What's With All The Reperfs Here???

Why reperf a stamp?
It is fairly obvious, it decreases the value
over leaving one intact, it doesn't make it
look better, so what is the reason?

Then another obvious question is:
If you find a stamp priced for being ugly,
then why pass on one that is nice except
for the reperf? If the price is already a
fraction of catalog value, eye appeal is no
better or worse than another flawed stamp of
the same price, then why pass on it?

I've often wondered that myself.

Many collectors will argue that the reperfs were done solely to deceive in order to make a stamp sell higher than it normally would to the novice collector.

Others may be sold out of sheer ignorance and/or lack of familiarity with what to look for in a classic stamp.

I'm no expert on the subject, but I imagine that a lot of these reperfs have been out there for many years and only when a person inherits a collection or it is passed down from generation to generation to those who don't appreciate stamps and try to market it for its monetary value only make these items come into the marketplace again and again.

I inheireted my collection, and have no doubt that there are 'altered' stamps within.
About 1/3 of the stamps are of "old" sources, about another 1/3 are of non-retail sources,
then the final 1/3, the ones I worry about the most, were obtained from large resellers
at inflated prices. I look at these and see all sorts of flaws. The only explaination I
have for them either is the fact that my father was always hard of sight, and by the time
he dealt with these people he was bedridden and nearly blind. So they took advantage...

I guess the only reason I brought it up was because there have been a great
number of threads in this forum lately with 'altered' stamps. Some of which
I look at and think "well, for the price, it doesn't look terrible", and
others make me wonder "what the heck were they thinking?".

I guess it boils down to eye-appeal vs price/mkt value for me.
If I need a $1000 hole filled, and find a reperf for $50 (that doesn't
look hacked), then that hole is getting filled, and without regret.

Some of the reperfs lately I didn't even notice until 'pros' showed up
to point them out within the threads, others that I did notice, were
only after being 'alerted' to questionable appearance. So I guess if
the price is right, and the look is reasonably pleasant, it's OK with me.

Would I do it myself, recommend it, or condone it? NEVER!

Well said.

Personally, I have tens of thousands of stamps in my collection and all but a select few did I ever buy retail. Most were given to me through the years from people who knew I collected stamps, and as a result there are some questionable ones mixed in. Since I don't have many of the "true classics" that would command high catalog values, few are worth bothering to pay the fee to expertise, so I just live with it. Frankly, I have a number of "seconds" in my albums, too, but I'm not ashamed of them, especially if they fill spaces that would otherwise be left blank.

My philosophy has always been:
[1] "Never look a gift horse in the mouth.", so I graciously accept whatever is given to me; and
[2] "Collect what you like, don't look at it with dollar signs.", so if I enjoy stamps that to some are worthless (i.e. precancels or perfins, or UN or modern First Day Covers, as some examples) I have no one to answer to but me. After all, stamp collecting is supposed to be FUN!

(I would be a lot more careful, of course, if I ever put any up for sale.)

Perhaps some of the altering has to do with different view points. Collectors (some) as apposed to dealers (some).

Collector:
If something is desirable then I want it and if the 'so-called faults' are hidden away enough (for me the collector) then I am happy to have an example of such a 'valuable' stamp in my collection.

Dealer:
Well, the collectors (or enough of them to make a difference to me) seem to want these stamps as long as I hide the obvious faults and in my sales pitch bring to their attention the value of a stamp of this caliber in a pristine condition (or that someone else has).

The image of a pristine stamp will stay in the buyers mind and they will convince themselves that the worth of this example is a certain percentage of the pristine one. (Not that it is to be compared to other similarly 'not perfect' stamps.)


Seems a scam both ways from both view points. The collector is scamming himself and the dealer is fooling himself (his integrity) and the collector, with the collectors help. I think it is the nature of buying and selling that our own perceptions are an important and influential part of the process; and that it is the wise buyer who is aware of this and it is also the wise dealer who is aware of this.

Works both ways.

I myself like a perfect stamp but, as time goes by and I learn of postal systems and the ways and means of delivering the mails, I am also liking the slightly worn, well used, well traveled stamp.

Do I see the world through rose-coloured glasses? Perhaps, but I do think I like my stamps with a bit of cream and sugar, thank you.

It's easy, by reperfing you can make an F/VF stamp appear to be an XF stamp. Or you can make a straight edged stamp appear to have perfs on all sides, etc.

Heck, when was the last time anyone saw a valuable Columbian with a straight edge?

I remember seeing some older Canada on ebay that had straight sides and I hadn't seen them before then in that condition. I thought the straight-sided ones were failed attempts to make coils or imperfs and did not think that the stamps naturally had any with straight sides (which they do).

I think it would be a grand idea for specialized catalogues to include a pic or drawing of a full sheet, like they do with booklet sheets, so the collector could tell that a stamp does indeed come in this condition and that perhaps it is just as good (if not as pleasing to our perforate-trained eyes) as a perfed one.

Or have a catalogue value stated for them.

I don't mind a stamp with a straight edge. :shrug:

My straight edge #292 is valuable to me Kind of like a red headed stepchild With all the reperfs out there this one survived, heck it should be more valuable than a 4 sided perf stamp, being that there are less straight edges to begin with and then the fact that it is a "survivor" and did not get any falsies during it's life.
I have many straight edge stamps that I purchased at a discount, I still like em. I don't know if I have any reperfs of any of my 19th century stamps as I have never put them under the scope.

fredcdobbs


What A great idea, This could be a start to a beautiful collection.
David-DJD

i like to buy good stamps.. maybe they are not VF all the time.. but if I can get what would otherwise be a 500.00 or 1000.00 stamp for 10-20% because of some pulled perfs, a small fault a straight edge.. I will buy it.. Because I can afford to buy this at that price but not at the 500.00 to 1000.00 price..
I just don't wand won't buy stamps that have been reperfed or regummed. I want the stamp in it's natural condition, imperfections and all.

To butcher a quote from Einstein, "A truly wise man is one who can fully explain half of the things going on around him."

It is the detective work of developing an accurate description of a stamp (classification) that is fun. I am no pro, certainly, and I am not down on, or against stamps which have been touched up. I just like to see them accurately described.

I just went on "$%&*Bay" typed in "Reperfed" And Got over 700 listings.
one was a high value Colombian CV $11.00 for a "Buy it now"
For over $450.00.
And I thought this was going to be **CHEEP**
David -DJD

So, if I follow the discussion correctly, then the following is true???

Artificial perfs applied to the straight side makes the stamp more
valuable than leaving the straight side?!?!

That is what I am getting from the conversation, but it sounds silly to me.
Why would a stamp with a straight side be less valuable than one with 4 perfs?
That sounds silly too.

It is all about the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. They can pass them off for more money to people who are clue less. People think they got a good deal but in the long run they got a stamp that is worth far less than prior to the perf job.