Does Scott #o161 Have A "2006" Date On It?

Just purchased the last modern official stamp that I was missing, the #O161. Checked out the stamp thoroughly to make sure it wasn't an #O151 which is quite similar. This one does have the solid background rather than the crosshatched background of the #O151. On further inspection though, I noticed that there was no "2006" on the bottom left portion of the stamp as it is illustrated in my Postal Service Guide to US Stamps (2008). My copy of Scott's Specialized (2008) has no illustration of the #O161 nor does it mention this stamp having a date. Since the date on the PS Guide appears in black like the denomination, I suspect that the picture in the Postal Service book is incorrect, and that there shouldn't be a date on the #O161. Just want to check with you experts to make certain. Appreciate your comments.

Not sure. I have the 2009 PS book ans shows same image as you describe. I have found many faults with this book so my guess is that your guess is correct and the book be wrong. Hope that helps some.

Went back and checked pictures of O161s on Mystic and Virtual Stamp Club. Neither had a year date. Guess the Postal Service guide is wrong.

It does not have the date, but does have microprinting under the solid background which (if I recall correctly) includes "2006 Official Mail."

I can't help as to the date imprint, but the Scott Specialized Catalog of US Stamps makes this notation after No. O161:

Here you go:

O151:


O161:



Kurt

Thanks, Kurt. An edifying comparison.

So neither example of O151 or O161 has a date; but both have microprinting under the Great Seal of the US.

Also of note is the different fonts used in the text, especially noticable in the zeros in "$300".

I beg your pardon, wt1, but yes it does.
Look at the extremely fine printing right under the blue field containing the great seal. The first four characters are 2006 for O161.

The same applies for O151 (USA1993).

I stand corrected. I know it has a date in the microprinting (unreadable without magnification) but it doesn't have the black printed date as is commonplace on most modern stamps.

(NOTE: As long as we're on the subject of flyspecking these two stamps, it is notable that the spacing in the denomination between "$" and "1" is different in each example.)

Just call me Eagle-Eye Smauggie.