Standard Authentication Service You receive a PSE Certificate of Authenticity, which includes the correct Scott catalogue number, year of issue, denomination, color, and description of the condition of the stamp. A full-color photographic representation of the stamp appears on the certificate. PSE's opinions are guaranteed. Graded Certificate of Authenticity The PSE Graded Certificate of Authenticity includes all of the information contained in our Standard Certificate of Authenticity, as well as a PSE Standardized Philatelic Grade. ™

Grading and Encapsulation Services As of January 1, 2021 PSE is discontinuing its encapsulation service. Due to a combination of increased minimum supply requirements combined with a currently low demand for encapsulation service it has become cost prohibitive for PSE to continue providing this service at this time. PSE will continue to encapsulate stamps for as long as we have remaining sizes in stock. Orders submitted for encapsulation where current stock has run out will be issued graded certificates.

Submission Details

1. Submissions are accepted for three services. See the List of Services and Prices.


1. VINTAGE: Generally for stamps of the United States issued from 1900 to date and Canada issued from 1900 to 1945. Stamps from other countries issued from 1939 to date apply for this service.


2. CLASSIC: All United States and Canada Stamps issued prior to 1900. Stamps from other countries issued prior to 1939 apply for this service.


3. SPECIALIZED: For Postal Stationery, Postmaster Provisionals, Private Perforations, Proofs, Essays, Errors, certain Footnoted Varieties and Covers.


2. Only one service may be submitted per submission form. You cannot mix Vintage, Classic or Specialized stamps on one form. If you do, your order will be subject to the longest return time frame.



3. You may also choose what you would like to receive from us.


1. Ungraded Certificate: Our ungraded certificate identifies the Scott Number of the stamp, whether it is used or unused, the gum condition and any significant faults.


2. Graded Certificate: Our graded certificate includes a numeric grade as outlined in our booklet A Guide to the Grading of United States Postage Stamps in addition to the information shown on the Ungraded Certificate above. At this time, PSE grades only unaltered genuine stamps as singles, coil pairs and Scott Catalog listed multiples.


3. Encapsulated: At this time items are being encapsulated on a first come first serve basis until holder stocks are depleted. Any items submitted for encapsulation where there is no stock left on hand will be issued graded certificates.



4. PSE will strive to reduce the expertizing fee to reflect the amount due based on our final opinion of the item as it pertains to the Scott Number or the stamp's state: i.e. Mint, or Used. However, we reserve the right to cover our direct processing costs (up to $100 per item) involved with its expertization. In no event will the fee ever exceed that which would have applied had the item proven to be "as submitted." Our fee will neither be increased, or decreased based on the grade which we assign the item.



5. PSE expertizes stamps from the United States, including possessions, Canada and Canadian Territories, and many European and Asian countries. Please contact us if you have a question regarding a country you would like to submit.

PSE 2023 Schedule of Services and Fees

* Priority Handling may be added to any Submission Invoice for an additional $20 per stamp. Note that Priority Handling must be added to ALL stamps on a particular invoice, not selected stamps.

When Scott does not list a catalog value, the value used will be PSE's estimate of market value..