Fellow Postcrossers who like to collect stamps, I need your opinion.
I came into a small collection of OLD UNUSED Stamps.
As a collector of stamps if I match up with you, how do you want to receive the stamps?
Attached to the postcard like a normal stamp ? Or carefully taped in plastic or paper to the postcard so you can remove it safely and add to your personal collection unused?
I think it depends a lot on person how they would want to receive them, so in that case the best way is to ask (if you are making a trade for them), but commonly the stamps are sent in a small paper bag (it can be either a bag specially for stamps or just any clean paper you fold into a small pocket), and then sent in envelope with piece of cardboard (postcard, notecard…) protecting the envelope from folding. So in other words, the stamps are not attached on anything, but sent in little bag/pocket.
Sometimes I also use small piece of “stick-in” page. It is a cardboard with plastic stripes to place the stamps in and then plastic cover to place over them. Looks like this:
If you can use the stamps as postage, then sending them on card is probably a good idea, but again, it really depends on person how they prefer to have their stamps.
And whatever you do, do not tape them on anything! Tape is the enemy. It can destroy the stamps either by making it impossible to get them off without tearing the stamps, fading the colour, or the glue “eats” the paper.
I wont be doing any trades.
I just keep my eyes put for people who mention they collect stamps in their profile.
So im just trying to get some feelers out on what the preferred method is for vintage stamps
A lot of folks will ask if you can put the card in an envelope so they can save the stamps form the envelope. That’s probably the safest way, unless someone specifically mentions they collect mint stamps, etc.
As others have said, different people have different preferences. I never remove stamps, neither from postcards nor from envelopes. If the stamps are still valid for postage, I would like to get them used as postage on a postcard. Depending on the postage rates, you might be able to use one current domestic stamp and an older stamp to get to the current international rate. I would love to get such an ingenious combination, especially if the result has the exact correct postage rate (maybe by adding some small value stamps. As an example, for the German international postcard rate of 95 Eurocent I use 2 old domestic postcard commemorative stamps (2x 45 = 90) plus a current 5-cent definitive stamp.
Examples:
I assume you can use vintage stamps from Canada on your outgoing mail? That is great. In both of my Official profiles I mention that I like large stamps on my cards. I also don’t remove stamps from postcards. I save envelopes that contain Unwritten postcards till I get enough together, then I ship them to a stamp auction house.
One person asked me to send used stamps in an envelope.
