Stamp Grades and Condition

Gary Eggleston has a nice piece on stamp grading on the BellaOnline Web site.

According to Gary...

Superb—This means the stamp is in new condition with a clean and fresh color. There are no creases or tears to mark the stamp. The stamp is perfectly centered with even margins on all sides. The perforation is perfect and complete.

Very Fine—This is a physically perfect stamp, like a sort of beauty queen. The stamp’s color might be slightly off and the margins are slightly uneven. It does not equal the beauty and perfection of a superb stamp.

Fine—This is a stamp that is free from defects or stains or imperfections, but is not up to the grade of very fine or superb standards.

Good—A stamp graded “good” does not have any tears or wrinkles. The stamp’s color may be faded, or may be heavily postmarked. The stamp could also be somewhat off-center.

Poor—This is a very low quality or poor stamp. A stamp in poor condition could have a tear or may be creased, and even have some thin spots. Keep a stamp in this condition only if it is irreplaceable.

Shown above, an example of a superb stamp, Scott 279, 1-cent, 1898 Bureau Issue.

To read the entire article, click here.

For a free comprehensive guide to grading and condition from Professional Stamp Experts, click here.