New One Rec'd Today, US 88A On Cover

I've been trying to collect as many dated covers with the 3c 1861 stamp as I could this year-- and want to try at some point to ID some of the 55 color variations that Mike McClung has written about, and described, but not pictured in "Three Cents Washington 1861-1862, Color Guide for Scott #64 & 65".

So, I've made several purchases from Mike on eBay-- DARYL beat me out of the famous #85 "D" Grill, but I received one of the colors today.

Lots of them are not listed in Scott, however this one is-- 88a, which is the "E" Grill, lake red. I haven't really looked for an 88a, but this is also the first one I've noticed on ebay in the last year. The BEST part is no cert is needed-- If Mike McClung says it's lake red, it's lake red, since he is the authority on the colors of the 3c 1861.

I bid $30 for the stamp, and won it for $9. CV for 88a in Scott is $60 used, and no "on cover" price is listed.

I didn't attach the entire cover-- which isn't important to me-- it's the color I wanted:



I asked Mike once if he had any extras, faulty, whatever, of any of the shades he could sell me so I could have a reference. He did send me a image file of 30 of the 55, but again, it would always be better to have one in hand for a reference copy.

Enjoy-- Ray

Nice one Ray. How many colors have you managed to assemble so far?

For $9 - I think you got a nice deal!

Not much at this point, Drew-- McClung had 6000 covers, dated by month and year, and when he sorted them, the colors started to show a pattern by year and time of year. I've probably got 100 covers. It's a long term project.

A couple of things I CAN identify from literature available, mostly in "The Chronicle" which is the periodical from the USPCS-- are the stamps in late '62 and '63 which are pinkish, and bright, but are actually rose, and aren't pink at all-- referred to as "Brooklyn Pinks" or "commercial pinks", and I've got, I think a couple of those. There was one brown in '61, "brownish carmine rose", and I think I have that one.

It's all fun, challenging, and really long term. I do have a certed pink, a certed rose pink, 3 Weiss-ID'd rose pinks, a McClung rose pink on cover, and at least 3 covers from '61 that may have some pink. I'll probably send them in sooner or later for ID or for a cert.

Bottom line is that to be pink, or rose pink, the stamp should not be dated later than early in '62. Remember that the pinks were first, and unstable, so they tried to add small amounts of other colors to try to stabilize the color....first carmine and lavender (and from those 2, they ended up with the famous "pigeon blood") and then rose. Pink is August '61 to Early '62. Rose and pinkish roses until '63, then the reds and browns are mostly later.

Another bottom line is that if you see a cover on ebay that the seller says is "Pink", and it has a cancel showing 1863-- it may be "Brooklyn Pink" which is probably pinkish rose (which is #65, where rose pink is 64b), but IT AIN'T PINK!

Hope this helps-- Ray

Can never get enough tips and hints on the 3 cent. Please keep updating as the quest goes on . I have about 30 or so that mostly fall into the rose category but definatly some variety and range as to shades. Ideally dating on cover is the best way to illiminate options but truly a philatelic challenge.

Nice cover Ray, love those oldies!

Ray, I wish you collected the shades on the 3c 1851. Then I would have somebody to talk to. Not that I need any competition. It's fun as you fill in the spaces and find some of the scarcer shades. I bought a 3c 1861 a little while back for the color alone - maybe you saw it when I posted it. If not, here it is again. I am wondering what you think the color is. The scan is an accurate representation. The color is beautiful...

I chase different shades of the 3¢

Winston, that one is DEFINITELY pink "something". What a beautiful color. I've looked at every one of my rose pinks, and I really don't think it could be rose pink.

The blurriness of the lattice work, and the weakness of the ball in the lower left corner, tells me that it's pink.

Only question I'd have is whether there is enough lavender in the stamp to say 64a vs 64.......

Thanks for showing though.....it is really really pretty!

And Winston, be looking for an email from me.......thanks, Ray

Great buy Ray. Thanks for sharing it with us.

Dianne

Dianne