Another Known Jsmestown Freak? 653-225

I am starting to think the printers in Jamestown, NY, were on the make, creating freaks for profit!

Is this a known error (JSMESTOWN)? I think it's a 653-225.

Thanks.

Sure looks like it. I never heard or seen this particular one? Good eye.

This is weird it is not listed in my precancel error catalog!

Can I retire on the proceeds then?

Seriously, does anyone know if there is a way to find out more -- or do I just forget it?

EDIT: And does anyone have a Jamestown 225 they could scan so I can see what it is like and compare closely? I don't have another. Failing Jamestown, then any other town with one or more letter A in it? Cheers.

Here's a regular Type 225 precancel from Jamestown, NY for comparison:

Thanks for the scan, wt1.

I am still regularly going back with the magnifying glass to try to find a way to turn the S into an A. So far, I am drawing a blank. It is very difficult with the background being dark brown and with the location of the "S" - in the oval and over other lettering. Also, the smudged letters in the middle of the word don't help -- I 'd like to get a closer look side by side between the first and second S.

On a related topic: wt1 -- how do you post such a big picture? I wonder if blowing mine up bigger would help me to see a hypothetical reason why this is not an S.

Thanks again.

I don't know if this will help much, but here's an edit of your initial scan, blown up slightly and color modified to B&W if you think it would help:



Personally, I'd vote for it being an unlisted typesetting error when the precancel was made.

Thanks wt1!

You see on your blow-ups, the thing I keep trying to isolate is the bottom corners, L and R, of the "S". You see how there are what look like little bumps on each side? I wonder if those are the corners of an A. And then the "line" that seems to join them could just be the dark brown from behind between the I and T on the oval.

On the other hand, there is that very obvious diagonal line running down from upper left to lower right, which sure looks like part of an S and pokes out way too far to the left (when compared against the one you posted for me) to be part of an A.

But then again, at the top, where the A would hinge, there is another of those bobbles - not quite centered enough to be an A, but not quite far enough to the right to be the beginning of an S?

Does anyone have any clue how I can nail this down? Is there someone at PSS I could email to chat?

The bottom of the "S" slightly below the line of the rest of the letters, and I think the font is a little different. Do I see the "A" lurking lightly in the background. Looks like someone did a careful thpe over creation.

Both the second character (which should be "A") and the "S" in the word JAMESTOWN in WT1's blow ups appear to be identical to me. Therefore, they're both "S"s.
I know nothing about American precancels.