#RW44 1977 US Federal Duck Stamp $5 Migratory Bird Hunting MINT/XF OG NH #66

Title:

#RW44 1977 US Federal Duck Stamp $5 Migratory Bird Hunting MINT/XF OG NH #66

See scans for centering, condition and cancellation details.

Additional details:  MINT/XF OG NH

Only my option, please judge scans. Ask questions BEFORE bidding

                Centering       Condition       Eye appeal

Poor        uncentered     poor quality    some-major damage

Fair         off centered, some condition issues on front & back

Good       no margins one or more sides, decent eye appeal

Fine         possible offset 1 margin, better eye appeal

VF           4 margins, minor if any defects                     

XF/Mint   well centered margins, great eye appeal

Superb    scarce grade perfect in 99% of all aspects

Gem        was gifted from the heavens?

·       Mint never-hinged  (MNH  or Mint NH , NH , u/m ) is an unused stamp that has full original undisturbed gum with no trace of damage done by a stamp hinge. Stamps sell at a considerable premium if they are in this condition.

·       Lightly hinged  (LH ) is a mint stamp which was hinged but only slightly disturbed.

·       Heavily hinged  (HH ) is a mint stamp which was hinged and damaged in the process.

·       Hinge remaining  (HR ) is a mint stamp which has part of a stamp hinge on the back.

·       Original gum  (OG ): A stamp with its original gum, yet deteriorated by age.

·       No Gum  (NG ): Stamp's gum has been washed off. Rarely, stamps are issued with no gum.

·       Regummed  (RG ): Fresh gum has been applied to the stamp. Poor regumming can be detected by examining the end of the perforations under a microscope. The fresh gum may interfere with the small strands of torn paper or even form small droplets.

Eye appeal: Even though soundness and centering are the primary components of a stamp's grade, there are several other factors that must be considered such as the cancellation, color, impression and overall "freshness" of the stamp. These factors have a definite effect on the market value and hence, the grade of a stamp.

The eye appeal of a used stamp deals primarily with the cancellation. While some collectors specialize in odd, unusual or fancy cancellations, the majority of collectors prefer a lightly canceled stamp with as much of the original design showing as possible. A heavy, dark cancellation that obliterates the design of the stamp is certainly less desirable than a light cancel that affects only a small portion of the stamp.

The final grade of a used stamp may be increased up to 10 points for an extremely light, or pleasing cancellation and a fresh overall look. Used stamps with a heavy, unattractive cancellation, a pen cancel or a "tired" look may be reduced in grade up to 50 points.

The eye appeal of an unused stamp deals with its color, freshness and impression. The final grade may be adjusted up to 10 points (either up or down) based on the visual impact these factors have on the stamp. Particularly impressive color, freshness or impression can add up to 10 points to the grade, while unusually dull or poorly impressed stamps can lose up to the same amount. The following table summarizes these eye appeal adjustments for used stamps only.

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