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 assume you're talking about the Santa Ornament stamps issued 11/16/2004, which were issued in several varieties.

First, one minor correction is that the Santa booklet you refer to is perf. 11.25 x 11 and is known as Scott 3886b (which incorporates five 3886a blocks). The Scott Specialized Catalog makes this notation:




I don't see where the Scott Specialized catalog is listing any other varieties of the perf. 11.25 x 11 types of these stamps.

However, there is a notation that there are some varieties of the 3894b (Serpentine Die Cut 8 on 2, 3 or 4 sides), known as Types 1, 2 and 3, but the catalog goes on to say that each type is "equally common".

wt1, thanks for the info on the 3886b as well as the 1580c that you've mailed. Left out two other variations, #C128 - perf 11.2, and #C138b - date change "2005". Again I'm sure there are plenty more.

Also, let's not forget all of the incredible number of varieties of the Lady Liberty/Flag stamps that were issued in both coil and various booklet varieties from three different printers.

What frustrates me, is that the USPS commonly uses images of these stamps showing them with perforations all around, and they were NEVER issued in such a format!

Example: This image was taken right out of the USPS 2011 Guide to US Stamps, yet the Scott Nos. noted relate to the coil varieties: