New stamps unsoakable?

THISISME

I have heard that the post office will or maybe has already made stamps that a collector cannot soak off an envelope.

Does anyone have any information this?

Is it all stamps or just commemoratives or hi values?

What are used stamp collectors going to do?

KentuckyJ

Linns Stamp News has had several articles about this problem. It seems almost every issue has a letter to the editor expressing some frustration about it.

LouisCamp

I think the best answer is to clip them close and keep them on paper.

Lou

Matttodd1

I'm a collector of primarily used US, so this issue affects me too.

There have also been some articles and letters to the editor in the "American Philatelist" on this topic. Some of the letters to the editor have provided suggestions that some have found to work. In the May 2008 edition, one collector reports that laying the stamp in charcoal lighter fluid for 10 minutes (without submerging), followed by submerging in warm water for another 10 minutes allowed him to remove the stamp from the paper in the first step and to remove adhering gum on the stamp in the second step.

Another collector reports that by spraying the front of the stamp with "Goo Gone" (available at Walmart), he can remove the stamp from the paper after a minute or so. He then sprays the back of the stamp, waits a while, and then is able to scrape/peel away the gum with a plastic straight edge. It may take 2-3 tries to remove all gum.

So, you might try experimenting with some other solvents, like lighter fluid or a "sticky stuff remover" type product. I'd like to do some experimenting along those lines.

Matt

edueku

Sounds like quite a pain compared to soaking.

Matttodd1

I just tried a sticky stuff remover product from Fuller brush on the new Hoover Dam express mail stamp and it worked. I put the stamp face down in a small bowl and wet the adhered piece. I let it seep in for 30-60 seconds and then the piece came off the stamp cleanly. I was able to rinse away the remaining gum with water.

Matt