Take a close look at this item on
ebay. I have been seeing this mistake rather too often not to give a general warning.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/381438911215
I sent the following note to the seller:
Quote:
Your description of this item is self contradictory. You identify it as 184P6 and then make the case for India paper. If it were India paper, then the ID defaults to 158P3 unless an imprint to the ABNCo can be shown.
From the image it is clear the stamp is on a rather thick soft wove paper. But it is not a plate proof on stamp paper. This is a trimmed "jumbo" from one of the four outside corner positions which routinely had extra width and height. Trimmed examples were meant to resemble stamp paper imperfs back in the day before the imperfs where understood to be proofs and were listed as irregular "error" stamps. Without a cert from the PF or similar agency, your claim that it is a proof will need some considerable verification.
Since collectors have long made this mistake, it would not be ethically acceptable to sell it as a P6 without the support of an authority behind it. Nonetheless I will mention it to the SCF Classics list to see what interest others might have.
Given the old style notation on the stamp, and my previous experience with this seller, I do not think the seller altered the stamp. It is more likely that it is being offered as received in an old collection. Nonetheless, it is a problem item. Please be on the alert for this all too common mistake. Scott suggests collecting such items only in a multiple of at least two. That is good advice in this case.
Posted 12/22/2015 11:34 am
