Grading Questions

What is the best way to get your stamps graded?

Can you get stamps graded at stamp shows?

What is the average cost of stamp grading?

I currently have a large stamp collection but I don't have any stamps graded. I am not sure what to do.

Thanks
Cynthia

Hello! There are really very few stamps for which authentication and grading are necessary. Do you have a very high-end collection with major rarities or very early mint stamps?

Unless you have something such as halfabustisbetter describes, you can grade more ordinary, recent, and common stamps by first checking for damage. Anything from tears and creases to short or missing perforations and heavy cancellations or badly off-center copies are generally practically worthless, unless scarce or rare. With some older U.S. issues, straight edges on stamps from the unperforated edge of a sheet are also less desirable. After that, grading becomes a matter of how well stamps are centered with most being sought in at least fine to very fine (F-VF) condition. Some collectors will place less desirable items into their collections as "space fillers" until a better copy comes along. Some prefer to build their collections with only good copies and leave damaged or otherwise undesirable stamps out of their albums.

Thanks for the input. I am unsure of the value of my stamps at this time. Some are old dating back to the 40's and 30's but probably common.

Hello Cynthia,

As modern_who explained, grading is a matter of judging how well centered a stamp is and also noting any damage or defects. You will be able to do
this yourself with a little practice.

Here are some definitions of the grades you will see listed for stamps:

SUPERB - Never abbreviated, sparingly used term for an absolutely perfectly centered stamp (also called mathematically centered). Superb stamps must be truly exceptional copies and completely free of major faults as well.

XF Extremely Fine - The design of the stamp is perfectly or nearly perfectly centered within the boundaries of the outer edges of the stamp. The design is completely free of the perforations and the margins appear equal and balanced on all four sides.

VF Very Fine - The design is slightly off center in one direction (top to bottom OR left to right). The stamp still has a balanced appearance. Scott catalog values are for stamps in VF condition.

F-VF Fine-Very Fine - The design is noticeably off center in one direction, or slightly off center in both directions.

F Fine - The design is off center in both directions, but the perforations do not cut into the design.

Avg Average - The design is off center and perforations just begin to cut into the design.

Fair - The design is far off center and perforations cut substantially into the design.

Note that the grade depends on the centering. The value depends on both the grade and the number and severity of the faults or defects in the stamp, such as missing perfs, nibbed perfs, tears, missing pieces, pinholes, creases, thins, disturbed gum, hinge remants, etc.

I encourage you to post pictures of your stamps and ask our members to assign grades to them.

Can you please put this list as a sticky somewhere.

Steve

If you don't have one, check your library for a Scott's catalog. Any one will do since they all have a section on grading with illustrations and explanations. They are usually on page 12A or so.

Good luck!

Thanks everyone for the advice.

I just ordered the catalog from my library and am expecting it soon. The book I have was from 1990.
I finally dug out my 2 old stamp albums and boxes of collections through the years. I have just begun my organizing.

Thanks again everyone