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I was asked to say some words on regumming.

In grading a stamp the condition of the gum is very important and PSE does expertize gum. There are few expertising services that expertise gum and fewer still that will detect a great regum job. Even PSE misses some but our record is far superior to some that literally miss most of even the easy to detect regummings. In some parts of Europe there is an implicit assumption that all old imperf issues are regummed or have doctored gum. I will not address imperf stamps here - For detecting regum on these issues you need a really good reference collection.

In every country on every stamp the perforating of the stamp is done after the sheet was gummed. If they gummed it after perforating the gum would make a mess due to the perf holes. On imperf stamps - as stated above - Most just assume it is regummed. So - if you see gum in the perf holes or on perf tips - beware (there is another step - it only "probably" regummed as gum may migrate due to poor storage, humidity or heavy hinging).

Lets step back a moment - How do the fakers regum stamps?

Almost all regumming is done by "tying the stamp down". This is most commonly done by just a normal post-it note (because you have to remove the "tie down" after its done). The stamp is placed face down on a clean surface - a post-it note pins the stamp to the desk top by placing the post-it over one edge of the stamps (over the perfs). The gum is added on by painting is with a paint brush. The perfs don’t show gum unless the regummer is working fast or doesnt care. The gum is painted right up to the perf tips but not over it. If the perf holes or the fuzzy tips of the perfs show gum - You are probably looking at a regum.

So - how do you detect it? The gum were the stamp was tied down will have what looks like a "gum break" or "skip" (some regummers will put a messy hinge here to hide the regumming). Also the gum will not be at the perfs. Lastly on normal stamps there is a slight “HALO” around the perf holes were the perf machine pin actually “polishes” the gum (by rubbing against it a high speed) and makes it shinny (this wears off the older the stamp is).

Lastly, the gum was applied originally on sheets of stamps that were partially wet. A “bad” regummer will put the gum on a dry stamp. If they do this the stamp will curl with humidity on the front of the stamp (just the sweat of your palm is enough to get the stamp to start to curl slightly.

Regummed Roo - Glue in perf holes and on the fuzzy part of the perf tips




If you know the following:


1: Perfs have gum showing from the front of the stamp under magnification.
OR
Perfs have an absence of gum close to the hole.
2: There is no Halo.
3: Gum may have skips along one edge.
4: The stamp may curl when placed face-down in your palm.

You will detect more than 95+% (literally that high) of regum jobs.

For the dangerous 5%:

Instead of a Post-It note the better regummers use a Clay. They impress the stamp into the clay to protect the perfs from gum – sealing the perf edges off.

Here you may see “something odd” on the perfs – It is hard to clean 100% of the clay off a stamp. Also some clay may actually be visible in the gum at the perf edges. It is hard to see normally but it can be seen easily with a magnifying glass.

It is hard to use pictures but some from Henry Gitners site - very well done.

http://www.hgitner.com/regummed-stamps.html

Lastly - Some stamps are not regummed - They just have their gum brushed to remove a Hinge Mark. This is very common. These are very dangerous and many people buy **NH** stamps which are actually Hinged.

There is no 100% way to brush out a hinge. There will always be some trace.

Look at the stamp obliquely across its gum. If you see any straight lines it is probably the edge of a hinge. You will not see the hinge but you will see its outline of were it used to be. This is because when a hinge is licked, one edge will always get a bit more spit and that edge will be deeper and near impossible to brush away. Of course if you see a big brush mark then they were trying to get rid of that edge - then its doctored gum and we will state that it is previously hinged on the cert. Stamps after about 1890 (varies by country) didn't have the gum applied by brush but instead by a roller so you shouldn't see brush marks.

Hope this helps - If it does I'll write one on reperfing - but it will be longer than this one

_________________
Caj Brejtfus, PSE
"I am serious... and don't call me Shirley." Airplane! - 1980

That was well written and even someone like me who doesn't know much about this understood everything perfectly!
Great work:)

Cheers,

Ariane

caj,

one of the interesting aspects of stamp gums is the fact that they can vary if the stamps are on issue for a long time and has many printings.

I remember having an argument with a person who bought a stamp from me on Ebay and claimed it was regummed. He presumed that because he had another value from the same issue that the gum should be the same. He should have known that the French Colonial Tablet issue was issued from 1892 up to 1910 in some cases and that the early printings were on a thin paper with a thin coating of gum whilst the later printings were on a much thicker paper with a heavy coating of gum,

David B.

Suggest your ebay buyer he looks at a Kenya full KGVI Defin set etc, or Fiji, or Bermuda or many other KGVI 1st issue sets.

All comes down to experience really. And most buyers have little or none.

Glen

_________________
.
Click HERE to see superb, RARE and unusual stamps, at FIXED low nett prices, high rez photos, and NO buyer fees etc!

Glen,


re.

and some sellers as well,

re. the French Tablet, it was a couple of years ago, I just took it back and listed it again where it sold without any problems,

David B.

psestamp

Good post and the link is useful also

Peter

Even more modern stamps such as the Third Reich have gum differences within long sets, and identical sets issued over a number or years. Gum Arabic is not a standardised product.

_________________
With kind regards, Jim

Great post!

That reminds me of the regummed China and Hong Kong stamps during the crazy 1996-7 period.

_________________
Mint, or used?

Caj, I would love you to do a post on reperfing - how it is done and how to detect it

Thanks

Jeremy

I will do that.

_________________
Caj Brejtfus, PSE
"I am serious... and don't call me Shirley." Airplane! - 1980

Interesting article. Thanks.

I posted this on another topic the other day :

An interesting discussion of re-gumming :

"Summary Tip #10: "Is it a re-gum?" Learn about re-gummed stamps.

Dear Chris,

In our last 'trade tip' we talked about understanding quality and how to train your 'Philatelic Eye'. Now we can apply this to something that you occasionally hear about but there does not seem to be that much information written about it. The subject is 're-gumming'.

I can remember being present before a stamp auction - when I received the most amazing 'demonstration' of redistribution of gum. The 'gentleman' concerned was showing his 'skill' of making a mint previously hinged stamp look like it had never been hinged. You could see that the stamp had been hinged, but there was no remnant - the gum was moistened - and the stamp literally 'whizzed' around a flat smooth resistant surface under finger pressure.

Before the gum had dried it was turned face up - the gum looked 'flatter' and duller - but the area where it had been hinged was now 'consistent' with the overall appearance of the rest of the stamp. In short, to the uninitiated the stamp appeared to be unmounted mint.

Needless to say - we never ever purchased a stamp from this individual, who is probably no longer with us ... but it was an excellent demonstration of what to look for, and of understanding how stamps can be altered.

Our first 'tip' when it comes to re-gumming is something so simple that it is often overlooked. Buy a few examples of the cheapest mint stamps of the period that you are collecting. In essence this really applies to the period pre-1950 ... as by far the majority of all that you collect from the last 60+ years is going to have untampered gum, be it hinged or unhinged. But, even the cheapest stamps can be tampered with; true, it is unlikely, but we have seen examples within the last two years of relatively inexpensive mint stamps which have been re-gummed.

Why bother you might think? Well, if something can be easily improved, it must, for some - be money for old rope.

You can buy 100+ year old stamps with original gum of Great Britain for as little as £1 or less. Take a look at the 1887 Jubilee 1/2d vermilion - SG#197 - send us a stamp addressed envelope (or a mint with gum current airmail rate stamp from your country and an addressed envelope) and we'll send you one free of charge. It may not be perfect but it will be original gum. Collectors of other countries will soon identify suitable candidates.

Take a look at the backs of your mint stamps from one period from one country. Chances are there may be some considerable variation. You have to make allowances for stamps which may have been purchased at different times and from different sources. Philately is a truly international business. Imagine stamps that have come to you from all over the world. Some British Empire stamps may have been printed in the UK - and been distributed here - without ever seeing foreign climes - others may have literally travelled around the globe.

Compare the backs of these stamps to establish in your mind what is obviously 'right'. It can help, for example, if a stamp is lightly hinged - my preference is often for a lightly hinged stamp - such as the British 1929 PUC £1 - this is a stamp that 'pays' to be tampered with. Look for duller patches - in typical areas where you would expect hinging - not overlooking other areas - blocks of 4 were often hinged in a central position ... and later on 'broken' into singles - so previous hinging positions can vary.

Duller areas often indicate where the gum may have been redistributed. Now compare the gum on your stamps. Most should be consistent within the type/period - a re-gummed or tampered example will stand out against its companions.

Take a closer look at this stamp. Crude regummers leave gum in the perforation holes - stamp perforation is one of the last actions - so gum in the perf holes is a telltale giveaway.

Now here there may really be benefit in employing a Ultra Violet lamp - they can show traces of previous hinging, or where the postmark may have been 'cleaned' off a stamp and the stamp subsequently regummed. But, don't buy one unless you are a 'serious' collector or buying from sources that can not be trusted - in which case why take the risk of dealing with people who may not guarantee or refund you when there are plenty of good dealers and auctions that will.

Some dealers swear by the old adage that a re-gummed stamp lying face down on the palm of your dry but warm hand will 'curl' in the opposite direction to an original untampered with example. I have never been a full advocate of this - but it is well worth experimenting.

Let's examine the actual gum. Is it 'gluepy', is it too thick, is it too shiny or flat? You will soon have a very good idea indeed - whether your stamp is as it should be - but remember stamps react to their environment in a myriad of different ways ... so that what may first be thought of as re-gummed - may be toned gum - or original gum that has 'sweated' over the years - leaching into the paper - to give that stamp a more greasy transparent look and certainly less desirable.

Don't forget to turn your stamp over - and look at the face carefully, sometimes there are traces of gum on the face of the stamp, consider why they may be there.

Finally, turn to your Stanley Gibbons / Scott / Michel / Yvert catalogue - look the stamp up - does it catalogue significantly more as unmounted mint than hinged? Some German 3rd Reich period stamps catalogue an incredible 15X more unmounted mint than hinged. Don't forget to check the differential between the used catalogue value and the mint. Some stamps are so common used that they can catalogue 10p or 10cents - but £100's or $100's mint. When you realise the difference can be so high - you realise why it pays to study your stamps.

Happy collecting from us all,

Andrew
PS. If you find this 'tip' interesting please forward it to a philatelic friend.

Andrew McGavin

Managing Director: Universal Philatelic Auctions, Omniphil & Avon Approvals, Avon Mixtures, UniversalPhilatelic (Ebay)

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Great post! Thank you for sharing

I think these stamps are an example of badly re-gummed stamps:
Is that correct?

Well who knows?

You can seldom tell regumming from a group scan, and it really depends WHAT stamp issue it is.

Many stamps had ribbed type gum that looked exactly like that when issued.

A GB Seahorse or an Australia 5/- Bridge did NOT, but you have not said what issue it was.

These are greek stamps, 1958 , "Ancient Greek Art".
It should me MNH

From what I see, from other auctions, these set may have lines
The following pictures are not taken from mine set:




-- edit --
I have updated the above links after photobucket cleanup!

Aren't those really common stamps?

Why would anyone bother to re-gum really low value stamps?

Its not rare, but you don't call them cheap. Their price varies from 20$ up to 80$

But using these techniques, you raise the price of a stamp you own: LH are cheaper than MNH. I don't agree with that but lot of people do that ...

My mistake. I think I have a lot of them used, so just assumed they were common. Especially as lots of mint Greek stamps form around that era are super-common.

$20-$80 is worth re-gumming, I suppose.

Used Greek stamps usually have 10-20% of the MNH value (οnly in rare stamps used stamps have higher value). MH have much lower price from MNH.

Around 1940 to 1950 there are a few more expensive Greek sets (about 50 to 400 euros).
However, these are not the highly expensive sets.

Anyone know how much time is required to re-gum a stamp?

Currently on offer on Trademe

Vendor belboreama
"1898 5/- Mt Cook (CV $2000)
Mint never hinged."

http://www.trademe.co.nz/antiques-collectables/stamps/new-zealand/mint-predecimal/auction-593338818.htm

Looks like a regum from the back - missing gum close to perfs, and a bit of bleed-through on the front right.

Am I right?

Same vendor also has an 1874 2/- MNH, but not so obvious a regum.


Although it looks as if the top and right side are added on - these are very often poorly centred.

Adam.

I'm no expert, but the 2 shilling looks like blind perfs: failure to penetrate and shifted for a successful retry - resulting in beautiful centering! I can't comment on the regum, except to note the discolored area on the upper right that suggests hingeing.

_________________
Pat H

While the back has some damage, I wouldn't have said its a regum, but rather the old cracked/crazed original gum itself. Doesn't look like new gum to me.

Whether it's truly MUH and worth a good percentage of it's cat value (pricey isn't it!) I don't know. I would bid based on what a MH goes for, with a bit of perf damage and cracked gum - if that is now common with these.

_________________
Greg - Looking for Goulburn Australia Cancels and Grangemouth Scotland Cancels and Covers
Member of the S.T.A.M.P Club for Slightly Twisted And Mad Philatelists - Motto: "Bring back the lick!"

5/- is sweated OG to remove a hinge (clearly evident on gum soaked perf tips down LH side) that some genius has tried to touch out the perf toning on and totally ruined the stamp in the process.

I'd pay ~$NZ75 for it, same as no gum.

2/- QV is very clearly a regum .. you can see gum at end of perf tips.

Indeed looking along top and right edge I see another row of perf teeth ... it may well be totally re-backed to give the illusion of large margins, indeed I'd say it likely is.

On TradeMe, with those cruddy little images who would know? The blind leading the blind!

Anyone who cannot see both in one second should not be buying "MUH" online, or you will lose your shirt. BIG time.

BOTH lots from belboreama should be reported to TradeMe to protect the Bunnies.

belboreama describes the 2/- are "never hinged Cat $3500" and from what I can observe, a blind-man can see it is seriously dodgy. The Bunnies will of of course, see no such thing, and bid madly.

Yes I know they are "bargains" ............. just wait until you try and sell your "bargains" of this nature to a real dealer one day.

Glen

_________________
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Click HERE to see superb, RARE and unusual stamps, at FIXED low nett prices, high rez photos, and NO buyer fees etc!

When a stamp has cracked gum, the stamp is still MNH or enters the MH realm ?

Well, it is not hinged, so hence MNH. That being said the price tends to go down significantly (unless cracked gum is standard for the issue, which sometimes is the case for tropical countries 1850's etc.).

Usually after how many years the gum tend to crack?

It happens more often when the stamp is kept in bad (very dry and hot) conditions?