How To Loosen Stamps
Stuck To Album Pages

By Bill Weiss

This article will explain how to attempt to remove a stuck-down stamp without harming it or thinning the gum if an unused/original gum stamp. We will assume it is stuck to an album page and if possible we want to try to lift it off the page intact. We also assume that we are not able to lift the stamp by using our tongs and prying up the edge(s) enough to lift it.

The most common cause of the stuck state is that too much moisture was used when hinging the stamp so that some moisture spilled over the edges of the hinge onto the gum and the gum then stuck to the page when pressure was applied to it, either by hand, or by the weight of the album when closed.

The most common cause of the stuck state is that too much moisture was used when hinging the stamp so that some moisture spilled over the edges of the hinge onto the gum and the gum then stuck to the page when pressure was applied to it, either by hand, or by the weight of the album when closed.

The first method is to put pressure on the BACK of the stamp by rubbing/pushing against it from the back side of the album page. I try to hold the page tightly and upright, then rub the back with the index finger of my other hand, and by rubbing and pushing, the stamp may be unstuck by this pressure enough for you to lift it off the page.

If that does not work, you may need to destroy the album page, so I will cut the stuck stamp out of the page. Once out you can apply greater pressure, either with your fingers or by laying the stamp under an acetate cover (such as an approval card) and using tongs, a spoon, or other smooth rounded instrument, apply pressure by rubbing over the back of the stuck paper

The most common cause of the stuck state is that too much moisture was used when hinging the stamp so that some moisture spilled over the edges of the hinge onto the gum and the gum then stuck to the page when pressure was applied to it, either by hand, or by the weight of the album when closed.