Had A Very Odd Experience This Week

I had a US #244 stamp listed as never hinged. Customer bought it and wanted to send for a cert. This was fine with me. I actually thought I'd end up having to send it myself. Who buys an expensive NH stamp like that without a cert. But someone bought it. Sent it to the PF. Came back clean, never hinged. Customer wants a refund because the PF said "unused" and he is sure that unused means there is something wrong with the gum.

I explain that he is wrong and that a never hinged cert means the gum is good, but it didn't work. So fine. He returned it and the cert and now I can probably ask more - so no problem.

But here's the kicker. He sent along a PF receipt showing all the stamps he submitted. He said it was interesting because "most did not meet what was advertised".

Well what the receipt shows that the submitted and determined value was the same for every stamp.

So I expect a number of dealers are taking returns of perfectly good stamps - or being asked to.

He said he had taken "counsel" with another dealer. I'm not sure who is advising this guy, but just wow. I hope he gets better advice in the future.

My opinion only. Make sure that the stamp returned is the exact one you sold.

I kind of panicked when I saw your suggestion. But I checked - it's the same stamp. The idea that this could be some sort of scam crossed my mind, but hard to see any advantage in it.

Sorry about that. Didn't want or mean to panic you.

Sometimes the cynic in me shows up. Really hard to get him to leave.

I also hope the buyer gets better advice.

Hi risny

Yours is a great example of a great seller.

Difficult situation but
No negs for you. Well Done!

Yes you came out ahead this time.

That said, did you refer the buyer to the PF's Expertizing Term and Condition Standard for Stamps? I refer to the one as quoted below:

Never Hinged: Full original gum as applied by the printer and which is free from any disturbance. Cognizance will be taken of the normal gum condition for each issue. Gum skips, bubbles or other natural gum irregularities including short gumming will be cited where these are considered to be significant.

This information and much more can be found at the PF's list of expertizing term definitions: https://www.philatelicfoundation.or...izing-terms/

Perhaps if you point your buyer to this information, he may better understand the language of the PF Certs he receives and thus allowing education from other than the dealer from which he has taken "counsel."

Good suggestion. We had a number of back and forth mails in which I explained these things. I did refer him to the PF website specifically, though not precisely to that. It was all very polite and I tried my best to explain things while keeping it all professional.

I see no upside to acquiescing to the buyers whims. He is flat out wrong and/or playing games and in either case does not get a free pass at jerking people around. Unless of course he is given the free pass in which case he continues on the path of tying up pricey stamps and then getting his money back weeks or months later. I would play hardball but I am not a soft touch.

Perhaps someone's spouse saw a credit card statement?

Happily, the stamp seems to have survived the extra handling.

Maybe this is a cheaper way to get photos of mint stamps, as it semms to be a pattern with this buyer.