Scott 158 Verification?

Calling this Scott 158, anyone with any other ideas? Thanks - Jeff

I've got about 2 dozen of these, it's a 158.

Only 2 Dozen I was thinking of getting all mine and mounting them in a 24" x 36" picture frame and hanging it on the wall

My problem with these is that I get one that looks like it has the secret mark and then I look again and say no and then yes and eventually I talk myself out of being sure of anything. I have tons of them also, but I only THINK I have identified them correctly. Thanks all for helping - Jeff

Nobody has mentioned paper type and this stamp doesn't appear to me to be printed on the harder, smoother, white paper but on the soft, porous paper which is not nearly as white. You need to look at the paper before to rule out #184.

I have trouble with that Sinclair2010 but I thought I had it right. I will scan a shot close up from the back and maybe that will help. This is at 600. There are a couple of ragged edges bottom left, but overall I did not see a lot of threading on the perfs.

I can't tell from the scan. The best thing to do is compare it to a known 1873 Continental printing. The two paper types are unmistakable when compared that way. Fuzzy perfs are a good indication of soft paper but it is not the only way or even the best way to seperate paper types. I think you will also usually find the 1873 paper to be thinner than the 1879 soft porous paper. I have a Tasco booklet of the 1c stamps with #145, 156, 182, and 206. Buy one of those or perhaps they may have made one for the 3c stamps, you will then know the difference. They are very collectible and a fantastic addition to a collection.

I always have problems with these. I agree with you Jeff. I'm constantly moving mine from one page to another thinking I've misidentified it. Then of course, they get moved back!

thanks sinclair2010 - what is a tasco booklet? My problem I guess is to get some of the real mccoy for comparison. I probably will have to just go to a dealer and buy some to use for comparison.

For comparison, if you can find a brown 2c you know that to be on the hard paper of National or Continental. Before American started printing on soft porous paper they had changed the 2c color to orange.

Again, if you have a 2c brown you know its on hard paper.

To see something on soft paper look at one of the redesigned large banknotes like a 1c Scott 212 or orange 3c Scott 214.

Matt

Jeff, the Tasco booklets were educational booklets created and sold by the Tatham Stamp and Coin Company. My booklet titled The One Cent Issues of 1870 to 1888 sold for $0.40 and was copyrighted in 1938. I think the company played a huge role in stamp collecting in its hayday. I tried to add a scan but the file was too big. Maybe I will figure out how to post 100+kb images.

Matt, using a 2c brown is an excellent suggestion and guaranteed to work!

thanks matttodd1 and sinclair2010 that sounds like a fix to check paper types. I will have to keep my eyes out for a Tasco booklet, but the information is arming me for another try. thanks - jeff

http://cgi.ebay.com/TASCO-Booklet-w...em5d2e3bc564

Here you go Jeff, I have half a mind to buy it myself. Just in case the link doesn't work the, item #400207627620.