I haven't posted about graded stamps since 2009, but some of these old posts continue to receive reasonable amounts of traffic via Google. So I thought I would review and link to the five posts on graded stamps, which still seem as relevant now as two years ago:
May 9, 2009: Graded Stamps: Graded Revenues: This post was the first on graded stamps. I had started the site less than two months prior to this post, but the graded stamp phenomena was bothering me quite a bit back then. This and the subsequent post were satirical; I hadn't yet decided to go directly at the marketing gimmick that is graded stamps for fear that I might offend all of philately. After awhile I ceased to fear; now I don't care.
July 27, 2009: Graded Stamps: Degrade your collection with 1898 Revenues today!: This was the second satirical post.
November 28, 2009: Graded Stamps: Perpetuating the Decline of Stamp Collecting: This is the entry on the subject of graded stamps that has real substance, and the one that I like best. It drew a long email from a dealer named Michael Casper who has become a major proponent of graded stamps. His adverts in the new Scott Catalogue at the time had me particularly piqued and I couldn't help writing about them at the end of the post. The post managed to draw his attention.
December 13, 2009: Graded Stamps: Perpetuating the Decline of Stamp Collecting -- Absurd Valuations: This one also drew the attention of a graded stamp promoter. I had used, without permission, a scan of a used US C19 graded stamp that a dealer named Jerry Connolly was selling for $575. Connolly had the stamp on his website and wrote about it. The target was too fat not to go for, and I did. Connolly found my post and asked me take the image down. I did, but the words remain.
December 14, 2009: Graded Stamps: Perpetuating the Decline of Stamp Collecting -- Top 20 Google Hits: This post was an immediate follow-up to the previous day's entry. I was trying to get a handle on the promoters and naysayers of the graded stamp phenomena. This was a first and last attempt.
Its been nearly two years and I haven't written anything on graded stamps since. However, when the new Scott Specialized comes out it might be time once again. Depending on the number and type of dealers advertising graded stamps, and the level at which the catalogue lists graded stamp prices, it may be time to return to the subject.
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