Perfins Collection

I'm very tired not slept in almost 24 hrs I just cant think of what these are called... the stamps with perfed letters in them.

here is a crazy one...

ALSO, what is the best way to scan these I have like 80 more I wanted to show a bunch but if I flip them over so you can see them better they are all backwards.

SORRY about all the edits I'm adding different scans to see what works the best.

They are called perfins.

You can use a program (including Paint) to flip the image before uploading.

thanks I'm going to change the title and try that paint flip I'll line a whole bunch up and give it a shot

Sounds scary coming from a pilot
Looks like there are several damaged/missing pins might be PV&?Y. I will look at my references and see if I can match it.

here you go Russ, I flipped them as KHJ suggested and dont worry I've been off for those 24 hrs and off for the next few days

Here is what I found and soaked off yesterday...
chime in if you know what they stand for.

I don't have my references in front of me so I will try from memory (I collect RR perfins so they are easy)
Row 1
1 General Electric
2 Norfolk $ Western Railway
4 Florida East Coast Railway
5 Texas & Pacific Railway
6 Spokane Portland and Seattle Railway
7 Western Trunk Lines
Row 2
1 New York Central
2 Grand Trunk Western
3 GE
4 New York Life (I think)
5 Santa Fe Lines
7 Norfolk $ Western Railway
Row 3
2 Grand Trunk Western
3 Norfolk $ Western Railway
4 GE
5 Chicago Great Western
7 Canadian Pacific railway
Row 4
2 New York Central
3 Central of Georgia Railway
5 Norfolk $ Western Railway
7 Santa Fe Lines
Row 5
4 GE
6 Panhandle and Santa Fe Railway
7 Spokane Portland and Seattle Railway
Row 6
5 Florida East Coast Railway
Row 7
2 Panhandle and Santa Fe Railway
7 Santa Fe Lines
Row 8
4 New York Central
6 Grand Trunk Western

WOW.... I'm impressed!
I got to print that out put it in the envelope so I can make them in the album when I make some pages!

Edwin,
I print my own perfin pages that way I can scan the back of the stamps with a black backgroung and frame and mount the stamp face up next to it. I like that a lot better than mounting the stamps face down.

What a great idea, Russ. And a pretty good memory too!

I collect the RR perfins, you probably noticed that the GE is very distinctive and easily identified but the rest of the non railroad are still a mystery to me.

Yeah, that only makes sense if you insist on collecting MNH.

Edwin, pic looks great! But, are you like on auto-pilot after 24 hours?

Russ, good memory!

I guess I really should get back to work...

Memory is a matter of priority, my wife sends me to the store for 3 things and I can only remember 2 without the list.

You remember how many things were on the list? By the time I get to the store, I'm scratching my head wondering what to get and if I went to the right store!

My neighbors laugh and shake their heads when I drive out and then pull back into my driveway 3 minutes later...

Since we have some perfin specialists here, anyone care to try and help me identify these?



The only ones I know for sure are:

Third Row #4 = US Marine Corps
Fourth Row #5 = American Telephone & Telegraph (AT&T)
Fourth Row #6 = Travelers Insurance

Any other help would be welcomed.

Thanks.

Row 1
2 Texaco
4 Union Pacific
Row 2
6 BF Goodrich

Thanks for the start in the ID's of these perfins. I've been debating as to whether Row 2, #5 (WW Jr) could be William Wrigley, Jr. of Wrigley's Gum.

Also, this is purely conjecture on my part, but I'm guessing one of either Row 3, #5 (BEUc) and/or Row 4, #1 (BEC) may be Boston Edison Company...not sure, though.

I may also stand corrected on Row 3, #4 (USMC). I originally thought it was US Marine Corps, but there is also United Shoe Mfg. Co. that also used the "USMC" acronym. Anyone know if the US Marines used perfins or if the example shown is more likely to have been a business?