25c Douglass Magenta 1290B

Hello, I was wondering if anyone knew or knows where I could find plate number info which would verify if a plate block of this US Scotts #1290 stamp was the 1290, 1290a or 1290b. I came across a page which showed some proof sheets with a number 37604 and I have 2 PB's I believe are magenta (the color or the 1290b) with a number of 37605. I am hoping to skip the expertization process with this plate number info as I have about 5 other hopefuls and that is a lot of money to waste on a regular 1290 PB. Thank you in advance, Dave

I don't know all plates but 37604 and 37605 were both known to produce 1290b.

There is no way to identify a 1290b by plate number alone, because the 2 plates used to produced 1290b were also used to produce 1290a. There are only 2 plate numbers that are unique to a certain Scott number, and those are 39378 an 39432, which were only used to produce 1290a with dull gum.

Below is the information, sorted by plate number:

28940 (1290, 1290a shiny gum)
28946 (1290, 1290a shiny gum)
31289 (1290, 1290a shiny gum)
31290 (1290, 1290a shiny gum)
37604 (1290a shiny gum, 1290a dull gum, 1290b)
37605 (1290a shiny gum, 1290a dull gum, 1290b)
39378 (1290a dull gum)
39432 (1290a dull gum)

1290 rose lake, untagged, shiny gum
1290a rose lake, tagged, shiny gum
1290a rose lake, tagged, dull gum
1290b magenta, tagged, shiny gum

If you find yourself unable to differentiate between the two colors, there are a few quick checks you can use to rule out the 1290b magenta:

1. The plate number must be 37604 or 37605.
2. It must be tagged.
3. It must have shiny gum.

Remember, the above tests are used to rule out 1290b if it doesn't meet those criteria. It is NOT a sufficient test to prove a 1290b. The conclusive test to prove a 1290b is the color.

k

Hello, first I want to say thank you for your time even if it was nothing more than typing it out, never mind doing research. Second you likely know more about stamps than I ever will but I was confused at the end...you said it would "rule out" 1290b but what you meant is that those three steps are how you actually tell if it "is" a 1290b? Every time I look at it I get a different reading, anyway my PB's of 9 and of 4 both have the #37604, are tagged and have shiny gum so they are? 1290b's Most Likely...but still need to be verified for color? Either way, this has been a great help to me and I really appreciate it. Dave

Thanks Russ, knowing those 2 key numbers will help a lot...

The way I read it, if all three are present, you might have a 1290b, but then deciding on the color is the last piece of the puzzle to confirm it. If any one of the three is not present, it is not a 1290b.

1290 rose lake left, 1290b magenta right

I have done a lot of looking around at the 2 colors and it definitely looks like magenta, like the one Russ shows on the right...Its looking pretty good right now...

issuarian, the color difference is unmistakable as you can see in the picture.

I actually had Mr Weiss look at it with a bunch of other pieces and he said the PB of 9 looked like the 1290b to him but he advised me to have it looked at by one of the big companies... I just was trying to figure out some others I had also which looked similar. The info khj provided will help a lot with that area.

I dont know, again you guys make me look stupid but I see a lot of stamps around that look like magenta unless it is the way they were photographed. I hate to admit it but I went and bought a few blocks cheap this morning because I was fooled by the color. Since I got this plate number info I know they arent magenta but they sure look it...! I can pick out the non magenta ones real easy and the sellers were not claiming they were magenta they just had that light pink like look instead of the dark color...

The magenta is actually a little brighter and pinker than what is shown in the scan (I need to get a new scanner)

but there is a distinct difference when they are together and to me even when they are apart...I will send some pictures of the 1290b's and the ones I bought when they arrive if what I am saying is true.

this site always opens my eyes.
i just hope all of my questions do not bothers others.
i have no certainty that if any are a 1290b
i think that maybe the last on the lower row maybe but the only one that I wish just would have liked the last right on the top row would be [it is mnh

I just read about the 1290b magenta variety in the May 2012 issue of the American Philatelist, and wondered if the center stamp in the image might possibly be magenta?

Matt

Matt,

I'm not good with colors. But I would say it is still rose lake.