While Trying To Complete The US Airmails

That is what they claim, and to be fair they do pay somewhat more attention to faults now, but for a long time they did not. And even today one can still occasionally see stamps with very high grades with obvious problems such as short perfs. In the 2012 Siegel Rarities sale an example of 296 (lot 206)was graded gem 100 and brought $18,000 despite a short perf on the top right. It's still a great stamp, but how can it be a 100? How can it be worth $18,000 is another question I would ask as well, but.........

Graded stamps are a fool's gambit. Don't fall for the hype.