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The clock is ticking

It has been 32 business days and 47 calendar days since my order was received at PSE and still no results. Not really the time frame I was expecting.

Comments

  • The slowest I've seen from PSE was 60 calendar days. That was at the very beginning of the year, and included Christmas. I bet you'll have it this week!

    Matt
  • Yes I've had one out as long as 9 weeks, of course that was some years ago.
  • Now 36 business days and 51 calendar days. It appears that Camille was not correct about this week.

    I look back on other orders I submitted and the longest was 18 days. I look at all the shared orders and there are a number of them that were submitted after mine and already mailed.

    I guess there is always next week or next month or ?.
  • Who knows maybe they have had to send it to some outside expert because you have some undiscovered rarity or a Special Printings banknote issue. Well that may be wishful thinking but you never know.
  • I can only dream that they were going to grade all my stamps 105 and they could not believe what they were looking at. Some exotic variety? I don't believe so.

    Maybe Monday will be the day of truth.
  • Highly disappointing results for the time it took them.

    1 1 01203501 100159 XF 90, Used 65 1861 3c US
    2 1 01203502 128063 XF 90, Used 65 1861 3c US
    3 1 01203503 100363 F-VF 75J, Used 184 1879 3c US
    4 1 01203504 100320 XF 90J, Used 158 1873 3c US
    5 1 01203505 100363 XF 90, Used 184 1879 3c US
    6 1 01203506 100363 VF 80J, Used 184 1879 3c US
    7 1 01203507 100363 XF 90J, Used 184 1879 3c US
    8 1 01203508 100301 XF-Sup 95, Used 147 1870 3c US
    9 1 01203509 100363 XF 90, Used 184 1879 3c US
    10 1 01203510 100767 XF 90, Used 425 1914 2c US
    11 1 01203511 100320 XF-Sup 95J, Used 158 1873 3c US
  • KentuckyJKentuckyJ Posts: 1,871 ✭✭✭

    > Highly disappointing results for the time it took them


    I think the results and the time it took them are two completely different issues image
  • I guess I can't complain about the #147 (95) only three others and none higher, also the #158 (95J) only 4 others and 1 at 98J. At this point in time they could be considered rare in grades.

    I really thought one of the 65s would come in at 95, oh well.

    The thing that will bother me is not knowing why the grades were held down.
  • Well I haven't been over here for a while, been doing the online college thing.

    I see you got your grades back. Not too bad really. Aren't these the first you've sent for grading? Are there any "calls" on them , like the 75J for instance? Usually if there is nothing indicated in the description for 90's and lower , then it's just the centering. Unless of course they changed the policy again on EMF's and MF's(there is supposed to be a new grading guide sometime). For instance a stamp can grade 95 with an EMF without it being called. But a MF is usually called on a 90 or lower (I think) for instance, if the stamp would have graded 95 without the MF. i.e, "It is genuine used, with a small paper wrinkle." I know you posted a scan of the 158 (I think) what about sending some scans of some of the others. Hey don't feel too bad, my first time was mostly 70's and 80's. You'd be surprised how much your standards rise after being super-picky and looking at thousands of stamps. I look at stamps I thought were incredible XF-Superb examples 7 or 8 years ago, and realize now they were a little better than VF. Of course you are very familiar with those 3c banknotes, and probably realize that they can come with some super-size margins. PSE's grading of any specific issue (i.e. 1890 regular issue) has something to do with the possible margin size. For example you can have a perfectly centered stamp but if the margins are a bit small you are likely to get a 95 instead of a 98. Go to tiny margins , even with perfect centering, and you get a 90. I'd like to see some scans if you care to post them. I can give my opinion (For what it's worth)
  • Message deleted.
  • Try this again. This is the #65 I thought would be a 95. I can not get the image to show up in the message. I have to right click and then click view image.

    image
  • Doesn't work for me at all, seems this site is difficult for some of us to post pics too, or maybe really just me...
  • Rolin,

    Here are links to the 2 online certs of the scott 65's:

    Link to First Scott 65

    Link to Second Scott 65

    I like them both, but especially the second one.

    If you want to know if there were any "hidden" faults that aren't mentioned on the cert but affect the grade, you can actually call them and ask. They will pull the worksheet for you and let you know.

    Matt
  • Thanks Matt. I did mark the order for sharing so the images would be available. Never thought of just using the link capability.

    When I actually get the stamps back, I will take another really close look and if I can't see anything I will give them a call.
  • The only thing I can see that would even possibly affect the grade is the somewhat short perf on the bottom edge right before the right corner. But I doubt it's that. There are subtle things like color (any slight fading?) maybe it was right on the cusp of the margin size parameters between a 95 and 90, but still it looks like a 95 to me. Is there a tiny tone spot on the bottom edge 5th perf from the left? oh I'm grasping at straws,but it really has me puzzled. Although common, this issue has pretty small margins.
    Is there anything on the back i.e. Hinge remnant, indelible or heavy pencil? I know they are starting to take off for that now, even on used stamps.

    It may be possible they just undergraded it, it does happen and W. Litle even admits it happens, stating in the most recent SMQ," I now have enough knowledge and experience to make reasonably consistent grading decisions. I'm good at what I do,but I'm not perfect. From time to time I might be inconsistent to the degree of one grade-up or down-but not two grades. My one grade inconsistencies could come from my judgments of centering,faults,or eye appeal."

    I have had a stamp that as swung two whole grades when resubmitted, from an 85 to a 95 on a Columbian, but that is highly unusual(I'm not "slamming" PSE by mentioning this, as I respect their grading highly). I can give you another , though subtle example of the same stamp being awarded two slightly different grades.There was a 3 1/2 year lapse between these cert dates so I'm not trying to prove there is inconsistency as PSE has made more refinements since the original 2005 cert. I guess my point is just that there can be a fine line between grades and with human judgment thrown in there will be variations. Personally I think this should have made a 95, as I think that the cancel is not THAT bad. Martha's face is clearly visible, and for a fairly heavy cancel it 's neat. I guess the old saying(and my new favorite) mentioned in the aforementioned SMQ is - "ownership adds one grade." is true! Check these links out:

    2005 CERT

    2009 CERT


    See it became jumbo. I'm glad because I thought it was better than a 90, that was the only reason I resubmitted it.
  • Going to cert verification to view your 65's reminds me that I had hoped by now PSE would have had some sort of link where you could compare grades on the same Scott # just by typing it in. That is, you could look at all the #65's PSE has graded. This would be incredibly helpful when you have a stamp that your not quite sure is worthy of grading. You could just look at all the images of the previously graded examples and see how your raw example measures up(centering only of course). I think Randy Shoemaker suggested this as an idea once in an email or post many years ago. That is the problem I have had with the illustrated grading guide (print form and online): there just aren't enough examples of different issues in the same grade to make a reliable judgment. As a matter of fact one of the examples on page 35 under the "95" designation is actually a 95J (1c Washington) I know because I originally submitted it. I suspect this of some of the other examples too. I hope in the much awaited (by me anyway) new grading guide the jumbo's are described as such. I would hate to think someone new to grading would see such a large margin example and think that it had to be that large just for a 95!


  • << <i>It may be possible they just undergraded it, it does happen and W. Litle even admits it happens, stating in the most recent SMQ," I now have enough knowledge and experience to make reasonably consistent grading decisions. I'm good at what I do,but I'm not perfect. From time to time I might be inconsistent to the degree of one grade-up or down-but not two grades. My one grade inconsistencies could come from my judgments of centering,faults,or eye appeal." >>



    I agree with you here. I have a small number of stamps that I think were undergraded that I will eventually get around to resubmitting. I've been told by them if I just resubmit them all on a single invoice under "reconsideration" they will be free if they do change.





    << <i>Going to cert verification to view your 65's reminds me that I had hoped by now PSE would have had some sort of link where you could compare grades on the same Scott # just by typing it in. That is, you could look at all the #65's PSE has graded. This would be incredibly helpful when you have a stamp that your not quite sure is worthy of grading. >>



    I've also thought before that this would be a great feature. I hope to see it added someday.

    Matt
  • I did some pains-taking work and looked back in some of the shared orders. I ran across a 65 in June that was graded 90 and it is obviously off center from the ones I submitted. I will call PSE, I guess Bill, and find out what knocked the grades down on mine.

    I also looked at the registry and was pleased to see that I have a couple of stamps that are equal to Nick's. Kind of a feel good thing even though I know I will never compete with his collection.

    I would like the ability to see previously graded stamps so I have some idea of what they are looking at during the grading process.
  • Maybe we should all email Mike Sherman and tell him that the photo database idea would be really helpful. Of course they would probably have to block the cert #'s so that no one tries to build online sets without actually owning the stamps.

    Rolin,
    I think few will ever be able to compete with Nick's sets on an overall basis(there are a few that the compete with one or two of his sets) Personally, I pride myself on finding nice stamps and submitting them myself, more than being able to buy any and every stamp I see at auction. I think that would take a little of the the fun out of it for me. When I look at my collection the ones I seem to have the most affection for are those I have discovered on my own. That what's nice : you can find the best example on earth and not have to be a millionaire to do it. That said Nick does have some REALLY nice stamps. We used to write back and forth occasionally about graded stamps, but he doesn't return replies to me anymore for some unknown reason.
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