🔍 Stamp Condition Grading Reference Chart
A general reference for common stamp condition and grading terms used by collectors and dealers.
What the grade describes
A stamp's grade is mostly a statement about centring: how evenly the design sits inside its four margins. Gum state is quoted alongside it, not folded into it, which is why listings carry two labels at once - "MNH, VF" or "used, F-VF". Expertising services convert the same terms to a numeric scale:
Fine 70 F-VF 75 VF 80 VF-XF 85
XF 90 XF-Superb 95 Superb 98 Gem 100Fine means the design is close to, or just touching, the perforations on one side. Very Fine means it is clearly clear of them all round with only a slight bias. Extremely Fine and above means the margins look measured rather than lucky, and that is where the price jumps.
Using the chart, and what it leaves out
These are the terms a catalogue or dealer works to, so the chart tells you what a listing means - it is a standard, not a reading of the stamp in your hand. Grade says nothing about soundness; faults are quoted separately:
- Faults - thins, creases, tears, short or pulled perfs, toning and stains. A perfectly centred stamp with a thin is priced as a faulty stamp.
- Repairs - regumming and reperforating imitate a better grade, and only a certificate settles it.
- Cancel quality on used stamps: a light, dated strike well off the design beats a heavy smudge, whatever the centring.
Frequently asked questions
What does VF mean on a stamp?
Very Fine: the design sits clear of the perforations on all four sides, with at most a slight shift. It is the grade most catalogue prices are quoted against.
What is the difference between MNH and MLH?
Mint never hinged has untouched original gum. Mint lightly hinged carries a faint hinge mark. The same stamp MNH regularly sells for several times the hinged price.
When is it worth paying for a certificate?
When the grade or a repair decides a large part of the price - scarce classics, anything sold as never hinged, and any stamp where reperforating would pay. On common material the fee outruns the stamp.