#65 With Smudged Ink. Error Or Defect?

Would this have been a blob of ink or something making contact to soon after printing? Or is it some damage done later in it's life?

A little larger for a better view...

Looks like a printing blemish to me - maybe a dab of ink/oil during printing? Interesting EFO.

orstampman, you do think this would be EFO? I've been googling, trying to find something listed. No luck yet.
disi, thanks. I really need to get a new scanner. Been doing the best I can with the camera.

Not all EFOs (Errors, Freaks, Oddities) are listed in catalogs or other reference books. Some things like color shifts, ink blobs/blotches, perforation shifts, are not listed, but there may be market demand for them.

I don't know whether this stamp oddity occurred during or after printing. My thought is that it may have occurred during printing, as an inking mix with oil or other substance, however it may have occurred by a chemical alteration after printing. There are probably a number of other possible sources for this type of occurrence. Nonetheless, it is interesting!