Top Of Image Absent On Commem-1st One I've Seen (13c Bicent)

I was examining these two stamps to determine which to keep for my collection ... and I noticed that the one on the right is missing about 1.5 mm of the top of the design all the way across (particularly noticeable on the USA and the top of Franklin's head).

Looking at the bottom of the stamp, the margin is actually wider on the left stamp, and the design on the left stamp sits higher. So if there were to be missing parts at the top, it ought to be the L stamp. The missing mm occurring on the R stamp seems curious to me (as a neophyte in the US stamp world).

Does this happen a lot and what causes it? Is it the sort of thing that would be mentioned in an obscure listing of known errors, freaks and oddities -- or is it just too normal for that? Does it affect the notional value of the stamp for worse (or better!)?

One last question - while examining this, I also noticed that the R stamp is canceled "out of period" (1996). I assume this adversely affect its desirability?

Thanks.

What you are essentially doing is "fly-specing" a stamp issue that was printed using the Giori Press. That press was in use primiarly in the 1960's and 1970's and is notorious for having produced minor color shifts in the printing process.

To the best of my knowledge, no catalog varieties were ever noted (except for the rare missing colors), and none are worth any premium over "perfect" specimens, and in all probability are likly worth less, as most would prefer better centered copies.

To illustrate, here are three used stamps of Scott #1690 from my stock book:

EXAMPLE #1: The printing is raised higher than normal with the "USA" right at the top of the printed image of the stamp. This image also shows the top of Franklin's head slightly off the stamp and at the bottom of the stamp you can see where the blue and brown printing from the map extends beyond the intended stamp image. The example is also very poorly centered with little margin on the left side.


EXAMPLE #2: The printing is more normal but still not perfect. "USA" is located a bit low within the image of the stamp, as is the top of Franklin's head. This stamp is also poorly centered with little margin on the left side.


EXAMPLE #3: This example is probably the best of the three stamps. "USA" is well located within the image of the stamp. The left to right centering is also corrected (however, the top to bottom centering is less than perfect).


As to your question about contemporaneous use of the stamp shown in your image, it would only be of concern to me if you were talking about 19th or early 20th century classic stamps that have a high catalog value. In the case of the Benjamin Franklin stamp shown, the stamp is very common and therefore commands nothing more than minimum catalog value in which case the cancellation date would have virtually no affect on the desirability of the stamp for a collection. Of course, given the fact that a VF, MNH variety of the stamp catalogs for a mere 5 cents more than the used copy, most collectors would probably strive to acquire the mint stamp and these used stamps would simply serve as "fillers" until a nice stamp specimen can be acquired.

Finally, if you're not aware of it already, this was a joint issue between the US and Canada, so there is a Canadian equivalent of the stamp also available.

Very interesting WT1 - like I have said before - this forum is an awesome educational tool for our hobby! :-)

WT1 look further! There are 3 shift variations in the printing of the stamp. The Location like Boston different. Your example #3 shows what I'd believe to be the intended mark, Middle.
In Example #1 Boston is placed High, while Example #2 shows Boston is placed low!
The shifts are in the position of the brown map high/low/middle.
It appears to me the Example #3 is the correct one! Not a error.
Fascinating!

I wasn't looking at the map location so much as the top and bottom margins ... but it makes sense that if there were minor color shifts, the map locations would be affected, too. Nothing more than a "freak" I suspect, as there is no catalog variety noted for this issue.

I think the Giori press has a lot to do with it. That press set a standard for allowing multiple colors to be run at the same time and not have to have the stamps pass through the press more than once (which all but eliminated inverted color errors that were found on earlier issues). However, along with that "technology" came certain color shifts, as in the examples shown.

If I recall correctly there was a giori press at the print shop I worked at. It was a single station hence each color had to be run atop the other in usually a 4-5 stage process. I believe the biggest problem with the press was the sheet feeder that did not accuratly feed the sheets. Generally was used for wedding invitations and stationary items as they didn't always have full color processes. Have to figure if each time the sheet enters the press its off by even 1% x 4-5 colors it can make for quite an off registered mess. All in all a good work horse press but I wouldn't try and run copies of the mona Lisa from it.