Postage Stamp Chat Board & Stamp Bulletin Board Forum
 

As is well documented elsewhere on the Board, bad storage media can damage your stamps.

Here's a fine example. I picked up a large accumulation of Austria recently that included 1,000 different mint unhinged blocks of 4. These are all stored in binders with slip-in plastic pockets, of the type often used for storing booklets, blocks, coves etc.

The majority of the blocks are fine, as shown in the first picture. Some, however, are shockingly faded, clearly a result of chemical nasties in the plastic.
The fading seems to have affected colours fairly randomly, I will have a closer look to see if there's a common link between the affected stamps, such as printing method.



Faded block, with normal for comparison.




Anyone want some faded Austria? I might have to list them on ebay as rare unlisted shades.....

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Always on the lookout for Australian pre decimal First Day Covers.

The Pom,

Just wondering, what is the brand name of the plastic pockets?

Binder & pages are completely devoid of any branding.

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Always on the lookout for Australian pre decimal First Day Covers.

Yes, you definitely pay for quality in the brand names. Does anybody know of any cheaper plastic sleeve that is acid free? Thanks, Owen.

I would be interested in knowing if they continue to fade after being removed from the cheap plastic. Whether or not the chemicals have migrated into the paper of the stamps themselves. (might be worth setting the block aside and check later down the road).

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Listing MNH Canada this Week. - http://www.JaceStamps.com
I do not always get all SB Messages or Emails, Please contact directly stamps[at]jace.net

I can't imagine the fading would be anything but very slow, even in the plastic.

The most recent items in the collection are mid 1980s. If that's when the collection was assembled, then it's taken a long time to get that way.

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Always on the lookout for Australian pre decimal First Day Covers.

I've asked this question before, but is anyone aware of the kinds of chemicals used in plastic made stamp storage products that are harmful to stamps?

Chemicals that damage stamps etc are the ones that are used for making plastic soft and flexible. These substances are so harsh that they damage coins as well in long term storage.

Hard clear PVC should be acid free. Acid free pockets can be found from archiving material suppliers. I have checked the stamp storage manufacturers' sites and they seem to charge premium compared to archiving material suppliers.

The problem is the type of plastic used. They are near all petro-chemical products that give off fumes and gases as they age and break down. In the confined pocket plastic environment the fumes surround the stamps and affect paper or ink or gum.

In the 70's and 80's they did not realise, or care, if the plastic would damage the paper long term, so no one worried about it. The same happened with many hingeless makers as well.

There is another thread talking about what plastics are inert and safe for use such as Mylar and PVC, PP etc.

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Greg - Looking for Goulburn Australia Cancels and Grangemouth Scotland Cancels and Covers
Member of the S.T.A.M.P Club for Slightly Twisted And Mad Philatelists - Motto: "Bring back the lick!"

I remember reading somewhere that PVC wasn't good for stamp storage - something to do with the softeners in it I think.

Mylar is the best for storage (though pretty expensive) then comes polyethylene (both of which are sold by the APF for stamp/cover exhibit pages).

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Tony

Just a thought, but since the fading appears to be somewhat random and highly limited, could it be possible that the problem stamps suffered their fate before being inserted within the pages?

I think it's a stretch to suggest that it was definitely the plastic. After all, we know little to nothing about the background of the collection.

I use Vario sheets and they are supposedly "acid free and contain no harmful softeners".

A few of us are now trying out a new nameless 'brand' that is supposed to have the same properties but are less than half the price of Vario sheets.

Time will tell if the cost cutting, is in effect, truely cost cutting!

hutch

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I am having fun collecting WW and Indian States.

I'm confident it's the plastic. There are one or two blocks that were not fully inserted into the pockets. The areas of the stamps that were not quite into the pockets are less faded - the left side of the left hand stamps on the block above are an example.
So it seems that even this slight reduction in contact between stamp & plastic has reduced the bleaching effect.

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Always on the lookout for Australian pre decimal First Day Covers.

Hutch, I hope you aren't storing your good one's in those

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Tony

hutch,

Take Lakatoi 4's advice and don't store your good stamps in these new sheets.
The damage might be too gradual for you to notice. Why risk it? Especially, since you are not sure what type of chemicals were used to make these sheets.

All concerned

The big problem, as I understand it, is with plasticizers. My former colleague, David Beech of The British Library, likes to use the phrase "ester is best." He and his colleague, Paul Skinner, gave a very useful presentation on the subject during the London 2010 exhibition.

The archival approach really is worth the money, no matter what you collect. After all, we have a responsibility to future collectors to protect material at the absolute highest level.

Kindest regards

Richard Debney

A few years ago I remounted my German material into Lighthouse albums- I'd been using another brand but became concerned about the plastic used on their pages; you could see what I took as telltale signs of PVC (multicolored swirls) on these pages. The manufacturer's reassurance didn't help so I switched.

Now that the blocks have been in contact with these 'dodgy' plastic pockets, will they continue to fade after being removed from this storage?

Hi everyone for your comments. This is a edited quote that Allanswood got from the supplier of the "nameless brand" sheets

"vario" styled stock pages are double sided, acid free etc in the same style as the vario in that they are made in Japan with the safe plastic with welded pockets etc"

I'm certainly hoping that it is not just advertising speil! They don't have the 'plasticy' smell that Vario sheets have when they first come out of their packages either!

I am very happy with them...so far! But I will also take heed of your advice and store any valuable (?...with the exception of a few really good pieces, most of you would say that the sheets I store them on are worth more than my collection of stamps! ) in the Vario sheets. But hold on, are Vario really as safe as they say as well? Does anyone really know?

I have just noticed that Vario sheets are made in Germany. Would that have any major significance to a product being made in Japan? Surely the technology would be similar if not the same?

I suppose, in the long run, we may have to wait 20-30 years to have proof positive . I'll have to take some pictures of my collection so that the family can compare the stamps in 30 years and post up a glowing report or a dismal report!

Anne

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I am having fun collecting WW and Indian States.

I've stamps in both Hagners and Vario sheets from the early 80's on.

Haven't seen any ageing of the plastic although the Hagners' pockets tend to separate from the backing as they age. Their shelf life might only be 15 to 20 years.

The Varios are still going strongly.

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Anyone else accumulating NWPI material for research?

I've had a chance to have a closer look at these and there is a pattern of sorts:

All the affected stamps are engraved.

Not all engraved stamps are affected.

Blacks, browns, blues & various other colours are all affected, though there are engraved stamps in these colours that seem OK. I assume that this is simply down to the chemical susceptibility of each individual ink compound.

No stamps produced by other printing methods are affected.

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Always on the lookout for Australian pre decimal First Day Covers.

It gets better. I've just got to the third volume, which is clearly a different brand & kind of plastic.

Anything gold has turned bright green!

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Always on the lookout for Australian pre decimal First Day Covers.

That's something...copper in the gold ink maybe?

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Listing MNH Canada this Week. - http://www.JaceStamps.com
I do not always get all SB Messages or Emails, Please contact directly stamps[at]jace.net

That would be my guess. The greening effect is stronger towards the opening of the pockets, suggesting oxidation.

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Always on the lookout for Australian pre decimal First Day Covers.

An antique dealer would call it "a fine patina"

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Listing MNH Canada this Week. - http://www.JaceStamps.com
I do not always get all SB Messages or Emails, Please contact directly stamps[at]jace.net

An ebay seller would call it "super rare colour error".

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Greg - Looking for Goulburn Australia Cancels and Grangemouth Scotland Cancels and Covers
Member of the S.T.A.M.P Club for Slightly Twisted And Mad Philatelists - Motto: "Bring back the lick!"

I'm expecting some extremely strong interest when I list these unique errors on ebay. Just need to fine tune the description......

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Always on the lookout for Australian pre decimal First Day Covers.

The plot thickens!

I finally got round to removing the blocks from the offending albums, and after a while noticed that my fingers felt odd. Very smooth & slippery.

It turns out that the faded blocks are nothing of the sort. The previous owner had done the old trick of dusting the stamps with talcum powder to prevent them from sticking to the plastic.

A quick rub with a soft dusting cloth & all is well again!

The Gold > Green stamps are still stuffed though. Talc is hydrated magnesium silicate, I wonder if it's this that has reacted with the metallic element of the gold colour. Any chemists about?




Only 999.5 blocks left to clean......

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Always on the lookout for Australian pre decimal First Day Covers.

Congratulations The Pom! I'll bet you feel so much more relieved now!

I'm actually feeling a bit better about my storage sheets now. That had me in a rather panicked state!

Shame about those Gold/Green stamps...but I actually like them Green!

If you lived closer I'd offer to come and help "restore" your collection!

Good luck, hutch

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I am having fun collecting WW and Indian States.

Doesn't Talc have acidic components that can ruin stamps?

Talcum powder is often used to absorb moisture in collections but I imagine it does more harm than good.

Good idea dusting them off.

Good to hear!

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Listing MNH Canada this Week. - http://www.JaceStamps.com
I do not always get all SB Messages or Emails, Please contact directly stamps[at]jace.net