Is MVLH the same as MNH?

No. MVLH has a faint hinge trace, while MNH (mint never hinged) has never been hinged at all.

Is MVLH better than MLH?

Yes. The hinge trace on an MVLH stamp is far fainter than the clearly visible mark on a lightly hinged (MLH) stamp.

Is MVLH worth as much as never hinged?

It is close, because the gum is almost undisturbed, but it usually sells for a little less, since the stamp has been hinged.

How can I tell if a stamp is MVLH?

Examine the gum under good light for a barely visible hinge trace. A clear image of the back makes it easier to judge.

Glossary

What Is MVLH (Mint Very Lightly Hinged)?

MVLH (mint very lightly hinged) describes a mint stamp with full original gum that has been hinged only once and very gently, leaving the faintest possible trace, barely visible to the eye. It sits just below mint never hinged (MNH) and just above mint lightly hinged (MLH). Because the term is sometimes stretched, the honest test is simple: there is a hinge mark, but only just.

Original gum

The faintest hinge trace

Just below MNH

MVLH

Just below never hinged

At a glance

MeansOriginal gum, the faintest possible hinge trace

Sits betweenMNH above, MLH below

Catalogue codeMVLH

GumFull original gum present

How to tellA barely visible hinge mark

NoteStill hinged, not never hinged

What MVLH means

A mint stamp is an unused one. "Very lightly hinged" describes the state of its gum. The stamp has been mounted with a hinge at some point, but so gently, and perhaps only briefly, that the disturbance is minimal: a faint trace where the hinge once rested, with no gum removed and no thinning of the paper.

MVLH is a refinement that dealers use to describe the very best hinged stamps, the ones that fall just short of never hinged. The gum is almost, but not quite, undisturbed.

Where MVLH sits in the mint scale

The mint grades all describe the gum. From best to least, in gum terms:

The mint grades
Grade	Gum state
MNH / UM (mint never hinged)	Full original gum, never hinged
MVLH (mint very lightly hinged)	Original gum, only the faintest trace of a hinge
MLH (mint lightly hinged)	Original gum, a light but visible hinge mark
MH (mint hinged)	Original gum, a more pronounced hinge mark
Unused / no gum (MNG)	No gum at all

The hinge mark on the back of a stamp, from none (MNH) to faint (MVLH), light (MLH) and more pronounced (MH).

For the grade above, see our guide to MNH.

MVLH and value

An MVLH stamp is worth more than a more heavily hinged one, and it sits close to a never-hinged example, because the gum is so nearly untouched. It will not usually reach the full never-hinged price, since it has, after all, been hinged, but it is often an attractive middle ground.

For collectors who want fresh, almost-undisturbed gum, but who find genuinely never-hinged classic stamps either scarce or expensive, a well-chosen MVLH example offers much of the appeal at a gentler price.

What MVLH should, and should not, mean

Read this grade carefully

This is the term to read most carefully, because it is the one most often stretched. Used honestly, MVLH means a genuinely minimal, barely perceptible hinge trace. It does not mean a clearly visible hinge mark dressed up in flattering language.

The surest protection against a grade that means different things to different sellers is simply to see the stamp. That is why we photograph every stamp front and back in high resolution: rather than ask you to trust a label, we show you the gum and let you judge how light "very lightly" really is.

How to tell MVLH from MNH and MLH

Against MNH: under good, raking light, an MVLH stamp shows a faint disturbed trace where a never-hinged stamp shows none at all.
Against MLH: the trace on an MVLH stamp is far fainter; a lightly hinged stamp shows a clear, readily visible hinge mark.

If you cannot be sure from a description alone, a clear image of the back will usually settle it.

How we describe MVLH

We use "MVLH" only where it genuinely applies, never to flatter a more heavily hinged stamp, and we show the back of every stamp so you can see the gum for yourself. You can read more on our quality and grading standards page.