Flaws On Stamps, Broken Hats, CAPS On 2s

Thanks, Eric. I didn't know what a cap was until I got this mislabeled stamp. I think I was happier ignorant; now when I get another one of these stamps I'm going to have to check it -- what a drag. It was much easier just to toss it in with all my other extras and eventually give it to someone else.

But I still don't understand... Why did this person care about the tiny dot of ink that was outside the frame on the two Washingtons?

Can you post pics of the dots?

Here's a small copy of my "broken hat". The stamp is in horrible condition, but the hat sure stands out.

I think I'm beginning to understand how to use the various photo systems. Here's the right 2. Will get to work on the other stamps.

Brown dot.

Green dot. Now, can someone explain why this guy or girl noted a dot?

Forked hat. Should I scan the other four, too?

What the heck, I guess I'll practice with the software.

The broken hat and the cap over the 2 are relief breaks. This is where a piece of the raised portion of the transfer roll breaks off and it shows as an unink area on the stamp. The 2 cent Columbian is also known with a relief break in the lower right outer frameline.

The dot is not a flaw but a guide dot. This dot was used to assist the siderographer in aligning the entries on the plate. The dot was from a raised projection on the transfer roll. This dot was actually placed from the entry directly to the left. These dots were often remove by the plate finishers. American Bank Note Co. normally placed the dots in an area where it was covered by the design of the next entry.

Another view. These tools are cool.

Thanks, Russ. I'm going to shove them into a glassine envelope and toss them in a drawer. Perhaps I'll replace the Columbus stamps in my albums with these.

My album has the spaces for both the caps over 2 stamps and the Columbians, in addition to the regular versions. I thought most did.