Help Clearing Up Special Printings...169 And 194...

I appreciated the answer with my last question. I'm sure that post will clear a lot of confusion with the 552 as I had when searching for an answer on the larger flat plate designs. I like to look for the rarities as everyone I'm sure does. Any input on the Scott 169 or 194 special printings. I have what I believe a Scott 158 no gum light hinge rem secret mark and looks blue green but don't have a color chart and looks to have been scissor cut due to angel of perfs on sides, but I guess any stamp could've been scissor cut. My question is how to tell if it is a special printing 169 or 194(besides the fact that only 267 copies total between 169 and 194 were ever sold and mostly for only collectors, and only 49 copies with certs?)? Was the 169 or 194 Continental Printing? As I had indicated in the last post that I am new and would like to get more into stamp collecting so any knowledge is much appreciated. Thank you.

I've been collecting US for fifty five years and that is one area where I have not a clue about. I think 99.85% of collectors would admit the same. If I had a 'suspect', I would take it to a major stamp show and ask some of the big-time US dealers for an opinion. In my opinion, there is no way for a 'lay person' to reliably identify these. The only people who can do it are experts who have had a number of them 'in their hands', as dealers, auctioneers, or very lucky collectors.

This should answer some of your questions.

Not an expert but perhaps someone remembers this trick I read about once.

To tell the difference between laid paper and wove paper, you can use an example of US#65 for the laid paper and US#210 for the wove paper.

Not sure if that is right. Perhaps someone else remembers better.

David

Thank you all for your input. Thanks Fred for supplying the page on Washington 3c 1870 design. So that does answer that the 169 is CBN and the 194 is ABN. Looking at the stamp, it is smoother and I noticed the shading on right underhalf of picttoral oval is is thicker as you can see between the first pic and second pic of the proofs from http://www.1847usa.com/1870/BankNote03c.htm(first pic is CBN scott 158 and second is ABN scott 207). So that would make this stamp either 158 or 169 as CBN. Now I guess the question is what makes a stamp Mint with no gum?



Scott 158P4 - Continental Printing
Original Design - Proof on Card




Scott 207P4 - American Printing
Reengraved Design - Proof on Card

K so after some more research I have found that my suspect stamp might be a Scott 184. Back to what I found with the right underside of pictoral oval, it is thinner only with Scott 207? I say that because there are certified Scott 184 ABN printing with the thicker shading. Is this correct? Also I have found that the 207 has rougher design lines and it looks like both CBN and ABN both had the smoother designs except for just the re-ingraved Scott 207?Now about the paper. I have found copies of Scott 158, 184, and 207 to compare my suspect stamp with. I have found that if you hold up to light at a slight angle, that you can see the soft porous spots, and cannot with the white wove hard paper. With regards to stamps that are MNG. I am to understand that these stamps where cleaned for cancels and is reason thay have no gum?? I cannot find the slightist fade of any ink under the light on the suspect stamp. So I have a scott 184? Please let me know if I am the right track . Thanks to all that can help or place an opinion.











References
www.1847usa.com
www.theswedishtiger.com
www.psestamp.com
Siegel Auction Galleries