Stamp Condition: The Second Important Attribute

Just like a stamp’s grade, the condition of a stamp can vastly affect its value. The condition of a stamp is different from its grade. The condition refers to the physical characteristics of the materials used to make the stamp, rather than how it is printed or presented on the paper. Even stamps in bad condition can be worth a lot of money if they are really hard to get or if really pristine samples are extremely expensive.

Stamps in positive condition generally are crisply printed and have strong, pristine, off-the-press colors. There are also nice wide margins between the design and the separations and clear printing impressions. For older stamps there usually a selvage attached to the stamp.

Faults are anything that detracts from the stamp in terms of anything that has been altered, damaged or changed since the stamp was printed. This, however, does not apply to any cancellations or other postal marks. Common faults are dirt or fingerprints in the gum on the back of the stamp; tears, folds, creases, holes, or stains. Any attempt to remove the cancellation and thinning of the paper due to peeling a stamp off whatever it was stuck on.