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| Stamp Quality |
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| All stamps and other items are vetted for quality when
they arrive and again while we are assembling orders. Any items which do
not meet these quality criteria are rejected. Specifically, our quality
criteria are: |
- No missing perforations or blunt corners for stamps issued since
1915.
- All decimal New Zealand mint stamps (since July 1967) have perfect
undisturbed gum.
- All hinged decimal stamps are rejected.
- Pre-decimal unhinged mint stamps also have undisturbed gum.
- Pre-decimal hinged mint stamps are lightly hinged.
- No actual (or repaired) thins, tears or holes.
- No creases or bends.
- No surface abrasions.
- Used stamps have light circular cancellations where available not
obscuring the stamp design. No 'slogan' cancellations. No cancellations
that hide or obliterate significant portions of the stamp design.
- Used stamps cancelled to order or soaked off of first day covers are
acceptable.
- No rust or toning spots on the front, back or around the
perforations.
- All used stamps are postally used - no fiscal cancellations. The 1931 Arms Postal Fiscals
catalogue listing has some notes on how to differentiate between postal
and fiscal cancellations on New Zealand Postal Fiscal stamps.
- Written cancellations are almost always fiscal and are excluded. Any
exceptions are listed as varieties in the catalogue.
- Good centering of the stamp - this is quite variable on many earlier
issues but we reject any stamp where the actual design has been encroached
by perforations.
- Used examples of plate damage varieties must have a cancellation that
does not obscure the listed flaw.
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| Note: stamps printed by Courvoisier in Switzerland
typically have little pieces of fibre embedded in the gum on the back of
the stamp. This appears to have resulted from part of the gumming process
and is not a fault on the stamp. |
| We carefully monitor and control the temperature and
humidity of the environment where our stock is stored and take every
precaution to ensure that all stamps and philatelic items are delivered
safely and securely. |
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