New at it - Question

Let me say right off that I'm not a collector, that I have a whole
bunch of stamps that I inherited, and that I'm selling them off on
eBay. I'm retired, I like selling on eBay, I like researching things,
and I don't mind piddling around with this for a return of about 3
cents an hour.

I have done some homework, I do have a copy of Scott's, and I do know
some of the terms. Certain things, though, I find I can't learn by
research (or I don't know how to research properly).

I randomly selected a few stamps and put them up at
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...3/question.jpg

These are all unused, uncanceled, unhinged stamps. None of them show
any signs of glue on the back. The backs are flat-looking.

How does this happen? If the stamps have never been used, what
happened to the glue? How is this condition described?

The reason that I ask is that I have run some stamp auctions and the
"Questions from Sellers" have always been about the glue condition or
the hinging. I know what to look for on the hinge question, but I
don't know how to answer the glue questions other than there is, or is
not, glue indication.

P.S. Most of what I'll be working with are US stamps pre-1940. I'm
setting aside the foreign, the recent, and the
stamps-still-attached-envelopes and dealing the with US pre-1940
first. I've put up for auction a few other things, but only because
they are bit unique and easy to separate out.

--


Tony Cooper
Orlando, FL

On Mar 21, 11:06 am, Tony Cooper wrote:
Let me say right off that I'm not a collector, that I have a whole
bunch of stamps that I inherited, and that I'm selling them off on
eBay. I'm retired, I like selling on eBay, I like researching things,
and I don't mind piddling around with this for a return of about 3
cents an hour.

I have done some homework, I do have a copy of Scott's, and I do know
some of the terms. Certain things, though, I find I can't learn by
research (or I don't know how to research properly).

I randomly selected a few stamps and put them up athttp://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f244/cooper213/question.jpg

These are all unused, uncanceled, unhinged stamps. None of them show
any signs of glue on the back. The backs are flat-looking.

How does this happen? If the stamps have never been used, what
happened to the glue? How is this condition described?

The reason that I ask is that I have run some stamp auctions and the
"Questions from Sellers" have always been about the glue condition or
the hinging. I know what to look for on the hinge question, but I
don't know how to answer the glue questions other than there is, or is
not, glue indication.

P.S. Most of what I'll be working with are US stamps pre-1940. I'm
setting aside the foreign, the recent, and the
stamps-still-attached-envelopes and dealing the with US pre-1940
first. I've put up for auction a few other things, but only because
they are bit unique and easy to separate out.

--

Tony Cooper
Orlando, FL

================================================== ========

Hi Tony:

This can mean one of several things.

(1) The stamps all got stuck together (due to being stored in humid
conditions)
and were then soaked apart , dried and pressed ;

OR

(2) The stamps were used for postage, but the Post Office forgot to
cancel them.
They were then soaked off the cover , dried and pressed ;

OR

(3) The stamps were owned by a collector who was concerned that
keeping the
gum on the stamps would discolour them or cause them to curl /
roll up.
He / she soaked off the gum in order to keep them white and
flat.


This condition is listed as NG (no gum). They are usually valued the
same as
USED stamps (except in the case of very rare or valuable stamps).

From your scan these seem to be pretty common stamps. You can
collect / trade
them yourself, give them to young collectors, use them for postage or
try to sell
them, but don't expect too much of a financial return on them.

Blair

On Mar 21, 11:54�am, "Blair (TC)" wrote:
On Mar 21, 11:06 am, Tony Cooper wrote:





Let me say right off that I'm not a collector, that I have a whole
bunch of stamps that I inherited, and that I'm selling them off on
eBay. *I'm retired, I like selling on eBay, I like researching things,
and I don't mind piddling around with this for a return of about 3
cents an hour. *

I have done some homework, I do have a copy of Scott's, and I do know
some of the terms. *Certain things, though, I find I can't learn by
research (or I don't know how to research properly).

I randomly selected a few stamps and put them up athttp://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f244/cooper213/question.jpg

These are all unused, uncanceled, unhinged stamps. *None of them show
any signs of glue on the back. *The backs are flat-looking.

How does this happen? *If the stamps have never been used, what
happened to the glue? *How is this condition described?

The reason that I ask is that I have run some stamp auctions and the
"Questions from Sellers" have always been about the glue condition or
the hinging. *I know what to look for on the hinge question, but I
don't know how to answer the glue questions other than there is, or is
not, glue indication.

P.S. *Most of what I'll be working with are US stamps pre-1940. *I'm
setting aside the foreign, the recent, and the
stamps-still-attached-envelopes and dealing the with US pre-1940
first. *I've put up for auction a few other things, but only because
they are bit unique and easy to separate out.

--

Tony Cooper
Orlando, FL

================================================== ========

Hi Tony:

This can mean one of several things.

(1) The stamps all got stuck together (due to being stored in humid
conditions)
* * *and were then soaked apart , dried and pressed ;

OR

(2) The stamps were used for postage, but the Post Office forgot to
cancel them.
* * *They were then soaked off the cover , dried and pressed ;

OR

(3) The stamps were owned by a collector who was concerned that
keeping the
* * *gum on the stamps would discolour them or cause them to curl /
roll up.
* * *He / she soaked off the gum in order to keep them white and
flat.

This condition is listed as NG (no gum). *They are usually valued the
same as
USED stamps (except in the case of very rare or valuable stamps).

From your scan these seem to be pretty common stamps. *You can

collect / trade
them yourself, give them to young collectors, use them for postage or
try to sell
them, but don't expect too much of a financial return on them.

Blair- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Excellent response Blair. You coverd all the bases.

Ralphael, the OLD one

Dear Tony, Blair and Raphael,

What a great pleasure it is to read such a pleasant, straightforward and
courteous question and reply.

This thread should be posted as an example of good etiquette to everyone
starting out on newsgroups!

Best wishes,

Keith


"Ralphael1" wrote in message
oups.com...
On Mar 21, 11:54?am, "Blair (TC)" wrote:
On Mar 21, 11:06 am, Tony Cooper wrote:





Let me say right off that I'm not a collector, that I have a whole
bunch of stamps that I inherited, and that I'm selling them off on
eBay. I'm retired, I like selling on eBay, I like researching things,
and I don't mind piddling around with this for a return of about 3
cents an hour.

I have done some homework, I do have a copy of Scott's, and I do know
some of the terms. Certain things, though, I find I can't learn by
research (or I don't know how to research properly).

I randomly selected a few stamps and put them up
athttp://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f244/cooper213/question.jpg

These are all unused, uncanceled, unhinged stamps. None of them show
any signs of glue on the back. The backs are flat-looking.

How does this happen? If the stamps have never been used, what
happened to the glue? How is this condition described?

The reason that I ask is that I have run some stamp auctions and the
"Questions from Sellers" have always been about the glue condition or
the hinging. I know what to look for on the hinge question, but I
don't know how to answer the glue questions other than there is, or is
not, glue indication.

P.S. Most of what I'll be working with are US stamps pre-1940. I'm
setting aside the foreign, the recent, and the
stamps-still-attached-envelopes and dealing the with US pre-1940
first. I've put up for auction a few other things, but only because
they are bit unique and easy to separate out.

--

Tony Cooper
Orlando, FL

================================================== ========

Hi Tony:

This can mean one of several things.

(1) The stamps all got stuck together (due to being stored in humid
conditions)
and were then soaked apart , dried and pressed ;

OR

(2) The stamps were used for postage, but the Post Office forgot to
cancel them.
They were then soaked off the cover , dried and pressed ;

OR

(3) The stamps were owned by a collector who was concerned that
keeping the
gum on the stamps would discolour them or cause them to curl /
roll up.
He / she soaked off the gum in order to keep them white and
flat.

This condition is listed as NG (no gum). They are usually valued the
same as
USED stamps (except in the case of very rare or valuable stamps).

From your scan these seem to be pretty common stamps. You can

collect / trade
them yourself, give them to young collectors, use them for postage or
try to sell
them, but don't expect too much of a financial return on them.

Blair- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Excellent response Blair. You coverd all the bases.

Ralphael, the OLD one

Tony Cooper wrote:
Let me say right off that I'm not a collector, that I have a whole
bunch of stamps that I inherited, and that I'm selling them off on
eBay. I'm retired, I like selling on eBay, I like researching things,
and I don't mind piddling around with this for a return of about 3
cents an hour.

I have done some homework, I do have a copy of Scott's, and I do know
some of the terms. Certain things, though, I find I can't learn by
research (or I don't know how to research properly).

I randomly selected a few stamps and put them up at
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...3/question.jpg

These are all unused, uncanceled, unhinged stamps. None of them show
any signs of glue on the back. The backs are flat-looking.

How does this happen? If the stamps have never been used, what
happened to the glue? How is this condition described?

The reason that I ask is that I have run some stamp auctions and the
"Questions from Sellers" have always been about the glue condition or
the hinging. I know what to look for on the hinge question, but I
don't know how to answer the glue questions other than there is, or is
not, glue indication.

P.S. Most of what I'll be working with are US stamps pre-1940. I'm
setting aside the foreign, the recent, and the
stamps-still-attached-envelopes and dealing the with US pre-1940
first. I've put up for auction a few other things, but only because
they are bit unique and easy to separate out.



Hmm that is the same question I answered in Alt.Collecting.Stamps


Tony Cooper wrote:
Let me say right off that I'm not a collector, that I have a whole
bunch of stamps that I inherited, and that I'm selling them off on
eBay. I'm retired, I like selling on eBay, I like researching things,
and I don't mind piddling around with this for a return of about 3
cents an hour.
I have done some homework, I do have a copy of Scott's, and I do know
some of the terms. Certain things, though, I find I can't learn by
research (or I don't know how to research properly).

I randomly selected a few stamps and put them up at
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...3/question.jpg

These are all unused, uncanceled, unhinged stamps. None of them show
any signs of glue on the back. The backs are flat-looking.

How does this happen? If the stamps have never been used, what
happened to the glue? How is this condition described?

The reason that I ask is that I have run some stamp auctions and the
"Questions from Sellers" have always been about the glue condition or
the hinging. I know what to look for on the hinge question, but I
don't know how to answer the glue questions other than there is, or is
not, glue indication.

P.S. Most of what I'll be working with are US stamps pre-1940. I'm
setting aside the foreign, the recent, and the
stamps-still-attached-envelopes and dealing the with US pre-1940
first. I've put up for auction a few other things, but only because
they are bit unique and easy to separate out.




The Glue is called Gum, that being said collectors sometimes spot a
stamp that went through the mail and missed getting canceled. They are
then soaked off the piece and appear to have never been used. a Second
reason for no gum, not canceled could be that the stamps were stuck down
on something (such as an album)because the previous owner stored them in
an area that was too humid and caused the gum to become sticky and
adhere. The third reason could be that the gum in itself can damage the
paper the stamp is made from over a long period of time, so some
collectors choose to soak the stamp early on to remove the gum and ward
off that type of damage.


HTH

Jim

--
Our website is http://myweb.cableone.net/okieman7

On Wed, 21 Mar 2007 18:06:11 -0500, "James R. Jones"
wrote:

Tony Cooper wrote:
Let me say right off that I'm not a collector, that I have a whole
bunch of stamps that I inherited, and that I'm selling them off on
eBay. I'm retired, I like selling on eBay, I like researching things,
and I don't mind piddling around with this for a return of about 3
cents an hour.

I have done some homework, I do have a copy of Scott's, and I do know
some of the terms. Certain things, though, I find I can't learn by
research (or I don't know how to research properly).

I randomly selected a few stamps and put them up at
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...3/question.jpg

These are all unused, uncanceled, unhinged stamps. None of them show
any signs of glue on the back. The backs are flat-looking.

How does this happen? If the stamps have never been used, what
happened to the glue? How is this condition described?

The reason that I ask is that I have run some stamp auctions and the
"Questions from Sellers" have always been about the glue condition or
the hinging. I know what to look for on the hinge question, but I
don't know how to answer the glue questions other than there is, or is
not, glue indication.

P.S. Most of what I'll be working with are US stamps pre-1940. I'm
setting aside the foreign, the recent, and the
stamps-still-attached-envelopes and dealing the with US pre-1940
first. I've put up for auction a few other things, but only because
they are bit unique and easy to separate out.



Hmm that is the same question I answered in Alt.Collecting.Stamps

Yes, it is. I'm new to the stamp newsgroups and did a search for
"stamps" which turned up alt.collecting.stamps. However, that group
seems to have a low volume of posts and, thus, a low volume of
potential responses.

So I did another search and came up with this group which has a higher
volume of posts and (seemingly) readership.

You're answer was a good one, and I appreciate it. However, there's
often more than one answer to a question as general as mine. Also,
sometimes more responses contain side issues that are also of
interest.

Some background: My father was a coin dealer with a store. He died
about 20 years ago, and I sold the bulk of his inventory for my mother
when she was alive. Some things I never got around to selling, and
they've been stored for 18 years.

Like most shop owners, he bought things outside of his primary area of
business. The stamps were just dumped loose in boxes. There are
hundreds of them, not identified, and torn off envelope corners mixed
in with the loose stamps, first day covers, foreign stamps, etc.

I started on the coins (US gold), but found that I'm not the type to
dip just a toe in the water. If I'm going to sell the stuff, I want to
know as much as I can about what I'm doing. When I started on the
stamps, I first picked up a Scott's and started identifying them.
Then I found that I should prioritize the search and start looking for
the gummed and unhinged first.

It's kinda fun, and a bit of a treasure hunt. There's another post
here where one of the stamps is - maybe - a Scott #17 that alone could
justify the time I have in this project.

I also mentioned the project in another newsgroup I frequent
(alt.usage.english) and found a person with a young grandson who is a
budding collector. I've sent him about 50 older stamps and some
instructions on how to search them in Scott's. If he develops an
interest, I'll have a place to give away the ungummed and hinged.


--


Tony Cooper
Orlando, FL

On Mar 22, 1:33 am, Tony Cooper wrote:
On Wed, 21 Mar 2007 18:06:11 -0500, "James R. Jones"





wrote:
Tony Cooper wrote:
Let me say right off that I'm not a collector, that I have a whole
bunch of stamps that I inherited, and that I'm selling them off on
eBay. I'm retired, I like selling on eBay, I like researching things,
and I don't mind piddling around with this for a return of about 3
cents an hour.

I have done some homework, I do have a copy of Scott's, and I do know
some of the terms. Certain things, though, I find I can't learn by
research (or I don't know how to research properly).

I randomly selected a few stamps and put them up at
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...3/question.jpg

These are all unused, uncanceled, unhinged stamps. None of them show
any signs of glue on the back. The backs are flat-looking.

How does this happen? If the stamps have never been used, what
happened to the glue? How is this condition described?

The reason that I ask is that I have run some stamp auctions and the
"Questions from Sellers" have always been about the glue condition or
the hinging. I know what to look for on the hinge question, but I
don't know how to answer the glue questions other than there is, or is
not, glue indication.

P.S. Most of what I'll be working with are US stamps pre-1940. I'm
setting aside the foreign, the recent, and the
stamps-still-attached-envelopes and dealing the with US pre-1940
first. I've put up for auction a few other things, but only because
they are bit unique and easy to separate out.

Hmm that is the same question I answered in Alt.Collecting.Stamps

Yes, it is. I'm new to the stamp newsgroups and did a search for
"stamps" which turned up alt.collecting.stamps. However, that group
seems to have a low volume of posts and, thus, a low volume of
potential responses.

So I did another search and came up with this group which has a higher
volume of posts and (seemingly) readership.

You're answer was a good one, and I appreciate it. However, there's
often more than one answer to a question as general as mine. Also,
sometimes more responses contain side issues that are also of
interest.

Some background: My father was a coin dealer with a store. He died
about 20 years ago, and I sold the bulk of his inventory for my mother
when she was alive. Some things I never got around to selling, and
they've been stored for 18 years.

Like most shop owners, he bought things outside of his primary area of
business. The stamps were just dumped loose in boxes. There are
hundreds of them, not identified, and torn off envelope corners mixed
in with the loose stamps, first day covers, foreign stamps, etc.

I started on the coins (US gold), but found that I'm not the type to
dip just a toe in the water. If I'm going to sell the stuff, I want to
know as much as I can about what I'm doing. When I started on the
stamps, I first picked up a Scott's and started identifying them.
Then I found that I should prioritize the search and start looking for
the gummed and unhinged first.

It's kinda fun, and a bit of a treasure hunt. There's another post
here where one of the stamps is - maybe - a Scott #17 that alone could
justify the time I have in this project.

I also mentioned the project in another newsgroup I frequent
(alt.usage.english) and found a person with a young grandson who is a
budding collector. I've sent him about 50 older stamps and some
instructions on how to search them in Scott's. If he develops an
interest, I'll have a place to give away the ungummed and hinged.

--

Tony Cooper
Orlando, FL- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Tony

Just my twopennorth. I don't buy the unfranked by the post office or
accidentally stuck together theories. The fact is that as blocks of
four they were probably purchased that way by a collector ( one block
of four could be used - several blocks of four from the same source
from roughly the same period has to be a collection or part of one).
For roughly the same reason accidentally stuck together would imply a
lack of care. A collector conscientious enough to buy in blocks of
four is unlikely to be careless enough to allow them to stick together
which leaves the third option - not 100% definite but by a long way
the most likely. As the US stamps have not (99%) passed through the
mail it would be legal to use these for part payment of postage
despite having no gum - and in purely economic terms that would be
most useful.
Regrettably ungummed unused stamps hold little interest - being
"neither fish nor foul".I say regrettable because from a conservation
viewpoint it is the only sensible way to hold mint stamps in the long
term. The only people who can afford to keep stamps in ( and
especially prepare stamps to) this condition are museums who have
little interest in the intrinsic value of the stamp and every interest
in their perpetual survival. The original owner of these stamps was
ahead of his time ( by several centuries I would think!).

Regards from UK
Malcolm