January 16th, 2012 — Stamp Collecting, stamp collection, stamp collector
There are a number of terms that are specific to postage stamp collecting within philatelic circles. These postage stamp collecting terms are especially important when it comes to grading stamps and evaluating stamps for their value, rarity and collectability. The more that you know when it comes to postage stamp collecting terms, the better that you will be able to benefit when it comes to buying and selling the stamps that you are collecting. Here is some of the postage stamp collecting terms that you should know in order to get the most out of this pastime.
Crease – This is a fold that is present on the stamp. Creases are rated based on how faint or how heavy they are, and sometimes they can be pressed out or ironed out of the stamp.
Fading – Fading is characterized by a lightening in the ink on the stamp from any natural cause.
Imperforate Stamp – These are stamps that are originally sold without having any perforations.
Natural Translucency – This is a condition that has been commonly confused with having a thin spot. Natural translucency is typically ignored when it comes to grading stamps.
Original Gum – This is a stamp that has gum that is still in the same condition as when the gum was originally applied by the stamp manufacturer.
Pin Hole – A pin hole is a tiny hole in the stamp that you can see light through.
Previously Hinged – What this means is that the gum on your stamp is original, but there are disturbances in the gum that have occurred after the original printing. In some cases this is a sign of tampering, while in other cases it simply occurs as a result of natural causes.
Redistributed Original Gum – What this means is that the gum on the back of the stamp has been redistributed in an attempt to hide any imperfections in the gum.
Regummed – What this means is that new gum has been applied to the back of the stamp.
Repair – This is any attempt that has been made in order to cover up previous damage that the stamp or its gum have obtained.
Re-Perforated Stamp – A re-perforated stamp is the result of an addition of perforations to the stamp in order to defraud a stamp collector.
Scrape – What this means is that a fiber disturbance has occurred as a result of a surface abrasion, detracting from the quality or the caliber of the stamp.
Staining – This is a discoloration of the original color of the stamp.
Expertized and Graded Stamps – Expertizing and grading stamps helps to make sure that you are buying the original stamp in its best possible condition to ensure that you do not pay good money for something worthless.
Photo Credits: Gibsonclaire
Originally posted 2009-09-15 03:39:35. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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November 20th, 2011 — stamp collection, stamp collector, Stamp Value, valuable stamps
Many aspiring stamp hobby collectors end up wondering if it would be possible to get rich through the collection of stamps. The truth is, no, you are not likely to turn a stamp hobby into a million dollar endeavor. Most philatelic stamp hobbyists are never going to become rich from their stamp collections. Rather, most of these collectors are going to collect simply based on the sheer joy of having their collection as well as the thrill that is associated with searching for each individual stamp. Some philatelic stamp hobby collectors get a thrill from the beauty associated with the finished collection, and they also derive joy from the camaraderie that is associated with meeting other collectors. Having said that, it is also important to know that yes, some stamps are valuable.
According to Stamps.org, for example, the 1857 3 skilling stamp from the Banco Yellow of Sweden has a catalog value which is $2,000,000. The United States 1868 1 cent Z Grill stamp is reported to have sold for a value of $935,000 in the year 1988. Assuming that you do not own one of these million dollar stamps, how much is your stamp hobby worth?
Many stamps are only worth equal to their face value or less. Some, however, are worth more. A stamp’s value is going to be based on a number of factors, including the age of the stamp, the rarity of the stamp, whether the stamp is new or used and the condition of the stamp.
- Older stamps tend to be worth more value than newer stamps. The most valuable stamps are older than 40 years of age.
- How many of the stamp is currently in circulation? A stamp that is limited edition in nature is going to be worth more than a stamp that was released in mass circulation. If there are ten or less of a stamp, it may be truly valuable.
- New and unused stamps are worth more than stamps that have already been used on a piece of mail.
- Stamps that are in excellent condition will be worth more than stamps that are in poor condition. You should be checking for imperfections such as color problems, brightness problems, ink smears and tears in the stamp.
In order to value your stamp hobby, you should buy a book that lists the stamps and their values. Make sure that you are figuring in the condition of your stamp when using these valuation books. You also need to take care to be as objective as you possibly can. Only a professional is going to b able to give you an exact answer on the value of your stamps, but these books are also quite helpful. Check online or in your yellow pages to find a professional stamp appraiser if you want to know what your stamp hobby is really worth.
Photo Credits: karen horton
Originally posted 2009-07-26 05:35:28. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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November 16th, 2011 — Stamp Collecting

Condition
The condition of stamp collectibles is a description of a stamps paper, gum (when dealing with mint stamps), and ink characteristics. The most adequate description of a stamp should be concise but still use as many words as necessary to properly describe the stamp. For example, a early British colonial stamp issued from the tropics might have many faults that need addressing, and the stamps description may be as long as a paragraph to note this. Despite this, old issued stamps with faults may still yet be very valuable due to price or rarity of pristine examples, or their possible lack of existence.
Positive Conditions -
- The stamp collectibles should have a crisp and clear printing impression that is on a line-engraved issue,
- The stamp should possess wide margins between the separations and the design itself,
- The stamp collectibles should possess rich colors as if it were hot off the press,
- There should be selvage that is attached to the stamp, especially when it comes to older issued stamps,
- Used stamps with rare or usual cancellation,
Faults -
A fault is anything that has damaged, altered or otherwise changed the stamp or the appearance of the stamp since the point in time where it was printed, except for postal marks such as a cancellation, pre-cancels and overprints.
- Gum faults include mint copies that have been re-gummed, or uncancelled copies that do not have any gum. If there is something stuck on the gum, like a fingerprint or dirt, this is also considered to be a fault for stamp collectibles.
- Paper faults include pieces that are missing, tears or holes, creases or folds or stains on the paper. If the paper has thinned because the stamp back has been peeled away in part or completely, this is a paper fault. Another paper fault involves heavy hinge remnant in stamp collectibles.
- Color faults on stamp collectibles include chemical changes in the stamp color or stains. Attempting to remove a cancellation may also change the color of a stamp.
- Perf faults include shortened perforations or perf tips that have been cut off in order to create a straight edge which indicates that the stamp was cut with a scissors. Other perforation faults include perforations that are notably shorter than others or perforations that were clearly pulled off.
- Face faults include when something is stuck on the stamp, or when the stamp is scuffed or has non-postal marks on it such as crayon marks, pencil marks or pen marks.
Stamp conditions can vary significantly from one country to the next, and the standards are not typically the same across the board based on printing technologies and region. Sometimes you will buy a stamp that is not in high condition with a note that mentions that it is very fine for the country, which explains that it will be hard to find stamps of the same high quality in that region.
Photo credits: karen horton
Originally posted 2009-11-20 03:00:50. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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