U429h (Die 9) Varieties

It looks like there are consistent varieties throughout the series of these stamped envelopes. Here are two U429h (Die 9) cut squares that exhibit the same variations in letter spacing, large head v. small head, and in the thickness of the numerals "2", among other things:



Definitely a study within itself.

Wt1, I noticed the thickness of the numerals in another post that you did, that time they were two 3-centers. Are you telling us that these are varieties not in Scott?

Peter

So it would seem. The shape of the letters definitely define these cut squares as Die 9. That being said, the 2-cent and 3-cent varieties supposedly used the same dies, so if you have a Die 9 in the 2-cent variety, the same Die 9 in the 3-cent variety should also be found. That seems a given. The issue here is the different size of the Washington head (noted by Scott for other Dies, but not in the Die 9 variety), the spacing of some of the letters, the thickness of the numeral "2", etc.

I've learned to accept the fact that the Scott Specialized catalog doesn't go into great detail on stamped envelopes since there are specialty catalogs that do, but given what was stated in the other post, it would seem that neither catalog has separated these varieties into sub-categories.

I don't collect cut squares that much, but I do have a few hundred I recently went through and they do make for an interesting study, since they don't all seem to match what the catalog suggests.

Electrotypes and numerous working dies are common for the circular dies. Variations in apparent thickness/spacing of letters are typically due to early vs late state working dies and while interesting DO NOT BELONG IN THE CATALOG.

Bill Lehr
author of Collector's Guide to the Circular Dies (due to be released later this year)

Once again, the "small head" v. "large head" variety within Die 9 should at least deserve some catalog mention.