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Seeking Some Advice About Getting Some Certifications

 
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Author Previous TopicReplies: 14 / Views: 1,095Next Topic  
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Posted 04/18/2025   6:32 pm  Show Profile Bookmark this topic Add Fredc to your friends list Get a Link to this Message
I have a few items that I'm interested in having certified and perhaps even graded. When I was a younger man I sent some things to Bill Weiss in Pennsylvania, but I know that is no longer an option.

I live in Metro New York so I can get to the PF fairly easily… do they do grading ? I will put some photos of my material that I may seek cents for……
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Posted 04/18/2025   6:37 pm  Show Profile Bookmark this reply Add Fredc to your friends list  Get a Link to this Reply
This is the first item that I am interested in having graded. I think this particular item will receive a high. Am I better off to go to the organization that grades currency?





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Posted 04/18/2025   6:42 pm  Show Profile Bookmark this reply Add Fredc to your friends list  Get a Link to this Reply
Here is the Another item that I perceive would score very highly in grading….


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Posted 04/18/2025   6:47 pm  Show Profile Bookmark this reply Add Fredc to your friends list  Get a Link to this Reply

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Posted 04/18/2025   6:50 pm  Show Profile Check eyeonwall's eBay Listings Bookmark this reply Add eyeonwall to your friends list  Get a Link to this Reply
The $5 Hamilton PB will not grade high enough to be worth grading
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Posted 04/18/2025   6:52 pm  Show Profile Bookmark this reply Add Fredc to your friends list  Get a Link to this Reply
Eye:

I appreciate your insight but for my education, can you elaborate? To me it appears pretty flawless.
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Edited by Fredc - 04/18/2025 6:53 pm
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Posted 04/18/2025   6:56 pm  Show Profile Bookmark this reply Add NicholasC to your friends list  Get a Link to this Reply
I agree with eyeonwall. The centering is off. The design is closer to left than right.
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Posted 04/18/2025   7:13 pm  Show Profile Bookmark this reply Add redwoodrandy to your friends list  Get a Link to this Reply
Fractional currency is for coin and currency grading. Top right too cropped off to see entire note to judge. You need to research the criteria for grading. Study the PF site and PMG.
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Edited by redwoodrandy - 04/18/2025 7:17 pm
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Posted 04/18/2025   9:54 pm  Show Profile Bookmark this reply Add ZebraMan to your friends list  Get a Link to this Reply
I agree that your 1053 is pretty, but it might grade an 85 because of the centering, maybe an 80 because of the inclusion in the selvedge.

Does the 631 plate block have gum breaker ridges? It looks like it does, making it a $75 item, hardly worth the price of a certificate. It needs to be missing the gum breaker ridges to make it the $575 variety. Also, imperf stamps need wide wide margins (including big portions of adjacent stamps) to get the high grades.
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Posted 04/19/2025   07:16 am  Show Profile Bookmark this reply Add rogdcam to your friends list  Get a Link to this Reply
The PF does not grade multiples other than coil pairs. Here is the PF grading guide with details and centering examples:

https://www.philatelicfoundation.or...-booklet.pdf
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Posted 04/19/2025   09:59 am  Show Profile Bookmark this reply Add fantail to your friends list  Get a Link to this Reply
Someone once said to me, when it comes to centring, sometimes turn the stamp upside down and you can see the difference. Flip you $5 block over and see. You will notice the difference right away it is centred more to one side than the other.
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Posted 04/19/2025   9:10 pm  Show Profile Bookmark this reply Add alub to your friends list  Get a Link to this Reply
the 10 cent note looks damaged:

looks like a pinhole top, center.

back looks like it is toned unevenly.
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Edited by alub - 04/19/2025 9:10 pm
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Posted 04/19/2025   9:56 pm  Show Profile Bookmark this reply Add John Becker to your friends list  Get a Link to this Reply
There are two reasons to certify.
The first is to confirm/establish identity. There is no question about the ID of any of these items.
The second is grading. These are not superior enough to get a high grade and will disappoint you for the costs involved versus the marktet value.
IMO, I echo the previous replies, these 3 are not worth certifying or grading.
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Posted 04/19/2025   10:35 pm  Show Profile Bookmark this reply Add Philazilla to your friends list  Get a Link to this Reply
I would not send these stamps for certification. The identity of the stamps is not in doubt, so you don't need the cert to be sure of what you have, so you are only looking for a grade. Only PSE will grade multiples, and the 1053 will get a 75 and maybe an 80. Certs with grades lower than 80 DECREASE the value of your stamps when offered with the stamps to sell. The Harding imperforate will probably grade 80 or 85 (because it cut too close to the top left stamp for a higher grade), but grades on imperforates are utterly trivial - you can manufacture whatever grade you like.

These are very nice blocks, but certificates are useless for them.
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Posted 04/20/2025   5:58 pm  Show Profile Bookmark this reply Add Fredc to your friends list  Get a Link to this Reply
I appreciate the insight this was very helpful.
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