1 Cent Franklin Stamp.

I am trying to figure out the Scott number for this stamp. It is driving me crazy.

Vertical perf. 11
Horizontal perf. 11 I think.
Rotary press on the width.

Hello mlesage1954 and welcome to the forum!
I believe that you are correct that both the horizontal and vertical perforations are 11. If it is a wide rotary printing, then that would make your stamp a #594, a rare stamp. It is very unlikely that yours is a #594, but it is possible.

The easiest method for you to determine that it is a wide rotary printing is to use a template: http://www.kenmorestamp.com/flat-vs-rotary

We can help you further if you provide a clear scan at 1200 DPI resolution. Preferably next to a known flat plate printed stamp. If you don't have access to a scanner, then you can lay a template over your suspect and take a picture from directly above it. Post that image here cropped to just the stamp and use the "Free Image Optimizer": https://www.stampcommunity.org/image-resizer.asp

Good pix. Can you provide pictures of the horizontal perfs against the perf gauge?

Brian

A scan would be better if you can scan it at least 800 or 1200dpi. A scan of front and of the back. If you can not scan, then a good photo front and back but not at an angle as your posted photos. I know you've posted this on another site, but your images, as posted, make it difficult to determine. A photo or scan of the back would help clear up whether its a flat or rotary issue. The color is typical of a #552 flat plate. As suggested here and on the other site, using known flat plate and/or rotary stamps as a template can help in determining what you have.

It appears to be wider.

I posted horizontal vs perf gauge.

What do you guys think ?

Regards,

Mike L.

SC 552

chasa is correct. Yours is a flat plate printed stamp. Thus, it is not "wide". Yes, your stamp is larger than your paper gauge. Only a few things are accurate and easy enough to use to properly identify a rotary printed stamp's larger dimensions. The method of using a template is easy and accurate.

There are many other characteristics that distinguish rotary prints. One is the absence of "set-off". That is the presence of the same color of ink in spots on the backside of a stamp. Due to different manufacturing methods, it very rarely occurs on the back of rotary printings. This is why Rileysan wanted to see another picture of it.

1847USA is another great source of information about many topics including the Washington/Franklins: http://www.stampsmarter.com/1847usa/index.htm

Specifically start here: http://www.stampsmarter.com/1847usa...gmethods.htm

Here is a discussion that adds some information about some different ways to differentiate the three main types: https://goscf.com/t/40718#349013

I have scanned the stamp. Best I can do is 600 dpi.

Please let me know if there is a definite consensus.

Regards,

Mike L. totally amateur stamp collector

I checked the aspect ratio (height divided by width) of the design and it matches a flat plate printed stamp. It also has other characteristics of flat plate stamps such as coarse lines and lack of detail in the lattice around Franklin's bust. Not every flat plate stamp has set-off on the back. The majority seem to have it.

Don't worry Mike, we all have to start learning from the same place.

Here is your stamp next to a #497 rotary coil stamp. A #594 looks identical to the #497 except that it would have perf 11 on all sides.



The rotary stamp has finer detail in it's lines. You can also see how the oval around Franklin's portrait is much closer to a circle in shape than your #552 flat plate stamp.

It would look like this if I had your stamp, cut it to become a template, then placed it over a #497:

DNA, nicely illustrated! Thanks

stampcrow, thank you for the feedback. I often wonder if what I post is truly beneficial and understandable to those that ask for help.

P.S. It seems that others chiming in to confirm the identification would help convince Mike of the assessment provided so far. Please reply and indicate if you agree or not.

mlesage1954, reference your posting at today 4 hrs 55 mins ago, showing the front and back of the stamp in question. Somebody help me here, but my old eyes tell me the reverse image is a totally different stamp. Look at the perfs! The perfs are different, on the reverse side than compared to the perfs on the front side. In addition my old eyes are seeing either a "6" or a "9" where the value tablet would be. In addition I also see faint orange, red, yellow images from the entire reverse image. Maybe I'm going blind or my brain is playing tricks on me. Does anyone see what I see.

mlesage1954, sorry to suggest this, and please don't take this as a negative, but is it possible you meant to scan the reverse of your one cent franklin, but somehow picked up the wrong stamp to scan. Hey, I've done this many times.

Cheers

Dave

stampmaster, your observations are correct and the reverse in the scan is definitely NOT the backside of the stamp in question.

mlesage1954, I am curious as to why you presented a scan that shows the back side of a different stamp.

Historical DNA Collector, thanks, guess my eyes still work.

This is good as I'm going fishing in the morning.

Cheers

Dave

It is interesting that the vertical dimensions of the coil stamp are slightly larger than the flat plate--though not anywhere near the stretching in the horizontal direction. Paper changes???