How Would You Grade The Centering Of This E12

How would you grade this stamp? Would you give a F_VF, VF, VF-XF,, or even a XF?
Though it has a couple of minor faults and pencil marking(Initials) on rear of stamp that part I can over look as no one stamp is absolutely perfect and I think the pencil lead may erase with no damage to the gum. My concern would be the price of the stamp.
The seller states it has a XF centering with pencil mark on rear. Not a bad stamp to me but is it worth 180.00?
So I'm asking would it fall in the XF column or VF column?
Also what would be your top dollar you would pay for the condition

Thanks for the time giving it is much appreciated
Newby

Fine looking stamp, but I would not pay 180 dollars for it.

Peter

I agree with Peter. Top dollar, say, $85.00. It is very well centered.

Thanks Petert4522 and rdavid for your time. Yes a very well centered piece. The local seller was was asking 115.00 for it. I'm like you as well about price but I was thinking alone the line of 65.00 tops.
I'll start there and see if he reacts at 65.00 and may go as you quoted rdavid to 85.00.
Again thanks
Newby

Hi, sometimes turn your stamp upside down, then decide.

Try giving an upside down scan.

I would not pay more then catalog for this particular example, centered somewhat to the top plus pencil marks plus not being all that uncommon.

Good advice stampsmarter I'll start looking at all stamps this way. I hadn't giving that a thought.

Thanks revcollector for your advice as well. What would you say the catalog value is for this stamp?

Newby

Actually for this shade the cat is $130 for NH and I would not pay close to that (what the pencil mark does to the NH standing is a personal decision). I was thinking of the basic shade cat of $95 which is still on the high side.

Newby Stamper, I have no late Scott so I have no idea what this stamp catalogs for. But if I may make a suggestion? Get a Scott catalog that is maybe a year or two old. Prices are still in the ballpark and you can see for yourself what they are worth.

Peter

Rev collector thanks for you time it is appreciated. Actually, not far off from what rdavid had quoted and myself of what I was thinking. Its good to be at a place with so many knowledgeable people.

Petert4522 good to hear from you again. Thanks. I have a 2012 and 2016 Scott book for prices and do turn to them but there is nothing like an answer from knowledgeable people here. The thing is anyone can look at a book and get a price on grading of a stamp but when it comes to XF and above the pic run together on me and then there is the most important part which is condition. This is where I have a little problem like deducting for faults. Bad perfs, toning, creases and so forth. Its hard for me to put a price on a stamp. Its not cut and dry for me.

I once heard a person that said that for every different fault on a stamp that would go down a grade and also heard another state they would deduct so much of a percentage off for each fault to get to an asking price. A crease was so much of a percentage, a perf was so much and so on. Its hard when there is not an established price for each. Maybe there is a nitch there?

Newby

Hi, I do not see a posting from stampsmarter in the posting, what advice was given?

typo.....he meant you, stampmaster....

Hi, oh, no problem.

I respectfully disagree with above posts, unless there is a hidden fault in stamp (pencil mark debatable)???

This stamp is centered XF-S (95) perhaps borders to Superb 98 grade. Assuming it is MNH, it is a top quality stamp and worth anywhere from 150-600$ at auction house, depending on how it graded out. The pencil mark is subject to debate as a minor fault, but I think the centering is fantastic.

However there may be a crease (scan of back --see upper left corner- I can't tell)... . thus only worth 5$ if that is crease, hopefully not.

Thanks Renden yes it was a typo. I did indeed mean stampmaster and sorry to you stampmaster for the typo.
rgstamp I don't see a crease on the back anywhere. I only see the pencil lead for the intitals. I see what you are looking at but no crease and also saw the top right corner as well that looks like a line of a crease but not a crease.
It is MNH.

Thanks again to everyone for your advice and time. I appreciate it.
Newby