Used Stamps

Do you collect used stamps? I have a general question. When stamps are worth more cancelled than mint doesn't that always mean within the correct time period? Therefore used stamps in this category that are off cover and only bare a partial cancellation w/o a date are suspect. I suppose that for very expensive items tests could be done on the postmark to see if the ink matches that used during the correct era, but that could be prohibitive. You can always have something expertized but wouldn't the service have the same problem? Just wondering. Thanks. -r

I think this really depends on the country and the stamp in question.
For example, in Canada, some of the province stamps are worth much more used, so there are many fake cancels out there. They would need to be expertized.
For cancels on more modern stamps, I would think an "in-period" cancel would be more valuable. Again, it depends on the stamp, how long it was in use for, etc.

The Scott catalog uses the term "contemporaneous" to describe the cancel or postmark being of the same age as when the stamp was issued. In the US, most stamps that have a higher value "used" are from the late 19th century or early 20th century, which makes it fairly easy to identify a period postmark versus a modern one. Of course, there are still fakes out there, so if there's a serious question on the authenticity of a postmark for stamps that command a significant premium value in "used" condition, expertization is often the only way to be sure.

US Confederate States. Many are worth more used, or close to the same as mint.


-IBFS