Glossary Term

Centering

Centering describes how well a stamp's printed design sits within its margins and perforations; a perfectly centred stamp has equal margins on all four sides.

Also known as: centring, centred, grade

Centering (British: centring) refers to the position of a stamp’s printed design relative to its edges. A perfectly centred stamp has margins of equal width on all four sides, so the design sits squarely inside the perforations or cut edges. Off-centre stamps have one margin noticeably wider than the opposite one, and in extreme cases the perforations cut into the design.

Why Stamps Are Off-Centre

Centering problems arise because printing and perforating were separate operations. On many classic issues, the design was printed first and the sheet perforated later on a different machine. If the sheet was fed slightly out of alignment, or the paper had shrunk or stretched between operations, the perforation lines missed the gaps between designs.

19th-century US issues are notorious for poor centering: tightly spaced designs left almost no room for error, and well-centred copies of some stamps are genuinely scarce.

For imperforate stamps, the equivalent concern is the width of the margins left when the stamp was cut from the sheet with scissors — a “four-margin” copy with clear space on all sides is the standard to aim for.

Grading Scale

Centering is the main component of a stamp’s grade. Terms and approximate meanings:

  • Superb — essentially perfect centering, large even margins.
  • Extremely Fine (XF) — nearly perfect, margins very close to even.
  • Very Fine (VF) — slightly off-centre but design well clear of the perforations on all sides.
  • Fine (F) — noticeably off-centre, but perforations do not touch the design.
  • Very Good (VG) and Good — perforations touch or cut the design.

Grading standards vary between markets and eras. Numerical scales (for example 1–100) are also used by professional grading services, particularly in the United States.

Centering and Value

Catalogue prices usually assume a particular grade. The Scott catalogue, for example, prices most stamps in Very Fine condition; superior copies sell above catalogue, poorer copies below. On classic stamps, the difference between Fine and Superb centering can multiply a stamp’s value many times over.

Judging Centering

Compare the opposing margins — left against right, top against bottom. Centering gauges and overlay templates help make consistent judgements, especially when buying online from images.

Frequently Asked Questions About Centering

Why does centering matter so much for stamp value?

On many classic stamps, poorly aligned perforating machines meant that well-centred copies are genuinely scarce. Collectors pay significant premiums for stamps with balanced, even margins, especially in the US market where grading is standard.

What grades are used to describe centering?

Common grades, from best to worst, are Superb, Extremely Fine (XF), Very Fine (VF), Fine (F), Very Good (VG) and Good. Many catalogues price stamps at a stated grade, often Very Fine, and adjust from there.

Can a badly centred stamp still be valuable?

Yes. For a rare stamp, even a poorly centred copy can be worth a great deal; it simply sells for less than a well-centred one. For common stamps, collectors usually look for better centering because it is easily found.

Related Terms

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