Stamp Gradings and Abbreviations

General Abbreviations

SG: Stanley Gibbons - Reference number as used by Stanley Gibbons (UK). From Concise, Collect Great British Stamps or Specialised Catalogues. Some items may have a code or additional code added. This is my own reference number where Gibbons do not provide a number
SCOTT: Reference number as used by Scott (USA) catalogue
UM: Unmounted Mint - Unused with Full Original Gum. No Trace of Hinge
FMM: Fine Mounted Mint - Unused. Light to Reasonably Mounted with Original Gum
AMM: Average Mounted Mint - Unused with Gum. Will have some defect
VFU: Very Fine Used - Fine stamp. With light postmark
FU: Fine Used - Fine stamp. Good moderate postmark
GU: Good Used - Sound Stamp with heavier postmark
AU: Average Used - Stamp with slight defect, such as pulled perfs or slight thin
DU or S/F: Defective Used - Stamp with Faults, such as trimmed perfs, thinned or small tear
POA: Price On Application/Request - Please contact me for availability and Price
FDC: First Day Cover - Stamp(s) used on an envelope on the first day of issue.

See additional notes below.

PACK: Presentation Pack - All packs are as supplied by Royal Mail (Post Office). Consisting of an Information Card and containing Unmounted Mint Stamps in a clear Plastic (early Issues are Cellophane) Sleeve
FROM: Where this is stated in the description, this is my lowest price for this item and and grade. If I am unable to supply at this price, I will advise of the price I can supply at
MARGINS: Refers to the number of clear margins for Queen Victoria Issues.

VERY FINE USED: Most strips, M/S, blocks and Self Adhesives will be supplied on paper. This is due to the fact that they can easily fall apart when trying to remove them. We STRONGLY advise you to leave them on the paper and just cut the paper close to the stamps. This is particularly true of the Self Adhesives issued from 2008 Christmas and later, as the gum used by Royal Mail makes it almost impossible to remove from the paper it has been affixed to when posting. This is an acceptable practice.
FIRST DAY COVER: Images of the Stamps only, not the First Day Cover. As First Day Covers supplied can be by different producers, different Illustration or different Layout. The first three issues listed 1924 to 1929 are supplied as plain envelopes as illustrated do not exist. All subsequent issues are on Illustrated Envelopes.