I Need Help On A Possible SC # 142. US Thanks

Several Hundred ? They quoted me $70-$80 to certify a Thousand dollar cover so how can a 153 cost that much for a member ? I'm not too familiar with their fee structure as I really don't have anything worth the price of a certificate......

With no such stamp in existance I guess the next conclusion is faked. However stating it has typical indications of an I grill makes you wonder even more. Like Riley stated if cancel has been tampered odds are leaning that grill may have been as well and the overall condition is rough . At this point it is likely going to drive you nuts but it wouldn't be time to price shop for the next opinion. I'm not sure which is considered the absolute best in expertising US classics but if you are going to do it go all in. Put it aside and start a coin jar -- toss in a few cents daily and when you have enough loose change saved up send it. Thats if you don't have any vacation jars already going.

The fee structure is based on catalogue value, Stallzer. 6% of Scott up to a maximum of $800 for PSE, 5% of catalogue value up to $800 for APS (non-members), 3% of catalgue value up to $400 for members.

There is this caveat:





However, you still have to write the check and send it in with the stamp. If you submit it as a 153, and pay the bare minimum, I wonder ... how seriously are they going to look at that grill? If you submit it as a 142, you have to foot the $450(PSE) or $225(member APS) bill up front (and wait for the funds to be returned with the stamp if it's not a 142). If this turns out being an I-grill, I don't know how the billing would be handled since there is no Scott listing or price for an I-grill.


This is the reason Weiss has become so popular!

Brian

Do you have to declare what you are submitting it as ? What if one had no clue as to what it was, would they not identify and certify ? I'd submit it as a Prexie and tell them I just inherited it and want to know what it is. Although being an APS member might tarnish his image and blow the cover. But if it's submitted as a used 153 and it's 3% of catalog for APS members then were looking at $6 for the cert ? I'd gladly pay more than that if it came out to be an I grill as it would be name your price at that point.

I'm going to send it in as a 153, since weiss has this on his certificate. It will cost me $25.00 plus registered mail costs both ways. If it turns out to be a 142 "I" grill and rare, form says 3% of scott value,even though there is no scott value for an "I" grill. with a maximum fee of $400.00 as an APS member. So if it turns out how I am hoping, I'll gladly shell out the cash. Planning on sending it out tomorrow, it's going to be a long month....

The form asks you for Scott catalogue number(s). I'm sure there's a good reason for this, and the minimum fee.




I'm sure they would ... as long as you paid your $$ and followed the rules.

Imagine everyone sending the APS their "Grandparent's old, rare collection" for certification simply because they were unwilling to check out a catalogue from the local library.

If I'm the expert committee, I want to look at stamps sent by knowledgeable collectors and dealers, not blank forms asking "What is this?".

The latter is a service provided by SCF for free!

Brian

Excellent point ! Hopefully us less knowledgeable collectors remember this as SCF is a great avenue to save a few Dollars and lots of leg work.

I thought I'd send this thread to Bill Weiss in case he wanted to comment, and he has given me his OK to post his reply to me:

Thanks for the head's up Ray. I've read the whole thread, and it's quite interesting. You might want to do this guy a favor and point out to him that if he sends it into APS, they will surely send it to me as I am their main grill expertizer! So the ethical thing to do would be to either submit it with a copy of my cert so they can see I have already given an opinion, and because that would be a conflict, they simply wouldn't send it to me. OR, the best thing he could do would be forget APS because I am their main expert and send it to either the PF, PSE or PSAG and submit it as a #153 and pay the minimum fee. If they then determine it's a real grill, he would then need to pay, of course, for the full price but believe me, if that is found to be a genuine "I" grill, it would be worth many thousands of dollars.. I'm just not willing to go out on a limb and say it is, but by sending it to one of the other services, they will show it to multiple experts. And they all should have good reference copies of "I" grills. So his best chance is to send it to one of those three.

Best Regards, Bill

So again, hope that this was helpful-- and good luck, Ray

Ouch- Hope stampfinder didn't send yet or if he/you did then maybe call and send a fax with Bill's cert info so you don't run into any of the problems mentioned. I'm really hoping this is legit but its going to take more than a couple pairs of eyes to look at it 6 ways to sunday.

I have a 24 cent with a very similar (identical?) grill. The grill is not as clear as yours.








Below is a grill from my #141. A #142 should have the same grill. Who knows at this point if some 24 cent stamps actually were produced with an I grill.

After counting the points on my suspect, there is no way that it is an I grill. The grill is larger and has more points. Mine is approx 13-14 x17 points which is a Z grill. (It is a bit difficult to be accurate since the points in the center are not at all clear) Interestingly, grilled "tall" postage due stamps for Peru were produced with what is called a Z grill at the same time period. Anyone have a Peru with grill they'd like to sell or trade?

quigngt-- if the grill is as large as a "Z" grill, then it really sounds like your stamp has had a grill added to it. Shame, because even a 153 is a nice stamp.

Sorry........hope this helps, Ray

Isn't only an H grill normally possible on this issue? The I grill reportedly only on the 1-15 cents as far as we know anyway.