Somebody Help I'm Drowning Upside Down

Found this stamped envelope thinking it is a Scott#460-70 but the lines are 5 mm high not 21-25mm high the Number 2 is 7 mm high somebody just try to help. BTW I've been up for 17 hours straight which is another reason why I can't find this item.

Oh my. Inverted overprint. Lovely. Should have my UPSS catalog any day now.

Note - Please change the thread title to something like "US postal Stationary Question".

That might get the attention of the local expert.

I don't have a specialized postal stationery catalog to even venture an accurate guess on the Die type used in your example. However, as to the surcharge, note that for:

TYPE 3 = Bars are 2mm APART (not high) and the overall surcharge is 25-26mm in length
TYPE 4 = Bars are 1mm APART (not high) and the overall surcharge is 21-23mm in length

okay it is a type 4

It looks to me as if you have a Scott U468k (type 4 surcharge inverted on a U436d (die 7). Quite an interesting piece -- congratulations. Now get some sleep!

tomiseksj,

What, you've never heard of sleep deprivation exper....zzzzzzzzz

Dang, scott doesn't list a price for used entire.

When I get my UPSS catalog it may provide a value for your stationary.

smauggie

Drop me a line whenyou get it.

I can't comment on the value/auction price shown here (and note there are no bidders), but you may be interested in reviewing this ebay auction for a group of those surcharge overprints ... I believe the lower example in the second image is similar to yours:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAP...t_1633wt_754

If I understand correctly the collecting protocol for these examples, if the surcharge does not touch the embossed indicia then it is technically not inverted, but merely a "freak".

I don't believe that is correct. A search of the Philatelic Foundation database revealed the following example, described as:

"U458aVAR 1920 2¢ on 3¢ dk. violet

ENTIRE DOUBLE SURCHARGE, ONE INVERTED.

AND WE ARE OF THE OPINION THAT

It Is Genuine* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *"

Tomsisesksj

OK but mine is single inverted not double.

Don

Don,

Yes. I posted the above image because it was similar in style to your cover. Here is an example of a single inverted surcharge.

Steve

"U588VAR 1978 15¢ on 13¢ Orange brown

UNUSED ENTIRE, INVERTED SURCHARGE.

AND WE ARE OF THE OPINION THAT
It Is Genuine* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *"

I got the catalog. What a treasure trove of information!

Please post a scan of the back of the envelope to confirm identification.
I agree it is a type 4 overprint.

The envelope in the OP might better be described as ". . . with surcharge inverted at lower left". It is a result of the envelope being rotated 180 degrees before being sent through the cancelling machine with the surcharge slug.

This is an envelope surcharged by a slug that was inverted in the cancelling machine:



Both Scott Specialized and the UPSS 20th/21st Century catalogs state that the catalog prices quoted for inverted surcharges are for those where the surcharge is on the indicium. Others, such as in the OP, will command prices as the market will bear.

Smugiee

here is a picture of the back