Stamp Grading Characteristics (Centering, Perforations, Color, Gum & Overall Condition) Weighting?

Grading cigarette cards is straightforward, although you might not think so looking at  ebay or at some of the cards slabbed by US companies. A descending order of M-E-VG-G-F-P. A glance at the card will immediately tell you whether it has rounded corners, so is a G at best. Weighting there seems to introduce a needless complexity to a simple task.

Bear in mind that grading stamps is an American trait - not something that's used elsewhere.

You shouldn't be counting perforations - use a gauge.

I just ordered a gauge a couple days back. I need to figure out how to use it. I can say that im have allot of fun with all of this. Onwards and upwards.

Can anybody tell me how much of a grade knock if any at all we account for when one of the perforations is missing but otherwise the stamp is XF grade?

15 points.
http://psestamp.com/pdf/2009_Gradin...e_092009.pdf
See page 18.
I should add that this would be for a classic stamp. For a modern issue it may not be gradeable.

Thanks Germania!

My apologies in advance because this will not answer your question.
It depends.
Quite frankly, this question is far too vague.
If this were a Jubilee issue, then it might be very acceptable in a collection.
If this were a 1950s commemorative, then absolute FAIL, look for another one.
I understand you are trying to to make this into a science, but in many ways it is an art. To focus on one single aspect taken out of context with the other facets of a stamp can get only gross generalities in return.
Exacting questions are far more likely to get exacting answers.
i.e., show the entire stamp you have a question about.

That's interesting and I understand what you mean. Coins have similar characteristics e.g. leniency on later issue buffalo nickels that have a softer strike but still make mid mint state grades quite easily simply because that year didn't have many sharply struck examples. I have to say IMHO I do dislike and disagree as a rare copy would command more regardless due to its rarity. I have had this view for quite some time well before stamps came into the picture. I think that stamps, coins, cards comics etc should be graded based on their qualities and not on that specific characteristics of that singular issue. Oddly enough I stumbled on an article similar to my thoughts in regards to grading stamps and how it was disagreeable to the author to be issue specific and basically just have the stamp graded on the 5 main categories and not it's age or rarity. Im glad I'm not alone on this one. But hey it is what it is. I won't fight it. Thanks for the help.


Cheers

You may have missed my point a bit. I did not say there was any grading leniency based on age. To paraphrase, I meant a collector might accept classic stamps with minor faults when they would not accept the same fault in a modern (i.e. plentiful) stamp. A short perforation being one of those faults..

Also, to buy or sell a stamp, coin or baseball card, you need not agree on a "grade", only on price.