Expertization Service
Overview of Service
The Vincent Graves Greene Foundation will provide expertizing services related the authenticity and condition, unaltered or otherwise of British North American stamps and historic postal items. Learn more about what’s involved in the expertizing and certification process.
The fee for this service is based on the assumed value of the item in question. Values of stamps and covers are to be based on current editions of Scott or Unitrade catalogue. Unitrade values are to be based on unused or used stamps in fine condition without extras.
The Greene Foundation issues a genuine certificate, green colour, where the stamp or cover is genuine and it is either fault free or has faults such as a tear, thinned paper, disturbed original gum, missing perforations, or other faults which have not been repaired.
Where a stamp on or off cover has faults which, in the opinion of the Expert Committee, have been repaired with the intention of deceiving a collector, then these alterations are described and a pink certificate declaring a lack of genuineness, is issued. Such repairs include removal of a cancel, regumming, repair of tear, addition of margins, rebacking a stamp, alteration of the issued colour, and addition of a stamp to a cover on which it did not originate.
How To Submit Items For Expertization & Certification:
Download the new fillable PDF Submission Form here.
Complete a Submission Form for each item you are having expertized.
Print a copy of each completed Submission Form and pair it with the corresponding item for submission.
For each item you are submitting please prepay online by first selecting the correct service based on the Scott/Unitrade catalogue value on this page, then ‘Add Service to Cart.’ Note: Our fees are based on the value of the item being expertized.
Once you have added a service for each item being submitted to your online cart, follow the checkout process. Select a prepaid return shipping service (or free pickup) and complete online payment.
You will receive a confirmation of payment by email. Please print a copy of this payment receipt to include with your submission.
Place all documents in a waterproof envelope, and mail your complete submission to the foundation at P.O. Box 69100, St. Clair Post Office, Toronto, Ontario M4T 3A1, Canada, or deliver it directly to the Foundation in person at 10 Summerhill Ave. Toronto, ON, M4T 1A8, Canada. *Note: You will need to prepay here online for services, before submitting items to the foundation. If you would still like to pay by cheque please contact us directly. Postage for shipping to the foundation will be covered separately at your own expense.
You will receive an email notification when your submission package has been received by the foundation. You will also receive a notification when your item is being return shipped or is ready for pick up. Note: Time frame for completion of expertization, issue of certificate and return of item is approx. 8 weeks.