hinges! As a paper album man myself, I admire your spunk.

You can find lots of past discussions about how bad modern hinges are, and were much better in the old days, which I agree with. The reasons posited about why they used to be better are intriguing - the old glue worked well but was dangerous, there are patents involved, the old timers knew better what they were doing, etc.

If you're using hinges now, you have the choice of paying $20 or so online to get a pack of hinges from 50 years ago, or use the modern ones. I find the modern ones work OK as long as you just put the TINIEST DOT of moisture on them. I find if you give them a good dollop of moisture it is that much harder to peel them off smoothly. Of course sometimes I err on the side of caution too much and the stamp comes loose, but I just put it back in again. I'm sure others here might have some other advice for you on this. It also sounds like you might have hit on the next big thing - a stamp collecting/scrapbooking hybrid.

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angore
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Al
Collector, Moderator

21 Aug 2020
07:24:13am
re: How to Start Organizing?

You have to start somewhere and learning is part of the process.

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3 Members
like this post.
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"Stamp Collecting is a many splendored thing"
amsd
Members Picture


Editor, Seal News; contributor, JuicyHeads

21 Aug 2020
09:20:18am

Auctions
re: How to Start Organizing?

i absolutely love Al's comment. well said.

I find that virtually all of my mistakes have paid off after an initial loss of time, money, product, hair, or some combination of above.

David

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"Save the USPS, buy stamps; save the hobby, use commemoratives"

juicyheads.com/link.php?PLJZJP
sheepshanks
Members Picture


21 Aug 2020
09:26:31am
re: How to Start Organizing?

Chiming in, if the stamps are used (not mint) then use hinges, even the modern ones. If they need moving when you finally decide how you wish your collection to look, then they can be soaked and dried again.

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this post
musicman
Members Picture


APS #213005

21 Aug 2020
09:01:46pm
re: How to Start Organizing?

If the stamps are used, modern and US, leave them on paper, trim them close,

and use hinges!

After all, who cares if the hinge damages the paper on the back!?



Happy

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jmh67

24 Aug 2020
02:41:05am
re: How to Start Organizing?

If you leave the stamps on paper and don't want to keep the whole envelope, trim it so that the postmark remains whole. In my humble opinion, that looks much more interesting than a stamp with only part of a postmark.

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Author/Postings
maddyjeez

17 Aug 2020
09:47:25pm

I recently found my old stamp collection from when I was a child (hoping to attach some photos once I figure out how to make them the right size!) and decided I wanted to give it a go again. But this time, correctly. As you can see if I manage to upload the photos, I messily slapped stamps to a page with whatever adhesive I could find.
Despite the poor quality of this stamp collection, I really like the way I took notes about each stamp, where I got it, when, etc. I know this isn’t typically what stamp collections are for, as lots of the discussions on here seem to be about finding the rarest stamps; however, I like the idea of stamp collecting for memories.
So my question is, is there any recommended way to store stamps so that you can still take notes alongside them? I saw online that you can use stamp hinges, but can I attach these to any type of paper in any type of binder? Or is there a specific paper/binder/etc. I should use in order to keep the stamps in the best condition possible?
Thanks in advance for any help!

Like
Login to Like
this post
michael78651

17 Aug 2020
10:27:15pm

re: How to Start Organizing?

Welcome back!

Regarding paper, you want to make sure it is acid free. Plenty of it is nowadays.

Yes, the hinges will attach to the paper.

You can make your own pages, and print them out. Nothing wrong with that. Many do that. remember it's your hobby. Do what you want with it, not what someone else does or tells you to.

Like
Login to Like
this post
Members Picture
amsd

Editor, Seal News; contributor, JuicyHeads
18 Aug 2020
08:23:09am

Auctions

re: How to Start Organizing?

Maddy,

collecting for its emotional appeal seems as potent as any Quixotic quest for the rarest stamps.

Writing them up to highlight that emotional connection is a piece of brilliance.

Glad to have you here.

David

Like 
2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.

"Save the USPS, buy stamps; save the hobby, use commemoratives"

juicyheads.com/link. ...
Pogopossum

18 Aug 2020
12:00:09pm

re: How to Start Organizing?

Consider a stock book - no hinges necessary, and there is room to add identification and commentary.

Like
Login to Like
this post
maddyjeez

18 Aug 2020
01:20:02pm

re: How to Start Organizing?

@pogopossum, I've seen the stock books, but they look like they have really short pockets, only about the height of the stamps, so I'm not sure how well taking notes beside it would work. But thank you!

Like
Login to Like
this post
Members Picture
musicman

APS #213005
18 Aug 2020
08:40:06pm

re: How to Start Organizing?

Maddy,

You could also use a D-ring binder and use your choice of Vario pages;

they have 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, & 8 pocket pages to choose from. you could go with

all the same or mix and match.


They can be seen here, but keep in mind that you can purchase them from many

other sources;



https://www.ihobb.com/c/VARIO-STOCKPAGES.html

Like 
4 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
jmh67

19 Aug 2020
08:19:30am

re: How to Start Organizing?

There is no single way of arranging a stamp collection, as you will have found out by now, and your collecting for memories is probably just as good as any other. For designing your new albumpages, any word processing or text publishing software will be your friend. Print boxes just a little larger than your stamps are, and put your write-up next to them, and it will look quite neat. I just hope you have used water-soluble glue when you pasted your stamps on the old pages - anything else is difficult to get rid of.



Like
Login to Like
this post
Members Picture
angore

Al
Collector, Moderator
19 Aug 2020
11:54:12am

re: How to Start Organizing?

Since you are restarting, I also recommend stock books and avoiding hinges. Modern hinges are awful anyway. The stick too well to stamp and page.

After a while you will get a feel of what you really want to do and a stock book is an investment (can be repurposed).

Like
Login to Like
this post

"Stamp Collecting is a many splendored thing"
Members Picture
clivel

19 Aug 2020
01:04:23pm

re: How to Start Organizing?

"For designing your new albumpages, any word processing or text publishing software will be your friend. Print boxes just a little larger than your stamps are, and put your write-up next to them, and it will look quite neat."


Or you could use dedicated stamp album page layout software such as AlbumEasy which is free, see the link in my signature.
Clive

Like 
3 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.

"AlbumEasy - Free software for creating custom stamp album pages."

www.thestampweb.com
Pogopossum

19 Aug 2020
01:05:41pm

re: How to Start Organizing?

To clarify, you may want to look into stock pages: they come in different sizes for storage and may meet your needs.

Like
Login to Like
this post
maddyjeez

19 Aug 2020
08:30:00pm

re: How to Start Organizing?

Hi all, thanks for the help Happy
I got an acid-free scrapbook, some acid-free cardstock, and stamp hinges today. On the subject of acid-free, I was wondering (per recommendations to print the pages) if printer ink tends to be acid-free or if I need to also purchase that?
Also, re:the hope that I used water-soluable glue... who knows! I was 7, most likely used whatever I could find. I’m not planning on trying to salvage those stamps anyways. A third of them are ripped with a piece of scotch tape over them.
Thanks again

Like
Login to Like
this post
DrWatson

19 Aug 2020
11:12:55pm

re: How to Start Organizing?

I'm relatively new to collecting but think the Vario System of stock-pages makes the most sense. You can easily move pages around as you build the collection.

Like
Login to Like
this post
jmh67

20 Aug 2020
07:54:29am

re: How to Start Organizing?

Printer ink should be OK - it cannot be too acidic, anyway, as it might lead to corrosion in the printer mechanism otherwise. Besides, printed documents are supposed to last a while.

A scrapbook might not be ideal for a stamp collection. Better use a ring binder (file folder), then you can change the order of your pages or add some in between. There are also ready-made album pages and binders, but they can be a bit on the expensive side.


Like
Login to Like
this post
maddyjeez

20 Aug 2020
06:53:10pm

re: How to Start Organizing?

@jmh67 Thanks! And I think the scrapbook will be alright. It is one you are able to add pages and move them around in.

Like
Login to Like
this post
Speaker

20 Aug 2020
11:58:50pm

re: How to Start Organizing?

Maddy, you went against all the advice to use stock pages, and are going with hinges! As a paper album man myself, I admire your spunk.

You can find lots of past discussions about how bad modern hinges are, and were much better in the old days, which I agree with. The reasons posited about why they used to be better are intriguing - the old glue worked well but was dangerous, there are patents involved, the old timers knew better what they were doing, etc.

If you're using hinges now, you have the choice of paying $20 or so online to get a pack of hinges from 50 years ago, or use the modern ones. I find the modern ones work OK as long as you just put the TINIEST DOT of moisture on them. I find if you give them a good dollop of moisture it is that much harder to peel them off smoothly. Of course sometimes I err on the side of caution too much and the stamp comes loose, but I just put it back in again. I'm sure others here might have some other advice for you on this. It also sounds like you might have hit on the next big thing - a stamp collecting/scrapbooking hybrid.

Like
Login to Like
this post
Members Picture
angore

Al
Collector, Moderator
21 Aug 2020
07:24:13am

re: How to Start Organizing?

You have to start somewhere and learning is part of the process.

Like 
3 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.

"Stamp Collecting is a many splendored thing"
Members Picture
amsd

Editor, Seal News; contributor, JuicyHeads
21 Aug 2020
09:20:18am

Auctions

re: How to Start Organizing?

i absolutely love Al's comment. well said.

I find that virtually all of my mistakes have paid off after an initial loss of time, money, product, hair, or some combination of above.

David

Like
Login to Like
this post

"Save the USPS, buy stamps; save the hobby, use commemoratives"

juicyheads.com/link. ...
Members Picture
sheepshanks

21 Aug 2020
09:26:31am

re: How to Start Organizing?

Chiming in, if the stamps are used (not mint) then use hinges, even the modern ones. If they need moving when you finally decide how you wish your collection to look, then they can be soaked and dried again.

Like
Login to Like
this post
Members Picture
musicman

APS #213005
21 Aug 2020
09:01:46pm

re: How to Start Organizing?

If the stamps are used, modern and US, leave them on paper, trim them close,

and use hinges!

After all, who cares if the hinge damages the paper on the back!?



Happy

Like
Login to Like
this post
jmh67

24 Aug 2020
02:41:05am

re: How to Start Organizing?

If you leave the stamps on paper and don't want to keep the whole envelope, trim it so that the postmark remains whole. In my humble opinion, that looks much more interesting than a stamp with only part of a postmark.

Like 
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
        

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