Very Strange Interpretation Of "Mint"

I've only been collecting for a couple years but.one thing that I really have a hard time getting my head around is how many selling refer to a stamp as mint no gum.
How can a stamp be referred to as mint when it was issued with gum but the gum has been removed.
For that matter how can a hinged stamp even be referred to as mint.
From the gLossary on this site the meaning of mint is.
MINT
" A stamp in the same state as issued by a post office: unused, undamaged and with full original gum (if issued with gum). Over time, handling, light and atmospheric conditions may affect the mint state of stamps".
This to me is a oxymoron.

Cheers, Bill

The site definition is not one used in many parts of the world. In the UK, "mint" means original gum, but previously hinged. In France, "neuf" has a similar meaning. "Unused" is the usual term here for a stamp that has no cancellation, but lacks gum. But fifty ir sixtyyears ago, "mint" and "unused" were pretty much interchangeable. In the end, it doesn't matter much as long as the term is clearly defined in, or its meaning obvious from, the listing.

Just to add that many stamps have been issued without gum, so they can still be "post office fresh" whilst "unused" or "mint, no gum".

That 'mint' definition is specific to our hobby (and as you point out there is not even consensus on this specificity). But note that outside our hobby the term 'mint' generally means something in great condition as in 'gee, your car is mint'. Having a large diversity of folks in the community increases general usages.

Folks here consistently use the term 'shade' in the general way, meaning any different color at all. Yet anyone who has ever studied color (or remembers anything from their art classes) knows that 'shade' specifically means black added to a color.

It can be an inefficient time suck when we are not specific in communicating especially when we are interacting with people from all languages. Ideally, we would go the extra effort to make sure we are specific and clear.
Don

I think it's common practice that words have different meanings in different fields, like "Shading" in painting and philately, or "Dissociation" and "Sublimation" in Chemistry and Psychology.
If one wants to be more accurate, one can replace "Shading" with "Color Varieties".
The issue of "mint" is different - it's about disagreement within one field. So it is logical to say that a hinged stamp can't be "mint", and that's why there's the term "hinged mint". Like "almost virgin".

I do not see the issue as being a disagreement, I see it as making an effort to communicate clearly.
Don

To me mint means never having been cancelled. You can use mint stamps that have no gum for postage so that makes them unused and unused is another term thrown about when a stamp has no gum. CTO stamps have gum in most cases but have no use as postage. As long as the state is clearly understood who cares. Color is so much more different and difficult.

If a person uses the term mint with context then there is not likely to be an issue. If the person says, 'mint, no gum' or 'mint, hinged' then there is little reason for heartburn; they are making the effort to communicate.
Likewise if a person says 'shade' with context then all is good. 'The stamp is a shade darker than carmine' or 'the stamp shade is more red than scarlet' shows the person is making an effort to communicate. Problems arise when people are lazy and say things like 'it is a shade of red'; leaving others to wonder if they mean a different hue (color) or a darker shade of the same color.
Don

At present I've just got a couple more Admirals to acquire and I've not had to buy any graded stamps yet.
So I ask this question because I really don't know.
Do the grading firms use the term "Mint no gum" on their Certificates for a stamp that was only issued with gum?

Cheers, Bill

The Philatelic Foundation and PSE databases are online for anyone to check. There is some minor variation over the years.

I think Studebaker's take is spot-on. A seller is not trying to deceive by saying "Mint No Gum", he/she is trying to interest seekers of mint stamps using keywords, then objectively describing the condition of the item.

One other note is that back in the day a lot of collectors did not care as much about gum state especially since stamps were mounted by hinging and many classic US mint stamps are actually priced without gum. Not having original gum does not a used stamp make.

'Uncancelled' may be a little more precise, since no one knows whether old stamps have been soaked off an envelope that went through the mails, or soaked to remove hinges or collectors' debris (album remnants, selvedge hinges, etc) .

How is uncancelled different then mint no gum?

Fish ain't bitin'.

There are currently around 700 items on ebay that say "Mint condition for it's age," that's always cracked me up.

The best ?? I have come across was a album page in a pile on a dealers table on which each stamp was neatly labelled "Unmounted mint until mounted by me"

AQ

In my not so humble opinion I think that Rodgcam has the best and most concise interpretation.