Valuable And Rare US Stamps?

I'd love some thoughts on a couple beauties, should I seek certification? Please someone tell me I'm lucky! Perf 10 top or bottom for both... Monroe 171 and Roosevelt 160c.

no....common stamps.

lol

The perf 10 on top or bottom variety means only one end is perf 10 and the opposite side is perf 11.

From what I can tell in your pics, the top and bottom of both stamps have identical perf measurements, so it cannot be that variety. Or did I misunderstand your post?

Please tell me how I'm wrong? The Scott's specialized classics catalogue 2015 says that if these 2 stamps have perf 10 on top or bottom then it ramps up their common value to between $10-20,000. I've counted many times. Are these not perf 10 (bottom for Monroe, both for Roosevelt)?? I'm so confused!

Please count the top of Monroe again I count 12. The bottom is 10. So is it still common?

you don't count perforation, you measure them with a perforation gauge

I assume you are using a perforation gauge (not counting holes).

If you are not, then here is beginners guide on how to measure perforation.
http://www.kenmorestamp.com/perforation-gauge-cms

I'm new to stamps..inherited some OLD stamp books and I'm struggling with the complexities. I thought after a year and a half into learning I see I have a lot more to learn. This girl didn't really know a perforation gauge was so important. Laughable for sure! I seriously appreciate the help that's been given. I've learned more here than elsewhere. Thanks, and cheers!

It never hurts to ask. We all learn from our mistakes, and I've made more than my fair share.

By the way, I forgot to tell you welcome to Stamp Community Forum!

Stampcrazed: As they say in the movie Animal House - 'knowledge is good'.
You seem to be on the path asking a lot of questions. A perforation gauge IS a mandatory, it need not be an expensive one. However, with so many pictures of stamps online, it is a useful skill to COUNT
perforations. For US small stamps, counting across the top or bottom should give you the perf gauge, assuming the margins are not jumbo wide or abnormally narrow. For your three stamps the perf count is ELEVEN at top and bottom of each. I don't know how you get 10. The side perfs are less useful when trying to differentiate between perf 11 and 10.5. It should be obvious that counting the perf-tips and counting the holes will both work. Most false positives can be eliminated by simply counting the perfs.
Don't give up - remember: http://meloramus.hubpages.com/hub/10000-hour-rule

You can count the perfs but you have to count the number of perfs in 20 mm, not the total number along one edge of the stamp.

Here is a useful image that our member Al E. Gator posted in this thread: https://goscf.com/t/41723



Another post on that thread helps to explain that picture a bit more: https://goscf.com/t/41723&whichpage=3#356060 To expand on what jobi01 said, perforations are measured across a width of 20mm, which just happens to be very close to the width of the design (inked portion) of most of the 1908 Washington Franklins, the 1922 series, and the 1938 Pridential series.

Another member here (51studebaker) created a perf gauge that you can print. It's not as easy to use as a manufactured gauge, but it is free: http://dd-designs.co/dnloads/perfgauge.pdf

Save that file to your computer, then open it to print it. This will get you by until you get a manufactured gauge.

This site has information about each series presented in a manner that is easier to use than the Scott Catalogues: http://www.stampsmarter.com/1847usa/index.htm

My advice for someone getting started in stamps: Keep it simple. Start with the basics. Get a perforation gauge and learn how to use it.

(I am not sure why so many posters want to push perf-counting when exact tools are readily available.)

I agree John.

Robert

One reason to know how to perf count is buying from online auctions, where you don't have the stamp in hand to measure against your gauge. I've used it extensively to fill in perf varieties in my collections, especially where Scott doesn't provide different catalog numbers for different perforations. Sometimes the differences are obvious (perf 11 vs perf 14 for instance) and sometimes not (perf 12 vs perf 13).