In Hungarian philately, postatiszta is a condition term corresponding to the internationally used expression mint never hinged (MNH). The Hungarian term is related to the German philatelic term postfrisch .
Common catalogue and marketplace notation: ** or MNH.
A mint never hinged stamp is an unused stamp that remains in its original condition as issued by the postal administration, with its original gum undisturbed by a hinge or other adhesive.
A high-quality MNH stamp should be clean, fresh in colour and free from creases, cancellations, stains or other visible defects. The condition applies to the reverse as well as the printed side: the gum should be original and ideally undisturbed, with no hinge mark or other traces of mounting.
For self-adhesive stamps, MNH normally means that the stamp remains on its original backing paper and that the adhesive surface is undisturbed.
Older stamps inevitably show the effects of age and storage to varying degrees, so two stamps may both technically qualify as MNH while differing considerably in visual quality. Dealers and collectors therefore often distinguish exceptional or “luxury” examples from average-quality examples.
A luxury example is generally understood to be a stamp with no significant visible defect on either the front or the reverse.
An average example may show minor age-related characteristics typical of the particular issue, such as slight gum cracking. Sellers should ideally describe such features clearly.
When buying an older MNH stamp, particularly one issued before the 1960s, it is always advisable to inspect a good photograph of the reverse. Images taken under oblique light can reveal hinge traces, gum disturbances and other surface defects more clearly.
MNH stamps are generally worth more than hinged mint examples. The price difference varies greatly by issue and period and can be particularly substantial for older and scarcer stamps.
The description “MNH but hinged” is self-contradictory. If a stamp has a hinge or hinge trace on the reverse, it is not mint never hinged in the philatelic sense.
Sellers also frequently use the broader term “mint” or “unused”. This does not necessarily mean MNH: a hinged stamp is also unused because it has not been postally used and bears no cancellation. The condition of the gum should therefore always be checked separately.