The supplements are coming...the supplements are coming!

No, not the British.  The annual SAFE Supplements to our hingeless country stamp albums are finally in route from Germany.  You can pre order the 2014 Annual Supplements on our website so that you will receive them at the end of June.

It is around this time every year, as people head into their summer vacation time, do they open up their stamp albums, pull out the year's accumulation of new stamps that they purchased.  Whether it is from the United States, Israel, Germany, the Vatican or Australia in the Antarctic!  They take some time, look at the new issues they have, put them neatly into their brand new supplement pages and really study them. 

Our SAFE-dual Hingeless Stamp Albums are truly second to none in the world.  You can see both sides of the stamp, there is plenty of room ot make notes on the background page.  And best of all, NO MOUNTS to CUT to size!  What a chore that used to be.

If you have not already converted your collection to our Hingeless Stamp Album system, why not start today with the 2014 Annual Supplements.  And just start from there.  You won't be sorry that you did!

5 Contemporary Tools That Every Philatelist (Stamp Collector) Should Be Using!

The art and study of stamp collecting is formally known as “Philately,” and Philatelists are individuals that excel in the study of stamp and postal history.  Technically, one doesn’t need to own a single stamp to be considered a Philatelist, but that’s no fun, right?

The hobby of stamp collecting has become increasingly focused on condition protection and quality preservation.  With new technology and materials being developed every year, SAFE® Collecting Supplies is dedicated to keeping with the times.  We are constantly updating our stock of stamp albums  and other great stamp collecting supplies for our customers in Pennsylvania and anywhere else nationwide. 

That being said let us recommend five tools we’ve seen that everyone ranging from beginner to fully-fledged philatelists will benefit from.  These tools will definitely come handy after you’ve chosen the right stamp album for your needs.

Stamp Tongs

Stamp tongs are no longer a one-size-fits-all tool.  Now, stamp collectors need a wide variety of tongs for different styles and sizes of stamps.  If you look, you’ll notice that there are many varied styles these days. 

These styles range from normal flat spade tips, to bent round tips, bent pointed tips, flat round tips, flat pointed tips, bent spade tips and more.  Each tong has advantages for different types and styles of stamps of assorted materials.

Ultraviolet (UV) Lamps

We offer a wide variety of UV lamps at SAFE Collecting Supplies.  This includes long-wave and short-wave UV lamps. UV lights are rated by their ultraviolet index signified by the “nm” symbol.  Long-wave UV is measured at 365nm and is the typical type of UV light used to authenticate paper, currency, some rocks, art and repair detection.  Short-wave UV, measured around 254nm, is used for many stamps, as well as, rocks and minerals, but only some foreign currency.

Because philatelists need both types of UV light for their collections, SAFE Collecting Supplies offers versatile UV Light products.  Our Philalux 3 UV Light Table has 3x and 12x magnification and includes a magnetic tester a fluorescent light table as well as both long-wave and short-wave UV lamps.

We also offer a wide variety of hand-held options.  We have handheld magnifiers that use long and short-wave UV lamps.  We have a wide selection of quality UV lamps of all sizes, whether you need them mounted to a desktop or handy in your pocket.  If you already have somewhere for magnification and illumination, you can benefit from our handheld, battery powered combination precision long and short-wave UV lamp.

Regardless of the specific type of UV lamp you need to complete your collection area, we have you covered.

Precision Rotary Cutters

While many use our Cutters to cut Stamp Mounts, they can also be used to remove a stamp from its’ original placement or environment.  This includes if a stamp is stuck to a postcard or even to its own album.  When you need to remove a stamp from its’ original envelope or from somewhere it’s been stuck, and you don’t want to risk an inaccurate cut with scissors and your naked eye, SAFE® Collecting Supplies has a great solution – precision rotary cutters. 

Precision rotary cutters are a great new tool for philatelists of all levels.  The rolling blade can cut several layers of paper without any serration in the cutting edge.  The device itself has easily readable grids and a plastic housing to ensure you only cut where you want to.  The device can also be used ambidextrously, so there’s no need to worry if you’re right or left-handed.

Electronic Perforation Gauges

Perforations, or “perfs” in a stamp are the little ridges that are found on the outside borders of stamps.  These perforations were originally devised to make it easier to separate the stamp from its booklet or wherever else it was originally sold out of.  

Often, perforations are a great indicator of rarity for a stamp.  Perforations on stamps are measured by how many perforations are found over a course of 2 centimeters.  Stamps with 10 perforations over 2 centimeters on a side would be considered “Perf 10”.  If one side had 10 perforations and another had 12, the stamp would be “Perf 10x12”.  To make this process simple for the philatelist, SAFE® Collecting Supplies provides affordable electronic perforation gauges, taking away the need for close visual analysis of perforations.  

Professional Watermark Detectors.

For years, the only way known to authenticate the watermark on a stamp was to place the stamp in watermark fluid.  This process can be terrifying for a philatelist, as it puts stamps at a great risk when they are exposed to any liquid, whether it’s water or a chemical.

At SAFE® Collecting Supplies, we know that collectors hold a special and often sentimental value to their collectibles.  This is true for stamp albums, coin collections or an arrangement of fluorescent rocks; it doesn’t matter.  We know that stamps can be quite valuable and are no exception to this.   

For this reason, we provide a great variety of professional watermark detectors.  With these detectors, philatelists can accurately and efficiently authenticate the watermarks on their stamps without compromising the quality or safety of their stamps. 

At SAFE® Collecting Supplies, we’re always trying to stay in touch with contemporary collecting methods and techniques.  As we find newer and better ways to protect collectibles, we don’t waste any time bringing these products and techniques to our customers.  To learn more about the benefits we provide to philatelists all over the United States, call us at SAFE® Collecting Supplies today at 877.395.SAFE (7233).  

We’ll be more than happy to talk to you about how we can help protect, preserve and even present & display your valued stamp collection.

Taking Some Time To Discuss The Vibrant History of Stamps...

On July 1^st, 1847, the United States Post Office Department would issue their first postage stamps…but they were not the first.  In 1837, Sir Rowland Hill of Great Britain proposed a new idea of standardized prices for delivery of mail, or “postage”.  This new idea resulted in printed envelopes with pre-printed postage or adhesive labels placed onto them.  Not long after this discovery, the first stamp was soon to be born.

On May 6, 1840 the British would pioneer the “Penny Black”, a black stamp signifying that a patron has paid the proper postage fee.  This stamp received the nickname due to the fact that it was black, and cost one cent.  These stamps would cover any letter delivery weighing a half-ounce or less within any of the British Isles.   Everyone knows that this stamp has long been credited as the “first stamp.”

The United States had obstacles to overcome before the final creation of their postage stamp, mainly the fact that postage costs in America were not standardized yet.  In 1845 US Lawmakers mandated the standardization of postage costs in America.  When this happened, New York City Postmaster Robert H Morris and some of his associates formally produced special stamps and markings that would officially signify that an individual had pre-paid for their postage.  Now these are known as Postmasters’ Provisionals; widely collected for their rich heritage.

A man named Alexander M. Greig, owner of the New York City Despatch Post; a private carrier within NYC produced the first adhesive stamps starting February 1^st, 1842.  The US Government bought out this business and continued Greig’s legacy with the idea of continuing to use adhesive stamps to signify payment for postage.

Thus in 1847 on March 3^rd, Congress authorized the first printed adhesive postage stamps.  Again, the first of these stamps were available for purchase July 1^st, 1847 in New York City.  One stamp was five cents, depicting a picture of Benjamin Franklin.  The other—a ten-cent stamp that featured a picture of George Washington.  They were cut from printed adhesive sheets with no perforations.  In 1856, the USPS issued another five cent stamp featuring Thomas Jefferson.  Then, in 1863, a two-cent stamp with Andrew Jackson appearing on it was created.  To this day, George Washington is the most-used face for American postage stamps.

All of these pre-20^th century stamps are valued collectors’ items now.  This is why it’s important that if you’re fortunate enough to hold one of these pieces of history that you defend them properly. If you’re wondering how, we have plenty of stamp collecting supplies for you to choose from.

Since then, stamps have evolved into pieces of artwork.  They are distributed and sold designed to commemorate public service officials as well as honor national icons or celebrities.  The USPS has featured stationary, commemorative stamps, stamp booklets, non-denominated stamps and more.  With such a rich history full of character development and artistic detail, it’s important that collectors use products from companies such as SAFE® Collecting Supplies to preserve these beautiful works of history and art.  Check our selections today!

Batman stamps.....really?!

No question this week, I had to tip my hat to the folks at Business Week this week.  All stamp collectors read this and rejoice, at least we made the news cycle!

Batman Stamps - really?!

This article talks about the new Batman stamps and the commercialization of USPS stamps in order to drive profit.  No duh....they are losing millions every month!

Read the article below and you be the judge:

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-10-16/batman-stamps-collectors-say-despicable-usps-says-brilliant

Just remember, if you buy the Batman stamps, just make sure to put them in SAFE Stamp Album or Stockbook

Why Stamp and Coin Collecting Books are Assets to All Collectors

Adequate preparation is needed when beginning the exciting hobby of collecting stamps and coins. If you are new to the world of stamp or coin collecting, you will find that the best way to benefit from collecting is to always be prepared!  What is the best way to prepare for a rewarding hobby in collecting? By reading and using stamp and coin collecting books! 

By using coin and stamp collecting books, you will present yourself as a well-informed and experienced collector. Having that special aura surrounding yourself can be the difference between convincing another collector to buy from you, or sell to you. As a collector or dealer, you will find yourself learning more each day by reading stamp and coin collecting books and using that information to your advantage to teach others about the rare coins you have collected throughout the years. 

Anyone interested in learning about coins will often turn to the internet to find the information they need. Why keep turning to the internet, if you have the books right at your fingertips! You can purchase stamp and coin collecting books and pull them out whenever you need them! Owning the actual books has many advantages because the books you buy have all the resources you need. This helps you avid the headache of figuring out what exactly to search for on the internet, which could take hours! 

Benefits of Coin and Stamp Collecting Books:

•  Find information on coins or stamps made in a particular year
•  Find information on coins stamps made in a specific part of the world
•  Buy pocket-sized books to carry with you and use at exhibits
•  Buy books with sleeves built in, so you can store your coins or stamps

If you are willing to invest in coin or stamp collecting books, contact us at SAFE Collecting Supplies today. Our website has much more information on all coin and stamp collecting supplies needed for success!

What happened to the color of my stamp??

From time to time I hear from collectors who have come across a stamp that has turned color from yellow or orange, to a disgusting brown or chestnut.   What happened??

The collectors sometimes first think that their stamp album pages have plasticized PVC in them and that has caused the discoloration.  The philatelic industry has almost universally mistakenly referred to this process as "oxidation" for many years.  Thankfully in the case of SAFE Stamp Albums, we know that there is no plasticized PVC in any of the pages.

If your stamp is in archival stamp album pages, then the actual cause is environmental contaminants in the air, in which the correct term is actually "Sulphurization."  Below, I have paraphrased some comments from a recent editorial in the American Phlatelist.

Sulphurization is an unintended and undesirable chemical process that alters the natural color of stamps printed with ink containing lead.  Philatelists often assume that prolonged exposure to oxygen is the cause of this browning.  It is actually the traces of sulfur in the air that combined with the metallic component of pigments to alter the surface of the ink coating and our perception of its color.  A sulphurized stamp represents that progressive damage over a period of time.

Many also ask whether this sulphurization can be reversed?   And the answer is yes, by oxidizing the stamp.  For used stamps, a gentle bath in an over-the-counter hydrogen peroxide (a 3% solution), followed by a rinse in a clear water will usually restore the color in less than a minute.  Peroxide in its pure form is a very strong oxidizer.  Obviously mint cannot be immersed in hydrogen peroxide without destroying the gum, but with practice, they can be fumed.  However, NEVER ATTEMPT this yourself without first practicing on some common examples.

Some philatelists argue strongly against the use of peroxide on sulphurized stamps, calling it a form of alteration such as re-gumming.  However, I personally think it is more like restoration or conservation in bringing the stamp back to its former beauty.  Either way the choice is yours.  But remember to keep your stamps as safe as possible in SAFE stamp albums!

So many different kinds of perforations...

A collector talked to me about perforation gauges the other day on the phone, after complaining about today's self-adhesive stamps.  And it got us talking about the history of perforations.  So I dug deep through the internet to provide our readers a little about the history of perforations.
The world’s first postage stamps, issued by Great Britain in 1840, were without means of self-separation. They are called imperforate or, abbreviated, “imperf.” Such stamps had to be cut apart with scissors or some other means. Hence it is unusual to find “imperfs” with nice margins on all four sides.  Shortly after the first stamps were issued, the idea of separating each stamp from each by means of rows of small holes between the rows of stamps was introduced.

The story was told that a local had purchased some of England’s first stamps and, under the influence of a pint or two, sat on the curb where he produced a pin and began to poke pin holes between his stamps so that he could tear them apart. The idea worked so well that he took his stamps back to the Post Office and pointed out his great discovery. Later, it is related, the British Government provided this gentleman with a substantial sum of money for his invention. 

DIFFERENT TYPES OF PERFORATIONS

There is, of course, a very apparent difference between a stamp without perforations – “imperf.” – and one with perforations – “perf.” – and one can readily understand why early collectors made such an important point of that difference. However, in this day of collecting it is somewhat difficult to understand why so much emphasis is placed on the different gauges of perforation.

The fact remains that for United States stamps, which have been perforated by machines producing various gauges of perforations, there is often an enormous difference in value running from a few cents to as much as several hundred dollars for what, to all intents and purposes, is the identical stamp except for the gauge of the perforation. The same situation applies to most foreign issues but until the advent of “The New World-Wide Postage Stamp Catalog” few collectors in the United States were aware of this fact. This catalog lists and gives values for practically all perforation varieties of all stamps of the world.

Likewise our printed hingeless stamp albums – provide spaces in which to place each stamp – with perforation varieties for the stamps of the United States and other countries. The matter is important, however, and especially so as one becomes advanced in his or her collecting interests.

COMB PERFORATIONS
Now let us take into consideration the various kinds of perforations and the methods by which they are applied to stamps. The original perforating machine, one that is still in common use for the stamps of some countries, is the “comb” perforator. As the name implies, this is an instrument shaped like a comb. The pins that do the perforating are arranged in a long row to fit the width of the sheet of stamps and the extensions of shorter rows of prongs are arranged so as to fall between each stamp, like this:

Stamps in sheets are stacked in quantity and the comb is punched through the top row. Then the comb is moved to the next row and so on. The comb does not always line up exactly with the preceding row so that this style of perforation can often be identified in any vertical pair of stamps.  However, it has never come to my attention that these variations in the placement of the comb have received any important consideration among collectors. Usually the punches, or prongs, that make the perforations are round in shape. But there are also some that are oblong, or lozenge, in shape or perhaps others. Collectors refer to these odd shapes as “hyphen hole” perfs., or “Lozenge” perfs., and “square” perfs.

Photo by Bureau of Engraving & Printing

Modern perforating machines, as used in the production of US stamps, are sprocket wheel punches which punch continuous rows of holes between the stamps. When the stamps are produced on rotary presses in a continuous strip, the sprockets are small wheels that make a continuous row of perforations in one direction.

Then, a little further along on the machine, the sprockets are on a long shaft running the complete width of the sheet to produce the cross row of perforations at each turn of the wheel. Naturally this is a complicated device requiring careful coordination with the printed stamps so that the rows of holes will fall at exactly the correct place between the stamps. Nowadays this coordination is accomplished electrically by what collectors call the “electric eye” shown above.

This is what gave the idea of the electronic perforation gauge to the people at SAFE.  And hence the Perfotronic was born.  The Perfotronic uses an electric eye of sorts to measure the perforation in 1/4, 1/10 or 1/100 increments in a fraction of a second.  We produced a short video of the Perfotronic so you can see how it works for yourself.