Scott 2875 Souvenir Sheet - Major Double Transfer Variety?

In looking through the Scott Specialized Catalog I note that the #2875 Souvenir Sheet is known to have both a Minor Double Transfer and Major Double Transfer variety.

Upon checking my own copy of that Souvenir Sheet I come up with what I think is the Major Double Transfer:

The entire souvenir sheet:



The last two stamps of the row:



A close up of what I believe is the Major Double Transfer:



It certainly looks like the Major Double Transfer to me. What do you think?

I also find it curious that the Scott Catalog does not bother to identify these varieties with a separate catalog number, yet the Major Double Transfer is said have a SCV of $70 as compared to the normal souvenir sheet value of $16.

WT nice find my friend. I'm surprised the value isn't higher unless it was a constant run problem for at least X number of sheets. Should at least have a 2875(X) in the catalog if its a known.

Yes, you have the major double transfer variety.

After the classics, in general Scott no longer assigns minor catalog numbers to constant plate varieties. As far as I know, Scott does not even list them in the US Specialized unless it affects every single printing for that plate number AND position, or that specific print run.

If Scott listed every single US plate variety after the classics, the US section would be well over 100 times thicker, as there are thousands of them. If you have thumbed through the old BIA journals, you will know what I mean. I'm not talking about printing freaks, but constant plate varieties.

In fact, Scott doesn't even list all the plate varieties for the US classics. Only the more "popular" or well-known ones. Every once in a while, they will make adjustments/additions as some of the lesser known ones becomes more popular.

Thanks for the confirmation on this one.

I can certainly understand that it would be next to impossible to list all of the plate varieties for stamps in the Scott catalog, but the fact that they (the Scott Specialized Catalog) even bothered to list this one (and for the Major Double Transfer the catalog value is shown in italics no less, suggesting that it is relatively hard to find) suggested to me that it should have warranted at least a suffix letter of some sort.

Anyway, at least I know what I have now. Interesting that I bought this souvenir sheet at face value and had it stuck in a glassine envelope and never much looked at it up close in all these years until I saw the catalog close up of the Major Double Transfer which prompted me to check my copy.

An example of what makes the "thrill of hunt" gratifying in stamp collecting.

[edit] It's interesting to note that I just went back to an old 2002 Scott Specialized Catalog that shows the Major Double Trasnfer error valued at $100. So the valuation has declined since then. Maybe it relates to just how many of these Major Double Transfer varieties have been found on the market ... or maybe just a reflection of the downward trend of modern US stamp values in general.

I remember that it generated quite a bit of "excitement". I'm guessing that is the reason Scott editors made the decision to include it in the US Specialized. But again, it does not meet the Scott editorial criteria for assigning minor catalog number for modern US stamps. I believe the price is italicized because of low sales information (see below).



It's a demand issue. Back then, just about every brick and mortar stamp dealer that I visited had one or more, and I think the total sales were something close to 0. They are not common, but they are not rare. All the collectors/dealers that I know who have one got them originally either at face value or below, as you did. It's not listed in the standard US catalog, so most collectors appear to be content to wait until it pops up in one of their purchases. If someone offers you $70 for it -- I would accept it!

Nice find, by the way. I've always loved that S/S sheet! Ironically, I've never seen the minor double transfer variety.

Yes, that is the case. Once the double transfer occurs, it will print like that for every single S/S in that position on the press sheet.

It was also discovered rather early, so many of them have been kept. It's actually rather difficult to find one postally used.

For whatever it's worth, this ebay listing is claiming to have the Minor Double Transfer variety. Frankly, I can't see it, but to be honest, the scan isn't all that good either:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/U-S-Scott-2..._1227wt_1115

Thanks for the link, wt1!

I've seen pics/scans of it. I've never seen one in person.

I'm not sure, but I think the known quantity in collector/dealer hands of the minor double transfer is noticeably less than the major double transfer. That's from memory and I don't remember the estimates, so don't hold me to that. When I used to visit the brick and mortar stamp shops, I met several dealers/collectors who had the major double transfer, but never met any that had or were interested in acquiring the minor double transfer at any premium.

The minor double transfer only has a minor catalog premium, but I guess the demand is less than zero! Of course, I wouldn't mind having it! One day, I'll run across one hidden in one of my purchases!

I also have one of these. I ordered my copy when it first came out through the USPS catalog. It was a few years later when I found out I had the major ooopsie. At the time, they were selling for over $100. Now I see that value has gone down quite a bit. Is this because the true number of sheets out there has risen?

It's true that the number of known S/S with the major double transfer has risen. But in my opinion, the price has dropped because there is little demand for them. If it were an issue of quantity available, then technically the minor double transfer should be worth more. But there is even less demand for the minor double transfer, so obviously the price is lower than for the major, regardless of quantity available.

I pose the question -- do you know anybody who paid more than $8-$10 for their major double transfer? There is a reason why the price is italicized. Dealers can ask for as much money as they want, but if it's not selling, the asking price doesn't mean much -- so it is italicized.

By the way, congratulations Nells250, for having gotten one at face value!

KHJ - yup, the only "rarity" I have ever found without looking! ;-)