Straight Edges...

Again, sorry if this question has been asked, but I can't seem to find anything of value in the search.

My question is: How does a straight edge affect the value of a stamp?

From what I've been able to gather it seems that it drops the value significantly (cat. value) but I'm not sure.

Just curious what you experts have found.

thanks
wp62

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I'm far from an expert, but from what have seen natural straight edges do affect the value negatively. In some countries a booklet single, with one or more straight edges, is valued lower than a sheet copy that is perforated all around. But on the flip side, there are also countries where booklet singles have a slight premium attached to the value. For me personally, naturally occurring straight edges don't bother me as much as most. After all, they were made that way and are actually less common.

Straight edges on sheet stamps indicate the area of the sheet from which they originated. Decades ago, when I collected U.S. Stamps, straight edge stamps were considered undesirable. It was pointed out that a large percentage of straight edge classic stamps had been reperforated.

Logic would indicate that straight edge U.S. classics should carry a premium. I doubt that this is the case, although I haven't kept up with them.

I believe most serious collectors recognize straight edge booklet stamps as separate and distinct varieties which carry a different value from sheet stamps of the same design.

people dont like them but the good new is if you dont care you can save alot of money filling your album

I agree, straight edge stamps are not generally in favor when fully perforated copies of the same stamp are available. And yet, straight edge stamps used to be sought-after by collectors who assembled mini-panes showing the corner and edge positions.

Here is part of a pricelist c1935 showing considerable premiums for sheet corners showing both guidelines.





And a sample mini-pane assembled from Black Harding stamps found in an old timer's collection:


The mounting makes a nice group with the outer colored line, but of course it does not represent the way the original stamps were positioned on the sheet coming from the press.

Booklets are often an entirely different matter. Here is a pair with straight edges at left and right which quickly prove its booklet origin.



So a straight edge can be a blessing or a curse depending on your collecting interests. Challenge yourself to find a complete set of natural straight edge Columbians when so many of the higher value ones have had their straight edge perfed to "improved" their marketability.

I don't mind them as it is part of the sheet. I like them better when the vignette is centered.

I don't mind them and have saved money over the years

I guess I'll pose my question here. I've been reading that natural straight edge stamps are less desirable. Usually when I save booklet singles I try and save one of the corner positions, my thinking is, since there are fewer stamps in these positions it should add a small premium. That seems kind of logical to me, but am I wrong? Are these corner stamps less desirable? Why is this so? Are perforated edges considered more attractive?

Hi Bill,
You have the logic right on the 'supply' side of the equation, mathematically straight edges are less common than fully perforated stamps. But the 'demand' side of the equation also sets the market value and collectors simply prefer fully perforated stamps. I always assumed that this preference was aesthetic.
Don

Don is correct. It's a matter of symmetry. In general a perforated stamp with a straight edge is perceived to be "unbalanced", just as an off-center example would be. However, a genuine straight-edge stamp is far preferable to a fake reperforated one, IMO.

In the Michel USA guide you will find for the older US stamps many detailed differences for booklet stamps, for example 1902/03, 1908 or 1910 issue. The price for the booklet straight edges is much higher (for me even too much), especially for the ones with 2 straight edges at the corner. I do not collect them but I also think there is a logical error even on the demand site :), when you see how much the whole booklet panes are valued, but nobody wants the booklet singles. I think all this is also part of the grading thing, or do PF and PSE grade stamps with straight edges at all?

OK, I've got to find out...
I was looking at the current thread about the newly rediscovered inverted Jenny and went to the site someone linked that showed each stamp in their original positions on the sheet. I coldn't help but notice that a few of the straight edge stamps had, at one time, been reperfed. In fact, at least one was reperfed and the fake perforations trimmed off, creating a new "straight edge"

So, my question is: How does trimming off a reperf job affect the value, versus the previously reperforated stamp, versus the original straight edge?

To me, cutting off the reperforations results in a damaged stamp. In the case of the Inverted Jenny, they didn't do a very good job of removing the reperforations--you can still see some of the holes.

Robert

Once a stamp is damaged (like reperfing), you cannot undo the damage. Cutting off fake perfs results in at best, an equally damaged stamp.

With many people they just toss them which leaves less of the straight edges and counterfeiters putting perfs on them; again less straight edeges. One day they(true stsight edges) will be disireable again and collectors will be wanting them. Not saying it will be today or next month but I feel in a few years these stamps will be desireable. They are stamps and they are produced the same way. History will and does repeat itself. MHO.