[Adapted from a posting I made on another board, in hopes of reaching a wider audience here. If anyone has any insight into the comparative scarcity or value of Scott #1951-2001 versus #1953A-2001A, specifically as it relates to first day covers, I'd appreciate it!]Quote:
In 1982, the USPS issued a set of 50 stamps, one for each state in the U.S., depicting the state bird and flower from that state.
The 2011 Scott Specialized lists the following on page 166:
#1953-2001 (perforated 10.5x11.25) at $0.55 mint and $0.30 used.
#1953A-2001A (perforated 11.25x11) at $0.65 mint and $0.30 used.
Not a big difference.
However, in the FDC listings on page 399, the FDCs for #1953-2001 are $1.25 each but the FDCs for #1953A-2001A are listed but not priced with a dash, which usually (but not always) indicates scarcity.
Are the latter on FDCs more scarce or is there simply not enough information for Scott to price them?
To which I received the following reply:
Quote:
I think they are very scarce on first day cover. The only cachetmaker that I know of who did them was House of Farnam. They were done on a set of 50 covers with each cover having both the regular and the variety stamp. One stamp is cancelled with the DC cancel and the other with the State cancel. I think there were only about 25 sets made although HF wanted to do more but was constrained due to economic problems.
The owner of the company at the time was John Halliday who was always interested in and willing to do these kind of things on first day cover.
I then replied:
Quote:Well, I think I actually have an FDC set on the perf 11.25x11 versions.
I've spot-checked 6 out of the 50 and they all perf out. The cachet maker is Artmaster, one of the mass market FDC producers of that era (different from the one mentioned above).
The following are closeups showing the stamp and a perforation gauge. My apologies for the relative lack of contrast in the first image; this was difficult to capture.
Horizontal (11.25):
Vertical (11):
Posted 01/28/2011 10:38 am
