Stamp collecting has been documenting Canada's postal history since the mid-1800s but technology and glue are threatening the old hobby.
It's one of the oft-discussed topics at the annual stamp show, held Saturday at Woodman Park Community Centre.
"Self-sticking stamps are ruining the hobby for collectors, said Jacqueline Cowper at the show.
The primary employee at the postal office in Dell Pharmacy, Cowper deals with a lot of collectors and she hears their complaints "all the time."
The sticky stamps are designed to stay firmly on an envelope so that users can't peel them off and re-mail them if they aren't cancelled but the glue has become the bane of collectors who, for decades, have easily soaked stamps off envelopes with nothing more than water.
"But there's a balance because other people who are doing mass mailings really like the self-sticking stamps because they don't have to lick them," said Cowper.
While some collectors get around the problem by purchasing special mint sheets that show the same collectible stamps without a sticky back, others have investigated methods to separate the stamps from their envelopes.
Carbon tetrachloride is one method, said Grant Reavely, but it comes with a warning.
"It's toxic, but I've heard it's the only way to dissolve the glue."
In the US, some have resorted to a chemical called Bestine and various lemon-flavoured aerosols.
But Cowper said her "best collector customer" has come up with a simpler dissolution solution.
Walter Hopfinger of Brantford, who collects British Colonial stamps, says he soaks the self-sticking stamps in hot water in the kitchen sink for about 20 minutes and then laboriously peels away the stamp from it's glue, trying to leave the now-white gum on the envelope.
"It takes a lot of patience, but you don't want to destroy that beautiful stamp," Hopfinger said.
The sticky problem has grown into a world-wide trend with many countries embracing the self-sticking stamp and many collectors can't be bothered dealing with the adhesive.
Those that love the stamps and hate the glue can still collect, says Hopfinger.
"If you have difficulties, cut around the stamp and put it in your album as it is," he advises. "It's still beautiful."
Stamp club president Bob Anderson said part of the goal of the stamp show is to get people involved in the interesting hobby.
While the club has always encouraged kids to participate with stamp giveaways and special contests, it also works to catch the interest of those in their 40s or 50s who have rediscovered a passion for the tiny collectibles.
"Kids are interesting because they're young and think outside the box, said Anderson. But people in their late 40s and early 50s have their kids leaving the house and are looking for something to do. They have the disposable income to collect."
All a someone needs to do to get the bug is to zero in on an interest in the hobby and there will be stamps to satisfy the need to collect, whether they are from a particular country, an era, a type like errors or postmarks --or an explicit topic like trains, dogs, famous people or sports.
One young collector, Amy Trakalo, 11, won the award for best junior exhibit at the show with a display on cats from around the world.
While the club also sells stamps at the ongoing meetings, the show gives collectors a much wider inventory to examine and, said Anderson, everyone tends to find some little gem that's perfect for their collection.
"It doesn't matter what the cost is as long as it's valuable to them," Anderson said, indicating that the collectibles can range from 10 cents to $250.
The Brantford show is always the first one of the new year in this area of Ontario, so plenty of patrons are out spending a bit of Christmas money on themselves. This year visitors were from Chatham, Waterdown, London, Kitchener, St. Catharines and Port Dover, although nasty weather on Saturday kept some from the Toronto area away.
The club meets on the first and third Tuesday nights of each month plus there's a Junior Stamp Club that meeting at the police station on Elgin Street on the third Saturday morning of each month from September to May.
"The meetings are always open to the public and drop-ins are welcome," said Anderson. He noted that at the evening meetings, teens younger than 16 should be accompanied by an adult.
The next meeting of the club is a sales circuit night offering stamps from members for sale, and there will be dealers, a silent auction, and guest presentations.
For more information, go to www.brantfordstamp.org.
Source: http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2921995
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