Proprietary Printed Cancellations

I couldn't find a thread on this topic. Here is one of the few in my collection with a printed cancellation. I put it as RB14a, but can't quite make out the company or full date. Q1: Is this considered a printed cancellation? Q2: Is there some sort of premium for this item?

Partime....
this is not a printed cancellation.
it is a rubber stamp hand cancellation.
better than a pen cancel....

Thanks Kevin. Answers my question.

[EDIT: Lest anyone draw the wrong conclusion, my comments are only concerning early revenues, specifically R1-R151 and RB1-RB19, which is the segment of revenues I specialize in.]

If the cancel were a bit more legible and crisp it might have a small premium, but in this case probably not.

In my opinion, the ranking of the general cancel types as far as premium or scarcity is as follows (others will disagree in the pecking order; this is my personal opinion), from worst to best:

Punch (subtracts from value)
Herringbone/cut (subtracts from value)
Manuscript (the norm)
Handstamped
Printed/typeset
Stencil

Those are just general guidelines and do not factor in the company in question or the aesthetics of the cancel itself. There are many exceptions, depending on the company and cancel in question. For example:

A nice legible railroad or mining manuscript cancel can be worth more than many handstamped or printed cancels.

Embossed cancels/seals, depending on the design and how well struck they are, can either be a detriment or worth a premium.

A poorly struck, poorly centered, or illegible handstamp cancel does not command a premium.

Within cancel types, the more elaborate or ornate the cancel, the higher the premium (in general).

It's not only the aesthetics (design, ink color vs. stamp color, strike) but also the scarcity of the cancel itself that can affect the value.

Different collectors will value cancels differently above and beyond any general guidelines. For example, I tend to value manuscript doodle cancels more than most, as they are something I'm interested in. When it comes to cancels, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

It all becomes very complex, as you end up with tiers of value based on the multiple attributes of the stamp, cancel, and usage:

1. Stamp's scarcity: common --> scarce
2. Stamp's condition: subpar --> average --> superb
3. Cancel's visual appeal: boring --> captivating
4. Cancel's scarcity: common --> scarce
5. Off or on document
6. Type of document or usage: mundane --> esoteric
7. Aesthetics of document: scrawled --> ornate printing
8. Condition of document: tattered --> pristine

On the one end of the spectrum you have a common damaged stamp with a punch cancel and on the other end is a superb rare stamp with colorful fancy cancel on a scarce printed document.

There are no easy formulas for valuation; you have to learn based on what you see in the marketplace. Over the course of time you learn which are common or typical and which ones are worth large premiums, but it takes a long time and a lot of exposure to items at auction and at shows.

Even then, collectors and dealers will disagree with one another on valuation of specific items.

Great general information, revenuecollector.

Thanks also to Revenuecollector. Information is much appreciated.

Dan,
If you have the time, images that show Handstamped/Printed/typeset/Stencil examples would be educational.
Thanks
Don

Hi Don,

I'm on my way out the door at the moment, but if you use the cancel search page on my website and select "Display by Cancel Method", you can view all of the examples I have of each type:

http://www.revenue-collector.com/ca...search.shtml

It's also important to remember that some specific cancels only come with punch holes (such as the NY Custom House)and might be worth more than a stamp with just a basic punch hole that cannot be identified.