Home Page

We begin with a bright and illuminating statement ....

"Lower the lights" and your stamps, art, and other collectibles will be protected by a factor of up to 1000x, or even more.

Need proof? ... mouse over the stamp below and view an example of light damage that your philatelic, stamp, and art collections are subject to.

(mouse over me)

• Are you interested in protecting your collection from the type of damage the stamp above has experienced?

• Are you hoping for an increase in the value or rarity of your collection, stamps, or even Stamp Art?

• The pages that follow will help guide you and provide you with easy (and not some so easy) steps that you can take.

Let's now consider the two Scott 121b stamps shown below. Can you determine which of them in 2002/2003 sold for $9000 and which sold for $40,000. Might some of the disparity in price be due to the fading that one of the stamps suffered via its exposure to light?

By reducing exposure of your philatelic items, and other light susceptible items, to light, you can take your first step toward increasing their rarity and value ... not just via an increased likelihood that your care will help preserve them longer into the future (i.e. their rarity) but, as well, via the reduced damage your philatelic items will sustain over this same period of time (i.e. the rarity of their condition).

The images on this and other pages of this web site are meant to give the associated text "real world" meaning; but be forewarned, to fully appreciate their meaning, you will need to devote more than a cursory review of the accompanying subject matter.

Let's continue with:

A summary of preservation techniques you can implement with your stamps, philatelic items, and paper based art collections:

1. Only the amount of VISIBLE light that is necessary for comfortable viewing of your philatelic and stamp collections should be used; typical office/room/exhibition illumination needs to be avoided. First easy steps that you can take include lowering of the wattage of the room lights used in your viewing area and use of lamp and window shades (see Philatelic effects of VISIBLE Light).

2. Exposure of your stamp treasures to ultraviolet light should be minimized, not only to the UV light present in normal room illumination, but particularly to the high intensity light of UV lamps that are used for philatelic authentication and expertization. Just as in step 1 above, to reduce UV light induced damage you can lower the room lights and use lamp and window shades (see Effects of UV Light on items of Philately).

3. Only alkaline buffered ISO 9706 certified paper products should be used to store and display your philatelic stamp collections. (see Philatelic Effects of Paper). Philatelic paper products that are "pH neutral" and "acid free" will not stop the acidic degradation that items of philately are inherently subject to and, therefore, cannot be considered for long term stamp care and stamp preservation. Don't forget that stamp hinges are a form of paper also, and that the vast majority of stamp hinge products are acidic.

4. Only PET "Mylar ®" polyester archival grade plastics that do not use UV inhibitors or UV coatings should be used to archive and protect your items of philately. All other types of plastic pose at least some, if not a high, potential of harm to your stamps. (see further Effects of Plastic on Stamps).

5. If you choose to encapsulate or encase (slab) your items of philately, you should do so with the understanding that a harmful "micro-climate" may become formed within the encapsulating plastic or glass material that is used. The sealed environment that is formed within such slabs can under many conditions accelerate harmful chemical processes that are inherent to the organic matter that your philatelic items are made from. Always ensure that encapsulated stamps are provided a means by which they may be regularly ventilated.

6. Store and display your stamp and philatelic collections under as steady an environmental condition as possible, and preferably at about 68 degrees F and between 30-55 % relative humidity (RH) (see Effects of Temperature and Humidity on Stamps). As with encapsulated stamps, stamps stored in albums should also be periodically ventilated.

7. Store and display your philatelic and stamp collections in as pollutant or pollution free environment as possible (i.e. sans smog, cigarette smoke, ozone, incense ...)

8. Minimize, and preferably eliminate, exposure of your stamps to the residues of watermark fluids, cleaning fluids, tap water, archival sprays and other chemistry experiments you may be tempted to perform. Use of these treatments WILL leave residues and cause degrading reactions that over time WILL build up and WILL damage your philatelic and stamp collections.

9. Keep in mind that stamps are as fragile as art, and treat your Stamps and Philatelic collections accordingly.

Can failure to follow steps 1-9 affect the future of your collection?

Let's consider this question in the context of the Marilyn Monroe stamp. Although the Marilyn Monroe stamp is arguably aesthetic, it is of such high mintage and recent vintage that its history, rarity, and value is considered by some to be of little importance.

However, imagine, if you will, that Marilyn (the stamp) might somehow be transported to a time in the past, say to the year 1928. If you consider the return journey Marilyn might take to the present from this past, it might not be so much different from that of the relatively high mintage 1928 Scott #646 stamp shown below.

Recent examples of the #646 have experienced a many hundred fold increase in their catalogue value. Why is this relatively common stamp valued so highly ($2300 was a recent auction sales price)? You can think of it as not because of its rarity, but because of the rarity of its state of philatelic preservation, which includes the condition of its gum, paper, ink, centering, and countless other attributes that grace the new owner's stamp album. Whatever the reasons for the recent exponential increases in value of many of the condition rarities like the Scott #646, in no small part the philatelic care and stamp care topics we discuss on the following pages will have played an important part.

Now consider if you will, how during its journey from the past to the present, the Marilyn Monroe stamp could survive to be a condition rarity as is the Scott #646 stamp above. Equivalently, consider a journey of the Marilyn Monroe stamp 60 years into the future. During its journey, will the Marilyn Monroe stamp be somehow asked to give up its beautiful blue color and/or some other attribute (i.e. via lack of use of philatelic preservation techniques)? Or will Marilyn be treated with the consideration and care that is asked for by this web site such that it will someday equal the Scott #646 stamp above? Both Marilyn and the other stamps in your collection await your answer.

The amount of cumulative illumination (in lux) that many of our philatelic treasures have been exposed to in the past, and continue to be exposed to in the present, cannot be beneficial to the health or future of our hobby. Whether deliberately, or from ignorance, (y)our actions may be placing (y)our present and future ability to study and enjoy your collection at risk. With regard to items of particular aesthetics, history, and value, it is incumbent upon you to minimize exposure of your philatelic items to VISIBLE light. Failure to do so will cause their eventual demise, sooner than later!

As you explore other pages on this web site, consider if there is at least one small step you might be able to take to benefit not only yourself as a philatelist, but your collection as well.

Remember: the preservation and care of philatelic collections and stamps cannot occur without your active participation.

Next: select the area of this site that you would like to explore.

Care of Stamps | Stamps Are Art

or

Please help us by taking our Stamp Care knowledge Survey Here. Your anonymous answers will help us structure future changes we plan to make to this site.

Home | Site Map | Resources | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use| About Us | Contact Us | © 2006-2007 StampsRart