Why Are Some Stamps So Expensive?

Hieronymous: I haven't reviewed the terms of the Hugh Wood policy for quite some time. Thanks for the "prod" and reminder. Steve

Very true. In my case (and probably most others), the more expensive the stamp, the more sacrifices I'm willing to make. for a $5 stamp, I likely wouldn't accept any flaws, but I, since I'm not particularly wealthy, I would do so for a $500 one. In nearly all cases, I wouldn't want anything that's truly ugly - I'm more willing to accept flaws that aren't immediately visible than something seriously detracts from the appearance. I suppose if I wanted something badly enough that was valued in the thousands, I'd probably make further sacrifices and accept something that was, indeed, ugly. There are enough affordable stamps on my want list yet that I'm not really preoccupied with chasing down the few super-expensive items that are missing from my collection.

Yes. Most stamps (at least classic stamps) had a frame around the design that makes it easier to assess. Most of us just eyeball the margins, looking to see if they are even or not. Very fine centering means almost but not necessarily perfectly even margins. Extremely fine means perfectly even so far as one can tell with the naked eye. Fine means, off center but not too badly. And so on down the line. The samples in the front of the catalogue don't bother to go below fine/very fine, doesn't even illustrate a "fine" stamp. It has a category of f/vf below the "very fine," shows slightly off-centered stamps. The catalogue value is pegged at very fine.

In theory, no "real, serious collector" is supposed to ever bother buying off-centered stamps (or at least never admit in polite company at the stamp club that he has done so), but in practice, most of us plebeians are willing to compromise our high principles. . . . Well, at least I am. But whaddaIknow?

Can you post an example of an off center stamp please

I just pulled these off of ebay. Here's Scott 113, the top one being a good example of an off-centered stamp, the bottom a good example of a reasonably well centered one. If everything else about the stamps were equal (gum condition, no faults, etc) The stamp in the bottom picture would likely be worth several times the one in the top picture.

Also adding that older stamps (before about 1930 and particularly before 1900 or so) are more often found poorly centered than well centered. This is due to how they were printed. Stamps were printed on slightly wet paper, which shrank unevenly when it dried. When it came time to apply perforation holes to the sheets, the designs didn't usually match up with the perforations. This is much less of an issue with modern stamps, which are nearly always found well centered, or reasonably so.

There are some stamp issues which are nearly *always* found badly centered and well-centered examples are what's known as a "condition rarity". "Condition rarity" means that the stamp itself isn't particularly rare (indeed it may even be common) but they are rare in that condition/grade. Such condition rarities will sell for high multiples of average copies of a given stamp - sometimes hundreds or even thousands of times as much, depending on the stamp in question. The people who pay those high multiples are people with deep pockets who want the best stamp they can find and are willing to pay accordingly. Not many collectors fall into this category - not many people are willing to pay $1000 for a stamp that is commonly sold for $1, but they do exist.