Is This Block Of China Stamps Considered As Unique?help Plz.

Hi,I really need all of your help to identifying if this block of china stamps is considered as unique or not.It is very important and urgent to me.

This block of four is a series J164(2-2)Heroic of li dazhao 20c stamps issued in 1989.He is the co-founder of the chinese communist party(CPC).I thik this block of four stamps is completely "UNIQUE" and it is the first time I have ever seen something like this happend in my whole life as a collector to be honest.

I can see and notice the top stamps men heads and some chinese wording were cut into half by the perforation holes BUT the bottom stamps men heads and some chinese wording did not cut into half at all by the perforation holes at all.My thought is the top stamps printing were shifted alittle bit upward BUT the bottom stamps printing were in normal position and never shifted at all.I do not think that the perforation holes are shifted on this block of stamps,if it is really shifted,the bottom stamps men head and some chinese wording should have cut into half too just exactly like the stamps showing on top,hopefully my research is correct this time,correct me if im wrong.Beside that,there is a perforation less or missing on each vertical side of every stamp when compare with a normal stamp of this,so that every stamp of this block is very much shorter in height(showing on pictures 3,4,5 and 6 below),probably this block of four stamps is very much shorter than a normal block of four stamps.This is something that I do not understand and cannot explain in detail of what actually caused something like this happend.I have a few questions below:

1.Is this block of stamps considered as "UNIQUE" or "DOUBLE" errors?
2.Is this a perforation hole or printing shifted error?
3.Do think something like this happend is common or rare?
4.Have you ever seen any block of stamps are exactly same like this?
5.Do you think this is very special thing to you?
6.What actually happend on the plate and stamp during printing by that time?

Hopefully someone can answer the above questions and explain to me everything about this block in full detail,you also can give me your personal opinion on this item,your help is very much apprieiciated and hope to hear from you soon.Please click on the images below to view superlarge images and let me know what you think of it.

Definitely a perforation error. As to rarity, I couldn't say. With the sheer number of stamps they must print for a population of a billion people, it's a sure bet that there are going to be some errors, but 1/2 of 1% error rate is a lot more stamps than a comparable number would be in a printing run of US stamps.

Miko....


It is not a printing error.
It is not a perforation error.

It is just a common perf freak.

It is not rare.

An error is something that happens EXACTLY THE SAME, EVERY TIME in the same position or on a complete sheet/pane.

A freak is something that happens occasionally or accidently.

still looks pretty cool tho.

WpgLwr and nr-notrare.Both of you are screwing up my mind and Im getting more confuse.So,it is a perforation freak or error?someone help me to confirm it please.If it is a perforation freak and also very commonly seen just like what nr-notrare says,it is possible to be happend something like this on how many sheet of this issue?Sound like impossible that it is the top stamps printing design shifted upward error.

I forgot to say that the most special part of this block is not the men heads were cut into half BUT his surname LI(Àî)in chinese word was totally cut off by the perforation hole showing on top left stamp.Only left the other two chinese words dazhao(´óîÈ)¡£

Miko...

Perforation shifting is a common accident. The result can sometimes look very odd but it is just a perfing accident. There are extremely few perfing accidents that qualify as errors. One "perf error" is coil stamps with no perfs.


These are also perfing accidents.....not errors.
Booklet stamps....some large some small.








Even color bleeds like these are NOT errors....they are just freaks.



Other types of freaks include things like a bit of paper getting stuck on a sheet during printing.....




Or in this case where a bit of paper got stuck to the printing plate......the "ball under foot" is a recognised variety because it occurred many times.......but it is just a freak.....not an error.




In the case of the Honey Bees....the first is correct....the second is a color freak....and the pair are a true production error. Recognized as the "Fast Bee" variety......all stamps on many rolls of coil stamps from that particular printing are like this.


EFO's...errors, freaks and oddities.........very different things.

Hello Miko,

Glad to see you have them.

I agree that Nr-notrare and WpgLwr said,this is Printing Flaws/Variation(I am not sure for my translation),so your item is hackneyed I am afraid,although it is not rare currently,but it is very good for your Chinese collection.

I see you used Chinese character in your post,then how about your Chinese,if you like I can E-mail you a electron-article about the Error and Variety by China philately great master MR.Fu Xiangzhou in Chinese language.

Good luck.
ZhangCheng

Follow the English version by Tom,everything is clear already.

Great explanation, Tom. You're quite right.

A perf error would be where a stamp was perfed with the wrong gauge, i.e., it was supposed to be a perf 13 stamp, but instead was found to be perf 11, right?

WpgLwr.....


Exactly right....which is why knowing how to use a perf gauge is extremely important........other examples are when perfs are completely missing.

There are stamps from most countries that have perf errors and they can be extremely valuable. But, there is a major difference between freaks and errors.

For a non-American, I would love an explanation of the difference between Freaks and Errors.

'Freaks' is a term only used in the USA I believe.
I have been following this thread but it is still unclear to me.
My apologies for that.
having been brought up in the UK, most errors for me are those things that Royal Mail make on the side for some extra cash.
But 'Freaks' is not a term used in the UK or indeed, here in Israel.

Thanks guys

Londonbus1.....Learning Yankee lingo

Thanks guys.Btw,who is TOM?I dont see any nickname as TOM over here.I agree with nr-notrare that the perforation hole error is where a perforation hole less or more on any side of the stamp,just like the rare monroe stamp with less a perforation hole on top which is 10 holes instead of 11 holes and it is sold for over USD$300k++ at a auction house last time if im not wrong.

Hey,did you guys notice and realize one thing about this block of stamps?I can notice only the top and middle perforation holes on horizontal side shifted downward but the perforation hole on the last role did not shift downward.I thought if a perforation hole shifted on either vertical or horizontal side,it would shift together on the whole sheet.Just look at the gap betwen series,men legs,date and the perforation hole in the middle and last role,its very much difference and not the same,I hope you guys understand what I mean.If you get it,please explain to me if this normal or not.Thanks.

Miko....

I am Tom.

The Monroe stamp you mention is supposed to be perf 11.....the one that sold had perf 11 on all sides except the top which was perf 10 a very expensive true error.

Miko........You need to understand that the number of perf holes does not matter...counting holes is wrong.....it is the size of the holes and the space between them that makes a difference.

The perfs are NOT COUNTED......perfs are measured with a perf gauge. Metal type for older stamps, clear plastic for the new die cut plastic stamps with serpentine perfs.





serpentine type perfs....as you can see these perfs measure different sizes.



Miko....email your address to me....if you promise to practice and learn to use it.......I will send you a FREE perf gauge.

London.....

An error is something that occurs in the same position on every sheet/ pane......something extra or something missing or an inversion....or it could be a case where the wrong value is engraved on a plate....note the two 5centers surrounded by two centers. Scott #505


....here there is one 5center surrounded by 2centers....Scott #505






....or when the wrong photo is used to create an image.

http://cgi.ebay.com/2870-Legends-of...69fcaQQitemZ110244569034QQptZLHQ5fDefaultDomainQ5f0QQsalenotsupported

A freak is something that occurs accidentally......like a wad of paper getting stuck to a sheet or plate. Or perfing gone awry....color bleeds.....a pre-print foldover...



Oddities are things like plate scratches, plate cracks, chipped plates, worn plates.............often these are produced for many printings before they are noticed and can be classed as varieties.
#386 w/plate scratch....



All images borrowed from ebay listings.