Automatically crop individual postage stamp images from a flatbed scan. Upload a scan containing several stamps and the Apollo’s Lots Stamps cropper will separate them, correct minor rotation and prepare the cropped images in a ZIP file.
Upload scan → crop stamps
Black background · 600 dpi recommended · Visible gaps between stamps
Square stamps up as neatly as possible before scanning.
Privacy & processing: Uploaded images are used only to create your cropped stamp images and are not retained after processing. Temporary upload and output files are deleted automatically.
Please check the downloaded crops before use, as results depend on scan quality and stamp placement.
How to crop your scanned stamps
Prepare your scan
Scan stamps loose on scanner bed (not in a stockcard), against a black background, preferably at 600 dpi. Leave visible space between each stamp and square the stamps up as neatly as possible.
Upload the scan
Drag your image into the upload area or select it with ‘Choose a scan’.
Crop the stamps
Click ‘Crop my scan’. The cropper locates each stamp, crops it separately and corrects minor rotation automatically.
Download the images
When processing is complete, click ‘Download cropped stamps’ to download all the cropped images in one ZIP file.
Found this tool useful?
This tool is free to use. If it saves you some time, consider buying me a coffee to help cover the running costs and keep it free.
Buy me a coffeeTips for the best scanning results
- Important! Place stamps loose on the scanner glass, not in a stock card. Use a plain black background; I use black card inside the scanner lid.
- Keep stamps reasonably well squared up. Minor slants can be corrected; avoid large rotations.
- Leave visible black space between stamps. Avoid touching or overlapping stamps.
- Use a clear flatbed scan, preferably at 600 dpi.
Why I built this stamp cropping tool
This tool is designed for stamp collectors and sellers working with scanned postage stamps. I originally built the cropping process as a Python desktop app for my own Apollo’s Lots Stamps workflow, where a single scan can contain several stamps that would otherwise need to be cropped and straightened individually.
It cuts a substantial amount of repetitive image-editing time from that workflow, especially when preparing batches of listings. This web version is an adaptation of that desktop tool, making the same process available without downloading and installing Python or image-editing software.
How does the stamp cropper work?
The cropper started as a Python desktop tool using OpenCV and Pillow to find individual stamps against a black background, straighten minor rotation and create consistently cropped images. For the web version, I kept that core cropping process and built a small Flask web API around it, served by Gunicorn and hosted on Heroku.
When you upload a scan, the WordPress page itself does not process or store the image. Your browser sends it over HTTPS directly to the cropper on Heroku, where the Python process checks the image, identifies and crops the individual stamps, corrects minor rotation and packages the finished JPEGs into a ZIP file.
The ZIP is returned directly to your browser for download. Temporary upload and output files are deleted automatically after processing.