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MatchBooks Match Covers


Plant#4
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and a few more...it seems the Navy cornered the market on these as well as Hospitals....

 

Do matchbook collectors remove the matches for safety?

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Yes, there is several different ways to collect them. With the match strike or with out (bobtail) "Booked" and flat. I bought a collection several years ago and gleamed out the military ones.

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Yes, there is several different ways to collect them. With the match strike or with out (bobtail) "Booked" and flat. I bought a collection several years ago and gleamed out the military ones.

 

Thanks - I decided to google my question and it does seem that unless the matches themselves have printing on them, the consensus is to remove them.

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Granted the removal of the matches makes it easier to display the covers, I think most do it because the chemicals in the matchhead break down over time and can cause staining of the cover. Some might also say it is "safer" to remove the matches.

 

Here is one cover from the prisoner of war camp here in Clinton. Interestingly, when I began my search for one locally, I only found persons who recalled seeing them. It was not until I made queries in the publications of some of the matchcover collector groups that I was able to get an example. Since then, I have picked up a few more on eBay. I think my count in now at six!

 

post-211-1203823254.jpg

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Granted the removal of the matches makes it easier to display the covers, I think most do it because the chemicals in the matchhead break down over time and can cause staining of the cover. Some might also say it is "safer" to remove the matches.

 

A picked up a bunch of matchbooks from a Seabees unit a couple years ago and had wanted to sell them but never got around to checking on the safety issues until I read this thread today. Now that I have found out removing matches does not devalue the matchbook covers for the most part I'll have to dig those out.

 

I ran across at least one anecdotal story of someone's large collection - stored in a metal file cabinet - spontaneously combusting. It may be that some "strike anywhere" matches in there. There's also the issue of mailing matches:

 

US Postal Service regulations regarding shipping matches:

 

Matches

 

5.3

 

Matches are classified as flammable solids. Strike-anywhere matches are

 

prohibited in international and domestic mail. Safety matches (book, card, or

 

strike-on-box) are prohibited in international mail, and in domestic mail via air

 

transportation, but are permitted in domestic mail via surface transportation if:

 

a. They do not ignite spontaneously under conditions normally incident to

 

transportation or when subjected for 8 consecutive hours to a temperature of

 

200°F (93°C).

 

b. They cannot be readily ignited by friction unless struck on their own or a

 

similar box, card, or book.

 

c. They are tightly packed in a securely sealed primary receptacle to prevent

 

any shifting or movement that could cause accidental ignition by rubbing

 

against adjoining items. The primary receptacle(s) is placed securely within

 

an outer shipping container made of fiberboard, wood, or other equivalent

 

material. Multiple primary receptacles may be placed in a single outer

 

shipping container. The address side of the mailpiece must be marked

 

“Surface Only” or “Surface Mail Only” and “Book Matches,” ”Strike-on-Card

 

Matches,” or “Card Matches,” as appropriate. A shipping paper is not

 

required.

 

d. The gross weight of each mailpiece is not more than 25 pounds.

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I just wanted to echo the opinion that removing the matches is a good idea as it is safe and does not devalue (in most cases) the matchbook. I did want to add some examples of matchbooks that you want to keep the matches in as the matches completely change the collectible value of the matchbook. Images will speak better than words for these. Jim

 

Outside__________________________________________ Inside

post-1908-1203859820.jpg post-1908-1203859853.jpg

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This last one Ill post a pic of an outside shot with matches removed so you see how well it displays when compared to one with matches. The matches however change the message of the matchbook as well as the value. Jim

 

post-1908-1203860592.jpg

 

post-1908-1203860606.jpg

 

 

post-1908-1203860623.jpg

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A picked up a bunch of matchbooks from a Seabees unit a couple years ago and had wanted to sell them but never got around to checking on the safety issues until I read this thread today. Now that I have found out removing matches does not devalue the matchbook covers for the most part I'll have to dig those out.

If you try to remove the matches from the book, choose a duplicate or a poor condition one first. If the srtyker comes off, As some will due to the age, it will become a "bobed or bobtail" cover. The least desireable of the collectible covers. Book matches are almost never strike anywhere matches and can be shipped through the mail as your post points out, Although most folks ship them UPS.

The Navy quit putting the name of the ship on the cover when the war started and removed all matches from the ships with the identifing covers, to prevent the enemy from identifing the ship in the event of its sinking. You would not believe all the stuff that will float after being torpedoed. I am not sure when they started using the named ones again though, I have a few that proclaim the prowess during the war.

Dave

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These are great items. We did a Military History exhibit a few years ago and a guy kinda breezed by the exhibit until he say my case with the WW II matchbooks. After looking a while, he came up to me and said that he wasn't interested in militaria, but really enjoyed seeing the matchbooks, as he was a collector of matchbooks. It is interesting what things can "connect" with people sometimes.

Those are some nice covers, I personally prefer mine with the matches, but have bought them both ways.

BKW

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  • 10 years later...
  • 1 month later...

Hi ll, here's a K-rat matchbook with advertising on the inside and it's commercial 'counterpart' so to speak.

 

 

 

 

my apologies for a case of premature posting :unsure: so here's the picture

 

post-169612-0-20816300-1543679494_thumb.jpg

 

Rene

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