New Stamp For Me..

You know I should not be buying stamps for high dollars with out check with you guys...

anyway I got these off of auction..







some some one please tell me I made a good choice (but don't lie)
i paid 16% of the 2008 scott catalog price for MNH

I haven't even looked it up in Scott, but as I buy my British Empire KGV at between 25% and 35% of catalogue, that has to be a good deal.

it doesn't look like it has been reperferated to me.. can any tell different?

btw.. this is the same guy who sold me the broken hat columbian as a normal stamp. I did let him know it after I got the stamp..

It likely was. The 2010 Scott value for a VG MNH 30c Columbian is $145. $750 for VF MNH.

i think this is in the VF MNH category

maybe not VF but at least F-VF

SV, I was relying on Scott's descriptions from the fall edition of its 2010 Stamp Values U.S. Specialized by Grade.

The verbal description of stamp grades for sound US stamps, excluding the 1857-61 issue and the 1875 reprints, describes a VG stamp as one in which the perforations just slightly cut into the design on one or two sides.

To be graded F, the stamp is quite off-center with the perforations close to the design on one or two sides, but with white space between the perforations and the design that is evident to the unaided eye.

The benchmark VF is just slightly off-center on one or two sides and all of the frame lines will be well clear of the perforations.

so this is graded as VG or F?

I'd grade it at VG because the perfs cut into the design.

What was it described as?

I agree with tomiseksj. It is a VG grade. It is a nice example, and the Columbian series is notorious when it comes to centering issues.

it was advertised as
US 1893 Columbus set 30 cent mint**, Scott # 239
Year 1893
Country United States
Catalog # Scott # 239
Catalog value $ 750.00
condition mint never hinged
expertized no



remarks


nice color, no thins. average centering

according to my book.
Fine stamps have designs that are noticeably off center on two sides. Imperforate stamps may have small margins, and earlier issues may show the design touching one edge of the stamp. For perforated stamps, perfs may barely clear the design on one side and very early issues normally will have the perforations slightly cutting into the design.

with that description does this qualify as Fine? is an 1893 after all.

If not, then I will try to get my money back... as paid slightly more then 145.00 for the stamp..

thinking it was in the 500 to 700 range..

sellers says they will take things back...

A seller might grade this as F, and a buyer might grade this as VG. I'd go with VG. If the perfs kissed the outer frame, I might go with F, but they sort of bite into it pretty hard. In my opinion.

Should a seller listing this kind of stamp be able to list the VF catalogue value when the standard catalogue for higher-value U.S. (Scott Specialized) will have more values, for lesser conditions? I know it is "buyer beware" and all, but if the CV isn't notated as being for a better condition than on offer, isn't that a touch misleading? I'd be fine with "CV: $750 for VF" because it at least puts a buyer on notice.

What says the hive?

VG to Fine But closer to VG

My opinion.

The prices by grade between VG and VF are: F MNH $300 and FVF MNH $500.




I find it interesting that the Scott benchmark grade has increased over time.

• In my 1983 US Stamp Catalogue, "Prices quoted refer to stamps in fine condition. In most instances extra fine copies bring higher prices."
  
• In my 1996 U.S. Pocket Stamp Catalogue, "Scott catalogue value is a retail price; what you could expect to pay for a sound stamp in a grade of Fine to Very Fine."
  
• And from the 2010 Stamp Values U.S. Specialized by Grade, "This catalogue is designed to fill the needs of collectors who want to know what they might expect to pay for stamps in grades other than Scott's benchmark grade of Very Fine...Very Fine is the benchmark grade valued in the Scott Standard Volume 1 and the Scott Specialized Catalogue of United States Stamps and Covers."
  

It would be nice if sellers would list the CV's of stamps of lesser than the benchmark grade, but as long as the seller hasn't been deceptive in his/her advertising then I don't consider the practice unethical.

For one's own self-protection, I think the buyer has to become knowledgeable of the basis on which the stamps are valued.

Stampvirgin,

If it will help in your decision to keep or return, this Scott#239 is selling on Wensy for a fixed price of $210. The seller describes the condition as "mint never hinged, nice color, no thins, average centering"