The letter I received along with the latest SMQ included facts that submissions were up 38% over last year -- which is amazing -- and that Canal Zone issues would no longer be expertised due to lack of interest. Meanwhile, they've added a Priority fee for quicker turnaround.
This all suggests to me that they are breathtakingly busy, and that good graders with specialized knowledge (such as on Canal Zone?) are expensive to employ... and hard to find.
I imagine they've raised prices to help expand operations.
There is an amusing section in the SMQ explaining why they don't include the cost of grading in valuations. That they had to even bother explaining this suggests that dingbats are wondering why their PSE 80 Famous Americans aren't worth $20 each. That's the kind of business they might want to weed out.
I'm going to have to be much more frugal with what I submit now. It's interesting to note that there has always been an express service which is/was $45 per stamp, thats the same as adding the $15 priority fee to the new $30 fee. Maybe a couple more experts would help ease some of the strain on the current ones. I'm definitely sending out a big submission Express mail this Monday to get one more batch at the old fees. Planetsteve I am glad that PSE clarified to the "dingbats" why their VF80 stamps aren't worth more just because of a cert or slab. I've said that over and over on this board and elsewhere that a stamp with a 20c Sc Cat value, graded an 80 is worth 20 cents(not $25.20) I see lots of stamps on ebay graded 80 and 80J that the sellers won't part with for less than $15 or $20 bucks. I think it's funny. I am also glad that not much went up in the new SMQ, that gives me another 3 months to try to get some deals. I thought some of the early used values would go up though .Some of the MNH prices are incredible, glad I started collecting used; much more challenging and less costly(right now anyway)
Wow I sent my stamps Express mail/insured instead of registered this time and my stamps were in PSE's system within 2 days! That's the fastest,by along shot, that a submission I sent was "received"." Also beat the fees increase by about 2 days!
edueku
Posts: 985
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This all suggests to me that they are breathtakingly busy, and that good graders with specialized knowledge (such as on Canal Zone?) are expensive to employ... and hard to find.
I imagine they've raised prices to help expand operations.
There is an amusing section in the SMQ explaining why they don't include the cost of grading in valuations.