Scott 544?

OK, I've had this stamp for awhile and finally examined it in detail. Below are a Scott 498(perforated 11, dimensions ~18.75 x 22mm), and what I believe to be Scott 544 (perforated 11, dimensions ~19 x 22.75mm). I have cropped and overlapped them (scanned together and then, overlapped in Microsoft Powerpoint).






Yes, I know, the 544 is horribly off-center, but note how much lower the 544 design extends than the 498 (compare the mis-alignment of the "1 cent" at the bottom of both designs. Also, note the greyish green color.

Verdict?

or... I'm no expert, but I've studied
these extensively, as well as the perfs
and frame measurements, and from what I
can see is perf 10 bottom, which cannot
be a 544 (or a 498 for that matter)...
what I see is 424 or 462...

Given how off-center the image is, I may
be totally wrong, and you may be looking
at perf-11 stamps, given you have made
mention of perf-11, however you have not
stated definitively you have measured the
perfs to be perf-11...

Randall

Hi Randall - thanks for your inputs. Yes, it IS perforated 11 on all 4 sides (I have measured each side). That is why the taller design of the believed 544 and grayish green color leads me to think it could be 544.

If the measurements are what you state,
then one of the final determining factors
is going to be the color...

Although the 544's are derived from three
color families, the dull green variety is
a near certainty to be 544...

A second variety will be a medium green,
but tends to have a strong green border,
as yours does... which you can compare with
the one below, which has been certed... they
appear close to being the same...

(see my next posting for additional information)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/544-USED-VF...em27cee96f41

Compare your color to this 543... (and view the image of 486 below)

The 544 originated from 3 printings...
those of the 486, 542, and 543... with
the darkest of the 3 from the 542 and
the lightest from the 486...



Next, compare your color to this 486,
which was the main source of coil waste
for the dull variety...

I've cropped out a single from a pair for your view...

Thanks, Randall, for the additional information. It appears to be a pale grayish green color.

You're quite welcomed, my friend...

The Scott 544 is sheet waste. No coil waste of 486 is known. The design of a 486 is very slightly taller than that of a 542, 543 or 544.

The best way to determine whether a stamp is a 544 is to match the perforations on all four sides to a common stamp like a 498 or 499 and match the size to a 543. I would believe that all of the 544 stock came from imperforate sheet waste of 543. The 542 printing was too early and too brief.

Clark

Hi, Clark... according to research done by
Armstrong, (page 119 of his WF book) he states
coil waste specifically from the 486 was the
source material for the dull green 544...

Randall

Randall,

The Armstrong books are reported to contain a number of errors.

Clark