Stamp Tongs: What they are, how to use them and choose them - An essential tool for all stamp collectors

This is the first of several stamp collecting articles Boscastle Stamp Collecting Supplies will publish over the next few months about all subjects relating to the buying and using of various stamp supplies, stamp accessories and stamp albums.

We know it can be quite intimidating for a new collector to go into a stamp store, or go to a stamp show, and ask the busy dealer questions about some of the basics of stamp collecting and how to properly use the equipment. And when faced with a huge selection or array of products to choose from the decision for the collector is made a lot harder.

In these articles we hope to unravel some of the mysteries of why you should use various supplies and accessories, and we’ll try and make the selection of which one to buy a little easier.

Our goal is to make the stamp collecting hobby more accessible and enjoyable for juniors and beginners, for collectors who are rediscovering the hobby later in age, and to remind more serious philatelists about the basics.

What are stamp tongs?

Stamp tongs are an essential tool used by stamp collectors and philatelists around the world. “Stamp tongs” is the name primarily used in North America, while “stamp tweezers” is the preferred name in much of Europe, especially in the UK.

While stamp tongs are similar in shape to the domestic tweezers you might find in the bathroom for cosmetic or medical use, they are however very different in that they do not have sharp or serrated ends which can actually damage a stamp. Therefore household tweezers should not be used instead of stamp tongs as they often damage stamps.

The best stamp tongs are always made of metal, with plastic versions suitably available for children. They are generally made of two flat metal pieces, joined together at one end to create a spring action that allows the free ends to pinch together with a smooth surface to hold the stamp.

Many of the premium stamp tong brands have a thick nickel coating on them to prevent rusting and corrosion and will last a typical stamp collector a life time.  Premium stamp tongs tend to be manufactured in Solingen, Germany and can come under many different brands.

If your budget can take a few more dollars, or you have rare stamps deserving the royal treatment then gold plated stamp tongs are top quality, will never tarnish and feel nice when using them.  Additionally, coloured stamp tongs, in red, green and blue are appearing on the market.

Why use stamp tongs?

A pristine stamp can be irretrievably damaged by even the most careful handling, ruining a beautiful item and lowering its value. Even the most delicate touch risks bending your stamp or damaging the perforations. That’s why we need to use stamp tongs.

Stamp tongs and stamp tweezers are universally used by stamp collectors and philatelists around the world because they are a reliable and safe way to hold a very delicate and small piece of paper without damaging it or getting skin oils on them.

Even after washing hands, a light coating of skin oil can transfer to the surface of the stamp and this can stain the printed design, either immediately or by reacting with the ink over time.  If you have damp or sweaty fingers, or you live in a hot or tropical climate, you have to use stamp tongs to take care of your stamps.

Also, if the stamp has some gum or is mint never hinged (MNH) the gum should not be disturbed in any way with a moist finger print, grease, dirt or any skin oils.

Any defect found on a stamp may detract from its value and may hurt the stamp more as it ages.

Stamp tongs can also be very efficient at handling large numbers of stamps when sorting them into piles, putting them into stamp albums, envelopes or stockbooks, and when mounting them. They are the perfect tool for gently gripping a stamp to hold it up to the light, or to examine it closely for watermarks, perforations or paper marks and errors.

We recommend that stamp collectors inspect their tongs from time to time to make sure they are clean and free from damage. Tongs that are properly handled will last for many years, but they should be replaced if they show any defect to the tips, such as a kink or a dent which could transfer a mark onto a stamp.

How to use stamp tongs

Stamp tongs are easy to use. The basic technique is to slide the tong along the surface of the table top with one tip going underneath the stamp and then pinch the other tip onto the front surface of the stamp.

Apply the right amount of pressure and hold the stamp securely between the tong tips, but don't apply too much pressure when pinching the tongs together, otherwise a mark may appear on the paper of the stamp.

Ensure the tips of the stamp tongs are in the centre of the stamp and not touching the perforations, as they can be easily damaged.

If you’re new to stamp collecting try practicing using the tongs on small torn up pieces of paper, flipping them around and sorting them into piles, until you’re comfortable using the tongs.

Different types of stamp tongs

Stamp tongs can range in length between 10-20 cm (4-8 inches). The most popular stamp tong lengths are 3-1/2” for juniors and small hands, 5” for beginners and 6” for professionals.

Check out Shop Here For Stamp Tongs and Stamp Tweezers for a large selection of stamp tongs and tweezers, ranging in price from $2.50 to $12.95.

The tip is usually thin, polished smooth and rounded, so it can slide under a stamp easily, without damaging the most delicate and rarest of stamps. They may come in several different tip shapes, some bent and some straight, as illustrated in the diagram below.

A – Spade or Shovel Tip

B – Pointed Tip

C – Bent Spade or Shovel

D – Round Tip

E – Professional Point

F – Lethal Point

Which stamp tong do you choose to buy?

While there is a stamp tong available for every budget, choosing a stamp tong to use with your stamp collection is a personal preference, based upon your hand size, hand dexterity and stamp tong experience.

We sell thousands of stamp tongs to customers all around the world each year.

Our most popular stamp tongs are the 5” Bent Spade or Shovel and the 5” Pointed Tip. We note that some collectors like to buy two different types of stamp tongs at the same time to test drive them and choose later which to get comfortable with.

Check out Shop Here For Stamp Tongs and Stamp Tweezers for a large selection of stamp tongs and tweezers, ranging in price from $2.50 to $12.95.

Here are our recommendation for choosing stamp tongs:

Size – 5” tongs are suitable for most adults. If you are handling thousands of stamps and need extra leverage for twisting, flipping and turning stamps, then the 6’ stamp tong will suffice.

Tip Type – Again with experience, the flat, spoon, spade or shovel type will give you extra grip, and give your stamps the most protection. A pointed stamp tong can damage, pierce, or tear a stamp if not properly used, but they are more tactile, mobile and finer to use, and therefore the pointed types tend to be used by professionals more.

Which type of stamp tong does Boscastle Supplies use?

We use the 6” lethal stamp tong at Boscastle Supplies when handling stamps, we find we have finer control over the stampwhen flipping it and turning it around, it’s also easier to use when using stockbooks and stockpages, requiring less wrist pressure when using them for hours on end.

Check out Shop Here For Stamp Tongs and Stamp Tweezers for a large selection of stamp tongs and tweezers, ranging in price from $2.50 to $12.95.

If you have any opinions, questions or comments about this article, please leave a reply. We'd love to hear from you.

Click here for a pdf of this article: http://www.boscastlesupplies.com/StampTongs.pdf


Source: David Terry / www.boscastlesupplies.com

Canada Post gets a hop on the Year of the Rabbit with a new set of stamps

VANCOUVER, Jan. 6 /CNW/ - Tomorrow Canada Post will welcome the beginning of the Year of the Rabbit by issuing a set of stamps and related products to mark the Lunar New Year. This is the 15^th year Canada Post has issued a Lunar New Year stamp.

The domestic rate commemorative features a rabbit on the heels of another rabbit, creating a repeating image of rabbits that appear to be hopping across the five-by-five pane PERMANENT^TM stamps.

"This image was a unique way of visually connecting one stamp to the next on the domestic pane," said Paul Haslip, a partner at HM&E Design, the firm that designed the stamp. "Finding a unique yet simple way of visualizing the rabbit was our starting point in the design.

While the rabbit is not as dramatic as the tiger or the snake, it does leap over obstacles."

The international stamp was inspired by traditional Chinese embroidery. The image of two rabbits chasing each other in an endless circle is based on a traditional Chinese robe medallion.

The stamp also uses gold foil to mimic the metallic gold thread in the embroidered design. This element also signifies that this is the Year of the Metal Rabbit, which occurs every 60 years.

The Lunar New Year series is one of the most popular ever issued by Canada Post. They are also one of the most challenging to conceive, design and produce, said Alain Leduc, Stamp Design Manager with Canada Post.

"There's the need to come up with a design that's as multi-dimensional and powerful as the previous one, but also something very different from the past stamps in the series."

About the Stamps
 
The Year of the Rabbit PERMANENT^TM domestic and international rate stamp measures 32 mm x 32 mm (square) and the souvenir sheet measures 40 mm x 140 mm (vertical). The stamps have 13+ perforations and are general tagged on four sides (domestic) and three sides (international).

The stamps were designed by Paul Haslip and Lauren Rand of HM&E Design, illustrated by Tracy Walker of i2i Art, with calligraphy by Tan Chao Chang.


The stamps are printed by Lowe-Martin and Gravure Choquet on Tullis Russell paper using lithography in six colours plus gold foil stamping, embossing plus varnish.

The Official First Day Cover bears the cancellation of Armstrong, British Columbia. Canada Post is issuing 5.5 million of the PERMANENT^TM domestic rate stamp and 240 000 souvenir sheets.

The International Rate stamp is available only on the souvenir sheet.

Also, as in past issues in this series, the text on the stamps and related products is in Chinese, English and French.

Rare chinese stamps of Chinese zodiac "Golden Monkey" auctioned for 1.2 million RMB

NANJING, Jan.5 (Xinhua) - A complete sheet of 80 Chinese zodiac "Golden Monkey" stamps was bid for 1.2 million yuan on Wednesday at an auction in Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province.

At the 2011 Suzhou Auction for Rare Stamps, the sheet of "Golden Monkey" stamps with complete paper margins and no folding marks set a new record for the sale of the "Golden Monkey" sheet.

Further, a single monkey stamp also set a record, selling for 10,000 yuan, which was 125,000 times more than its original price of 8 fen.

Since 1980, China has issued annually the animal year stamp to commemorate the 12 Chinese astrological animals signs. The "Golden Monkey" stamps were released in 1980 and were the first of this kind.

Five million "Golden Monkey" stamps were released for circulation in 1980. Except for the massive pieces being used then, there are few that can still be found.

In recent years, Chinese zodiac stamps have become increasingly popular among stamp collectors. The 1980 "Golden Monkey" garnered much attention among buyers.

Source:  http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/china/2011-01/05/c_13678008.htm

Spink Shreves Auction - The Black Empress of Canada - The Epitome of Perfection - A World Stamp Rarity - Worth $400,000-500,000

A Special Single Lot Auction Sale to be sold by Spink Shreves Galleries on January 27, 2011, in New York City. The esteemed auction house estimates this one stamp will sell between USD $400,000-500,000.

This is truly an amazing stamp and one of the Rarest Stamps of the World - A mint example of Canada's 1851 12d. Black Queen Victoria, in absolutely superb condition. Recently expertized by the Philatelic Foundation as “Genuine, Original Gum, Never Hinged” and numerically graded “98”. Without a doubt, the finest example extant and the greatest single Canadian stamp.

Here is the one lot auction description - 

#3, 1851 12d. Black on laid paper, an astonishing quality mint example of this legendary classic rarity, being in a condition unmatched by any other in existence, featuring a spectacular overall freshness and brilliance, with intensely rich color and a sharp detailed impression on pristine paper, four incredibly large and well balanced margins (more than likely the margin at bottom is a partial sheet margin), and its reverse is equally impressive, displaying absolutely immaculate full original gum without a single bend or blemish, and most astounding of all the stamp is never hinged, a superb gem in every regard. 

There is no question that this stamp is the finest mint example in existence. Its overall freshness, along with its extravagantly large margins, combined with the fact that it boasts full original gum that has never been hinged – places it in a category unlike any other world-class philatelic rarity in existence. Truly, it is a miracle how this remarkable stamp survived for nearly 160 years in this condition. 

While there are two or three mint singles that exist which are quite well margined, along with five pairs (one of which is in the Canadian Postal Archives and another in the Tapling Collection), not one is as superb as the example offered here, nor is any other example never hinged (and certified as such).

This exciting stamp is accompanied by a letter dated August 10, 1965 from J.N. Sissions, one of the most highly regarded Canadian auctioneers of the 20th Century, in which he describes the stamp as “…genuine and flawless, brilliant original gum, never hinged and immaculate in all respects. I believe it to be the finest existing copy.”

Attached to the letter are photographic enlargements of both the front and reverse of the stamp. In addition, the stamp was recently submitted to the Philatelic Foundation in New York City to obtain an updated report on its genuineness and condition.

On May 3, 2010 the PF issued certificate #486541 and stated the stamp is “unused, o.g., genuine, never hinged.” Furthermore, the PF assigned the coveted numeric grade of “Superb 98” to the stamp - a grade that is almost never assigned to any classic stamp of the world, let alone a world class rarity. And for those who are familiar with the Philatelic Foundation’s conservative reputation for grading (and being particularly demanding when calling a classic stamp never hinged or not), this is a clear indication that this stamp is truly something special and beyond compare.

To accurately estimate the value of such a unique stamp is understandably difficult – as no other copy exists in this incomparable never hinged condition. To at least get some starting point, the current 2011 edition of The Unitrade Specialized Catalogue of Canadian Stamps prices a very fine unused (no gum) example at C$150,000.00, but they then assign a 100% premium if the stamp has original gum.

Therefore, a catalog value of C$300,000.00 is appropriate for an original gum example that is in very fine condition. Of course, the Unitrade catalog does not even attempt to assign a value for an original gum copy in superb condition such as The Black Empress, let alone the fact that it is never hinged.

The earliest issues Unitrade attempts to price in never hinged condition is for the 1868-1876 Large Queen series, and never hinged copies are given a 300% premium over the very fine no gum pricing.

The last original gum, premium quality, mint example of the 12d. Black was in our November 2009 sale of the William H. Gross collection of Important British North America.

It realized $299,100.00 (including the buyer’s premium).

While the Gross example is a wonderfully choice stamp, its margins are not near as large as found on The Black Empress and, more significantly, it was hinged, as is every other known single or pair – except for the exciting example offered here.

Click here to begin viewing The Black Empress of Canada






If you have any comments about this stamp and article - please leave a comment below. Thanks.

Source http://www.shreves.com/

2011 - Happy New Year!

We would like to wish everyone a very Happy New Year!

The Boscastle Supplies Team.
www.boscastlesupplies.com

The Story of... America's 1898 issue Trans-Mississippi stamps

At first unpopular with collectors, these stamps won through as a great example of engravers' art

It's often the case with collectibles, including stamps, that the most coveted pieces begin with issues and examples which aren't initially popular.

There are a number of well-known examples such as the Double Geneva - which is worth a great deal partly as a result of its limited initial success - whilst the 1c Z-grill of Bill Gross's famous swap was never valued in its time.

In the world of coins, the 'Washlady Dollar' received its nickname from a contemptuous remark about its appearance.

The Trans-Mississippi issue was released in 1898 to coincide with the Trans-Mississippi International Exposition in Omaha, which was held from June 1 to November 1, 1898. There were no complaints about the way the stamp looked.

The William McKinley-appointed Postmaster General, James A. Gary, authorised the release of the commemorative set, which originally comprised eight stamps and was expanded to nine with the addition of the $2 value.

The full set was placed on sale at post offices on June 17, 1898. The stamps were intended to capture the spirit of the Western frontier, with depictions of farming, buffalo hunting, mining, and westward expansion among its themes.

Today, the Trans-Mississippi stamps represent the pinnacle of the engraver's art. The $1 Trans-Mississippi, depicting "Cattle in Storm," has often been called the most beautiful United States stamp ever produced.
However, the stamp-collecting community protested strongly against the new issue at the time. With the high cost of the Columbian issue fresh in collectors' minds and those stamps still available at a few branches, many felt that the Post Office Department was taking advantage of collectors with yet another expensive new issue.
This sentiment was further reinforced when the $2 denomination was added to the set. At the end of 1898, deliveries to post offices of the Trans-Mississippi issue were discontinued. Post offices with remaining stocks of the issue on hand returned them for credit, and most remaining stocks were destroyed.

Unfortunately, records were not kept of the quantity of each denomination destroyed, and so the number sold is not known. The set was originally intended to be the Post Office Department's second bi-colour stamp issue, after the 1869 definitive series.

Due to the outbreak of the Spanish-American War and the need for revenue stamps, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing could not meet the production requirements of the new issue and so the bi-colour plan was abandoned and the stamps were issued in single colours.

The 1¢ value, depicting Father Jacques Marquette, originally depicted a herd of bison. The Marquette vignette is based on a painting by William Lamprecht, located at Marquette University.

The 2¢ also underwent a design change, first appearing as the James B. Eads Bridge design in the bicoloured die proofs and then being switched with the $2.00 for the Farming in the West scene, which was based on a photograph taken on one of the farms of the Amenia and Sharon Land Company.
The 4¢ originally depicted a Cheyenne warrior based on a drawing by Frederick Remington, but instead the "Indian Hunting Buffalo" vignette was used. The 5¢ depicts "The Pathfinder," explorer and Army officer John C. Fremont.

The 8¢ and 50¢ values depict troops guarding a wagon train and a western mining prospector, both based on drawings by Remington. The source for the 10¢ stamp, showing the hardships of emigration, was discovered by Gary Griffith while visiting the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in 1992.

It is based on a drawing that was derived from a print of the painting Hardships of Emigration by Augustus G. Heaton, who also painted The Recall of Columbus, the basis of the 50¢ Columbian stamp. The $1, titled "Western Cattle in Storm," was derived from a painting called The Vanguard by Scottish painter, John A. MacWhirter. Ironically, the painting actually depicts a herd of Scottish cattle.

Trans-Mississippi stamps are well-worth looking out for at auction as high-quality examples can make good investments, as was seen in 2010, notably in March at Spink.

Source: http://www.paulfrasercollectibles.com/section.asp?catid=80&docid=5552