HMSO perforations

I have a QE11 6D stamp with HMSO perforation running through it. does this affect the value of the stamp and how best do i sell it.

Thanks

Hi Bazil - welcome to the forum,

For many modern stamps, a perfin (perforated initials) makes little difference to the value I'm afraid. There are collectors and HMSO, being official, might increase the value from 5p to 10p. One reason why you won't find them as individual lots on-line. Larger lots of a few hundred are regularly seen.

Sorry if this is disappointing news.

Paul

Good evening Bazil,

The perfinned stamp is normally classified as a damaged stamp and is usually worth approximately 10-20% of catalogue value.

The 6d one you described as having HMSO was used by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, you will find many different types of perfins as many authorities and firms used such stamps to stop pilfering along with some of the overprints found for the same reason.

I do however recommend an accompanying picture when requesting information on any stamp discovered and sent to this forum.

And as Paul has already stated, normally these stamps are a dime a dozen.

Fred.

Fred thanks heaps for this. I am using our period of self confinement to learn a new skill so really pleased to learn from the maestros.

now to your point i need to attach a photo to the message board. !!!

I have thousands of South African stamps to work through

Simon

Hi Bazil,

I'll look forward to seeing some of your Cape triangles then !

Best wishes, Fred.

Fred

I don't consider perfins as "damaged stamps".

I and a lot of other people have collections of these stamps and consider them a valid part of our collections.

Agreed not a lot of value in them but an interesting field for study.

Billy

Technically speaking Billy these stamps are damaged and not as issued, normally, if I find a hole in a stamp it gets discarded as being damaged.

If you wish to collect such stamps then it's your prerogative, I have no qualms with that, whatever takes your fancy !

Fred.

I agree - not damaged and perfectly collectable. I once wrote a catalogue of Chinese perfins published by the CSS in the USA. Whilst GB perfins tend to reduce the value a NCH perfin on a large dragon raises the value from £150 for the basic stamp to £1500 for that stamp with a perfin. So you can't generalise!

Good evening Paul 1 the moderator,

Everybody has a different perception of what to collect and PERForated INitials are no exception, with any collector as well you know, it is the scarcity of an item that determines its market value (when stating certain Chinese stamps), perfins are not as issued and have been tampered with by punching holes in them, therefore the stamps have been technically damaged from their original state after being issued.

By all means collect them, there is no law against it ! , Unless they've previously been pilfered .

Fred - Totally agree - each to their own. I would argue used stamps are not as issued though. I would also add that official perfins should well count the same as the GB official overprints, they just used a perfin instead, as per the OP's question. Even SG list a few "OS" for Australian states & Sudan from memory

Should you decide to throw away any Sloper experimental covers because of the holes, please send them to me instead & I will send you money!