Poll: Writing On Stamps

Was this something that was commonly done in the old days?

I've seen stamps for sale on ebay and the seller has put
" expertise on the back " and the back scan shows writing in pencil

I'd rather it wasn't there myself.

Stamos were and are expertised by a signature/stamp on the back in many continental European countries. Stamp dealers would also stamp the backs as advertising. But most annotations - eg of perfs or shades - are made by collectors.

I voted yes for a couple of reasons. I actually don't mind pencil marks on the backs of used/no gum stamps. It adds to the history of the stamp (in my opinion). I know that somewhere down the line someone actually handled the stamp and it was in someone's collection. It's interesting to me to think about who might have handled the stamp before me. Secondly, if you own a stamp, it's yours to do with what you want. So you have the freedom to mark it in any way you want. Whether it's wise or not is a different discussion, and even if you have a responsibility to preserve the stamp the way you receive it is a different question. I would cringe to see marks on the back of MNH stamps because you are damaging the stamp and although technically it's still "never hinged" I would argue it destroys the "mint" aspect of the stamp, making it used--the pencil was used on the back of the stamp. I personally don't write on the backs of stamps because I don't think it adds anything to the stamp.

Agree with Stampman. What with extensive catalogue, album materials and online forums available to collectors nowadays, there is no reason to ever write anything on a stamp.

In addition, how can one trust a previous owner's skill at id?
As for an "expert" handstamp, an item might have changed hands so many times over the years that you may have no idea what it originally was expertizing.

Have to vote 'no'. When I buy a stamp, the condition is important, both front AND back. I paid for both sides. Having said that, I have never turned back a stamp with writing on it, it just is something I won't do. Like separate multiples, remove selvage, or cut parts of other stamps through the design to make a 'jumbo' margin (shudder).