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CLASSIFYING STAMP CONDITION
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CLASSIFYING CONDITION.:

                                                 HOW  TO  ASSESS  THE  CORRECT  DESCRIPTION OF A POSTAGE STAMP                                                                

                                                                                   APPEARANCE AND DAMAGE  ASSESSMENT                                                                                  

                                                                                                                                                                               ENTER y/n/number/% TO GAIN A SCORE 

                         
            PERFORATIONS                                                                                                                                                    FRT      BCK    TOP     RGT        BOT    LFT     
 
  1. ARE THEY EVEN[E] OR UNEVEN[UE]?
                      
      2.   ARE THERE PAPER FIBRES EMANATING FROM THEM?{POSS SIGN OF WEAR}                 
      3.   ARE ANY 1/4 BLUNTED?                
      4.   ARE ANY 1/2 BLUNTED?                
      5.   ARE ANY 3/4 BLUNTED?                
      6.   ARE ANY COMPLETELY MISSING?                
      7.   ARE ANY ATTACHED BUT CREASED?                
      8.   ARE ANY ATTACHED BUT TORN?                
      9.   RUST OR FOXED SPOTS VISIBLE ON FRONT  PERFS?                 
    10.   RUST OR FOXED SPOTS VISIBLE ON BACK PERFS?                
            GENERAL DESIGN.                
    11.   ARE THERE ANY PEN, PENCIL, CRAYON, INK OR OTHER SIMILAR MARKS?                
    12.   ARE THERE ANY AUTHENTICATION MARKS ON BACK?{usually by expert/dealer/Society}                
    13.   ARE THERE ANY PAPER ADHERANCES[other than normal stamp hinges or remnants]?                
  NOTE-YOU COULD ADD A PERCENTAGE FIGURE  FOR SOME ANSWERS ROUGHLY CALCULATING THE AREA THAT PAPER,STAINS OR HINGE/S COVER.                
    14.   HOW MANY HINGE REMNANTS CAN YOU DETECT?                
    15.   HAS/HAVE  THE HINGE/S BUCKLED THE STAMP IN ANY WAY?                
    16.   HOW MANY STAINS CAN YOU SEE?{ %?}?                
    17.   ARE THERE ANY RUST OR FOX SPOTS OR LARGER AREAS OF FOXING?{other than on perfs}                
    18.   IS THE VISIBLE GUM TONED FAIRLY EVENLY ALL OVER?                
    19.   ON CLOSE EXAMINATION DOES THE STAMP SURFACE SEEM RUBBED OR WORN?                 
    20.   ARE THERE ANY HOLES?{PIN, OR A HOLE CAUSED BY A HEAVY PRESSED CANCEL}                
    21.   ARE THERE ANY TEARS UNREPAIRED{UR}OR REPAIRED {R}?                
    22.   ARE THERE ANY CREASES VISIBLE ON FRONT/GUM BENDS CREASES ON BACK?                
    23.   IS THE REAR GUM CRACKLED?                
    24.   IS ANY GUM MISSING{exposing the stamp paper}?                  
    25.   HAS ANY PRINT BEEN REMOVED TO REVEAL THE PAPER?                 
    26.   IS THERE STAINING FROM AN OVER-INKED POST OFFICE CANCELLING STAMP?                 
    27.   ARE THERE ANY PRESSURE IMPRESSION/S OF INK FROM OTHER STAMPS OR FROM ALBUM PAGE INK?{USUALLY CAUSED BY BAD STORAGE}                
    28.   DOES THE PAPER APPEAR TO BE DIFFERENT THAN DESCRIBED BY A CATALOGUE?                
            {PAPER DISCOLOURATION CAN BE CAUSED BY FOXING AND SOAKING USED STAMPS}                
    CENTERING                
 

  29.   A PERFECTLY CENTERED STAMP TELLS US THAT THE PERFORATIONS HAVE BEEN CORRECTLY APPLIED WITH FULL EVEN MARGINS ALL ROUND IN RELATION TO THE PRINTED STAMP.  BECAUSE THE AMOUNTS OF UNPRINTED PAPER WE ARE DEALING WITH ARE VERY SMALL, THEN WE HAVE TO ESTIMATE THE AMOUNT OF SHIFT AS 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 AND FULL SHIFT {TOUCHING THE EDGE OF THE PERFORATIONS}.

QUESTION: WHAT IS THE SHIFT  TOWARDS ANY MARGIN?{ IF NOT WELL-CENTERED, THEN THERE CAN ONLY BE A SHIFT IN ONE OR TWO DIRECTIONS}

Any shift further than the perforations must be regarded as a complete mis-perforation.

                
                   
                                                                A QUESTION OF DEGREE??                                                                            
    The most perfect unmounted mint stamp{mint never hinged}should be PERFECT in every respect with no damage. The more visible damage the less valuable the stamp becomes, notwithstanding that scarce stamps are sold in many conditions including as damaged space-fillers.                
   Using the chart above, may give you a better insight into the real state of a stamp, rather than that gained by a swift perusal. It is advisable when buying at a distance {Internet Auctions etc} to ask the seller for a scan of the back or backs of a stamp or set. All the above apply to mint stamps and most to used stamps.                
   The next section adds more factors to look for when examining used stamps, but I have not covered imperforate stamps which do not belong to Edward 7th's era.                
                                                       ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FOR USED SETS                
   This section only covers perforated used stamps.                
   A common fault found with used stamps is the  discolouration of the paper caused by soaking the stamp from an envelope, especially when soaked with other stamps on other types of paper. Hence there is a soup of gum, dirt and ink[sometimes fugitive colors!} which our stamp absorbs.If you happen to include an aerogramme,then it will likely ruin everything else with the red and blue fugitive inks that have been used.So for the chart::                
   30.  IS THERE ANY DISCOLOURATION OF THE PAPER?                
   31.  IS THERE ANY FADING OF THE INK OF THE CANCELLATION WITH   WASHING/FADING/PALING OF THE PRINT?                
   CANCELLATIONS.                
   32. IS THE CANCELLATION A THIMBLE OR STEEL CIRCULAR TOWN AND DATE STAMP?                
   33. IS THE CANCELLATION THE ONLY ONE ON THE STAMP?{IF NOT HOW MANY?}                
   34. IS THE CANCELLATION PART OF A THIMBLE OR STEEL CIRCULAR DATE STAMP?                
   35. IS THE CANCELLATION A REGISTERED CANCEL?                
   36. IS THE CANCELLATION A PARCEL CANCELLATION?                
   37. IS THE CANCELLATION THE NUMBER PART OF A TOWN CANCELLATION?                 
   38. IS  PART OF THE CANCELLATION MISSING?                
   39. IS THE CANCELLATION CLEAN,CRISP AND CLEAR?                
   40. IS THE CANCELLATION SMUDGED OR UNCLEAR?                
   41. IS THE CANCEL UPRIGHT AND SQUARE ON THE NOSE?{centrally placed and upright}                
   42. IS THE CANCEL A WAVY LINE CANCEL?                
   43. IS THE CANCELLATION LIGHTLY INKED?                
   44. IS THE CANCELLATION MORE HEAVILY INKED?                
   45. IS THE CANCELLATION SO HEAVILY INKED THAT THE INK SOAKS INTO AND SPREADS INTO THE PAPER OF THE STAMP?                
   46. IS THE CANCELLATION SO HEAVY THAT IT HAS EMBOSSED THE STAMP?                
    CONCLUSIONS                
   a}THAT UM.MNH SHOULD BE PERFECT IN ALL RESPECTS AND IS THE MOST VALUABLE, WITH THE VALUE DECLINING  GRADUALLY WITH THE APPEARANCE OF SMALL FAULTS,SHORT PERFS ETC.                
   b}THAT VFLM{VERY FINE LIGHLTY MOUNTED MINT}SHOULD BE AS FOR UNMOUNTED MINT WITH THE ADDITION THAT THERE SHOULD ONLY BE ONE HINGE REMNANT OR MINIMAL/FEINT TRACE OF A HINGE TO QUALIFY.                
   c}THAT MM{MOUNTED MINT} IS WHERE THERE ARE 2 OR MORE, OR 1 LARGE/HEAVY HINGE/S AND POSSIBLY ONE HINGE AND A LITTLE PAPER ADHERANCE TO REAR.                
   d}REALLY HEAVY HINGE/S THAT BUCKLE THE DESIGN WILL BE AT 30% THE VALUE OF MINT STAMPS.                
   e}THAT VERY FINE USED WILL BE A STAMP IN PERFECT CONDITION, WITH A CIRCULAR DATE AND TOWN STAMP THAT IS UPRIGHT, CLEAR AND CLEAN{WITH THE SAME CONDITIONS THAT APPLY TO UM.MNH}                
   f} THAT FINE USED WILL BE A STAMP IN PERFECT CONDITION, THAT WILL HAVE A CLEAR ,CLEAN PART CIRCULAR DATE STAMP{THESE ARE OFTEN FAVOURED MORE ABROAD IF THE MAIN DESIGN IS LEFT CLEAR}.                
   g}THAT GOOD TO FINE USED WILL BE FINE USED WITH NOT SO OUTSTANDING FEATURES-MAYBE WITH A SMALL FAULT.{ALSO TO INCLUDE ANY FINE REGISTERED CLEAR CANCELS}                
   h}THAT SOUND USED WILL BE AN UNDAMAGED STAMP WITH PARCEL CANCELS OR MULTIPLE CANCELS-A LESSER ATTRACTIVE STAMP.                
   i} THAT A SPACEFILLER IS A DAMAGED AND/OR PERFIN AND /OR POORLY CANCELLED STAMP.                
 

 IT IS SURPRISING WHAT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS 'SUPERB'-IN MANY CASES STAMPS WHICH ARE ONLY G/FU, SO I HOPE THESE QUESTIONS HELP TO CLASSIFY YOUR STAMPS CLEARLY!!

BASICALLY THE MORE FAULTS THAT APPEAR ON THE CHART, THE LESS VALUABLE YOUR STAMP WILL BE IN RELATION TO THE UM.MNH VALUE.

                
   KIND REGARDS, MARTIN WOOD.