I Love Kilos Purchases

i just paid about $20 with shipping and always find plate numbers and selvage items.
i do not think they have any great values but I love them.

do many collect plate numbers any more?
i have many dups..
i think I need to trade them.

i do not see the values of plate numbers in scotts. [just in coils]
do they have any add value to a stamp?

thanks

What's going on with that 5-cent Red Cross and 50-cent Americana series stamp? Looks like there are ink smears in the plate number (Red Cross) and denomination (Americana). Is that so, or was it just that your scanner skipped a beat when scanning those images?

Plate number blocks typically add a premium, plate number single stamps in used condition, probably don't, although that is not to say I would tear the plate numbers off, as some do add value, but more typically on older issues; the selvage with the "Use Zip Code" or "Copyright" notices less so.

Plate Number coils, on the other hand, can be an interesting specialization. There are some that are scarcer than others and worth a small premium, however, most collectors value MNH strips of 3 or 5, the used singles can be an attractive side collection, though.

Plate numbers on American stamps are collected by most people as plate blocks, for example as a corner block of 4. But the singles you show are also collectible, and there is a society specific to such a thing, the American Plate Number Single Society.

http://www.apnss.org/index.htm

They publish a catalogue which prices mint and used plate number singles. In general, they're not worth much more than the basic stamp, but they're still fun to collect. See the "Publications" link for information on the catalogue, Hebert's Standard Plate Number Single Catalogue.

Ryan

I am always keeping watch for certain used plate number singles.
Some stamps have varieties that are distinguishable by the plate #.
In these cases I'm trying to get a used plate # single of each of the varieties.
I would prefer the plate # single instead of the plate block because the plate single would fit in my album better, and hopefully would cost less or require less in trade than the plate block.
USA Scott #s C34, C35, and C36 are a case in point, and some that I am still looking for by the way. :) Certain of the plate #s of these Airmail stamps were wet print, and other plate #s were dry print.

Dave N.
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