Why grading
1. Initially the certificates only addressed authenticity since that is all that concerned collectors.
2. As the price of sound stamps versus faulty stamps widened, more collectors and investors involved in the stamp trading market.
3. The disparity in prices of what many in the hobby refer to as top quality stamps versus lower quality stamps has now become so significant that a need has developed in the philatelic community to evaluate a stamp’s grade.
4. Many coins collectors enter the stamp collecting market.
5. Hot money is entering the collection market.
6. Since the price of stamps is higher, more counterfeit stamps are present in the market. Even the auction company cannot guarantee the authenticity. Therefore a third party grading services are needed. Stamp Grading