Is This A True 388 - Oversaturation On Scan?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/381872609318?rmvSB=true

I don't think I would buy this without a cert, but it doesn't read well to me, plus aside from coloration and flooding issues versus a more grain backdrop, I think there are too many straight edged perfs, possibly indicating tampering.


reference
http://www.usphila.com/us/stamp/pri...t-388-page-1

Whatdya all think?

Forget the saturation, the perfs look terrible. Notice how round they all are, and how clean? I would be willing to bet that it was an imperf and someone added the perfs.

Anybody who buys ANY US flat plate coil except maybe SC 394-396 without a certificate is just asking for trouble.

There really is no "except". ALL flat plate coils have been extensively faked, even the inexpensive ones. Anyone who collects them needs to learn how to examine the perfs and the margins well enough to at least buy the inexpensive ones for themselves. As well as buying from a good dealer.

The stamp looks like a Kiusalas fake made by perforating a strip or roll of the imperforate Scott 384. Note that the perforation s are aligned between rows, a key indicator of the Kiusalas product. The examples I have a couple of pairs in the reference collection. Imperforate single line watermark auto wound coils were plentiful and many were perforated to order.

The late BillW beat this drum often so when this listing popped up and I saw the number of inexperienced buyers bidding on it I thought 'oh no'.



While true this really highlights the problem. NYStamps is making a living off of people who think they know what they are doing, who think they can pick out the deals, who think they are building good collections that one day will be worth a lot. This is why it is a slippery slope anytime someone posts it is acceptable to support NYStamps as long as you have some knowledge.

I have a fair amount of knowledge but do not trust myself to buy from NYStamps. (Knowledge will get you a job, but wisdom gets you a life.)

Want to see what quality material looks like? Try Clark's listings http://www.ebay.com/sch/m.html?ssPa...lics&_sop=16
Don

Without impugning anyone, this, I think, is the most important thing Don said. Know your limits, and don't go beyond them.

NY stamps is not for everyone, and those who shop there need to be ready for the challenge and the risk. They will sell you stamps in the raw. By that I mean they will not do much homework on a stamp, but will offer it cheaply with the suggestion that if you don't like what you get, send it back. When it arrives, study it with an informed eye right away. No one who is able to do that is going to get burned. Those who are getting burned either over estimated their ability, or got complacent and took too long.

Socrates said it ages ago, "Know thyself."

There is a recent discussion on the Philamercury board about NYStamps under the topic heading "E-Trash". According to one poster the owner of NYstamps is keeping the auction market of large lots afloat by purchasing large accumulations.

That's not what he said at all... He said: "Collectors should be grateful for his auction participation, supporting the market and buying large lots that no collector would be able to buy even if he didn't exist, as these would go to dealer underbidders."

Grateful for NYstamps...

Responding to a post further up the thread... let's not confuse quality material with material that is accurately and honestly described.

And they are not the only dealers looking to buy large lots. They are not winning these large lots with one bid.