How Can You Tell If You Have A Re-Gummed Stamp?

I bought a collection recently and have been selling singles on ebay for a while. One person returned one stamp because he thought it was re-gummed. There is a lot of older stamps that are unused with gum but how can I be sure if they are original gum or re-gummed?

Also, how is a stamp with a Mint value of $100.00 affected when it is re-gummed? Is it worth the same?.....cuts it in half? And what if the re-gummed is not hinged.

And how should I list them if they are re-gummed? List them as unused? Unused with back damage? Other????

Thanks,
Robert

In general, for classic U.S., the value of a regummed stamp is the same as for an unused stamp with no gum.

If a stamp is regummed it should be described using this precise term: "unused, regummed." If a stamp is regummed it matters not one iota whether it has been hinged or not. If a seller were to describe a stamp as "regummed, NH" then that seller would be subject to some well-deserved ridicule in this forum.

There are many reference sources available that address the question of identifying regummed stamps (here's one: https://www.amazon.com/Detect-Damag.../0873414543). One giveaway on perforated issues is if the perf tips are dark (gum-soaked).

Go to Stamp Smarter http://www.stampsmarter.com/BuyingO...ndition.html
Select 'regum' from dropdown box, look at the images from previous listings which were identified as regum stamps.
Don

Hi because of weather conditions, the majority of 19th and early 20th century stamp collector would soak off the gum, other wise with weather conditions gummed mint stamps were thought to be over time became damaged!

Stampmaster

Thanks for the replies. I will need to further look into what I have so I do not list them incorrectly.
Thanks for the info everyone.
Robert

There is a Dutch dealer on ebay who does just that. He also sometimes uses the term "New Gum, MNH." Guess what that means?

How does one "re-gum"? Is it legit or some kind of fraud?

http://www.stampsmarter.com/learnin...LostGum.html
Don

Thanks Don. One disadvantage of this method is that you have to match the target stamps with the same type of gum on the donor stamp.
Or maybe it doesn't matter, and having a 100 y/o stamp with modern gum is acceptable?

I can think of few situations where anyone would want to try to replace/restore gum on a stamp. Also note that Bill's article only describes the most basic method of regumming. That method typically leaves gum build up on the edges and perf tips of the stamp making it fairly easy to identify a regum.
But there are other ways to regum including using a very fine airbrush, done properly on a very lightly hinged stamp this can be very hard for a hobbyist to detect.

Determining the correct gum type is important in identifying a regum. This requires significant knowledge of gum types for the era stamp that is being examined. Again, this can fall outside the experience of many casual hobbyists.

On the earlier, classic era stamps I always am suspect of a nicely gummed stamp; these give me pause and drive me to start looking a lot closer at the possibility of regumming or gum touchups.
Don

In general there is no legitimate reason to regum a stamp. A regummed stamp value is the same as an ungummed stamp and adding gum can do damage.

Some regummers have gotten very good and can be very difficult to detect. There are a number of articles out there that can help. I think the best way to detect a regum is if you have examples of legitimate original gum from the same series of stamps to compare it to. That is, if all the stamps from the series have a brownish tint to the gum and you get a stamp that is whitish gum that's probably a give away. Unfortunately many of us don't have the inventory to do that, but that plus experience is probably the best way for most of us.

Here are a few clues I use:

original gum is generally smooth and even. It might be discolored, but in general it shouldn't be all crackly with lines criss-crossing.

Original gum is applied to the whole sheet. Then when a stamp is separated, little bits of paper fiber get exposed at the tips of the perfs. When a stamp is regummed it is hard to avoid getting gum on those tips. So if the fuzzy bits have gum on them it is a sure sign of regumming. To prevent this detection some regummers will slice the ends of the perfs. So if all the perfs are cut straight and there are no fuzzy bits - that is suspicious.

I can't say I'm an expert at this, but I think I can detect most regummings. Eventually the certification folks have tools and experience way beyond what most of us have. I've had stamps I thought were OG come back as RG. As regummers get better at disguising their work it gets harder for us.

Fraud, pure and simple.

risny - some good tips. Thanks for sharing.
Robert