Glossary Term
A regummed stamp has had new gum applied to its back after issue, usually to make a stamp with no gum or disturbed gum appear to have original, never-hinged gum.
Also known as: RG, regum, re-gummed
A regummed stamp (abbreviated RG) is one that has been given new gum after it left the post office. Regumming is usually done to make a stamp look like it has full original gum — often never hinged — so it can be sold for more. It is one of the most common alterations in philately.
Unused stamps without gum or with heavy hinge marks are worth much less than never hinged copies. For scarce stamps, the price difference can be large, tempting some sellers to wash off the old gum and apply new. Regumming is also used to hide repairs such as filled thins.
Regumming is a type of fake — a genuine stamp altered to seem more valuable — rather than a forgery, which is a copy of the entire stamp. Other common alterations include reperforating, repairing tears and thins, and chemically cleaning cancellations.
Look for gum on the perforation tips, a surface that is too even or too glossy, the wrong gum colour or type for the issue, and gum that fluoresces differently under ultraviolet light. Comparing with a known genuine copy helps.
Regumming a stamp is not illegal in itself, but selling a regummed stamp without disclosing it is deceptive. Honest sellers always describe regummed stamps as such.
It is typically valued as a stamp without gum, because the added gum adds nothing and may damage the paper. In some markets it is valued even lower because of the deception involved.
Also: counterfeit, fake, postal forgery, philatelic forgery, facsimile
A forgery is an imitation of a genuine stamp, overprint or postmark made to deceive — either the post office, to avoid paying postage, or collectors, to sell a copy as genuine.
Also: stamp gum, adhesive, OG, PVA gum, dextrin
Gum is the adhesive applied to the back of a stamp so it can be stuck to mail; its presence, type and condition strongly affect the value of mint stamps.
Also: OG, full original gum, part original gum, o.g.
Original gum (OG) is the adhesive applied to a stamp at the time of printing, as opposed to gum added later; its presence is a key value factor for unused stamps.