Steve Crippe is having an interesting auction

Wondo

Scott 640 graded PSA 100

What do you think the final price will be and what is the multiple of Scott?


Thanks I fixed my typo.

edueku

That's #640. I have a 640 98J on his site for sale wich is lightly hinged. Look mine up and look at the borders compared to this 100. Sure mine is not perfectly centered but look at the margins. Too bad it was hinged. The 640 will probably sell for under $2000. I guess I could be wrong. 100's are hard to come by and hard to predict on value. I hope Steve gets a good price for it.

Wondo

Well, heck, since I bid $2k for it - it will go for twice that.

My guess is $4500.

edueku

Good luck to you.

edueku

This specific number is a tough one in my experience to find well centered with LARGE margins. I just don't think this example is that exceptional, to be a 100.

fry46

Edueku, you are a tough grader. For my continuing education, what is there on that stamp that causes you to feel that it is not a 100?

My edit:

(By the way, I am not trying to be cute at all, really want to know your thinking.)

Is this something like the US Supreme Court definition of pornagraphy. It can't be specifically defined, but you know it when you see it?

LouisCamp

How about the nibbed perfs at top left? For 100 a want perfection.

Lou

fry46

Thanks, LouisCamp, yes I wondered if that was an issue. Fair enough. The stamp is not totally symmetrical with that top left corner.

The bottom left corner perf is not totally perfect either

Those were the only things that I saw, but I did not know if they are enough to not be a 100.

edueku

I think the margins are too small for a 100. Although this is a tight margined rotary press issue I have had some very well centerd stamps from this issue with large margins that only got 95's. I have had stamps (but not this issue) that were returned with a pencil note saying"small margins" and "smallish" one stamp graded 90 and the other 85. A gem 100 is described by PSE in the SMQ as
"Four visually equal LARGE margins and outstanding eye appeal. A "boxed" stamp." I agree that it is boxed. I do not agree that it has "large" margins. Once again look up the 98J #640 on steves site if you want to see large margins on this exact same Scott #. Now if it were the case that this rotary press stamp is IMPOSSIBLE to find with large margins then I might agree with the grade, but it isn't true. Beside the last I heard ALL US stamps (other than some very early issues) are supposed to be graded on the same PSE centering standard. This hasn't been the case on many graded stamps I've seen in the last year or so. I remember a mention that there might be some allowance made for certain rotary press stamps with narrow spacing on the plate layout. It was said to take more research. I've never heard anything from PSE that, that is the case now.
To grade a stamp based on whether the corner perfs are symmetrical seems to be a little much considering the perforation technology of the time. Sure pse downgrades for gum skips wrinkles etc., which are due to the technology of the time but they also allow for certain other conditions. For example common natural ink offset UNDER the gum from stacking the drying sheets will not lower a grade unless really severe(I had asked Mike Sherman about that sometime back, via email, I think he said it might be questionable ONLY on a 100) I think to not award a 100 to a deserving stamp because of asymmetrical corners(due to the degree perf hole intersection, not actual margin size) is pushing it. I don't think PSE describes a 100 as "perfection" but it can be or very near that within the production techniques of the times. There are higher and lower end stamps in the same PSE grades and some auction results show realizations of higher bids on better looking stamps of the same grade. There have been some examples given in the SMQ ,I think, on two different but same grade
5c Panama Pacific's.
Also a perf is only a "short perf" or "shorter perf" if it falls short(excuse the pun) of some Shortness Criteria, but I'm not sure what that is exactly with PSE. A "nibbled" perf has different meaning and severity to different collectors. What do you on this board consider a nibbled perf to be exactly?(does a mouse have to chew on it?)

edueku

Well the 640 is over $2000 now.

Wondo

Final price was $2750

edueku

I was pretty sure it wouldn't sell for $4000. If had better margins maybe. I still think it's overgraded.

Wondo

edueku,

Thank you for the observations. I appreciate the detailed analysis that was provided - that helped extensively. SMQ lists Scott 640 at $385 and PSE 100 stamps are subjective. What is your thought as to the relative value of the stamp? The selling value for this piece is in the history books. The next one - higher or lower? Just trying to pick brains. thanks!

John

edueku

I wanted to be the VERY last person to say this but I think that PSE's grading has become inconsistent on these types of issues(rotary) and this may be because of the whole issue that one standard can not be applied to all issues as was and has been stated in the past as criteria for grading by PSE on all but certain very small margined issues(AND THE HUMAN FACTOR). Actually I think their grading is fair on the #640 100, but I think it is somewhat inconsistent with their grade judgement compared with some of the grades I have received on similar stamps from the same series. But I am not an expert on everything. I think the #640 was perfectly centered but not with large enough margins to warrant a 100 grade(90?). If so some that I submitted should have been 95J. Well that's the ol' argument," Mine are just as good or better." As far as history an auction realizations... they're just that, they have an effect but are not the "the" absolute realistic price for an issue unless a tip top grade in which case the sky may be the limit(AUCTION). SPEAKING OF WHICH WHERE IS MIKE SHERMAN'S THOUGHT ON ALL OF THIS. HEY MIKE WE WISH YOUR INPUT! WHERE ARE YOU??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????