Siegel Offering The Edward Morton US Collection In April

rodgcam: I don't see another logical explanation for mutilating a rare strip other than creating a contrived highly graded single specimen when maybe the grade of that stamp judged on its own as part of that strip would not have achieved that grade. Of course, I don't hear anyone suggesting that expertization committees decline to grade such contrivances as they reject grading stamps with small flaws. That I think would useful. In that respect I have less problem with grading a jumbo recent stamp if the seller thinks he possible realization is worth the cert cost. Certainly the expertizers in that situation are providing a service for a stamp that has not been mucked with in which case free market forces apply.

Rev: you say there is a difference between a grade of 95 and 98 as between 98 and 100. What exactly are those differences that the naked eye can see? I am referring to the visual and physical attributes of the stamps themselves not the auction realization between those grades. I am unconvinced that the grading between 95 and 100 is reliably replicated among the major expertizing services grading the same stamp either at the same or different times.

In fact I recently came across a premium stamp from the nineteenth century where not only the grade but the Scott # was discordant. A 24 cent 1861 called 70b and graded 90 by one organization and 70d and graded 85 by another. How does grading clarify that mess? Which of those two choices would you take? If you knew which organization was which it would deepen the conundrum.

To see the differences with a naked eye requires seeing a lot of gradable stamps in person along with having the ability to ask someone who has that ability for advice. The differences are small and require in hand examination. If one has an eye for that kind of detail, then it is possible to train oneself to see the differences in margin width on a given stamp using a 10x glass. Perhaps because I collect double transfers I am used to looking for small detail differences, and this is another form of doing that. At least to the point of seeing that one margin is larger or smaller then the opposite side, and in relation to all four. I am fortunate in having multiple people with vast grading experience that I can discuss the subject with. I consider myself only OK at best in this area, but I do see a lot of stamps in more normal times.

Is it reliably replicated. Absolutely not, in my opinion. But that is a function of human behavior, I have felt for many years that the submitter of hundreds of items a year is going to get better results then the person who submits one, or five. It is not easy to prove though.

The numerical grading for centering is done using grading software, not using the naked eye. The PF used a popular grading software product at one time that SCF will not allow to be mentioned due to spamming issues in the past. Not sure if the PF still uses it.

I agree on lot 94 - $2100 is a lot for that.

#24's are not rare. I'm sure one to your liking will come along for under $2K.

They are still using a human eye to see it, and any item that is right at the edge of a grade is going to be given the grade that the observer decides to give it. If an item is 95% of a grade then which way it is rounded is in the hands of the observer.

Rhett - I had to drop out of the competition for lot 94, too. It was a great looking stamp, but I could see early on that there was lots of interest, and it was clearly unlikely that any bargain was to be had. However, Siegel has sold the same stamp at least twice before (Sales 1024 and 1061) for even more money.

Your #34 (lot 125) is a very nice stamp. I opted for the sexier, but ungraded, lot 126. It might not grade higher than a VF-XF 85, but I feel like I got a nice stamp, regardless.

I got outbid several times by I252. Anyone reading this willing to tell me if that's you? I was I10.

I know for a fact that others agree with this suspicion.

I didn't bid in this sale, but just now, while I was admiring the nice #34's you guys are discussing, I noticed lots 127 & 130 nearby.

The cover to Mexico is great.

The #36 with the true green cancel is a fabulous rarity. You just don't see "greens" like that on 12c stamps.

Rev & txstamp, agree about lots 94 and 335 - was just trying to upgrade those stamps. My only real regret was not getting lot 452. That stamp in that grade is very scarce.
Lorry, I think I did well on lot 125 and I think you did well on lot 126. In fact 126 was my backup plan in case of failure to win 125. My paddle number was I210. I don't know who I252 was. There were a lot of heavy hitters willing to go long to get what they wanted.

I thought the St Louis bears on cover (Lots 1 and 2) went cheap - I think the postal history guys ignored the sale

You're right, those are nice Bear covers.

SPQR - I agree, especially on lot 1.

It opened surprisingly cheap, so I jumped in, and bid. I quickly got cold feet because I wasn't really prepared. It just wasn't a lot that I anticipated being able to buy within budget, but it ended up selling for just one increment over my top bid. It was a fault free stamp with three nice margins, just touching on the right, and tied with a beautiful cds cancel. I could kick myself for dropping out, but I suspect the telephone bidder was prepared to go much higher. I'll never know. Why didn't you bid, SPQR?

I blew my budget in the Dubois sale two weeks earlier on material that was more important to my collection. Also, I assumed the covers would sell above catalog and didn't pay any attention to sale until the prices realized came out. If I had been on-line I might have jumped in.

rogdcam, thanks for your earlier congrats on my lot wins!