Quick Question - When Did The PF Start Calling Out NH

As I understand it, older certs from the PF would just say OG for never hinged stamps and would say "OG, previously hinged" if not NH. When did that practice change? Thanks!

I want to say the late 90's or early 2000's.

Not sure. I have a NH Scott 227 or 259 that as I recall was described as unused Og and the PF cert reads "genuine.". This would have been in the early to mid 1990's so I'm thinking later than that. I would have bought a stamp like that while I was still in Philadelphia—ie pre 1997.

If my memory serves me correctly, the term previously hinged was introduced with certificate 158,000 and never hinged was implied if the stamp was described as OG with no qualifications. Starting with certificate 275,000 it was announced that the term Never Hinged would be used in place of the implied system. I am not sure about the actual first certificate number with the term Never Hinged as PFSearch is not cooperating this morning.

Bill, so before ~158,000 if a cert just said OG, you could not be sure if it was previously hinged or never hinged? I just bought one with a cert around 137,000 that looks and was sold as NH. But the cert just says OG. Will people not take that to mean NH? It's old, so I suppose a new one would be nice, but I'd just like to understand where I'm starting from. Thanks.

Certificates prior to 158,000 only comment on whether or not it has original gum and does not imply never hinging. They decided to add "Previously Hinged" to the certificate to make their opinions clearer and less subject to manipulation. This was done at the suggestion of Herbert Bloch who was Chairman of the Expert Committee at that time. The use of the term "Never Hinged" was at my suggestion.

Very interesting. Thank you.