Hi, I was looking through some older stock with the intent of listing it in the cddstamps store. And yes it is all there now. Some really useful British East Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Tanganyika.   But, I was looking at a well known auction site at the same time to make sure I did not have an unrealistic view of the price I should list for sale.  I am not usually far out I have to admit, but the factor that can distort the pricing is the stamp quality.  SG or other catalogues are, as we all know, just a guide.

I say all this because of the two stamps I am showing. The one above is the stamp  I have listed and the other is from that auction site.

Mine I judged to be Fine Used. The other, when I found it on the Auction site, was listed as Very Fine used. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to work out which is mine do you. Yes the Fine used example on the left !  The one without the missing corner perf.

The price  I was planning  to list the stamp at was about 80% of the price being asked for the VFU copy. You work that out.

Now I know I am doing the right thing and my assessment on quality is fair and reasonable. And probably pretty mush spot on.  And,  my pricing is fair yet competitive given the quality factor.

Anyway, moral of the story is to tell you to really understand stamp quality for yourself and not blindly rely on the description placed in the auction site, or my store for that matter but I hope you can feel a sense of confidence with me. 

Stanley Gibbons provide a very good statement of quality in their catalogues which I encourage all  new collectors to read, and more experienced collectors if only just to remind ourselves.  You can read it in the sectioned titled “the importance of condition” and then the “condition guide”. Really a good read and with pictures to support the condition statement.

Have a great weekend and enjoy your stamps

Michael  www.cddstamps.com