Cherrystone Auction - Mnh Columbian Set

They are expensive but not all that rare. Anyone with the money can buy any value in any condition that they can afford. That is true today, and it will be true in the future.

Reminds me of the US Zeppelins, C13 - C15.

ananthveerappan,

Gee ananthveerappan, if I did my math correctly, you have PLENTY of time to fulfill your goal. The trick is to not become derailed by kids. Easier said than done!

Jack Kelley

With luck, and in time, your grateful children will buy their silver-haired father a set from their massive earnings.

I'd like to own them myself but I think I'll continue that 40 year plus journey and pick 'em off one by one!

I say $19,500.00==10% commis---whole set--would get it certed, dont want no re-perfs--nice pic also

It's a 15% commission.

My feeling is 50% of catalog may be too high due to riskiness of the high dollar values. The margins are quite small on the $1 and $3 coupled with irregularities of perfs on several sides suggests possible reperforations. The $3 is a noticeably minuscule stamp. The $2 I see as a 75 at best. The $4 is poorly centered in my opinion, maybe a 60, and possibly reperfed as well (which would earn a No Grade).

A risky set at the opening bid. Note certifying the dollar values is a pricey and time consuming task. If the auction house handled the expertization for the buyer with contingency to back out on event of bad certs then who knows.

From the description. "each stamp with 2002-2007 PFC or PSE certificate". So they can all get new certs, but as a large lot I doubt if it could be returned if one or more stamps turn out to be altered.
From their terms and conditions:
Any lot, the description of which is incorrect, is returnable, but only within 14 days of receipt. All disputed lots must be returned intact as received. The following lots may not be returned for any reason whatsoever: Lots containing ten or more stamps; Lots from buyers who have had the opportunity to examine them before the sale; Lots described as having defects or faults may not be returned because of any faults. No illustrated lots may be returned because of centering, margins or other factors shown in the illustrations.

So why don't they post copies of the individual certificates so potential bidders can see the certified descriptions? Those will show any defects such as reperfs, thins, regummed, etc. that were present at the time the certs were issued. True - the stamps could have been altered since, but at least there is a base line from which potential bidders can work.

Personally, for that kind of money, I'd insist the stamps either be preferably re-certified prior to the sale or alternatively after the sale but prior to the buyer taking delivery and subject to the certificates coming back clean. If the buyer gets the stamps as is and sends them for re-certification himself, the no-return policy should be removed and return time extended to accommodate the certification process.

But my annual stamp purchase budget won't allow me to bid that high.

If the certs were not clean they would say so. The fact that they are calling the set MNH means that there are no reperfs, thins, regummed, etc when they were certified.

The auction firm would state the cert findings, but problem free and never hinged certs that are 9-14 years old does not mean problem free and never hinged stamps today. Even if in the same condition the opinions may be different. I have on several occasions seen two certs of the same stamp give completely different opinions on perforations and gum condition even by the same agency and within just 1-2 years. Some firms provide transparency to this and share both certs. Moreoften, the problem certs become somehow misplaced and only the desirable certs remain for the next owners consideration.

It is just a matter of exercising caution, and in this case the auction house is not offering flexibility but instead seems to be transferring all risk to the bidders (who should bid appropriately, or inspect the stamps in person or by using an agent).

At the very least the auction house would have inspected the stamps themselves, and any red flags would have been noted in the description (problems might have even caused the lot to be withdrawn). They have a certain reputation to protect too. That said, it's always better to view a lot, or have a reputable agent view a lot.

I was looking over my set of plate blocks NH, and then I woke up!

revcollector is correct. Given the restrictive return policy AND the cost of this set, I would want to inspect each stamp and corresponding certificate myself before laying down that kind of money.

With a per cert charge of 5% SCV or $30 minimum, it would cost $1,852 to have PSE re-certify them. Assuming a $14,000 sale price, that's an additional cost of 13% on top of the 18% sales commission.

For those kind of dollars, I'd only consider bidding if the return policy were adjusted to allow time for the re-certification, the results of which must match or exceed the current certs AND which allowed the entire set to be returned.

Frankly, the auction house might be wise to consider re-certifying the set before the auction and add the fee into the minimum bid.

But what do I know?