Quote:
Originally Posted by drcy
I'm no stamp expert, but I assume most have perforated edges that must make trimming detection all that much easier. I wonder how much trimming is an issue.
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Trimming perforated ones so they seem to be ones that were issued without perforations is a problem.
Adding perforations to stamps issued without them is also a problem.
cutting off perforations and adding other perforations to either make it appear to be a less common variety or to make it appear to be centered better for grading is a problem.
Adding or removing cancels, adding or smoothing gum, filling in thin spots, replacing missing parts (with a very wide variety of skill) Painting in details, or scraping off details depending on what's needed to create the rare variety...
plus outright fakes.
All of those have been around since the late 1800's if not earlier.
I'm not sure about all of them, but the stamp expertizers generally charge $35 minimum, with tiers related to catalog value. And they send it back when they're darn good and ready to, none of this "walkthrough" "30 day" "10 day" stuff. Although currently most items will be done in around 5-6 weeks if it's the Philatelic foundation.(In a somewhat ironic twist, expertizers refer to the items submitted as "patients" even though what they do is more of a physical than anything else.)
Here's how they handle altered items.
Despite being the first example of a rare variety to get a certificate - which should have some decent value - I was only charged the minimum.
