Part XVIII   Collectors Buying With Confidence –  How do I clean toning  from stamps?       Hello, in the previous article I mentioned about cleaning stamps that have a light toning, cleaning to remove the brownish spots, by using a very light chorine solution. Well the first  sheet of stamps in that article is not worth it, just wont have any success and the second example I used would see you remove, or at best partially remove, the gum and since the value is pennies don’t even bother, just buy a new stamp or set of the stamps.   But there ..read more

  Part XVII   Collectors Buying With Confidence –  What is toning, what is rust?      Hello, I touched on this very briefly, that is, you might find toning on the reverse of a stamp but will only know about it if you see the reverse of the stamp.    Well here is a rather different example I came across, there are hundreds I could show as examples to explain, but I think this one is pretty good for the purpose. To be blunt, it is embarrassing that someone would  even think of listing this for sale.       As defined in many philatelic ..read more

 Part XVI  Collectors Buying With Confidence – that is damaged isn’t it ??      Hello, how are we all?    Well and enjoying our collections.     I have been quiet because I really wasn’t sure what to write about. Then I saw this. Well, I just couldn’t resist it as a topic. It is damaged isn’t it?     It is of course SG 452 issued in 1970  with a cat listing (2021) of £15 in SG (Scott $16) for a very fine condition stamp.  It is clearly damaged and might pass as a spacefiller for a $1.  Certainly would not p ..read more

  Part XV   Collectors Buying With Confidence –       no returns accepted??      Hello, so here I am doing some research, having a pleasant time looking at listings, laughing at some of the sellers ideas of a decent stamp and impressed with others for the quality of their scans and descriptions -  make a note of them as sellers worth looking to buy from if they have what I am looking  for.  Often, when I know what I want I will first go to those sellers and search their store.    Why waste time searching all t ..read more

 Part XIV Collectors Buying With Confidence –      what is a stock image??     Hello,  yes I am back as finally I have another topic.  I have been waiting on a few purchases to arrive.  One purchase in particular.  I will be honest and say I wasted my money but it was not anything much and I was thinking at the time it might give me material to write about. And sure as day follows night, it has done.  Received the order today.  Opened the envelope carefully – I always do and I recommend you always do because in my exper ..read more

  Part XIII   Collectors Buying With Confidence –     Ordinary paper, chalky paper, how do I know??      Hello again, welcome back.  Is this something you have experienced?  Happened to me only yesterday.   Ordinary paper,  Chalky paper, especially on many British Commonwealth issues.   I still find it difficult at times and that is after reading plenty on the topic – which I might add has been written about many times in many philatelic forums over the years.   Once upon a time I learned that the silver test ..read more

 Part XII   Collectors Buying With Confidence –   are you serious,  $100 for a $5 stamp?      Hello again, welcome back.  First let me start with a comment on the previous piece. A very kind and knowledgeable reader wrote to me to comment that with eBay – and I guess things may differ country to country - but not only is there a listing fee and commission  but they also charge you a fee on the shipping.  Another cost element for us collectors to consider when we are buying and looking at the “shipping” charged by the seller.  The sell ..read more

 Collectors Buying With Confidence –  what does Unused really mean?   This is my tenth topic in this series - quite surprising really how the pieces add up but then there is so much to write about.  The question today is, What does Unused really mean?  Now interestingly enough this actually is a follow up from the previous article because in it I made reference to Mint stamps being damaged in the rain and perhaps being saved as mint no gum. And also, this topic comes to me because this past week I received some stamps I bought on a well known marketplace.  Sadly t ..read more

Mint stamps, whether mint with hinge or mint never hinged, how do you get them, how are they packed in the envelope you receive when you buy? I will tell you.  Let’s say a set of 4. They come all together in a 102 card, all touching, gums touching. Right?   Well perhaps 95% of the time, no matter whether mint hinged or mint never hinged.  How many sellers put the stamps in a stock sheet and separate the stamps so the gums are not touching and the stamps are packed in a sealed plastic protective sleeve or envelope?  How many pack each stamp in a black mount?    ..read more

Hello,   How is everyone?  Well I hope. Coping with the heat or the rains.  Or sadly the earthquakes.  Having been through all three in past12 months I feel for everyone affected and hope all are well. But to stamps and now the topic of Collectors Buying With Confidence…….  because they are using their catalogs wisely. Yes I know  that is a US spelling of catalog and my sincere apology but it allows me to start with this stamp.  What is it? Scott MH 61, or is it?     In  the Stanley Gibbons catalog there is a 1 centre phosp ..read more