Tools of the Trade

Selling Online

I have been buying and selling stamps online for a few years, during this time I have dealt with thousands of enquiries, from collectors and dealers alike who for one reason or another are concerned with security on the net, or are worried they may get a raw deal from the online transaction.

I can understand this, after all said and done when online, you are actually dealing with a face less person who you have never met before and in some cases can reside in the outer reaches of Mongolia.

How can you be 100% certain the person you are dealing / trading with is a genuine honest person?

Number one on my list if I am buying or selling is to check if the dealer / collector has an eBay account, if so check their feedback. This is not a sure fire method but 99% feedback or over implies that the person has some sort of credibility.

Number 2, do they have a Pay Pal account or No Checks account? If they do then you know for certain that they have been checked out by professionals. No one can open these accounts without certain procedures being carried out first. Credit card, address and bank details must be given to open an account. You also know that if you use the Pay Pal method for payments then the transaction is encrypted and secure.

Number three. Are they a member of a stamp dealers association? Again if the answer is yes you can be sure in 99% in cases they are an honest and reliable contact.

I have mentioned in the past an organisation called

The Internet Philatelic Dealers Association.

If you sell online then this is one association I recommend that you join. There are no draw backs but many reasons that are possitive.

Fees are not expensive, $20US per year, and in the long run you get more than you pay for. Advertising your name and business, Free news letter 12 times a year. Contacts within the trade, but most important of all you get the respect and confidence of Internet buyers / sellers who will trade with you. I will go so far as to say you will also get more business.

The Non profit making association has a duly elected committee who insists on behalf of the membership that any new application for membership sign a disclaimer that they will abide by the associations rules and adhere to a strict code of conduct . They (applicants) are also checked out fully before they are given a membership number.

If you sell on the Internet (part or full time) or you have an Internet auction identity on eBay or Yahoo, or any other online auction for that matter you are welcome to apply for IPDA membership.

Apply today: I have included a direct link to their website , just click on application form and fill in your details its as simple as that. Once accepted download the logo for 2007.

This logo left: shows you are a upstanding paid up member, you can insert this in the header of your auctions or website, alternatively you can use it on your note paper and letterheads. http://www.ipdaonline.org

Oddities & Errors

One to look out for

Walsall " Error of Perf " Booklet 1990.

Up to 1993 all booklet panes printed by Walsall Security Printers were perforated 14 x 14. These changed in 1993 conforming to the Harrison and Questa or Royal Mail standard perf gauge of 15 x 14 *

During November of 1990 a perforation error occurred on certain 1st class booklet Panes containing None Value Indicated stamps ( NVI ) the panes of 4 were ACP/ PVA gum.

The perforation on these booklet panes was found to be 13 x 13 ( in error ) instead of 14 x 14 . *

These were discovered by keen eyed collectors in the bar code type booklets where the panes are trimmed by guillotine top and bottom. The booklet printed in litho by Walsall security Print are now catalogued by Stanley Gibbons as HB3A. It is available with Plain pane, and cylinder pane W1 W1 , there is also a cylinder booklet with a dry print of the cylinder number .

They are also known on panes with a low optical brightnig agent ( OBA) , or alternativly if we use laymens terms a dull surface to the paper if checked under a UV Lamp.

It must be assumed that these stamps were also sold to the general public through the post offices and retail outlets, therefor they must have been used by the people for normal everyday postage.

These are quite sought after stamps and carry a premium over the norm, they are also missing from a lot of collections.

If you collect used singles the best way to find them is from kilo ware dating from this period, if I recently sent you used Machins it is quite possible that you have used copies amongst the contents. Make sure you check them over fully before disgarding them as duplicates.

Remember, to make your task easier you only need to check flame red 1st class stamps printed in Litho with a straight edges (either) top or bottom. Litho stamps can be detemined under a 10 x glass by the clear crisp lines of print around the borders and value tablet compared to jagged edges ( or pips) on phogravure issues.

* Note: All perforations are quoted to the nearest decimal point.

New Stamp Booklets

Yesterday 16th January was the date of release for the "Valentines Love Booklet"
A booklet of six stamps, five definitives and a Love Stamp, as the 2005 Smilers pictorial definitive but with a slight difference.

The smilers stamp had no ellipses and vignetted phosphor bands where as the booklet stamps have ellipsed peforations and solid phosphor bands, thus conforming to the other five 1st class defintives in the booklet.

This will be catalogued as a different stamp and a space will be needed in all stamp albums.


More News

It has only been one day and already booklets have been found with short phosphor bands , the asking price on eBay (buy it now £25.00).

I have already mentioned this booklet before , it will only be on sale in retail outlets for three weeks as a replacement will be printed on 1st February (six 1st class Machins) with a postcode advert on the inside cover. Dealers are bound to snap up most of the stock from Royal Mail.

If you want your copy of the Love Booklet get it now whilst stocks are still available. I am sure this will be a short order for Royal Mail and the price will increase in dealers lists over the coming months. I expect this ( provided RM do not repeat the exercise next year) to be on a par with the self adhesive submarines booklet which now changes hands at £30 - £40 plus.
Both booklets are printed by Walsall Security print.

Elliptical Perforations

These were introduced to the Machin series in 1993. The ellipses were designed to help to deter any attempts of forgery. The elliptical holes are on both vertical sides of the stamp, roughly three perforations in length, they vary in shape from one printer to another.

Unfortunately some clever forgers managed to get round this as several forged booklets of 1st class gold stamps have come on to the market, the ellipses are quite perfect although the stamps are easy to identify as they are a dull bronze colour and are a very poor standard.
See the image right. You will also notice that the matrix on these stamps is intact, whereas on the genuine booklet it is removed.

The easiest way of describing ellipses, is there are two basic types, we can call these ellipse 1 and ellipse 2.

Harrison and Walsall printings are normally ellipse one, these are wider than some of the Questa Printings referred to as ellipse two.
but saying that some stamps from Questa printings have also been found with both types of ellipses.

It has been said that ellipse 1 resembles a the shape of a rugby ball and ellipse 2, a sausage or cigar shape. These have also been described in certain quarters as ellipse R (Rugby) and ellipse S, (Sausage).

Keep em peeled

It always pays to check everything (my favourite saying) including the ellipse type. You may or may not know but combinations of both types of ellipses have been reported on the same stamp, also they have been discovered inverted (at the top the stamp).

Because of the rarity of these particular items they are beyond the scope of most catalogues, but I think it is well worth a mention. One never knows ones luck, a find like this could be worth a small fortune.