The future of plate blocks? Gradeable?

planetsteve

Plate blocks have a real visual appeal for me. I remember that my mother would drive me to the local POs and we'd pick up a PB of 4 (or 20) and a single stamp for my collection. (I haven't yet told her that a few of those blocks are now being used for postage.)

Blocks and PBs of issues before 1940 still hold my interest. My hope is that the hobby is less interested in PBs these days as only singles get graded; if that were to change and PBs got more recognition, PB prices could go from undervalued to something considerably higher.

Another positive scenario would be that so many PBs will be broken up by submitters that the blocks themselves will become rare, which would also raise future values.

So what's the future of blocks? Could they ever be graded by a sort of average of the centering quality of each stamp, with subtractions for flaws appearing anywhere in the block? Or will PBs go only to homes that put visual appeal ahead of plastic?

Finally, am I wrong to assume that PBs are currently undervalued, or at least, have no downside at this time?

StampAlarm

I think it could kick start another part of the hobby that could use it. And possibly stop some of the
break up of blocks. If it's ever done by PSE I would rather see each individual stamp be given a grade
within the block rather than a block net grade.

Wow, a plate block set of the 1901 Issue Pan-American Exposition would be a sight. Also, didn't someone
a few months back post pictures of his blk4 Zepplins?

If blks like this in PSE slabs start showing up in the auctions I believe they would bring high prices. But
where I think it would have the most impact would be for the moderns. I was just poking around some
sites and some of the PSE 100's are going, or at least listed, for $100's.



Jerry

quarterlvr

I don't really know, for a while I thought PB's would end up being the part of the hobby that those of us who collected them would look back and think about how stupid we were for doing that-I have a whole album of PB'. However, seeing the way the USPS has changed things with self adhesive panes that won't seperate and large panes of 20-30 different stamps so you have to collect the whole thing to get each one....It has changed things for those of us who just went to the PO and bought a pane of stamps, pulled out the plate block we wanted and used the rest.

edueku

Early blocks that don't have any incredible single stamps would be great candidates for grading. And it might save them from being broken up by inexperienced collectors, as a nice grade would assure some value as left intact. I think there is already someone who has put together a general system (not 3rd party) for grading blocks based on the averagecentering of all of the stamps in a block. It is my experience though that most blocks with one incredibly well centered stamp usually contain poorly centered stamps aside from the one gem. I was actually interested in whether or not PSE would ever grade foreign stamps, or at least english speaking countries but was told by Mike Sherman that there weren't any plans for that although it had been considered before. Personally I think encapsulated graded blocks would be pretty neat.

Matttodd1

I've also wondered about the gradability of blocks. I've actually got a nice block of four of Scott 909 where each of the 4 stamps ought to grade a 98 or 100 listed on ebay here:

High Grade Scott 909 Block of 4

It seems that it would be a shame to break it up, as there can't be very many of these in existence where the centering is perfect all around. It would be nice if PSE where to develop a system for grading such a piece. Personally, I like the idea of just assigning a grade to each individual position within the block.

There was a recent article in the Chronical of the US Classics Society about high grade officials, and the example blocks used for illustration within the article were apparently actually graded in this way by PSE (each stamp position assigned a grade).

Matt

planetsteve

<< <i>I've also wondered about the gradability of blocks. I've actually got a nice block of four of Scott 909 where each of the 4 stamps ought to grade a 98 or 100 listed on ebay here:

High Grade Scott 909 Block of 4

It seems that it would be a shame to break it up, as there can't be very many of these in existence where the centering is perfect all around. It would be nice if PSE where to develop a system for grading such a piece. Personally, I like the idea of just assigning a grade to each individual position within the block.

There was a recent article in the Chronical of the US Classics Society about high grade officials, and the example blocks used for illustration within the article were apparently actually graded in this way by PSE (each stamp position assigned a grade).

Matt >>



Hi Matt,

That's an impressive plate block! I would think it should have realized more than your asking price, so it seems like yours is a great example of material begging for a grading service.

I've heard of the Weiss company in passing -- what is it all about?

I was going to ask this question eventually... what is the safest way of breaking up a block? I don't want to be surprised by getting a short, pulled, or nibbed perf, so I thought I might as well ask what sounds like a dumb question. (These risks are reasons I would be reluctant to guarantee grades on an item sold as an intact block.)

Matttodd1

Thanks. It actually didn't sell the first time around, and so I've relisted it here at half price:

909 Block of 4 relisted

If it doesn't sell this time around, I think I'll send it in to PSE myself and ask them to do some odd grading for me (would they grade each of the 4 stamps individually still intact as a block? If not, would they break the block for me and then grade each?) - not sure if they'll oblige, but it's worth the request.



<< <i>I've heard of the Weiss company in passing -- what is it all about? >>



I believe Bill Weiss serves on the Expert Committee for both PSE and the APS. He will provide a "mini opinion" without a formal certificate for $5 per submission, or a formal certificate for $10 per submission. I often send items to him first to weed out stuff with faults because he's relatively inexpensive and fast (2 weeks total turnaround typically). I can then send the better items in to PSE for grading.



<< <i>I was going to ask this question eventually... what is the safest way of breaking up a block? I don't want to be surprised by getting a short, pulled, or nibbed perf, so I thought I might as well ask what sounds like a dumb question. (These risks are reasons I would be reluctant to guarantee grades on an item sold as an intact block.) >>



I believe the PF used to offer a service where you could send in a multiple and they would separate it for you. Not sure if they still do, or if PSE offers that also.

Matt

planetsteve

Thanks for the great info Matt!