Am I Doing This Right? (Perforation Gauge)

You're right. It definitely appears that you have design No. A157. I can't find it either. I have had occasions where the perfs for some reason were off a bit on a stamp compared to my gauge. But it would be an awfully strong coincidence if your gauge were off precisely as much as the stamp.

I wish I had the thing in my hands to examine. The only thing I can suggest is to try it on you're new gauge when you get it and see if it reads the same.

One thing, I have never used a gauge with lines before and the numbering system might have us confused. There is an 11x10 on that stamp, which would be the reading if you used the numbers above the horizontal line rather than below.


Sorry I can't be of more help on this one. Interesting problem, but you're new gauge may yield the answer. I'll be checking in.


-IBFS

look at the back. do you see ANY red ink at all? if you do it's flat plate. I don't have my cat handy but a quick inspection of the front is only my opinion but since I cant compare to others I can't help. That's the fun of it though is solving the mystery! Best of luck! -Jeff

Thanks for the support guys.

So I bought a perf gauge, and its heavenly compared to the paper printout I was using earlier.

So yesterday I received some kiloware of US, mostly new stuff but some old stamps in there as well.

I had a few 2 cent washingtons in there. The ones with the laurels.

Anyway, 2 of them are coils and appear to be rotary as when I line them up to another coil they seem more stretched as a rotary is supposed to be?

Then I measured the perfs and both are measuring 11 on at least 2 adjacent sides. By the way, this kiloware was an on paper lot. So it was me who soaked these stamps to get them off. So as per 1847.com my stamps should be a 546? But I really can't expect this as im pretty sure i've missed something.

Any inputs?

Do you have a "Scott Specialized Catalog of United States Stamps"? Unless they've changed, in the beginning of the book there should be a large "Identifier" section. It will show every stamp design, each stamp it goes on, and the details of each of the stamps. They used to come out every year. Now, I dunno.

I haven't seen one since 1988. I have my 1972 catalog and my 1988 catalog. I think they both present the same information. You don't necessarily need a new one, but unless you collect recent issues, it would be the only one you would ever need. Sorry for advising you to spend more $$. But it is indispensable if you don't have one. You will almost certainly find one on ebay.

If you already have one, then I just made one big suggestion for nothing--sorry.


-IBFS

Hey no problem, thanks for the input. In fact, I was able to borrow a Scott's 2012 catalogue from the community library for free :)

I am still very very new to this game and have a lot of problems with how to go about classifying.

For instance,

Does the first thing one need to do is determine the print type? (i.e. Flat, rotary or offset)

Once this is done, Do I need to measure the perfs?

Lastly, after determining the perf measurements, I should determine the type(s) if applicable?

So upon further scrutiny of the above stamps, I completely forgot to look at the backs for ink stains which would confirm Flat plate print.

I have seen the red ink spots and lines on the back so this means these are actually Flat Plate.

Is it possible for Coil stamps to be off the Flat plate or are coils only limited to the rotary press?

Again thanks for your help.

Try the simple stuff first. Find the design, check perforations, watermarks, etc. If you have to move to identifying a stamp as to whether it flat plate or rotary, maybe this will help for issues of 1908-1921...

Designs of stamps from flat plates measure about 18.5 to 19 mm wide by 22 mm high.

On rotary stamps placed sideways, they will be stretched horizontally. 19.5 to 20 mm wide.

On rotary stamps placed endwise, they will be stretched by height and will measure 22.5 to 23 mm high.

Ink stains may or may not necessarily appear on a flat plate stamp. I've never thought about coil stamps being made on a flat plate, but I've never heard of it. Keep in mind that two opposing sides on a coil stamp will have to be without perfs, so I consider it unlikely.

If you think this is hard, wait until you have color differences as your only way to identify a stamp.


Hope this helps
-IBFS

Thanks for the input IBFS, sure helps a lot more.

Yeah identifying based on colours is the tricky as hell.

Will keep you updated on progress or the lack thereof.

Hey again,

While sorting through the Kiloware I came across some torn off pieces of cover that have the seals of a George Washington bust. Kinda like the stuff on this link:

http://www.vfthomas.com/USstampeden...pes/0.03.htm

Unfortunately, I dont have the full covers but only the parts of the bust and some cancels.

Are these stamps or collected differently?

Interesting you should find this in kiloware. What you have there is not off of a cover. It's off of a "Stamped Envelope". This is "back of the book" stuff I don't know much about. They are often cut off the envelope (?) and sold that way. You'd find them in the index of the specialized catalog hopefully as "Envelopes and Wrappers". Both the Envelopes, as well as the cutouts appear to have the prefix "U".


-IBFS

Yeah I found a few of them, and thought that they would be something unique. I'm at work now, so ill take a proper look when I get home tonight.

Thanks yet again.