51Studebaker

Dialysis, damned if you do...dead if you don't
02 Feb 2018
03:21:36pm

re: Regummed?

Hi Dennis,
For US stamps, one method which can sometimes indicat5e a regummed stamp is the curl test. Place the stamp face down in the pam of your hand and wait about 1-2 minutes. If the stamp begins to curl, it could well be a regum.

But the best method is to look at the perf tips and perf holes under good magnification (15x to 20x). You want to look for gum which may be adhering to the fibers on the perf tips. Since perforating occurs after gumming, it is not possible for an original gum stamp to have any gum adhering to the perf tips, nor in the holes. But note that regummed perf tips can also be filed by the regummer. With enough experience you can also tell if perf tips have been files.

There is a way to embed a stamp in soft clay, face down, so that the perf tips are protected and then regum. If this is done well, it can be very hard to detect. Additionally, some regummers use very fine air brushing to mask a light hinge mark.

It is not often discussed but there is a good reason to remove gum for a mint stamp. I suspect that there are many professionally regummed stamps sitting in our collections where the regum is effectively masking repairs on the stamp. If we all soaked the gum off our stamps (not that I am recommending this) we might be surprised at what floats off some of them.

Here is a regummed stamp, note the 'dark' perf tips, a dead give-away that a stamp has been regummed.



Don

 
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51Studebaker

Dialysis, damned if you do...dead if you don't
02 Feb 2018
06:02:57pm

re: Regummed?

Hi Al,
Here is a good image of regummed perf tips courtesy of slingshotvenus.com



Don

 
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michael78651

02 Feb 2018
07:00:41pm

re: Regummed?

Also, it is necessary to clean the stamp paper prior to regumming or else the gum will not properly adhere to the paper. The cleaning process will leave the paper clean and whiter than what a "normal" stamp of such age will show. In addition, the paper fibers around the perfs will be mostly gone as a result of the cleaning process. This is seen in Don's image below. Compare to any older stamp and you'll see the the paper fibers are quite visible and numerous on almost all of the perfs.

A dealer friend told me a few weeks ago that regumming of older US stamps has become so rampant in recent years that one must presume that all older stamps (especially the more valuable ones) being offered as mint, never hinged have been regummed.

Also be aware of lightly canceled stamps having had most of the light cancel removed and regummed being offered as MNH.

This is all done to dupe collectors as values for bonafide MNH stamps continue to rise compared to the values of unused stamps. If it's a valuable stamp being sold as MNH, best to get a certificate to avoid risking getting a regummed stamp.

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cdj1122

re: Regummed?

" ... Don, what makes the perf tips go black? ..."

I'll take a shot at that. Obviously the end of the paper
is exposed so that any excess of fluid can penetrate
the tips laterally. So that there is a miniscule amount
of glue inside the paper at the end tips which shows up
as a dark spot.
That would occur betwen the time the fresh (wet) glue
is applied and the time it is dry.
At least that is what it seems to me that happens.

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51Studebaker

Dialysis, damned if you do...dead if you don't
04 Feb 2018
07:49:19am

re: Regummed?

I concur with cdj1122's opinion on the darkened perf tips.

 
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