What's With Washington's Nose On SC 599?

If you look at a lot of stamps you will some odd things from time to time. This one has me baffled. It is a rotary stamp but I can't figure out what happened to his nose. I'm leaning towards a double transfer.

Letters from what I see also look doubled . Can you put uncropped image? Whole thing looks maybe twisted or shifted clockwise. If all in same direction maybe a slip print but looks far more double than just slipped.
WOW- oddly enough it really doesn't show anywhere else but the face. The overall look isn't crisp but I would have thought some other signs would be there. Sometimes when upper right shows also lower left well and so on from a twist type deal but not here. Surprised no one else has chimed in and not really sure what a cert would say on this.

I do not see any defined doubling in the stamp, such as in double print or reentry. The affected area is concentrated around the nose and slightly in front of the eye. There is no doubling, only blurring. I believe it was caused by a tiny particular matter behind that area when the paper passed through the printing press.

That sounds like a plausible idea. The rotary press wouldn't have any doubling. It could have stopped and made an adjustment. But the only affected area is the eyes and down the nose. Particulate matter would have left some kind of impression or mark there. It could have been something as fine as a hair though. Just an odd piece.

Bill: I meant to say some foreign matter on the gum sidethat caused uneveness, not between the press and the printed side of the stamp. Otherwise, a white spot would have been resulted. What do you think. You might want to examine the back of the stamp to see whether there is any evidence remained, like paper inclusion.

There is still gum reside on the back. I don't see anything in the gum or impressed into the paper. That is an interesting thought though. If so, you would think you would see more items like this.

Bill, I am a complete novice of this subject. I have a couple of 2 cent washingtons and was examining them closely.

One of them seems like type 1 based on ribbon and the lines on toga rope.

The 2nd one is more interesting, the lines on the toga rope are more like the type 2 but if it were to be a type 2 there should be a barely if not completely absent white line under the ear correct?

I have a complete white line in the clear shape of a 6 under his ear.

Unfortunately, I will be able to scan it only tomorrow from work :D

Any ideas?

I also see the fine line that goes up through the nose picks up again at the very top of the forehead, and appears to be in perfect alignment with the nose-defect.
There also appears to be smearing of ink all over the stamp.

I don't have an answer, just sharing my observations.


edit- upon reading my post, I expect all of you to be mature and not take notice of the words 'nose' and 'pick' in such close proximity. Let's be grown up about this now...but I did say 'nose pick'!

Oh yes you did didn't you. Well that's ok. I like to have fun while scratching my head. The press used had wipers that were supposed to clear the excess ink. Sometimes they would become worn and leave streaks which are very common. I've looked thoroughly and don't see any real issues anywhere else.

Mindpsyche, I'll look for the scan tomorrow. The Washington and Franklins are hard enough without something to look at.

Gripper "crack". The plate tech didn't wipe all the ink off and it left streaking.

You have it all wrong! He was kicked in the face by a horse before the picture and taken. That's how he lost his teeth and his nose is still swollen, that's all. ;)

Art

No,No,No! Everyone knows George didn't stick his nose where it didn't belong!

Maybe Martha lambasted him right in the snoot! lol sorry I couldn't resist...

EDIT:
These are relatively common with this particular issue. It must have been the ink or something that was used, Who knows? I know this isn't as pronounced as yours but look carefully at the top & bottom margins and you will see streaks of red ink.



I tried to crop and enlarge the streaking but not positive if you can make it out from the scan or not but they are there.

Certainly looks as if someone punched him in the snot locker.

I am by no means even close to being an expert on US stamps; however, I do notice that there are strong 'ink wiping' smears on the margins. Having stated this, I am wondering if the smearing is also across the design and it has affected the nose area??

Just a wild guess I admit.

Chimo

Bujutsu