Help With Stamp 156?

I think this is 156 it looks like it has the secret mark, but my problem is with the paper. To me it is a hard paper snaps when flicked, it is thin and translucent no yellow when held up to a light. But in my mind it can not be a 167. So I have two questions, apparently a white wove paper, is fairly hard, but not as hard as a hard white paper and there is difference in between ultra and ultrmarine. I thought I had this hard paper down is there a common stamp that I might have that would be a Hard white wove paper?

Definitely Scott 156. Neat red PAID cancel!

Hi, Joe,

The Scott terminology on paper "hardness" can be confusing unless you have an array of reference copies to use for comparison. The light test is better than the "flick" test for determining "hard" vs. "soft," in my opinion. The non-soft-paper issues came in a variety of paper thicknesses, so a given number (156, for example) can be found on white paper that impresses as different degrees of "hardness." "Ultra" = ultramarine (unless one is speaking about Crayola color names).

As mentioned here numerous times, it is wise to use a known hard paper and known soft paper to use as your reference/benchmark copies to compare with your unknown copy. It is easy to find stamps that absolutely MUST be hard or soft paper. All pre-1873 stamps are HARD paper, so choose any one of those and all stamps issued between 1882-1901 are SOFT paper so choose any of them. For hard, the cheapest is a used/faulty Scott #65 or Scott #147 and for soft a #210 or #213 or #230-231, etc.

Of course this would be a fine time to post my Back lit paper comparison, so here we are. Ignore the fact that the stamps are 3 cent Agriculture stamps, look at all of the white parts of Goerge, forehead, and the neck area.

Thanks guys

I am going to classify it as a 156 I have a 158 from the same batch, that it compares to, although in hardness they compare with the early Washingtons I have.

Phill what kind of back light are you using perhaps my lights are too bright.

LOL..Its a small hand held Dorcy 5 position led flashlight. The switch has 5 positions, Flashligh ( light I used ), off, night ( green light) 50%, and 100%. It has a 2" lens in front, is 4 7/8" long and about 1 1/2" in diameter. The different light settings use different parts of the led to focus the light beam, The flashlight setting throws a wide beam, which lights up the whole stamp instead of a small spot in the middle of it. I'd include a pic, but my Nikon refuses to open the lens covers.curses, mutter, mutter

Thanks Phil

You're welcome Joe. Actually, I think that the "frame" I put the stamp in has more to do with the overall picture quality than the light does. To make that frame I cut out a 26mm x 20mm rectangle hole in one of these. The dimentions are the size of the image of a banknote stamp, the perfs rest on the edges of the opening. Hope that helps. The "frame" and the stamp within then sits atop the light, allowing you to photograph it.