Graded? We don't need no stinken graded.

[HenrytheChef]

Some of this graded business drives me crazy. I have a stamp listed for sale, a U.S. #654. It's mint, never hinged, perfectly centered, good bright colors, a real nice stamp. I'm selling it for a buck. But if you do a search for U.S. #654 unused, you come across stamps that are "graded" with marks of 90 and 98. And, they are asking over $300 for these stamps! I think it's outrageous. I can see authenticating a stamp where a slight difference might make one stamp worth a lot and another similar stamp worth pennies. But, just to have some "experts" look at a stamp and say, "yeah, it's real nice, we'll give it a 98" and this makes a stamp worth a dollar now worth $350?

For those of you old enough to remember the original American Bandstand, I say, MY stamp not only looks good, but it's got a good beat and it's easy to dance to so I'll give it a 100!

[Monkey1]

Amen, I agree entirely. Let the collector decide what is a GEM and what is PHELGM. Just what or who gave these so called EXPERTS their credentials. jim Monkey1

[oneeaglelover]

Ya gotta choice Henry...send it off for grading!! Then, don't sell it here, sell it elsewhere...or, Place it back in your collection, cuz that means, the one you are selling, is better than the one you have on your book page??!! I have sold many 'common' '40 -'50's blocks of 4 and many had some awesome centering...I guess I coulda' broke the stamps down and sent good ones off for a 98Jumbo...but, how will I know that it will sell...and, when expertizing a stamp, there is a percentage of catalog value applied to the price...well, If a 20c stamp gets a 'perfect' stamp certification, do you only pay the 20c value??? I bet not...
Stop the Madness, I say!!! Get rid of Grading...PLEEEEEZ!!!!

[khj]

"don't need no stinken grading"

I said the same thing to my teachers all during grammar school, to no avail.

Kim

[bennettoons]

. . . what is a GEM and what is PHELGM. . . .

:D That's excellent!!

I've gotta remember that!!

[bennettoons]

News from a discussion in another Forum . . . .

Collectors Universe filed its 10K at the close of business today, showing a $17,768,000 operating loss, and announcing a suspension of cash dividends to preserve cash. The next dividend in November will be a special 10 percent stock distribution, if I understand the filing. The company has $20 million in reserve and no debt, so it is not currently in trouble, but it has been burning cash.

Coin grading revenue is down $3,254,000 on the year.

PSE graded 53,000 stamps in FY 2008, down from 66,200 in FY 2007. But the declared value of the stamps graded was $25 million, more than double last year's $12 million. So graded common stamps was a flash-in-the-pan idiocy, now past. . . . . . . Ken Lawrence

[sdearth69]

And you want to know who is making the money on the grading game?

My grading is easier. If I like it I'll buy it and if it costs too much I'll just look at it. My collection is not an investment but my hobby because I like to collect. When I'm dead I will not worry.....Did I get those nice ones Graded?

Sandy

[EclecticCollector]

I see the graded stamps getting silly. Certain classic issues maybe, but then the law of diminishing returns applies.

Its part of the hobby just like gold foil replicas (my apologies), event covers commemorating the hampsters birth, etc... We should welcome everybody. God bless those who have more money than they know what to do w/ it.


O'henry, P.T. Barnum, W.C. Fields, and throw in Mark Twain, had it right many years ago. If you don't get these references, I'd like to talk to you about some investments I have for sale.

[gsdstamps]

I find it amusing (and amazing) that the quantity of items graded has gone down substantially but the value of the graded has more than doubled. Is this a reflection of loosened standards, a rising market value, or some other reason?

I agree with Sandy - Collect what you like and, hopefully, what you can afford. If it happens to be graded stamps or covers for hamster births, go for it! Just don't expect a windfall profit within 10 years!

Personally I prefer GSD covers, but I do realize there other (lower) life forms out there...

BTW: Have you done any hamster covers, Dave?

Steve

[awardmasters]

Monkey,
The dead collectors that I talk to are all more concerned that licking hinges ceases to work and their stamps start falling off the pages.

[gsdstamps]

Monkey,
The dead collectors that I talk to ...

[khj]

Steve,

Don't you know that Pete lives in the land of the dead, while we die in the land of the living?

Kim

[gsdstamps]

I just was shocked to hear the dead did more than just vote.....early and often!

[EclecticCollector]

[quote="gsdstamps"]I find it amusing (and amazing) that the quantity of items graded has gone down substantially but the value of the graded has more than doubled. Is this a reflection of loosened standards, a rising market value, or some other reason?

I agree with Sandy - Collect what you like and, hopefully, what you can afford. If it happens to be graded stamps or covers for hamster births, go for it! Just don't expect a windfall profit within 10 years!

Personally I prefer GSD covers, but I do realize there other (lower) life forms out there...

BTW: Have you done any hamster covers, Dave?

Steve[/quote

I looked through the whole list of covers in GSD Stamps, I didn't find GSD Local Posts.

[bennettoons]

BTW: Have you done any hamster covers, Dave?
Steve

Actually, I have! ---- remember the 'Bright Eyes' issue of 1998?



(Their eyes look odd here because they are those 'google eyes' found on paper dolls and they reflect the scanners light weirdly!)