How Did Early Collectors Keep Stamps Mnh??

Personally I'm grateful to those who chase after MNH. It makes perfectly fine hinged stamps that much more affordable for the rest of us.

I seem to have accidently started a big discussion. While interesting, I wasn't looking for a debate on MNH vs. MH vs. USED, etc. I was looking for a "clinical" answer, I suppose.

BUT, I will add a small amount of fuel to the fire: a classic MNH stamp with no faults is a "survivor". A classic antique vehicle that is original with few faults is also a "survivor" and often carries a premium. Antique toys, antique signs, etc. carry a premium when "MNH".

So why not stamps?

THEN AGAIN, antique furniture often, to some collectors, is worth MORE when covered in the grime of 100-200 years. It is "patina" and cherished.

Agree 100%. A Lightly Hinged copy sells for so much less than the "pristine" NH version for so many countries when the main difference is a slight mark on the back of the stamp. From the front you can't tell one from the other, but one costs 50 to 80% less (or even greater in some cases like Germany).

Just had another thought... are mint stamps, regardless of whether or not they have been hinged, even rarer from wet/hot/humid countries?

;-)

No, but they're often "tropicalised" - i.e. the gum is deeply toned, spreading to the rest of the stamp. It's one reason why collectors soaked mint stamps - preserves the rest of the stamp.

Nells250 - good on you to try to rein in the topic. You ask a very good question and there may well not be a standard answer. 50 - 100 years ago auctions were something only maybe 1/10 of 1% of collectors ever encountered. And I'd argue it was the auction houses and the investors (as mentioned by someone) who gave us the MNH tyranny.