Is This Spink Lot 1638 (Scott# 39) Mint?

It doesn't look like it to me.

What do you think?

It's described as unused, with small thinned spots, rather than mint. There appear to be a couple of tone spots to the surface.

https://d3ums4016ncdkp.cloudfront.n.../163/163.pdf

Hi Geoff, what is the difference between mint and unused?

Mint = some part original gum?

To me it looks like faded writing in the upper right hand corner. I see the letter a northeast of the E of Postage.

A stamp designated only as "Unused" from this era, should be assumed to have no-gum.

If it had gum, it would be explicitly called out as: OG, part OG, etc.

I'm sure it has been discussed ad-nauseum, but mint tends to imply post-office issuance state. i.e. full OG, never hinged, and so on.

Thanks txstamp. Where did you get that information? Is that what the Scott catalog says?

With regard to Unused, yes, in Scott there is a date before which Unused implies no-gum. OG carries a premium - potentially very significant. I forget the exact words, or the exact time frame -- but I'm sure for the issue in question that it absolutely applies.

In GB, "unused" means uncancelled, no gum, "mint" means some original gum, but either hinged or gum disturbed, and "unmounted mint" means what Americans call "mint never hinged" - or some call "mint"! The French terms are pretty much the same as those in GB - neuf, neuf sans charnier and neuf sans gomme, i.e. mint or neuf is always qualified if there is either full gum or no gum.

left side of the stamp is suspect for a reperf

It's toned. This is one of the few stamps that you have to be aware of fake cancels on as genuinely used examples are far scarcer and worth far more than unused.

Thanks everyone.

Scott specialized indicates all their terminology is in reference to the gum.

They list;

NH - Never hinged
OG - Original gum
Disturbed original gum
RG- Regummed

The only spot they show the term "mint" in the gum categories is for Never hinged and follows as is;

Category - Mint N.H.
Mint never hinged. Free from any disturbance

Category - Original gum (O.G.)
Lightly hinged. Faint impression of a removed hinge over a small area
Hinge mark or remnant. Prominent hinged spot; may have part or all of the hinge remaining
Large part o.g. - Approximately half or more of the original gum intact
Small part o.g. - Approximately less than half or more of the original gum intact

Category - No gum
NG - No gum, only if issued with gum.

The Farley issues without gum (as issued) state "without gum", browsed through 20 or so pages of pre-1900 listings and do not see anything for "unused"


This is per Scott specialized 2017.