In my country, the stamps are now sticker stamps. It is hard to find stamps that are not of the sticker variety. This makes it easy to stick on a postcard, but as a stamp collector myself, I prefer the old fashioned stamps that are not stickers.
I was wondering how folks feel about sticker stamps and if people (especially stamp collectors) mind when the stamps are of the sticker variety. If people tend to prefer non stickers, then I might add other old stamps to the postcards to balance it out.
I don’t think it’s a big deal now - I’ve been using the regular P stamps which are sticker stamps since I started here 2 years ago & never had anyone say anything other than they liked the stamps.
I use 3 P stamps for int’l mail as it’s more interesting for most people - it’s 5 cents over the actual cost, but I prefer sending a variety of stamps to folks & I want as much room to write as possible.
I like to use a variety of the sticker stamps and older gummed stamps to keep it interesting. At the end of the day, though, send what you like or have. It’s about the postcards, of course.
I am not a collector, but as a card sender I try to take the old fashioned stamps. Our Deutsche Post is printing a matrix code on every stamp for tracking apps, but this makes them a bigger, too. And it’s looking not so fine. So I’m buying online older stamps with the needed value and avoid the actuel stamps.
For some years now, nearly all US postage has been self-adhesives. Only my viewpoint, but I do not like to encourage people to cut off stamps from postcards. Ditto when the stamp is removed from a card even though it isn’t cut. I have thrown out a few hundred of these worthless, again in my opinion, cards.
Another point to consider is if you are mailing multiple cards in an envelope. While many stamp collectors (like me) like to keep the outer envelopes, many do not. It’s an absolute bear trying to soak off adhesive stamps from envelopes.
I’m always looking for recent issues, and most recent issues are the sticker variety. I don’t tend to take them off postcards unless the card is otherwise ruined, and some of the newer adhesive stamps do not soak off nicely (I’m looking at you USA and GB!), but others still come off reasonably well with a bit of coaxing. Some of the topics I like to collect are only found on newer stamps. When I am mailing, I tend to use a mix or sometimes I have pre-paid postcards issued by Canada Post (when I can find them).
As a collector, I don’t like much self-adhesive, but there’s not much to choose, we have to deal with them.
Unfortunately, also in my country most issues are of this type: in 2022’s issues only 4 on 27 are gummed.
Anyway, stamps theme and the cancellations are more important, to make a nice cover/postcard.
From my experience of small-scale hobby collecting and trading stamps, there are no definitive rules when it comes to stamp collecting. Every single collector has their own preferences and habits, so there are no really reasons for to use or not use specific stamps when thinking collectors as a group. Of course if you are sending something to somebody specifically for them to add to their collection, then that is yet another case and you can just ask them how they prefer to have their stamps. There are so many different opinions that pleasing everybody is simply impossible.
On trading side, the modern used sticker stamps actually seems to sell much better than old stamps. I always get those sold on the first auction round and the older ones tend to go through two or three times before the right collector shows up. So there definitely are collectors who like the newer sticker stamps.
But when it is generally about stamps on postcard, I believe most of Postcrossers enjoy seeing several stamps on the card so if you have possibility to mix up old and new and build up the postage with several stamps, absolutely feel free to do so
As a stamp collector and exhibitor, I like old-fashioned gummed stamps more than stickers. Luckily in India, we are still using gummed stamps. Most of the sticker stamps are small and they are hard to take out from the material. I vaguely remember that a few years back when India post thought of post-and-go stamps, philatelists opposed that.
For me, the best way to collect a stamp is on a postcard. Gummed or sticker, I like them both equally, and I’m not going to ever remove a stamp from a card.
I recently drew an address, and was surprised to read that in their profile, they were pretty adamant about gummed stamps only. I thought that was a tall order seeing that some countries like the US (and what seems to be Canada,too) are solely self-adhesive with stamps nowadays. I’m sure this user receives a lot of stamps that are both gummed and self adhesive since there is really no way to control that completely. I’ll admit I miss the gummed stamps as well, and I always have stock of old, unused, stamps to use for everybody. But I have to mix it up regardless so I don’t cover the entire postcard with old stamps to make up for the current postage rates.
Canada still makes gummed stamps but the domestic rate and international stamps are mostly all stickers. Lower denomination stamps remain gummed. However, I agree with you, that that is a ridiculous request.
I’m a stamp collector, but I wouldn’t remove the stamps from the postcards I’ll receive (still haven’t received any, as I’m new). What I would value of the postcards is the written side.
So, for Postcrossing, for me at least, it doesn’t matter if they’re auto-adhesive or not.
Self-adhesive stamps are an anathema to me - so much so, that my stamp collection stops at 2022. They’re almost impossible to remove (and they remain sticky) so they don’t go into my albums at all. The thing I dislike most about self-adhesive stamps is - the imitation perforations. Perforations were vital on a sheet or a strip of traditionally gummed stamps but on the SA stamps they have no purpose. I wish they had never been invented.
There isn’t much choice for a lot of countries these days. I don’t love the stickers, but they’re still preferable to machine printed strips. I’m always amazed at how beautiful some of the older American stamps are compared to the cheap looking stickers we produce now.
I’m not a strict collector per se, but I am #TeamGummedStamps.
Of course, I understand that it’s not always possible to get gummed stamps these days - many countries are going the self adhesive route, or even no stamps (Iceland)
For me:
Gummed stamps > Self adhesive > Postage labels
A tip on how to remove a sticker stamp：
Add laundry detergent, detergent, hand sanitizer, or dish soap to clean water, mix up.
Then put the sticker stamp in and soak it.
Until the sticker stamps come off the paper.
Rinse well with water.
Most sticker stamps can be removed completely in this way.
