What Is The Grade Of US First Issue Revenues Used To Determine Scott Catalog Value?

I thought it was VF, but a dealer at the APS show said that it was F-VF for first issue revenues.

Hi

To quote the 2017 Scott Specialized Catalogue, Introduction, page 10A:




Further, there is nothing in the Revenue section introduction that modifies this grade valuation level.

Jim

It also depends on which specific stamp it is, all first issues are not the same. For some F-VF is about as good as it gets.

Yes, there are a few exceptions to the Very Fine value, but these are specifically identified, for example the note under R31c.

Jim

Without knowing any specifics, the implication is that a dealer was asking more than Scott value for what was a very fine revenue stamp?

Jim

I'm going to disagree slightly. While not specifically mentioned, some of the part perfs are virtually impossible to find with left-right centering better than Fine, with VG or VG/F being the norm typically encountered.

Unfortunately, Scott does not address this reality, nor many other issues that are only discovered after considerable experience collecting and examining many revenue stamps.

The original poster may have seen an example of a revenue stamp that is almost unheard of in very fine condition, and the dealer may have asked a correspondingly high price for it.

But technically, the Scott value is for that centering.

Similar arguments have probably happened many times over the years...

Jim