Fort Snelling, Half Mast

I thought this was interesting. Two examples of Scott 1409, one with a high Red and the other with a low Red. Bottom line is that one version has a flag at top position, while other is at half-mast. I assume the correct position is somewhere in-between.

Another of the infamous Giori Press color misregistrations. I have found that a lot on the stamps of the late 1960s/early 1970s, although I must say I never looked close enough to notice the color misregistration on this particular issue.

That is realy interesting. I never heard of this before now.

A flag halfway down the flagstaff is the correct position for a flag flown at half staff in the USA. So the position shown in the first stamp would be correct for half staff. (in the UK a flag flown at half staff would be one flag's height down from the top of the staff). This flag etiquette was originally meant to symbolise the invisible 'flag of death' flying above the country's flag.

Terry

Another interesting point (in the US anyway) is that the proper term is "Half Staff" unless on a Naval vessel or at sea or at a US Navy/US Marine Corps military facility, when "Half Mast" is used, as in this example:

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.co...-of-tragedy/

This is very cool. it is a red color shift as you see the roof lines are lower, the boat is more fully colored and the wake is below the reflection of the boat.

From the angle shown on the stamp the boat is in the Mnnesota River not the Mississippi river as many wwould believe. The channal is larger than it really is, also the river bottoms are currently wooded, however, trees may have been cleared for their resources.

What a great observation!
You all never cease to amaze me with your keen insights and wealth of information.
This forum is all about why stamp collecting is so cool!
I'm going to check my copies of this stamp right now.

I should point out that wt1 is completely correct in that many of the US 1960's/70's stamps show significant color shifting due to the Giori press. Most of these shifts are annoying, to say the least, but don't produce anything of interest. In this case, the Half-Staff version was noticed and didn't really affect the overall look of the stamp.

In some cases, the shift is such that an extra door or window may be created or moved significantly. Not really an error, per se, but, hey, a cheap way to collect interesting items on common stamps.

US Scott 1379a is shown as another example. Here, the black is shift so far to the upper right that the flowers lose all resemblance to the original intentions.

Going out on a limb here given my somewhat dated resources but isn't the stamp showing the Ocotilla plant/flower US Scott#1378

I think you are correct. My reference was to the Plate Block of which this is one part.

Partime: between us we have all the bases covered

Interesting Fort Snelling variety since the flag appears to be exactly at half mast, almost as if it were done on purpose. Mine is not at half mast. Almost makes me want to get one that is. Almost.


-IBFS

My Fort Snelling stamp shows the flag is flying off the pole.

I found this interesting (an excerpt from the stamp poster that announced the stamp at post offices) ... that the stamp had to be put through the presses three times to realize the six color printing technology that was used back in the day -- first, yellow and brown; then, red and blue; and finally black and green:

Excellent information everyone. Even my First Day Cover is "almost" half-staff.



Oh well ... on to the next item ...