So They Tell Me The Stamp Market Is Crashing?

Numismatics is quite different- there is a strong (though certainly not absolute) preference for graded material given the wide range of grading steps used in that hobby and the different price points between some of the grades. But even there, when you look at how some coins are graded, you see there are times that limited attention is paid to quality. One example is Buffalo Nickels, which are notorious for the frequency of very weak strikes and the resultant loss of detail. Yet grading services look mainly at the surfaces and marks on the coin but ignore the quality of the strike. It's the same shortcoming as ignoring pulled perfs and other flaws in favor of centering.

There are definitely people out there who can tell a 95 from a 98 by sight. Perhaps not very many, but there are some.

I do not believe anybody exists that could tell a 95 from a 98. It would be interesting though to take 95 and 98's for a few different issues with PSE certs and see what those savants say.

Scott 76 brown. grade 90J PSE



Scott 75 red brown, grade 95 PSE. (highest known- 6 others at 95)



these are listed in upcoming auction one next to the other. I would prefer the auction house ask the "whats up with that grade"? Probably auction house should have not put them side by side. Everyone looks ridiculous

But I'm not afraid to ask?

Huh on that bottom stamp? How the **** is that top-to-bottom centering a 95???

Regardless, the aesthetics on a good jumbo will IMO almost always trump a higher graded non-jumbo... but that judgment will vary from collector to collector.

It is a joke because you ate grossly overestimating the number of surviving mint examples.

Sure if you are not confident in your ability to prescreen candidates spending $30 on a cert is a risky proposition, but if you are reasonably certain you found a high grade (95 or up) 2c Columbian, the cost of getting it graded will be more than repaid if you sell it.

Many of the buyers of high grade material sit back and wit for it to be presented to them, but there are plenty of people looking for high grade material to present to them. If they were as easy to find as you think, prices would have collapsed long ago (which did happen for the graded modern era commems)

I do agree with those that find fault with grading that fails to take note of things like short perfs.

I know some very long time professionals who can differentiate grades to a very large degree by sight. It's just like any other skill, some people are better at it then others. And some people practice it more then others. In essence it's no different then the fact that some people can barely hit a slow pitch softball and some people are major league hall of fame hitters.

eyeonwall-Do you really think that saying that 97% of a given stamp has been used is a "gross overestimation"????? Perhaps you don't realize just how many 1.4 BILLION is. It was hardly the only two cent stamp around at the time, it was a widely publicized issue that collectors had been waiting for and talking about for years, and it was a low value that most collectors could easily afford for decades, and still can (for the most part). The idea that 3% did not get used is not only not a "gross overestimation", it might be a bit low. I have seen large lots containing hundreds of mint examples, including 50-60 MNH. It's one of the most likely to find mint stamps in a collection or accumulation of 19th century US stamps there is, although there are a few others.

I purchased a bulk lot last year that over 1000 examples. Broken hats and all. Like communists they are everwhere!

I'm going to have to side with revcollector. The numbers just don't add up any other way to me. I think if all the stamps were on the market if would dramatically drive prices down on graded stamps.

Now I don't mind people searching out and freely paying what they want for a highly graded stamp. That is how the free market works I think they may be crazy but it is their choice.

But when you look at the numbers of stamps printed and understand how many sheets were bought by dealers etc and are still off the market you have to pause. Actually you might be a little concerned if they would all hit the market.

Hey I could be wrong but I think the numbers work more for me than against me.

I don't know, 3% of 1.4 billion is 42 million, or at least a couple dozen or more per American collector. I'd think they'd be selling for little over face value if there were that many of them still around, even understanding that many have left the country by now.

It's not just collectors, it's dealers. Imagine how many examples Mystic must have. Or Gary Posner, or Henry Gitner. Or 100 other smaller local dealers who might easily have a couple of hundred spread out in collections and stockbooks. How many Columbian specialists have dozens or hundreds because the two cent has numerous plate varieties both major and minor? How many collectors have their childhood collection separate from what they collect now but keep it for sentimental reasons and have a couple?