Quote:
Originally Posted by gonefishin
Congrats on sticking with collecting all this time Steve! What is your take on grading stamps? Does increase the value? Let's say one has a 1847 Scott #1, would it make sense to have that stamp graded or stamps from the Columbian Expo?
|
It's been like card grading, a lot of resistance in the hobby, but some crazy prices for perfect stamps.
The first company tried slabbing them, and that didn't get much traction, fighting the whole mounting a stamp in an album thing that was established almost since there were stamps wasn't a winning play.
For some issues it can add value, but only at the upper tiers. It's mostly about centering, and stamps that were poorly centered nearly every time benefit the most. Some very cheap stamps have sold for silly prices, but only ones that are really incredible. The top grade is 100J or 100 - the J is for jumbo, one having all borders larger than normal.
The people who want a Scott#1 generally aren't into grading. So the market is just like ours, the handful of registry type collectors that want something someone else says is the best.
The Columbians are maybe more gradeable, but have to be very nice.
I'll use sb1s stamps as examples. Noting first that they're all very nice for the respective issues. I wouldn't reject any of them. Maybe a bit picky on price, but they're all good.
The #1 five cent Frankiln. Presents well, but has one corner cutting off a bit of the border. Very typical on that issue, and much better than most. I wouldn't grade it.
The #2 the ten cent Washington. Just barely what we call a four margin stamp, with the full narrow frame present. It's an excellent example, one all but the most pick or well funded collector would be proud to have.
If they have any special features, like double transfers or something like that, a certificate would add, but only saleability as that variety.
The strip of three - A nice strip, the margins on most plates for the imperfs were very very narrow. Not something I'd grade, but might pay to get a certificate with the plate positions if it includes one of the better ones. I can't tell from what I see, the difference can be substantial. I only have the most common. the others range from "ask permission" to "you're not spending a new car on a stamp" prices.
Of the others. I might grade the three cent Washington... maybe. Not an expensive stamp, but It's a really great example, all four margins, neatly cut.
But that just slightly less large lower margin would probably keep it out of the very top grades. If I was into grading, yes. If I thought it was a #10 and not an 11, yes.
The five cent next to it.... Maybe. I don't think it would get a high grade, but for that issue it's as good as most people can afford. A certificate would verify that it has no faults(damage ranging from trivial to massive) and that would be worth doing as the margins on these were also very small.
The other two are also very nice, I'd be glad to add either to my collection if I didn't already have them. But they just wouldn't grade high enough.
https://auction.siegelauctions.com/sale/1305?PageNo=12
Lot 2234 on this page is a good example of a graded stamp, catalog value is 100 I could find a normal copy for 50 easily, it sold for 400. It's pretty spectacular as far as centering goes, including parts of the stamps next to it.
https://auction.siegelauctions.com/sale/1305?PageNo=19
Lot 2426... Catalogs $8... Graded 95J. Sold for 160!
Browsing that auction will give you a good idea of the higher end of things. Their other auctions are also fully online, and can be real eye openers.
Just like with cards, the ability to tell if a stamp is THAT nice is the key.
I will say that the expertizers /graders have less work, take more time, and are nearly always correct.