20 Cent Franklin Perf. 11 Unused?

I see no signs of cancel, slight hinge mark on back, and way off center. Looked for value, anywhere from 50c used to $65 mint.

Pic of reverse.



What would you consider to be the value of this stamp?

Assuming it is perf. 11, it is Scott No. 515. Although my 2013 Scott Specialized suggests the stamp is valued at 45 cents used and $42.50 unused, the values are based on a stamp in VF condition, which your example is not.

By comparison a Scott No. 515 on a VG grade stamp would be valued at 25 cents used and $9.50 unused -- but the unused value is assuming original gum. A hinged example without gum is likely to be worth much less. Further, it would appear that there is some sort of a crease toward the bottom center of the stamp, which would also affect its value.

A nice enough stamp to include in a collection but many would consider it nothing more than a "filler" until a well centered example could be found.

Your stamp, if perf 11, is a 515. If it had original gum, was sound, and had VF centering, it would catalogue for $42.50 (Scott 2010).

However, your stamp has no gum, has poor centering, and appears to be re-perfed on the top. Scott does not list "no-gum" prices. Retail value would be 40 to 50 cents. Unfortunately, you have a space-filler.

Cheers!

Brian

Edit: I was way behind WT1 in my response, but in my defense I had to take a phone call and this message remained unfinished for 15 mins :)

Thanks, so probably used but not cancelled, and I did not see the damage at bottom, good eye there!

What do you call a stamp that has been used but shows no cancellation?

If there is no sign of a cancellation, most people would call it "unused, no gum" - even if you were the one who soaked off a letter. These days, it is a common ocurrance for letters to go without a cancellation. I don't know how common it was back in the 1920s ...

Brian

There are LOTS of W/F "unused" without gum. How many were actually used is anyone's guess at this point. Just think about the quantity of return envelopes sent out in ads to prospective buyers that were never sent back but some collector soaked off.

During the period the stamp in question was in use, and for year before, it was common practice for stamp collectors to soak the gum off their mint stamps.

It wasn't until the late 60's and early 70's that this gum craze started, MNH.

A lot of the stamp were re-gummed to try to appease the MNH group. Lucky it's easy to tell a re-gummed stamp.

My self, an unused stamp isn't as nice as a cancelled used stamp. But each collector must decide for them selves. My view, is a Mint or Unused stamp has not completed the reason it was created!

I'm sure there are lots of collectors who would disagree with me, but this is the way I look at collectable stamps. Again, every collector has to decide for themselves what goes into their collection!

OK, you all can take shots at me now!

Dave