5 Cents Taylor - Scott 179 Or 185?

Hi,

Is scott #179 or #185?

https://picasaweb.google.com/CDNumS...965754141554

Thank you!

CDNum
https://picasaweb.google.com/CDNumStamps

You will need to determine if it is soft porous paper, but easier would be if you can see that cancellation date. The Earliest known use of 185 was 16 Jan 1879. If the date is before that you very likely have 179. If it is after that then you probably have to determine paper type. Russ may have some answers for you as well.

Based on the scan I think it is soft paper (185). Can you scan the back for confirmation?

Add back picture :


https://picasaweb.google.com/CDNumS...998329075922


jhlovell : I cannot read date... I think it is a New York cancel.

CDNum
https://picasaweb.google.com/CDNumStamps

Soft paper Scott 185

Thank you Russ!

Russ, I have a Dickens of a time telling soft paper, and you did it from a scan. Clues please ????

Soft paper will look like molted newspaper held up to the light. I have trouble with some of the Banknote series also. One trick I use is that the hard white paper will fluoresce under shortwave UV light.

Every collector of U.S. banknotes has had that problem. After seeing hundreds or thousands it becomes easy. Get a copy of Scott 114 (1869 3 cent locomotive) and Scott 210 (1883 2 cent Washington) and use these for reference. In time it becomes automatic on detection.

thank you - will do. - jeff

Look to the light! I'm getting better at identifying the paper, but it really helps to have two examples to compare side by side. Held up to a light, for some numbers, the hard paper practically glows and is translucent whereas the soft paper is much more opaque. Here's a 150 and a 188 held up to a light, looking at the back. In addition to the opacity, you can see a gridlike pattern in the soft paper.



The color can be a tell as well, I bought the 188 which was described as a 161. I could tell from the posting's picture that it was very yellow and figured it was the 188.

The 5c Taylor is a tough one, at least with the two examples I have:



Some days I call the one on the left a 179 (like today) and other days I swear I can see that soft paper grid in the lower left. The grid on the right is very plainly evident, and so certainly a 185.