Help Ruling Out Poss. #103

This black Jack looked different than others I have. I read that, under uv light, the hard white paper will be brighter. I have an old raytech uv light. Don't even know if it's adequate. But the stamp in question does glow brighter then other black jacks.

I searched this sight and found a thread with this post...




With my eyeglass I thought I could see a "star" on the left cheek. But I think the images below of my stamp, there is no star.

Can the images below eliminate any possability that this is a scott #103?

the #103 would a be on a BRIGHT WHITE paper....

Kevin, those pics make the stamp look darker than it actually is. Here is a side by side.


Having never seen a 103 in person, I don't know if this is enough contrast to be considered hard, white paper.

stampcrow... I read through that same thread you referenced...

What I viewed by the commentary there was a major lack of
authoritative credibility, and alot of speculative heresay...

The only important reference was to The-Harry-F-Allen-Collection-of-Black-Jacks-by-Maryette-B-Lane...

There's one on ebay right now for $29.50...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Harry-F...em2ed2108ef0

P,S, (ouch)... 2 sold on ebay last month at $9.95 and $11.99

Randall

disi123, thanks. I put it on the watch list. I did a quick search. It seems to be a decent price for that book.

This black jack and the paper fold one posted in my other thread, along with a few grilled ones and others, were part of a larger auction lot I bought yesterday. I didn't buy the lot for these stamps. I was pleasantly surprised to find the folded one was my first EFO and that got me working on identifying the rest of the black jacks.

Oops, I was writing my posting while you were editing yours.
$10...that would have been nice.

stampcrow.....
2nd...there is no mark (looks like star)on Jackson cheek
in your stamp.

Yea, Kevin I agree. I was seeing it, until a put the pictures on the monitor.

Does the lack of that mark rule out a 103?
I wasn't able to definitively ascertain that.

Kevin... are there any scans available anywhere
affirmatively depicting the star?

disi, the star is on the proof....all of the card proofs of #73, or 73P4 are of Die #II, which is the same as the "star" on #103:


Hope this helps....Ray

Thanks, Ray... it's quite clear...

P.S. That's one helluva gorgeous proof, btw... is that India on card?

Randall....you could go to Siegels website.
Search for 103....
Then use the image magnifier.

This is actually a easy stamp to identify....

Well Kevin, easier now for me anyway. Thanks folks.

As others have pointed out, the Black Jack reissue is easy to ID. The "Star on cheek" and "3 dots in top left ribbon" design (just above the "S" in "US Postage" only occur on Plate No. 53, and plate No. 53 was only used to print the 2c stamp with "F" Grill (Scott #93) and the 1875 Reissue. So if the stamp has a grill, it must be #93 and if it has no grill, it must be #103. Of course, the ethically-challanged among us will attempt to put counterfeit perfs on plate proofs and offer them as stamps, so that's the main thing to watch out for.

Excellent, thank you Bill. I still wasn't clear if in fact just one plate was used. This is know, in fact, an easy one to ID.
This web site is priceless to me.