"Expertly Regummed" - A Phrase That Needs To Die

I see (and sometimes buy) stamps that are advertized as "expertly regummed" sometimes with further commentary like, "Looks MNH!" Those stamps are ungummed stamps with a fraudulent attempt to appear gummed and I don't know why anyone would want fake gum on their stamp. Reputable dealers use this bogus phrase, and I don't know why they would want to me known for touting fradulent aspects of their stamps. If you are a dealer (please stop saying "expertly regummed) and why do you do it? Do buyers pay more if you do?

I agree that this is a pretty useless phrase, but the dealer's who use this - in my experience, auction houses - have to present the material in the sale in the best possible light.

If you look at the auction realizations for stamps with this designation vs. the same stamps with hinge marks or never hinged gum, you will notice the prices are dramatically lower, as they should be.

The danger is that some less scrupulous dealer will buy it, and then offer it as genuine, MNH material.

I am happy that at least they are mentioning it. And as Stampman2002 mentions, it helps prevent mindless reselling. I cannot tell you how many sellers I've talked to that use the excuse, 'Regummed? I do not know, that is the way I bought it'.

One of the more infamous seller (NYStamps), added this blanket statement to their listings.."Some stamps could be expertly restored, regum, or repaired." after we pressured them to better described the quality of material they peddle.

It is far better that a seller at least mentions it than not saying anything at all.
Don

Sure, "expertly regummed" is better than lying about the stamp, but I don't think "not lying" is good enough. I'd like to see honest dealers and collectors soak the fake gum off their "expertly regummed" stamps so that the stamp isn't sold as a genuine gummed stamp again in the future.

I like the statement because it is forthright. I do not see the upside to selling the stamp minus the clarity. The reality is that the stamp is going to be on the market. As far as soaking, no auction house can take a consigners items and do anything intrusive with them.

I agree with rogdcam.

Collectors are free to soak "suspect gum" off their stamps, but I think that is getting silly.

I would never soak the gum off an unused stamp, either certified or not for the following reasons.

1. Even the most expert dealer can be wrong in his/her opinion. I once purchased a US Scott #109 from a very well known and respected dealer whose name is not necessary to mention but would be immediately recognizable to all here. The stamp, uncertified was sold and advertised as "probably regummed". The selling price was $750 against a catalog at that time (1995) of around $4250. I thought that was a reasonable deal so I purchased it and promptly sent it to PSE—->"genuine unused og."

2. If resold with a certificate that Reads "genuine but regummed" and makes no mention of any other faults, I would prefer leaving all intact. If a subsequent owner wants to wash off the gum, that would be their business but I would worry about the process and manipulation of the stamp during the wash off creating faults not previously present

I do like to know that the dealer thinks it's been regummed. That helps me know what to pay, and I'd certainly hate to find out long after buying the stamp that I'd paid too much for something that had been doctored.

Aa far as the regumming itself, the seller most likely isn't doing it. Someone else probably did it, and they're the one who is the problem. Why would anyone do that unless they intended to deceive someone?

I have no problem with repairing a stamp to make it look better -- as long as that is clearly pointed out. The problem of course comes over time as later owners and sellers will forget to mention it. That's not so good and can be very bad indeed. It's a very good idea to carefully and immediately inspect all non-cheap stamp purchases you receive instead of just putting them away. At least hold each stamp up to the light and look for thins, tears, and other odd things. A good seller will accept a return if there's a problem not described.

Of course a dealer should say a stamp is regummed if it is, but "expert regumming" is like saying "expert cheating." Regumming is an attempt at fraud. I do actually soak gum off regummed stamps.

I am not understanding what removing gum accomplishes.

"Expertly regummed" is really just a way of saying that the back doen't look like an elephant with stomach trouble sat on it. Which many bad regum jobs do.

I am with the group that the seller usually is telling you that the gum looks like it original gum but it is not. Of course, one could take stamp and resell as OG, etc.

OK, but are you 100% accurate in determining regums? You've never made a mistake and soaked original gum off? I don't know an expertizer who would claim 100% accuracy...the "expert regums" can deceive even the best :-)

BTW, I'm one of the full-time dealers who uses "expertly regummed" and have done so for 20+ years. There are jobs that are crude, and there are jobs that are VERY deceptive (ditto for reperfs, and yes, I describe those as "expertly reperforated"...)

Collectors pay a lot of extra money for a better appearing stamp, e.g. better centering, better cancellation, etc. Expertly done regums/reperfs (expert alterations in general) have a better appearance than crude alterations, and that's the primary reason they sell for more, and the primary reason they're described as such.

Soaking fake gum off stamps is a service to future collectors and also removes whatever unknown substance is stuck to the bottom of a stamp. Unless it is obvious that a stamp is regummed, I rely on the opinions of the PF or PSE before soaking gum off a stamp. Oh man, srailkb, "expertly reperfed" goes another level deeper - reperfed stamps are damaged stamps, no matter how good they look. I know some collectors don't mind reperfed stamps, but zero of them want to pay the price for an undamaged stamp. Why not just say something like "reperfed, but excellent-looking stamp" or something instead of praising the work of a fraudster, and potentially encouraging the resale of a damaged stamp as a undamaged one? What do you do with great looking fake coils, which are often unperforated stamps that have been "expertly reperforated?"

...because "expertly reperforated" is a more concise way of saying "reperfed, but excellent-looking stamp"

Nobody pays the price of an unaltered stamp for an altered one, all other things being equal, but the quality of alteration affects the price. The discounts/deductions vs. sound vary accordingly.

Not to push you over the cliff or anything, but I also occasionally describe stamps as "crudely regummed" and "crudely repeforated" too, LOL.