Stamp Collecting Guide
Essential philately terms and condition grades for buying, selling, and cataloging postage stamps. A quick reference for new and experienced collectors.
Condition Grades (Used & Mint)
XF-S
Superb
Perfectly centered, exceptional margins, no faults. Very rare. Commands large premium.
XF
Extremely Fine
Near-perfect centering with wide, balanced margins. Very few flaws if any.
VF
Very Fine
Well centered with balanced margins. The benchmark for most collectible stamps.
F-VF
Fine-Very Fine
Slightly off-center in one direction but overall pleasing appearance.
F
Fine
Margins cut into on one or more sides but design is complete. Average collectible quality.
VG
Very Good
Noticeably off-center; perforations just clear on all sides. Below average.
G
Good
Heavily shifted. Perforations may cut into design. Minimum collectible grade.
P
Poor
Major faults: tears, thins, creases, heavy cancels. Filler copies only.
Gum Condition (Mint Stamps)
OG NH
Original Gum, Never Hinged
Original gum completely intact, no hinge remnants. Highest premium for mint stamps.
OG H
Original Gum, Hinged
Original gum with hinge remnant or hinge mark. Lower premium than NH.
OG HR
Original Gum, Hinge Remnant
Larger piece of hinge still attached. Significant value reduction.
NG
No Gum
Gum entirely absent. Major fault for mint stamps. Major discount from catalog value.
RG
Regummed
Fake — gum was added after original was removed. Fraudulent. Watch for inconsistent gum appearance.
Key Philately Terms
Perforation (Perf)
The holes punched between stamps for separation. Measured per 2cm. "Imperf" = no perforations.
Selvage / Selvedge
The paper border around a sheet of stamps. Stamps with attached selvage often command premium.
Watermark
Design in the paper, visible by holding to light. Critical for identifying varieties of some stamps.
Cancel / CDS
Postmark canceling a used stamp. CDS = circular date stamp. "Fancy cancel" = decorative cancel.
Thins
Areas where stamp paper is thinner, often from forceful hinge removal. Major fault.
Se-tenant
Two or more different stamps attached together as issued. Many collectors prize se-tenant pairs.
Coil Stamp
Issued in rolls for vending machines. Two straight edges, two perforated edges.
Booklet Stamp
From a small booklet; may have straight edges. Often slightly different from sheet stamps.
Error / Freak
Printing mistake — inverted center, missing color, imperforated. Errors can be extremely valuable.
Scott Number
Standard US catalog numbering. "Scott #1" = the 1847 Franklin 5¢. Universal reference system.