Major And Minor Variations Of US Stamps Since 1960

My album is the Mystic American Heirloom set. I've enjoyed it thoroughly, but notice that many major and minor varieties of stamps are not included in it. For example, neither #2871A nor 3003A have a designated place in my album. I don't know if this is true for those of you with different albums, but it seems that there should be a space for them since they are a major variety per Scott. Neither does Mystic include all the varieties of the Forever/Liberty Bell. The Mystic album only has spaces for #4125-4128 and 4437, and disregards all the other very significant varieties printed in 2008 and 2009. I actually contacted them about this and they sent back a reply saying that they can't include every minor variety that is produced. Although I was dissatisfied with their answer, I'm resigned to the fact that, if they won't do it, I'll have to do it myself and have made my own pages to included all the known varieties. With this in mind, I've gone back through my holdings and the Scott catalogue and stripped out major and minor variations of stamps produced since 1960. Again there are no "places" in my album for them and it may also be true of yours. These varieties include very visible differences such as booklet stamps, date changes, paper color, pre-cancelling, and differences in perforations. I've avoided going too deep down in the "weeds" and have not included errors, obscure color variations, or tagging. So here goes:

#1213a – booklet stamp, #1414a – 1418a - precancelled, #1580c – perf 10.9, # 1582b – cream colored paper, #1951a – perf 11.25X10.5, #2149a-2150a – precancelled, #2283 – red ink omitted from the sky, #2427a – booklet, #2871A – booklet, #3003A – booklet, #3294a-3297a – date change to "2000", #3619 – perf 10.5X11, #3758b – date change to "2011", #3830 – booklet, micro USPS, #3874a – small date "2003", and C98A – perf 10.5x11.25.

Finally on the 2004 Christmas series, there apparently is a second variety of the large Santa stamps in booklet format with a perf of 11.5X11. I'm working with a 2008 Scott catalogue that doesn't have this variety noted. I'd appreciate if someone could let me know what the most current Scott has to say about this variety.

No doubt, there are others that I have missed. I've purposely omitted all the Forever/Liberty Bell and Transportation series precancellations, although they could easily be included with this mix. Hope this helps a few of you out there that also have an American Heirloom album and would like as complete a collection as possible. Look forward to hearing from all of you.

i think there are tagging variations of the Transportation series (1897+). They are impossible to find without an uv lamp. The same series also has pre-cancels: 1900a, 2125a, 2129a, 2130a, 2133a. There are others.

I have a 3259a uncle same - I think large date.

I show a 3051a, but I can't remember the specifics, and a 3036a,same. Also 3271a and b. And 2920b and 2921b. There are also date variations at 3228a and 3874a, 3875a.

See perf variations on 3128a and 3129a.

Lots of date variations Flag and city: 3280a,c,d. And Liberty has 3453b and 3976a worth showing differences. I show a 3615a, but can't recall why.

There are more later, but my research is weaker there, and the catalogs may still be settling out a bit.

I was just looking these variations up in my Scott Specialized Catalog and never realized how many subtle differences are out there for some of these stamps.

The 3051 is the 20c Ring Necked Pheasant Stamp in vertical orientation perf. 10.5 x 11 on 3 sides; the 3051A (capital "A") is the same stamp in horizontal orientation perf. 10.6 x 10.4 on 3 sides.

The 3036 is the $1 Red Fox perf. 11.5 x 11.25; the 3036a is perf. 11.75 x 11. The reference notes that 3036 has bright yellow green appearance under UV light; while 3036a appears light blue green.




The 3615 is the 3c Star Coil perf. 9.5 vertical; the 3615a is the same stamp on "Prephosphored coated paper with surface tagging showing a solid appearance (error)."