Used Scott 627 (Pse Certificate) Would You Pay $2000?

It is not as easy to get a 98 or 100 grade as might be believed, even for common stamps, but as a general rule, I advise anyone to think in terms of pre-1930 stamps to be the most difficult to find in the highet grades. After 1930, the existing supply is still large enough to insure finds of higher grades.

None of those posted here are as high as a 98. They all have a shortcoming of some kind. Disi's last copy is not nearly equal-balanced as is necessary to grade 98. The BIN at $1.49 has a spot at upper right (unless that's a photo artifact?) and the right margin is substantially bigger than the left. The one in the block looks the nicest, but until it's successfully removed from the block we can't be sure of the grade. Also, it must be remembered that to grade 98 or 100, the stamp has to be 100% sound (although that being said, I do agree with the observation that the used 100 grade has a shorter perf.......).

Bill Weiss, what are your thoughts on the 1938 Presidential Issue, in regards to easy or hard to locate consistent high grade (98-100) centering, especially with the introduction of "electric eye" technology? They seemed to have some difficulties maintaining standards during the war years; perhaps the quality of stamp production was not as important (and it wasn't) as getting the was won.) But little seems to have ever been reported. Still the technology did/did not help achieve perfection ??? (Your guidance here please I collect covers.. not stamps, and can only judge by looking a single copies. Few people know that there were rows of sensor dots printed between the stamps in consistent spots on each sheet; matching issue (in the white space) between rows; vertically and horizontally, to assure perforation row placement and intersection. Goes anyone know how the quality production standards that were set were met; or is that a "Classified Secret". That doesn't mean the electric eyes functioned perfectly, or simply were turned on. I really appreciate Bill's straight and thoughtful comments. I've learned a lot from you (Bill) (Thank you!) By the way, I have several of you books. I think they are great.

I dunno, for me a debate about the differences between a 98 (say) and a 100 has a "how many angels can sit on the head of a pin" feel to it. Sure, one can measure a stamp's centering with precision and determine its soundness, but when the subjective "eye appeal" element is added to the mix then it becomes a matter of personal taste and perception to a large extent (with regard to color, cancellation, etc.). This has always been true in determining the desirability (and hence the value) of stamps, regardless of the taxonomic nomenclature used, but a difference of thousands of dollars based on a click or two of an imaginary dial strikes me as excessive. In older terminology, it would be like trying to define the difference between XXXXF and XXXXXF.