Opinions Sought On 219's

I'm using scans in Photoshop, to move stamps around, before mounting them, in a final presentation, in an album.

Using the process of identifying Scott number, cancel, alignment, and condition, I created the following page.




I chose the first three, (read left to right)the 219, 219d, and 220, for the album, because they were of interest, due to the date cancel. They are all dated 1890. The 219d is cancelled 38 days after first issue.

The last three are the only ones I have, there are no extras for the stockbook.

The 219 is interesting, I thought, because not only is it date canceled in 1890, but the left side does not appear to have perfs, and the ink, around the 1's, on both sides, appears to be lighter than it should be, on both sides of the '1', not just the right side. It doesn't have the 'candle' appearance, but both sides of the number 1, are pale.






The below 219 has better alignment and is in better condition. I do not know what the cancel is.




Based on the page I have created, which would you prefer to see in an album, or be the better 219 to use in the album, and why?

Since my great-grandfather collected for cancels, not for the stamps in a series, I am also creating a cancel specific album, or putting what I find is the best of the cancels, in the BoB part of the 'main album'.

Very confused here and opinions and suggestions would be greatly appreciated. The answers here, will help me, with future stamps I am looking at, and which ones to use, and which to leave in the stockbook. Thank you.

Without a doubt....the BOTTOM one.
Top is damaged and useless.

The stamps shown are relatively inexpensive, so the bottom line is collect what you like. As a stamp collector, the undamaged stamp with full perforations all around (last scan) would be the preferred stamp for an album.

The 219 with the CDS is nice for documenting a date of use, but the damage in the UL corner detracts from the stamp, as does the fact that it has a "straight edge" on the left side. The under-inking around the denomination "1" is more or less a "freak" in that the ink did not adhere to the stamp in the way it normally should (maybe dry paper?). In any case, given the damage to the stamp, the straight edge and the ink issue would suggest that this stamp is less desirable to collectors.

I wouldn't throw it away, as postmark collectors do find the dated stamp interesting, but it would generally be considered "seconds" as compared to the more desirable, undamaged stamp.

This is the page created of just 219 cancels, which demonstrates 'Gramps' was a cancel collector. I did this, so I can see they are the earliest of these particular cancels I have.





There are a more, in the stockbook. I haven't finished reviewing those. So far that I have looked at them, none have shown as good alignment, that I can tell, as the one posted in my opening post.

As well as the cork cancels, the last row shows his attempts, I believe, to collect cancels from as many cities/PO's, he could: New York, Boston, MA; Baltimore, MD; Louisville, KY; Detroit, MI; Philadelphia, PA; and Cincinnati, OH.

It reads like a child's game of "How many different license plates can you see on a trip?"

I have been learning so much about ID'ing, proper mounting, etc. for a stamp album, I never even thought of how a Cancel Collector would arrange their albums. Thus, confusion, as to which direction to take, in this first part of storing, and what order, and which stamp to present, for what reason, of the collection.

Organize them in whatever manner that appeals to you. Group them into similar characteristic, such as type or shape of cancels. or maybe by state/city.

My thanks for your time in responding. Your input helps make my album better. I now know which direction I am going.