Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Does anyone use any tools or instruments to do this? I've used digital ones before, but found trying to measure lines on a stamp to be too wishy washy.
Thoughts?
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I have a usb microscope that comes with a mm gauge you can overly and get close but it also has a measurement tool in the software. The mm gauge is used to calibrate first since the measurement varies with enlargement.
More than accurate enough for a 0.5mm difference.
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11:17:05am
I just use the small metric ruler on my perf guide. That's good enough for me but if I was a seller I'd want something similar to what Al uses!
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I use a steel ruler in inches!
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John... My experience in measuring things philatelic has shown that inches are rather useless. Almost every major catalog uses millimeters (mm) in their descriptions. I have often had to measure the size of a stamp design where a difference of 2 mm or less in width can be a significant difference in the categorization of the stamp. I have found the design measure very useful in separating wet printings from dry printings. A difference between 22mm and 22.5mm should be relatively easy with a finely marked ruler (I prefer a plastic see-thru to lay across the item being measured). If you are really splitting hairs, then I would place the ruler with one hand, while viewing the measurement thru a small hand-held magnifier with the other. In fact, the older I get, the more a magnifier comes in use!!
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I also use a clear plastic ruler to mesure the stamp height and width, very handy telling apart rotary and flat press on the W-F issues
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@Terry
Inches or MM makes no difference as long as the collector makes the right measurement and identification and the measure device is etched and not printed!
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I use this gauge for mm since it has a section with 0.5mm increments. For me, the problem with inches is that most gauges use fractional rather than decimal divisions. Metric is natural for me since we designed in metric but obviously aware of working with suppliers using US provided materials (sheet stock, etc).
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I've experienced some recent frustration with this myself. You'd think that finding the right mount for a Scott National album would be a no-brainer; it's not.
Agree with Terry. No one uses inches for anything whether it be catalogs, albums, mounts or other supplies. Some mounts are only off by a mm or 2 and if you get the wrong one it stands out like a sore thumb.
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Scott catalogs typically will use fractional measurements like perf 12 1/2 (nearest 1/4) but when there are some modern varieties close together they switch to decimal.
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I use inches, there's noting wrong using inches!
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There is nothing wrong with using inches...that is correct;
Just as there is nothing wrong with using metrics.
It's whatever works for each individual and what you are comfortable with.
Collect YOUR way.
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I use a variety of measuring instruments. The first is a steel rule with both fractional imperial units and metric units that generally is very close if not dead on. Then the Sonic imagery overlay that is very good and dead on in most cases then at as my last resort I get to the calipers especially when measuring grills as most grills aren't complete enough to rely on counting the points. It takes 2 measurements to get it correctly identified a vertical and a horizontal measurement. Finding the longest distance in the grill for each measurement can sometimes prove troublesome/frustrating to say the least but not impossible.
I try and find the longest linear points and get those measurements. Most of the time having a grill that is well defined is an almost impossible task because many not all have been pressed out or weren't very defined in the first place. Then frame lines are often blurry because the plates were worn and often recut which is why there are so many varieties of the same image. I find the flat plate press stamps to be easiest to identify. Rotary press stamps can even make a saint mad.
Then there are frame line measurements that are just as frustrating at times. Determining those is often a test of patience especially with used stamps. When I get one that is a pain in the 4th point of contact. I'll put the stamp down along with the measuring tools and return to the task a day or two later. This is especially true with Washington's and Franklin's.
I don't remember the old article that discuses this very topic. But I seem to recollect that there was an image of an expert using many of the tools discussed in this thread.
Jeremy
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more goodies!...Angore, where did you obtain the Sonic_
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They are on ebay. I see prices as low as $15.
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Had a stamp I was going to list yesterday, but there was a difference in value between the size of the vertical frame between two printings. One was 22mm, and the other 22.5 - 23mm. I was using some old drafting tools from my FIL and the mm gauge on my perf gauge. I measured several times and kept bouncing back between 22 and 22.5, and settled on the latter with more "hits".
Does anyone use any tools or instruments to do this? I've used digital ones before, but found trying to measure lines on a stamp to be too wishy washy.
Thoughts?
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re: Determining measurements on stamps.....what do use?
I have a usb microscope that comes with a mm gauge you can overly and get close but it also has a measurement tool in the software. The mm gauge is used to calibrate first since the measurement varies with enlargement.
More than accurate enough for a 0.5mm difference.
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Back when I had a bunch! I think, therefore I am - I think! Descartes, sort of!
06 Sep 2025
11:17:05am
re: Determining measurements on stamps.....what do use?
I just use the small metric ruler on my perf guide. That's good enough for me but if I was a seller I'd want something similar to what Al uses!
2 Members
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re: Determining measurements on stamps.....what do use?
I use a steel ruler in inches!
Login to Like
this post
re: Determining measurements on stamps.....what do use?
John... My experience in measuring things philatelic has shown that inches are rather useless. Almost every major catalog uses millimeters (mm) in their descriptions. I have often had to measure the size of a stamp design where a difference of 2 mm or less in width can be a significant difference in the categorization of the stamp. I have found the design measure very useful in separating wet printings from dry printings. A difference between 22mm and 22.5mm should be relatively easy with a finely marked ruler (I prefer a plastic see-thru to lay across the item being measured). If you are really splitting hairs, then I would place the ruler with one hand, while viewing the measurement thru a small hand-held magnifier with the other. In fact, the older I get, the more a magnifier comes in use!!
4 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
re: Determining measurements on stamps.....what do use?
I also use a clear plastic ruler to mesure the stamp height and width, very handy telling apart rotary and flat press on the W-F issues
Login to Like
this post
re: Determining measurements on stamps.....what do use?
@Terry
Inches or MM makes no difference as long as the collector makes the right measurement and identification and the measure device is etched and not printed!
Login to Like
this post
re: Determining measurements on stamps.....what do use?
I use this gauge for mm since it has a section with 0.5mm increments. For me, the problem with inches is that most gauges use fractional rather than decimal divisions. Metric is natural for me since we designed in metric but obviously aware of working with suppliers using US provided materials (sheet stock, etc).
7 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
re: Determining measurements on stamps.....what do use?
I've experienced some recent frustration with this myself. You'd think that finding the right mount for a Scott National album would be a no-brainer; it's not.
Agree with Terry. No one uses inches for anything whether it be catalogs, albums, mounts or other supplies. Some mounts are only off by a mm or 2 and if you get the wrong one it stands out like a sore thumb.
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
re: Determining measurements on stamps.....what do use?
Scott catalogs typically will use fractional measurements like perf 12 1/2 (nearest 1/4) but when there are some modern varieties close together they switch to decimal.
2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
re: Determining measurements on stamps.....what do use?
I use inches, there's noting wrong using inches!
Login to Like
this post
re: Determining measurements on stamps.....what do use?
There is nothing wrong with using inches...that is correct;
Just as there is nothing wrong with using metrics.
It's whatever works for each individual and what you are comfortable with.
Collect YOUR way.
2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
12:17:37pm
re: Determining measurements on stamps.....what do use?
I use a variety of measuring instruments. The first is a steel rule with both fractional imperial units and metric units that generally is very close if not dead on. Then the Sonic imagery overlay that is very good and dead on in most cases then at as my last resort I get to the calipers especially when measuring grills as most grills aren't complete enough to rely on counting the points. It takes 2 measurements to get it correctly identified a vertical and a horizontal measurement. Finding the longest distance in the grill for each measurement can sometimes prove troublesome/frustrating to say the least but not impossible.
I try and find the longest linear points and get those measurements. Most of the time having a grill that is well defined is an almost impossible task because many not all have been pressed out or weren't very defined in the first place. Then frame lines are often blurry because the plates were worn and often recut which is why there are so many varieties of the same image. I find the flat plate press stamps to be easiest to identify. Rotary press stamps can even make a saint mad.
Then there are frame line measurements that are just as frustrating at times. Determining those is often a test of patience especially with used stamps. When I get one that is a pain in the 4th point of contact. I'll put the stamp down along with the measuring tools and return to the task a day or two later. This is especially true with Washington's and Franklin's.
I don't remember the old article that discuses this very topic. But I seem to recollect that there was an image of an expert using many of the tools discussed in this thread.
Jeremy
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re: Determining measurements on stamps.....what do use?
more goodies!...Angore, where did you obtain the Sonic_
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this post
re: Determining measurements on stamps.....what do use?
They are on ebay. I see prices as low as $15.
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