My Grading Education - Welcome Help!

I am posting five stamps from a collection I acquired recently and still learning my way around the stamp grading world. (I am a coin collector and know the coin grading system well but new to stamps.) The collection was full of fairly nice stamps which had been selected with some care. Many are MNH examples, some are MH and a few used. Here are examples of five which I will describe my findings and let me know what factors I am missing.

The first is a Scott #29 1857-1861 5 cent brown. I see this as well centered, no paper faults but might grade fault due to heavy cancellation mark, and average eye appeal due to cancellation. I do not know how this would translate into TPG grade and related value.




The second is a Scott #276 $1 black type 1. Again, very well centered, excellent overall shape, heavy cancellation, and scott number written in pencil on the back (don't know how that impact grade and value).




The third is a Scott #509 in MNH condition. Appears to be very well centered side to side but maybe a bit off top to bottom (grade XF?) Glue appears to be original and undisturbed except for pencil written scott number- don't know how this impacts grade.




The fourth is a Scott #629 MNH in excellent shape. Appears very well if not perfectly centered... need the opinion of pros on this. No visible flaws. Glue is fully intact and appears original. Would this grade 90 or better?




The fifth and last one is a Scott #693 1931 12 cent rotary press printing issue. Appears to be nearly perfectly centered, no flaws (ignore the mark on the perforations on the left side of stamp. That is lint I did not see while taking the photo.) Glue appears original and unblemished... what appears to be a bleed through of the ink from the front.




I welcome all comments and observations. I am just learning.

WINDYCITY....Since you asked...here goes.
#29...possible sealed tear LR?? Hard to tell from scan.
Centering not good enough to grade...but can get a expertizing certificate without a numerical grade #.
#276...creased corner ....definately not gradable.
#509....again, not gradable...pencil # on gum detracts fro grade, sm inclusion visible.
#629....definately not perfect center, shifted to right, has gum skips, very inexpensive stamp...
#693....looks like a flat plat printing...#562. Inclusion in left selvedge
SORRY!

I think you're over thinking the need to have stamps graded/expertised to be honest with you.

Kevin504 summed it up quite nicely. These stamps are not worth grading. The only thing I would add is that the 29 is hardly worth any certificate at all. The right side projections have been cut clean off and a margin added to the stamp. Since what looks like an obvious tear at lower right does not show from the back, I would say the entire stamp has been re-backed. Looking at the back, there are some hints that this has been done.

I appreciate the feedback... again, all part of my education on determining stamp grades.

Three not Two helpful sources : FYI
Download PDF:
http://gradingmatters.com/all-about-grading.html

http://www.mcphilatelics.com/educat...mpterms.html

http://www.shpgraded.com/wgrade.htm

In the first link, the PSE Guide to Grading and expertizing is pretty good, not great. I wish they did a better job on how to grade used stamps. Pretty good for unused stamps. You can buy that booklet too.


-IBFS

IBFS - You can also use Scott US specialized catalog. The first ten pages of the beginning of that catalog . Above are free sources including a downloadable pdf from pse . Scotts catalogue may be available at a local library . Just some good sources to have handy.

The best source is to learn what quality stamps in your collecting areas are supposed to look like, and study them until you can recognize them immediately yourself. Then you will not be beholden to third party graders who may have a very different agenda than you have when grading a stamp you own. And you won't have to wonder why a stamp you own looks better than some other stamp that has a higher grade than yours, which is not all that unusual an occurrence.

I have a trick for you, turn your stamp upside down, this works for me when checking out the centering!

Dave

Even assuming all the stamps were sound none of them are better than 85 anyway.

Windycity is trying to learn grading regardless of whether or not they are "worthy" of grading. Is it too much to ask that impartial grading assistance for the purpose of education is supplied?

Goodness Gracious! I find myself in agreement with The Internet?!? OH NO!

I would very much appreciate if our Pillars would elaborate briefly on what they see, especially in regard to the possible re-backing of the #29. I noted the repaired tear at LR, as well as the lack of design elements on the perf tips at right (the added margin?). What tips to a possible re-back, aside from simple experience? I see a water stain(?) and a curious lack of any cancellation bleed through.

Windycity - When you speak of "grading" do you mean grading in the numismatic sense (slabbing/certing with numeric valuation), or should the philatelists here have read that as "condition" (AV-F-VF-XF etc)?

A couple other things I see on the 29...

• Are the white spots on Jefferson's face indication of possible thins or simply scuffing?
• I suspected a re-perf at right (Srail-fail), but should I have taken the small line at UR and inconsistency at LR as clues to investigate a re-backing?

Re : the 629... info for the OP...

A jumbo in superb NH condition is worth face value...
otherwise referred to as 'wallpaper'... very common...