Hierarchy Of Stamp Expertizers 2025

txstamp hits on an excellent, point. Some items are required to be in hand for exams and need reference materials as well.

How is it that the "reference collection" being referred to is that of the PF which was created in 1945 when APEX was started in 1903. You would think that the archives of APEX having a 42 year head start would be competitive. I'm wondering why their archives from inception is not also on line for all to see like the "early certificate" section of the PF.

I don't know who began the APEX reference collection, but the people who started the PF collection were very well off. And there were several different people, and it has continued to the present day. So it is a very large world wide collection.

The PF reference collection was purchased from John Luff's estate when they first began in 1945. It contains examples of almost all of the known special printings including ones like 180 and 181, both are extremely rare. If I remember correctly they have all values of the bluish papers. While condition is not always the best, the stamps are important from an expertizing.
APS reference collection is long in forgeries and genuine items are normally donations. They tend to rely on their expertizers reference material.
PSE's original reference collection was formed by Randy and may have left with him when he formed PSAG.
I am not sure about PSE's current reference collection, but I know Scott Murphy uses his own collection and PSE may well have put together a company collection as well.

Side question - I have a suspected 64a that's not really worth much but would like to get looked at anyway just to confirm the shade.

On the recommendation of a few folks, I reached out to Bill Crowe via email/phone, but received no response. Any recommendations for another set (or sets) of eyes?

Larry Lyons, the executive director of the PF has a very large collection of forgeries as well. And they do have all the bluish papers.

That's really interesting info on reference material, thanks for that.

I cannot speak to other areas, but I would not trust a PSE cert on U.S. revenue material issued since they took expertizing inhouse. I have no idea who is doing their inhouse revenue expertizing, but they are no expert IMO.

Nice to have access to the Royal Collection if needed -

https://rpsl.limited/

My hierarchy for 3c 1851-61
Ioagoa, Sinclair2010, txstamp, ClassicCoins.
And it's free.

Sorry, just havin' some fun.