First Plate Block

What is the Scott Cat. # of the generally accepted "first" collectable plate block?

Thanks for any info.

My Durland Standard Plate Number Catalog begins with the Trans-Mississippi series, Scott #285.

Dan

I should add that earlier stamps have plate numbers. The 1894 Bureau Issues began a sequential plate numbering system in use until the 1980's.

Dan

I think the first US stamp to have plate numbers was US Scott #7 (plate numbers 2 and 3).

Plate blocks do date back to the Columbian Series of 1893 (beginning with Scott #230), as the "first" commemorative issue. In these cases, the acceptable plate block was of 6, 8 or 10 stamps to include all the inscriptions contained on the selvage. Some examples are shown at the link below:

http://www.bennettstamps.com/cgi-bi...ter=8&page=1

This Linn's Refresher Course article explains some of the earliest definitive issues that contained plate blocks:

http://www.linns.com/howto/refreshe...rcourse.aspx

There is a Plate # block of U.S.#24 listed on Siegel's site. There could be earlier blocks that that.

Scott #7 (1851 1c Franklin, TypeII) is the first plate block listed in my 2008 Durland.

It looks like I better cough up for a new Durland! Mine starts with the Trans-Missippi issues.

Nice link to Linns, Wt1! Thanks!

Technically, you guys are correct. US #7 has the first plate nunber listed in Scott Specialized.

As I mentined previously, I knew earlier stamps have plate numbers. Because of the scarcity of the earlier blocks, most of us plate block collectors left focus on the sequential series beginning with the Bureau Issues. I forget about the earlier issues.

Heck, Bill Steiner's plate block pages (which I use) begin with the 1901 Pan-American Exposition of 1901. He has a note basically saying that most earlier issues are so expensive that it wasn't worth making pages.

Dan

Thanks for the information. Plate numbers go back further than I first thought. There seems to be some very expensive items from the 1800's.
I'll probably not worry to much about stuff before the Washington/Franklin series. Even those can be pricey sometimes...

Thanks again to all...

If you are looking for the first corner plate block of 4 stamps with corner plate number, it is U.S. Scott # 543 (which also comes in plate block of 6 with center plate number).

I developed an online US Plate Number tool using a SQL database backend. Due to a lack or interest I stopped actively adding to it a few months ago but if anyone wants to use it it is located here
http://dd-designs.co/PNT/PNT_home.htm

It actually is has some value as a online catalog for US stamps even without the plate number info; it includes images of every stamp, number printed, printer, current ebay auction value, etc.
It has almost 50,000 plate numbers in the database.

Thanks 51studebaker. Great job! What a super handy tool for blockheads...