Scott 4726 Sheet

I have a sheet of 12 of these stamps (Lunar New Year - Year of the Snake - 2013 - Forever)). The stamps are SA and do not appear to have any way to separate individual stamps. We they intended to be cut apart with scissors? Am I missing something here?

Can you show a scan of this sheet? They are supposed to have die cut seperations in between the stamps but you may have a variety!

Peter

Might have also been cut from a no die cut press sheet.

How can one tell the difference?

Peter

A scan of the back would be helpful too.

https://about.usps.com/postal-bulle...info_007.htm

See under section "Philatelic Products"

So I have a 12-stamp block from an press sheet with no die-cuts. Were these intended to ever be used as postage? Is it legal to cut them with something (paper cutter, scissors, etc). and stick them on envelopes? Obviously, I didn't understand exactly what I was buying even though it is probably correctly described in the listing.

lilmoose,

If you wanted to use these at stamps, then yes, you'd have to cut them. They are actually a kind of "collectors item" created by the USPS to appeal to people who will collect them, not use them for postage. These "no die cut" or "imperf" sheets do sometimes get cut into plate blocks and pairs and sold to collectors that way. Just checking ebay, this particular no die cut sheet doesn't seem to be bringing a premium much above face value. But for myself, I wouldn't cut it up and use it for postage. Save it as it is. Someday it might be worth a bit more than face value, and you can sell it or exchange it for something more interesting to you.

Thanks to all for your informative replies. As it turns out, I already had a sheet of 12 with perforated stamps. Now I have this one which is a different animal altogether. Nothing is simple anymore!

There are folks who collect these used, on actually ran mailed items. The Greater Cincinnati Philatelic Society makes it an option to receive these imperforated stamps on their mailings, either 6 or 12 times a year! Go to http://gcps.com for more information if you are interested!

Peter

lilmoose: Did you purchase these at the post office? I would assume otherwise. If you did get it from your PO, then it could be an error sheet, although I see no way to prove this. Unless, of course, there were at least some die-cuts remaining in the pane.

The URL that Peter provided is wrong.

For those who might be interested in what Petert4522 was saying above, The Greater Cincinnati Philatelic Society does have a premium membership, and we use no-die-cut stamps on the envelope for those members. To find out more information, go to our web site at www.gcps.webs.com for all the details.

I've also recently published a book on no-die-cut stamps, which is on sale at www.Amazon.com and ebay. The premium membership information is in the back of the book. The book is titled "A Guidebook and Checklist, U. S. Postal Service no-die-cut stamps, 2012 to 2015". Clicking on the following link will take you to the book on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Guidebook-Che...ill+ambrose. For ebay, click the following link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/32200298209...RK:MEBIDX:IT.

I bought this sheet from someone on ebay.

If you bought it from someone on ebay, I suspect that if you go back and look at the listing you'll find it described as "no die cut" (or less likely, "imperf"). Since 2012 or so, the USPS has been issuing a limited number of no die cut press sheets with each release. These press sheets are acquired by collectors and dealers who cut them up, and sell them as individual panes. There is a lengthy discussion ongoing here about this, and whether it will continue:

https://goscf.com/t/47847