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Quote
"The most valuable commodity in the world is not radium - it is stamp gum. Collectors are paying for it at the rate of $1 million a gallon."

This is a quote from a well-known stamp dealer in England more than 50 years ago. Absurd? Actually, if we calculate this by today's prices, one million a gallon would be a cheap estimate. 

To illustrate, consider the first U.S. issue, the 5-cent Ben Franklin of 1847. In unused condition (meaning a stamp with just part of the original gum) the Franklin stamp is catalogued at $5,250. Used and without any gum, it is listed as $600 which is about 11 percent of the mint gummed price. A Franklin with all the original gum intact could be valued between $8,000 or $10,000. if the gum is genuine.

It is amazing that gum adhesive on the back of a stamp has come into such prominence and bickering that, before deciding on how to put the stamps in the envelop, a collector has to determine whether his stamps are going to be used or mint copies. We may think that this is crazy; a lot of people do. However, like it or not, that is the stamp market today. Hence, if a collector is concerned about the resale price of more valuable pristine gum stamps, then he should not hinge such mint stamps. They should be put in transparent mounts instead.

However, since used stamps have no gum, it is not sensible, to use the far more expensive mounting to place used stamps in an album. In this case, hinging is the best and cheapest method. After all, as many experienced philatelists tell us, all the great collections of the world have been hinged, so it is worth taking their good advice.

Fresh and new stamps, if we wish to keep the gum in its original condition without a hinge mark, should be mounted. The decision is entirely the collector's and it all depends on how much he is willing to pay to get those stamps safely into an album.

A word of caution: Certain homemade ways spell death to stamps and pages. The stamp gun should never be used directly to paste a stamp on a page. Future attempts to get it off, will result in some of the page coming off. Besides, this method will probably result in the stamp being ruined with tears, thins and perfs. Another trap is the hundreds of glues we see in the stores. Most of these have chemicals that react with the stamps. Therefore, it is not wise to make one's own hinges from paper and Elmer's. After all, commercial stamp hinges cost as little as five for one cent. Absolutely to be avoided are also sticky tapes, such as the familiar Scotch brand. These "iron hinges" will destroy a stamp over time and they will be ruined when we attempt to remove them.

Putting stamps onto pages gets down to just two choices : hinges or protective mounts. Let's look at each of them.

Hinges

The use of hinges is rather tricky. However, if properly applied hinges will keep our stamps in rank-and-file order and in good condition and may be easily removed when required. Most hinges available now come pre-folded and ready to be used. The smaller folded portion should be placed as near to the top of the stamp as possible without being visible from the face side. The larger fold will hold the stamp to the album page.

It is easy to see why they are called "hinges." They hinge the stamps to the page, allowing them to be lifted in order to examine the back.

Care is needed when the bottom and edges of a hinge is licked. The moisture should be kept as far away from the fold in the hinge as possible. There is no need to overdo the licking, a slight touch of the tongue to wet it would be sufficient.

The most appropriate type of hinge is the type which can be peeled. This is also the most easily available. Still it is better to check with the stamp dealer who sells them to be certain. The 'peelable' hinges, once dry, can be removed from both stamp and page without damage if done slowly and carefully.

Probably the biggest mistake that collectors make when they first use hinges is when they try to remove a stamp that has just been place. If, for any reason, there is an intention to adjust the placement of a stamp, under no circumstances should an attempt be made to move it at once. The smart thing to do would be to let the glue dry thoroughly before taking the stamp and the hinge off the page for another try. Otherwise, if an attempt is made to remove a wet hinge, the stamp will tear. A half an hour to an hour wait before the stamp is repositioned would be time well spent. Impatience here will lead to irrevocable disaster.

Protective Mounts

The current craze among a lot of collectors is the pocket mount with transparent front and either a clear or black backing that glues to the page. Before these mounts hit the collectors, the only option was hinging. Many stamp writers and dealers are doubtful of U.S. issues of the 1800s being available without ever being hinged. Anyway, a 'regumming' job is always possible since there was no other way for a collector to mount his stamps in earlier times.

Quite a few popular brands and types of mounts are popular. Gum-protecting mounts are available pre-cut to fit most sizes and shapes of stamps. Showgard and Scott mounts have the gummed backs split horizontally. The stamp is sealed in at the top and bottom. Hawid mounts are open on three sides; only the bottom is sealed. Other brands are available.

Mounts are also available in long strips that may be cut to fit each stamp. These are cheaper than the pre-cut types and are much more flexible when mounting stamps of different sizes. A razor blade and ruler, or a special gadget that looks like a miniature paper cutter, are used to slice them neatly and squarely.

Hinging or mounting?
If cost is a consideration, then hinges is the answer. I would suggest using hinges for used stamps and mounts for mint stamps, to preserve the million-dollar-per-gallon gum.

Whichever option is taken, it is wise to follow one or the other for a single album. The display will appear clumsy if both hinges and mounts are used in the same album.