US 209 - PSAG Vs PFE

This 209 recently sold on eBay w/ PSAG cert. IMO, it is the same stamp that was previously sent in to the PF. Any thoughts?

Many similarities. But also differences. Why punch out the unpunched perforation? And the top left corner perforation does not fit.

right and bottom perfs are clearly the same. Reperfed at top and left to improve centering!

There is a reason why Rupp and Siegel do not deal in PSAG certs unless it is absolutely unavoidable.

I agree with others. Bottom and right sides match, undeniably. PSE blew it.

Edited: Because Top isn't Bottom!

PSAG

I was concerned about some PSAG certs in the recent Kelleher auction (#755). There was one I'm forgetting which that was certed as unused, but looked like a lightened cancel. The ones I remember were about color. Lot 1204 - claimed to be a bright red brown- and lot 1228 - claimed to be a violet 70c. The colors just didn't look right on those. I know one can't trust the screen for color, but I just didn't trust the cert either. Do you guys think those look correct?

The bottom perfs have been altered as well. Check the 4th perf tip from the left, the slant direction changed. As to the right side, some of the perf tip fibers have been removed.

Craig - Great catch by the way.

rlsny - I would not touch any of the stamps that you reference without a PF cert. Problem is that those lots you pointed out have new certs that preclude the lots being placed on extension.

Here is a PSAG certified Scott US 70c from Kelleher Sale 755:



It clearly is not mint as per PSAG and the lot description. It has a not so lightened (more like faded) pen cancel.

I should note that it was not sold. But how on earth did PSAG call it out as mint and how did it end up in the catalog?

Lot 1225

https://stampauctionnetwork.com/V/v75562.cfm

Yeah, Kelleher actually withdrew that one from the sale.

PSAG calling that stamp mint is really bad. It makes you wonder how much deep diving and attention to detail they would put into something far less obvious. Kelleher listing it is right up there on the badness scale. When is the last time anyone can remember seeing something like that in a Siegel sale. The funniest part is that they did find it to be regummed!

craigk - Good eye! Thanks for exposing another reperfed stamp being pawned off as genuine.

I am not a dealer, but the opinion I express here is based upon many conversations with dealers who have been in the business for decades. It appears to me that there are a few fairly well known wholesale distributors who serve as middlemen for these stamp doctors, and for some reason, nobody is anxious to call them out and expose them. The dealers may know that these middlemen are of questionable integrity, but they continue to do business with them because they are dependent upon them to fill out their inventories. If they complain to the wholesaler about a bad stamp, the wholesaler will almost certainly plead ignorance. If there is an accompanying clean cert, as in this case, some dealers may even be tempted to just pass it on.

It irritates me tremendously that we have to rely upon expertizing entities, and yet we can't really trust their certificates. They neither tell us who the examiners were nor what methods were used to examine the stamp. We don't know what findings are unequivocal, and what is uncertain. This information would be far more useful than a completely subjective numerical grade.

Oops! Mooter blew it.

It would be interesting to find out the 'accuracy rate' of the various expertizing entities. These examples are pretty clear, but I would expect there would be arguments over lots of other opinions that are not so clear. It would also be interesting to know the 'accuracy rate' over time. Who has gotten worse? Who has cleaned up their act? Etc.

rogdcam -


Actually, Kelleher does allow extensions on lots with PSAG certs even if they are less than 5 years old because the PSAG isn't on their lists of accepted certifying entities. The same is true for Siegel, but not for all auction houses. Policies can change abruptly, so always check the Terms and Conditions of the auction house before bidding.