Questions About Some US Stamps

(!) Does this stamp have a green-blue variety? I thought it was just the one colour (blue).



(2) Is there any way to tell if this is a booklet stamp? It has a horizontal watermark, which is only very rarely found on the booklet stamps.



(3) These two stamps look very different. Are they varieties or the same issue?



(4) How old would this cut corner be? Are these considered collectible?



Thanks for stopping to check out this thread!

(1) 25c Golden Gate Bridge -- only comes in blue. Both your stamps are wet print variety (as opposed to dry print). Both are in bad shape, which probably accounts for the color difference. There is some normal variation in color (especially if you compare wet and dry print varieties); however, they are all considered "blue".

(3) 5c Roosevelt -- left stamp is rotary press, right stamp is flat plate press.

(4) 2c Washington stamped envelope -- yes, they are collectible, although the market is very soft as supply far exceeds demand except for the less common varieties. This one issued in 1884, and will be U277-U284 depending on stamp color and paper color.

khj, thanks for the info!

Is this cut corner a common variety?

I just love that Teddy Roosevelt stamp! beautiful!

Interesting postmark on your stamped envelope. Wish I could read the rest of it.

The stamped envelope cancel is a dulex looks like Chicago Carpenter Street Station (Station F)

I'm pretty sure it's a Chicago cancel. I've got one like it on something else, and it also has the 'F' at the bottom.

@khj: Just curious as a relative newbie to the finer points, why did you say the 25c Golden Gate Bridge was in bad state? To my untrained and unqualified eyes, the perfs look ok, decent centering and not a heavy cancel.

Just asking.

Thanks

I wouldn't say the 25c Golden Gate Bridge stamps are in "bad" shape ... but I think the intent was that as a very common stamp, the condition could be better. For example:

The left stamp has a discoloration to right of the plane and just above the suspension cable in the bridge.

The right stamp (apart from being a bit discolored) is wrinkled against the perforations on the left side and has a few short perfs in the top, plus being that it has a heavy cancel, it is a less desirable specimen than many others of that issue.

In stamp collecting, condition is everything, not that these stamps even in "superb" condition go for much above minimum catalog value, it's just that for common stamps it is very easy to get better examples as you come across them in accumulations or collections.

Hope this helps.

Thanks, wt1. Yes, "bad", just like "superb" is a pretty subjective term.

I usually lump any stamps that have any sort of brownish/yellowish discoloration/toning into the "bad" category. Unless you are experienced at determining the cause of the discoloration, I recommend isolating stamps with discolorations/stains from your main collection. There are some discolorations, such as mildew/fungus, that will spread. Paper acid damage can also spread in certain scenarios if you are not careful.

Missing perfs, poor centering, creases... are faults that cannot be spread. They only affect that stamp. On the other hand, some discolorations are caused by things or storage conditions that can cause it to "spread" (or affect other stamps) if you are not careful.

Thank you for that lesson..wouldn't have paid attention to the shortened perfs.

Will keep that in mind. I'm starting to put together a US collection; so all this is valuable information for me.

Just wondering which of the Roosevelt stamps has the highest value,,, newbie heremmwell kinda just getting back in to collecting after 30 years,,, to my untrained eye it be the right one,,,,flat press

Therein lies a dilemma. I can understand your feeling that the right stamp has a cleaner look to it, however, keep in mind that as used issues, both command a modest catalog value of $0.20 (rotary press/left stamp) and $0.30 (flat plate/right stamp) respectively. However, you do have to look beyond the catalog value and just the cleanliness of the stamp.

In the two examples scanned above the left one has a cut or torn bottom edge with perfs missing, plus the left side of the stamp doesn't look as if the perfs are torn apart properly either, making that example virtually worthless as a collectible. On the other hand, the stamp on the right has two straight edges, and those examples are considered less desirable than the stamp would be if perfs were around all edges.

Finally, keep in mind that even at the minimum catalog values, the stamps are expected to be in VF condition according to the Scott catalog. Neither example meets that definition. The left stamp with the cut bottom perfs would be relegated to space filler status at best; the right stamp with the straight edges that is also off center and the image is running into the right side perfs would make that a less desirable example as well.

Since both are very common items that are otherwise available for a few cents at most, and both have relatively heavy cancellations, I would suggest that both would likely be considered space fillers at best until better examples could be obtained.

Just my opinion. Others may chime in with different responses, which is what makes this forum so interesting.

jimjamtwo,

A rule of thumb that I have used over the years and has proved to be successful is that if you don't have a copy of a particular stamp in you album then any stamp, regardless of centering, cancellation, gum, hinge, damage etc, is a beautiful stamp. Until something better comes along. Like when you was young and going after the fair sex. It'll do for now. When you do find a better stamp, replace the old with the new, say thank you & goodby and have a celebration with your new find. Worked for me but don't tell my wife.

artlaunier,

I like your rule of thumb. These two stamps are beauties and look really nice together alongside my other Austrian Commems. (as long as you don't look to carefully)

I agree, if you have only one stamp, use that until you find a better stamp of that one, replace it, then add the old one to your "future trade" stamp pile