Hold the Tape!

October 03, 2016 7 Comments

What is it with stamp dealers and tape?

You know what I’m talking about, right? You get a medium sized envelope in the mail that’s plastered with old USA stamps. But there’s also a stretch of elastic tape that seals every millimeter of the envelope flap. So much so that you can’t find any opening to slide in a letter opener. You then look at the bottom of the envelope to see if you can open the “factory sealed” side, only to realize that this, too, is covered with tape.

Now you need to figure out how to open this without damaging the contents. You use a Stanley knife, make a small cut (hoping you don’t cut what’s inside) and now you can use your letter opener. In the meantime, forget about using those old USA stamps - they’re now destroyed.

After removing the contents, you realized that there is another envelope inside that is also plastered with tape. You repeat the above steps, but now with a bit more irritation.

Inside that envelope is a glassine filled with stamps, but wait… it’s taped to a hard piece of cardboard. You meticulously cut away the tape with the Stanley knife and finally extract your stamps. Or if you have less patience, you rip open the glassine and in the process tear some of your stamps.

Has this ever happened to you? I’ve done this many times; more times than I’d like to admit.

So, what’s with the tape? Why can’t dealers either use less or think of a safer way to mail stamps? I’ve sold some stamps on eBay in the past and all I did was put stamps in a glassine and tape the top and bottom middle sections to a piece of cardboard that’s slightly smaller than the envelope. The glassine was easily removed simply by lifting one of the two loose ends. After putting the cardboard with the stamps in the envelope, all I did was close it and drop it in the mail. The envelope manufacturer had the foresight to provide a water activated sealing flap. This invention is really amazing; when you wet the flap and close it, the envelope is sealed! You can’t open it without a letter opener or ripping it apart. And you don’t need one bit of tape!

Stamp dealers of the world, listen up! I know you want to protect the contents, but let’s be a bit more reasonable. There’s an ancient Greek saying: “Pan metron ariston,” meaning, “all good things in moderation.”

7 Responses

Ron Babcock

October 09, 2026

I’m glad to see I’m not the only one that hates tape. So often I see some great stamps on the cover only to find the tape is over one side of the stamps. What a disappointment. I love getting older stamps this way regardless if I need them for my backup collections. My next issue is using tape to close the opening of the top of holders. Stamps do a lot of shifting in the mail and seem to always find exposed tape to stick to. Stamps being shipped belong in a glassine envelope without any tape. I hate struggling to open envelopes as you described that are covered in tape. Just yesterday I received some great well centered Washington-Franklin stamps that had water damage from a major New York seller where there were major storms, being sent to my hot and dry CA location. The stamps were in a typical holder with just a sheet of paper around them. No cardboard, no glassine. So now I must ship them back with tracking at my expense because the seller has a history of banning anyone who files a Not as Described eBay return claim. Thanks for this article.

Paul Stanton

October 09, 2026

Ostensibly, tape is used to ensure safe transportation of valuable philatelic items. I suspect however, that the practice initially began as a way to discourage postal inspection for purposes of taxation – Customs Fees, Duty, Import Fees, etc.

Patrick O'Connell

February 28, 2018

The other important issue, especially when shipping mint condition stamps, is protecting against water damage. The post office occasionally allows your shipment to be exposed to the weather. I have received shipments in the past that have been exposed to rain, and had to deal with stamps or souvenir sheets that were stuck together. The solution is to enclose and seal the stamps in some kind of waterproof plastic. Remember that glassine envelopes are not waterproof.

Clinton Ross

February 09, 2018

It is often a wonder that the entombed stamp ever makes it to the tongs; certainly without curses directed at the seller.

John Copple

June 19, 2017

Tape used to be a problem both before and after. I just use a very sharp pocket knife to open the envelope. To get the tape and its’ glue off of the stamp I use a watermarking fluid that I bought on AMAZON. It was not the clarify and is not lighter fluid. I have found this to remove paper, glue, tape and stamps stuck together saving the gum. On the majority of stamps it works sans problems. The glue from tape, old hinges piled on the back of the stamp the residue turns a milkey white and using an old pair of tongs just lightly scrape the gunk off. It works wonderfully on the majority of stamps.

Anthony Moleta

May 30, 2017

I use two pieces of cardboard and the glassine envelope between them no tape anywhere near the stamps. I use the invoice to wrap around the cardboard and place the package into the mailing envelope. sealing the mailing envelope with it’s self sealer flap and an Avery 5260 label with the “Philatelic Material Please do not Bend” inscribed on it.
Not one bit of tape!!!

James E Capelle

February 28, 2017

I use a removable resealable scotch type tape anywhere near glassines. I fold back onto itself a little 1/2" pull tab and write on it “Pull” with an arrow showing which direction to head to. If I am mailing stamps to a country where English is not spoken, I look up Google translator for the main language and use that on the tab.
Yes, I am guilty of using strong, clear packing tape on flaps. How many #10 envelopes come to you house half open? I also use a Tyvek 6″×9″ envelopes when I can and still use tape.

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