US 73 ? Broken "S" Top Left? Var? Cracked Plate? Regular?

Hello all,

First, someone please let me know I am not overstepping any rules by posting more than one item in the same section in the same day. I have read through the rules but did not see anything on this. I do not want to be breaking any rules. Thanks.

Okay, I think this is a 73 even-though the paper is quite hard and white, but the chances of it being a 103 a almost non-existent. I was looking over some of the older stamps I have while playing around the house and just noticed this little variation on this particular stamp.

Would this be normal for the 73, or is it a variation of the 73, or a cracked plate issue? I also noticed the extra dot of ink by the left eye on this one. I thought it might be a mold spot at first, or part of a cancel, but I am pretty sure it is not mold and also not part of a cancel as it is near the top right and left of the stamp.

Again any information on variations, or plate issues would be appreciated, or if this is a normal form of this particular stamp.

Thank you again in advance.

Hi again sirrus.
Mine looks like that too. The thin strokes of the S are soooo thin they fill in. The black diagonal you're seeing is a 'shadow' of the S and so the white of the background really stands out.
That's what I think anyway.

Hey there again jamesw. Thank you for the quick reply. I was questioning it because the example in the Scott's cataloge did not have that particular "S" on it, but the pictures in the book are not always the best either: especially under magnification. You have been a lot of help on these posts of mine and I appreciate it a lot. One more question: as the second "S" does not show this is it because of the angle of the first "S" creating the shadow? Just some more information for the bank.

I think that's correct sirrus. Because the second S is angled differently, but the drop shadow is at the same angle as on the first S, the shadow fills in that space completely.

I agree with the previous posts. This is a close up copy of my #73 and I have highlighted the areas you questioned and they look pretty much the same:

wt1 thank you for the close up: yours is prettier than mine :) I also got another answer I did not ask answered by your post as well. I was wondering about the light coloring of the bottom "U" at the top, but yours looks nearly the same as well. I appreciate your post as I did not have another copy to compare to in my collection as of yet and seeing another one really helps filll in a lot of questions.

Edit:

I also meant to mention how closely the two are in centering.

The centering is awesome on both copies. Read quite a bit on Black Jack and the portrait gives the sense that he could have been quite the mean S.O.B.

You are right he does look mean in a way. I need a better copy than this one as whoever cut the square got a bit close. This was one of my soakers.