Is the packaging waterproof?

Yes. The stamp is sealed inside a waterproof bag before it goes into the rigid outer envelope, so it is protected against damp and rain.

Will my stamp arrive bent or creased?

It should not. The double board-backed envelope is rigid enough to resist bending and crushing in the post.

Glassine is a smooth, protective paper long used in philately to shield stamps from moisture and handling. You will find it explained in our glossary.

Stamp-safe packaging

Our Packaging: How We Protect Your Stamps

Q: Do less expensive stamps get the same packaging?

Yes. Every order is packaged to the same standard and sent with the same care, regardless of value.

Every stamp we send, whatever its value, is packaged the same careful way: inserted into a stockcard, sealed in a glassine packet, fixed to a thick card insert, folded into a waterproof bag, and posted in a double board-backed envelope. It is built to protect against bending, moisture and rough handling, so your stamp arrives in exactly the condition shown on the listing. A penny stamp gets the same protection as a rarity.

Five layers

Waterproof

Board-backed

Every order alike

Five-layer method

The same on every order

At a glance

ProtectionFive layers, from stockcard to board-backed envelope

Guards againstBending, moisture and rough handling

WaterproofingA sealed, waterproof inner bag

OuterA rigid, double board-backed envelope

Next to the stampGlassine, long the standard in philately

Every orderThe same protection, whatever the value

How we pack your stamp, step by step

Every stamp follows the same journey from our desk to your door: five layers of protection, applied to every single order.

Five layers, in order

Into a stockcard.
Each stamp is carefully inserted into a stockcard, which holds it flat and secure.
Sealed in a glassine packet.
The stockcard is placed into a glassine packet, the smooth, protective material long used in philately to keep stamps safe from moisture and surface handling.
Fixed to a card insert.
The packet is carefully fixed to a thick card insert, so nothing can shift or move in transit.
Folded into a waterproof bag.
The insert is folded and sealed inside a waterproof bag, guarding against any damp or rain.
Posted in a double board-backed envelope.
Finally, it is sent in a double board-backed envelope, rigid enough to resist bending and crushing on its way to you.

Five layers of protection nested around the stamp, from the stockcard at the centre to the double board-backed envelope on the outside.

Why we package this way

Stamps are delicate. A crease, a knock or a spot of moisture can affect both how a stamp looks and what it is worth, and once that damage is done it cannot be undone. The ordinary post is no place for a flimsy envelope.

Our packaging is built to remove every common risk in transit. The board-backed envelope stops bending and crushing, the waterproof bag keeps out damp, and the glassine and stockcard protect the stamp's surface and gum. The result is simple: your stamp reaches you in exactly the condition described and imaged on the listing.

Why it matters

Once damage is done to a stamp, it cannot be undone. Good packaging is not a courtesy; it is the only way to protect the condition you paid for.

The same care for every order

We do not save our best packaging for our most expensive stamps. Every order, from a modest used stamp to a high-value rarity, is packaged to the same standard and sent with the same care. It is designed so that even the most valuable items would survive whatever the journey brings, which means everything else is more than safe.

The same protection for every stamp, whatever its value.

Daniel Ardley, Blackheath Stamps

Getting it to you

Packaging is only half of sending a stamp safely; how it travels matters too. You can read about postage, dispatch times and tracking on our delivery page, and about sending stamps overseas on our international shipping page.

Frequently asked questions

Each stamp is inserted into a stockcard, sealed in a glassine packet, fixed to a thick card insert, folded into a waterproof bag, and posted in a double board-backed envelope. Every order is packed this way, whatever its value.