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
Related Posts -
All About Collectible Postage Stamps The art of collecting collectible postage stamps is a hobby that has become popular with several millions of Americans as well as people all throughout the world, including young and old alike. Many people that are just beginning with collectible postage stamps enjoy the thrill and the challenge that comes...... -
India Stamps Stamps -> Stamps -> AsiaThe first India stamps were called Scinde District Dawk, getting their name from the place of their first use in the Sindh district of India. Typically the paper stamps were on some shade of white paper with the design stamped in blue ink, and the...... -
French Stamps Stamps -> Europe -> France and Colonies Collectors of stamps that also enjoy history are commonly drawn to French stamps for many different reasons. These are unique items that often depict the struggle for freedom, and the French stamps from the colonies are considered to be very valuable as well...... -
Collectible Stamps Stamps -> United States -> 19th Century - Unused Finding the best collectible stamps can sometimes be difficult, especially if you don’t know what to look for. It’s never easy to guess when it comes to stamps, and if you are a serious collector, it pays to subscribe to stamp...... -
Antique Postage Stamps Stamps -> Worldwide -> Postal History When it comes to collecting stamps, most collectors dream of being able to find the perfect antique postage stamps. By far, these are usually the ones that are the most valuable and in many cases, they are the most visually interesting. If you are......
Related Websites -
How to deal with Debt Collectors One of the more embarrassing and frightening things that can happen to someone in the area of personal finance is to be contacted by a debt collector. During this time of economic uncertainty, more and more people are finding themselves faced with this situation. With rising food and utility prices,...... -
Starting a Baseball Card Collection There are more collectors of baseball cards than there are of any other type of sports card. It makes sense, when you think about the fact that baseball cards have been in production far longer than any other form of sports card. Baseball card collecting is a pastime rich with...... -
Potential Problems With A Fish Only Aquarium The fish only system is probably not as popular as a captive reef but there are plenty of aquarists who maintain one. There are advantages to it as well. The fish only aquarium can house fish that would not be welcome on a captive reef because they are predatory...... -
Terms in American Coin Collecting If you are new to the practice of American coin collecting, then there are a number of terms and types of coins that you are going to want to understand, otherwise they will seem confusing to you and may give you some trouble. The purpose of this post is to...... -
Collecting Rare Collectibles 102 Rare collectibles are items that are perceived to be hard to find by a collectible, and they may also be antique in nature seeing as many antique collectibles are also rare collectibles. Any item that has a high quality craftsmanship, that is relatively old in nature and that reflects the......
