Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
The other day I had his attention long enough to teach him some sorting techniques and thought this would be a great topic to bring up with the rest of the experienced philatelists here. It began by simply pouring about 200 unsorted Washingtons and Franklins onto the dining room table and talking him through my method and reasoning for it all the while enlisting his help. Pun intended I know he isn't a soldier. The expression on his face was animated and priceless. Any parent here I'm sure can feature what I'm talking about. The buggy eyed overwhelmed look as if to say. Dad! Are you expecting me to figure this out on my own?
Reassuring him that we were going to do it together placed him at ease. Another military pun intended. That isn't Parade Rest either! He relaxed right away and started asking questions a mile a minute. Answering some and keeping him interested. We began sorting together by denomination. Making piles of 1 cent, 2 cent and so on. After about a 1/2 an hour of this exercise not in futility as some might think we finished. Then I showed him what a watermark was and said your done for the day son. His eyes lit right up as if I had performed some sort of voodoo magic trick and then I let him go outside to play and to ponder for a while. The excited questions came later. The next lesson for him will be sorting by perforations and then the final lesson will be colors and design types at his pace.
Here is the summary of my method for sorting Washingtons and Franklins.
Step one: Sort by denomination.
Step two: Sort by perforations.
Step three: Sort by watermark and un-watermarked stamps also separate the color shade varieties that really stand out.
Step four: Identify the different design types and look for those EFO's at this time. While using the necessary references such as catalogs and color guides etc...
Step five: After exhausting all the above listed forms to ID. Place the stamps in sequential order by catalog #.
Step six: Place desired stamp or stamps using your way of collecting. Wash rinse repeat.
That is my method and what works for me. I estimate that my positive ID is greater than 90% using this method. So let's hear it what are some methods to share with people new to the hobby. Remember this topic applies to all philatelic material.
What are your methods people?
Jeremy
2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
Jeremy,
It appears that us Army type never forget our upbringing in the military. Your sorting method is exactly like mine. All is good until I get to step 2. Perf 10s I can pretty well tell without a gauge, but the rest become tons of work. But I keep on sorting.
Mel
Login to Like
this post
I start out with determining how stamp was printed, like flat press, rotary press, offset.
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
I go by denomination and then design type then the same as the first list
2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
A little over a year I picked up a large box (about 25#) of stamps for $40 from a sale in Florida. I think shipping was more than the stamps themselves. It's an interesting mix, 98%+ off paper, with some covers, glassines, Cinderellas, and album pages. It looks like estate leftovers from a collector and perhaps part time dealer. I suspect it had been picked over but I am coming across some nice additions for my collections. It has good worldwide representation. I've been sorting it for the past year or so.
I grabbed some large plastic trays from the grocery store where I work – the kind used for assortments of cut fruit and veggies. I've been sorting them into the trays and then placing them in plastic bags. I'm not a worldwide collector so this first sort is fairly general: Asia, Africa, Europe, USA / Canada, Americas, Australia / New Zealand, Great Britain, on paper, and a section for “gee, that looks interesting, I'll have to take a closer look.”
I am about 85% through them. Lots of duplicates, a good amount of commemorative issues and common stuff. I've started a further sort of the British issues separating out the Machins, Wildings, commemoratives, and others for some fly-specking.
It has worked out pretty well. The only thing I would do differently is separate out USA and Canada, and Norway from Europe (one of my collecting areas).
It has been very relaxing to sit and sort. I'm not sure what I will do with them all when done.
Login to Like
this post
My method is to go by whatever Scott # the dealer has written on the stock card.
For Washington / Franklins, I only buy used singles. The vast majority of the stamps don't represent enough value to purposefully misrepresent and I do doublecheck Swedish Tiger to make sure color, denomination, coil stamp etc. match before mounting in my album.
I just don't want to pull out the perforation guage and the watermark fluid for every $3 stamp.
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
I am glad to hear you are givng your son the philatelic spark!
I am the first (and only) philatelist in my family.
Very glad I became one, what a wonderful hobby!!
My Washington/Franklin Master Plan!
I just go to theswedishtiger.com
My friend Roger, who runs the site, has done a very good job.
My steps:
1: go to theswedishtiger.com
2: denomination first
3: perforation with my printed out gauge. (I can tell 8.5s, & 11s by eye, sometimes check anyway...)
3.5: Coil or not?
4: watermark checking with T3 Signoscope, works well! (I cannot bother myself with the liquids, some swear by it though!)
5: flat press, rotary, or offest?
6: If necessary, millimeter dimensions
DONE!
-Ari 
P.s. Never found a good way to ID a W/F on cover/postcard? perfs too hard, watermark. Don't want to soak off!
Login to Like
this post
08:49:31pm
Most of my cheap Washington/Franklin stamp were picked up when my wife was living. So my advice is to make sure your partner is a librarian with lots of patience and organizational skills. I would never dream of rechecking her work since there was no one with more skill with stamp IDing than her. I occasionally add a new W/F stamp but they're usually quite pricey so I only have one to deal with at a time. I do check them over but when you're only dealing with one stamp at a time it is quite easy!! If I was starting a US collection at this moment I doubt if I could do it!
Login to Like
this post
In an effort to keep this thread going and not to get stuck on WF's. I only used those stamps as an example because I specialize in 19th and early 20th century U.S.
What are some methods and ideas for lets say British Empire in particular for those that Like to discover plate positions for the penny black and penny reds. How do you guys go about sorting those?
Jeremy
Login to Like
this post
I am a Mixed Boxaholic.
Why Mixed Boxes?
"It has been very relaxing to sit and sort."
My sorting system is very similar to Pogopossum's.
"I'm not sure what I will do with them all when done."
Answer! Sell them on Stamporama or put them in a box and sell them at your local auction house!
Login to Like
this post
Sarge
I bought a partial plate reconstruction of around 100 penny reds (Scott #3) around 30 years ago of around 100 different positions. They were arranged by lower left letter first, lower right letter second. In other words the first stamp (top left) would be A-A, the second on the same row would be A-B and etc. I have stamps between A and T on the left and A and L on the right. I am not certain how these relate to sheet or plate positions. Below is a picture of 2 typical rows
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
It wasn't until about a year ago that I learned about the plating process for the penny blacks and reds. Thanks for sharing.
What about other countries that sometimes have troublesome to ID varieties of all sorts? Lets hear it ladies and gentlemen.
Jeremy
Login to Like
this post
British Seahorses!
My steps:
1: Is it cross-hatched lines, where the kings face is?
2:If yes, your done, #222-224, if not step 3.
3: dot or no dot in the top middle outside the framline? If yes, #179-181 if no, step 4
4: not all 179-181 have dot. Check frame line mm distance, 22.75 or 22mm? 22.75, 179-181, 22mm, step 5
5: look at the perfs. 2 types left. big teeth at the top-rights, and smaller perfs = 173a-175a, if not. 173-176
help borrowed from Roy's ASDA article of 2012!
Reegards,
Ari
Login to Like
this post
03:28:55pm
My youngest son is 9 years old and soon to be 10 has be begun his philatelic journey now with a genuine interest. Truth is it started sooner than that. But don't tell him that I don't want to ruin the experience for him.
The other day I had his attention long enough to teach him some sorting techniques and thought this would be a great topic to bring up with the rest of the experienced philatelists here. It began by simply pouring about 200 unsorted Washingtons and Franklins onto the dining room table and talking him through my method and reasoning for it all the while enlisting his help. Pun intended I know he isn't a soldier. The expression on his face was animated and priceless. Any parent here I'm sure can feature what I'm talking about. The buggy eyed overwhelmed look as if to say. Dad! Are you expecting me to figure this out on my own?
Reassuring him that we were going to do it together placed him at ease. Another military pun intended. That isn't Parade Rest either! He relaxed right away and started asking questions a mile a minute. Answering some and keeping him interested. We began sorting together by denomination. Making piles of 1 cent, 2 cent and so on. After about a 1/2 an hour of this exercise not in futility as some might think we finished. Then I showed him what a watermark was and said your done for the day son. His eyes lit right up as if I had performed some sort of voodoo magic trick and then I let him go outside to play and to ponder for a while. The excited questions came later. The next lesson for him will be sorting by perforations and then the final lesson will be colors and design types at his pace.
Here is the summary of my method for sorting Washingtons and Franklins.
Step one: Sort by denomination.
Step two: Sort by perforations.
Step three: Sort by watermark and un-watermarked stamps also separate the color shade varieties that really stand out.
Step four: Identify the different design types and look for those EFO's at this time. While using the necessary references such as catalogs and color guides etc...
Step five: After exhausting all the above listed forms to ID. Place the stamps in sequential order by catalog #.
Step six: Place desired stamp or stamps using your way of collecting. Wash rinse repeat.
That is my method and what works for me. I estimate that my positive ID is greater than 90% using this method. So let's hear it what are some methods to share with people new to the hobby. Remember this topic applies to all philatelic material.
What are your methods people?
Jeremy
2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
re: Sorting and Identifying stamps.
Jeremy,
It appears that us Army type never forget our upbringing in the military. Your sorting method is exactly like mine. All is good until I get to step 2. Perf 10s I can pretty well tell without a gauge, but the rest become tons of work. But I keep on sorting.
Mel
Login to Like
this post
re: Sorting and Identifying stamps.
I start out with determining how stamp was printed, like flat press, rotary press, offset.
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
re: Sorting and Identifying stamps.
I go by denomination and then design type then the same as the first list
2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
07:42:28pm
re: Sorting and Identifying stamps.
A little over a year I picked up a large box (about 25#) of stamps for $40 from a sale in Florida. I think shipping was more than the stamps themselves. It's an interesting mix, 98%+ off paper, with some covers, glassines, Cinderellas, and album pages. It looks like estate leftovers from a collector and perhaps part time dealer. I suspect it had been picked over but I am coming across some nice additions for my collections. It has good worldwide representation. I've been sorting it for the past year or so.
I grabbed some large plastic trays from the grocery store where I work – the kind used for assortments of cut fruit and veggies. I've been sorting them into the trays and then placing them in plastic bags. I'm not a worldwide collector so this first sort is fairly general: Asia, Africa, Europe, USA / Canada, Americas, Australia / New Zealand, Great Britain, on paper, and a section for “gee, that looks interesting, I'll have to take a closer look.”
I am about 85% through them. Lots of duplicates, a good amount of commemorative issues and common stuff. I've started a further sort of the British issues separating out the Machins, Wildings, commemoratives, and others for some fly-specking.
It has worked out pretty well. The only thing I would do differently is separate out USA and Canada, and Norway from Europe (one of my collecting areas).
It has been very relaxing to sit and sort. I'm not sure what I will do with them all when done.
Login to Like
this post
re: Sorting and Identifying stamps.
My method is to go by whatever Scott # the dealer has written on the stock card.
For Washington / Franklins, I only buy used singles. The vast majority of the stamps don't represent enough value to purposefully misrepresent and I do doublecheck Swedish Tiger to make sure color, denomination, coil stamp etc. match before mounting in my album.
I just don't want to pull out the perforation guage and the watermark fluid for every $3 stamp.
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
Approvals
re: Sorting and Identifying stamps.
I am glad to hear you are givng your son the philatelic spark!
I am the first (and only) philatelist in my family.
Very glad I became one, what a wonderful hobby!!
My Washington/Franklin Master Plan!
I just go to theswedishtiger.com
My friend Roger, who runs the site, has done a very good job.
My steps:
1: go to theswedishtiger.com
2: denomination first
3: perforation with my printed out gauge. (I can tell 8.5s, & 11s by eye, sometimes check anyway...)
3.5: Coil or not?
4: watermark checking with T3 Signoscope, works well! (I cannot bother myself with the liquids, some swear by it though!)
5: flat press, rotary, or offest?
6: If necessary, millimeter dimensions
DONE!
-Ari
P.s. Never found a good way to ID a W/F on cover/postcard? perfs too hard, watermark. Don't want to soak off!
Login to Like
this post
Back when I had a bunch! I think, therefore I am - I think! Descartes, sort of!
14 Jun 2025
08:49:31pm
re: Sorting and Identifying stamps.
Most of my cheap Washington/Franklin stamp were picked up when my wife was living. So my advice is to make sure your partner is a librarian with lots of patience and organizational skills. I would never dream of rechecking her work since there was no one with more skill with stamp IDing than her. I occasionally add a new W/F stamp but they're usually quite pricey so I only have one to deal with at a time. I do check them over but when you're only dealing with one stamp at a time it is quite easy!! If I was starting a US collection at this moment I doubt if I could do it!
Login to Like
this post
10:30:49am
re: Sorting and Identifying stamps.
In an effort to keep this thread going and not to get stuck on WF's. I only used those stamps as an example because I specialize in 19th and early 20th century U.S.
What are some methods and ideas for lets say British Empire in particular for those that Like to discover plate positions for the penny black and penny reds. How do you guys go about sorting those?
Jeremy
Login to Like
this post
11:12:04am
re: Sorting and Identifying stamps.
I am a Mixed Boxaholic.
Why Mixed Boxes?
"It has been very relaxing to sit and sort."
My sorting system is very similar to Pogopossum's.
"I'm not sure what I will do with them all when done."
Answer! Sell them on Stamporama or put them in a box and sell them at your local auction house!
Login to Like
this post
11:17:27am
re: Sorting and Identifying stamps.
Sarge
I bought a partial plate reconstruction of around 100 penny reds (Scott #3) around 30 years ago of around 100 different positions. They were arranged by lower left letter first, lower right letter second. In other words the first stamp (top left) would be A-A, the second on the same row would be A-B and etc. I have stamps between A and T on the left and A and L on the right. I am not certain how these relate to sheet or plate positions. Below is a picture of 2 typical rows
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
11:43:25am
re: Sorting and Identifying stamps.
It wasn't until about a year ago that I learned about the plating process for the penny blacks and reds. Thanks for sharing.
What about other countries that sometimes have troublesome to ID varieties of all sorts? Lets hear it ladies and gentlemen.
Jeremy
Login to Like
this post
Approvals
re: Sorting and Identifying stamps.
British Seahorses!
My steps:
1: Is it cross-hatched lines, where the kings face is?
2:If yes, your done, #222-224, if not step 3.
3: dot or no dot in the top middle outside the framline? If yes, #179-181 if no, step 4
4: not all 179-181 have dot. Check frame line mm distance, 22.75 or 22mm? 22.75, 179-181, 22mm, step 5
5: look at the perfs. 2 types left. big teeth at the top-rights, and smaller perfs = 173a-175a, if not. 173-176
help borrowed from Roy's ASDA article of 2012!
Reegards,
Ari
Login to Like
this post