I Think This Stamp Has A Real Shot At Being A Scott 316.

I'm not gullible and understand these are faked but this one looks like it might have a real chance a being real,the black mark on the back of the stamp is not there on the front picture,it's ink,the 2 little notches on the bottom are too far spaced to be perfs.I cut it out from the corner with photoshop and placed it in the middle so it's easier to see.

Thought it was interesting so I bought it.It is in the mail to me now and thought I would get your opinion.

When it arrives if you post a scan of just the stamp it would help.

That would make this stamp the discovery copy "used" not found in 108 years.

I know,that's why I'm not counting on it,they(the authentication companies) won't even look at an off cover one,I emailed and they said it's just to easy to fake from a booklet pane.

I have heard there has been at least 1 cover/card certed recently that was determined to be a privately made coil resembling 316. Also these early coils are made from sheet stock so the standard image size, rather than the 90-degree turn of the booklet paper creating the shorter/wider booklet stamp image, so that a trimmed booklet is easy to confirm/deny.

I think that there has to be rare stamps out there yet sitting on covers and postcards,the one we hunters actually see on the internet are only a small fraction of stuff that's sitting in drawers around the world,there has to be at least 2-3 613's,596's,314's etc,the list go on.

hello huffy,

I am not an expert at all, but I just saw some perforation holes spontaneously and made this computer thing for you. (But perhaps there can't be perforation at the right in this combination with straight edge and guide line?)

I blew that corner up too,it should be here tomorrow or the next day,the bottom seen clear on the reverse side is what got me thinking,fingers crossed.

Sure I hope the best, too :). I am similar to you and always optimistic, but sometimes it's good to have not too high expectations.

I know,I have bought what I thought were sure things at leat 10 times,this forum set me right on probably 8 of them,where you marked off hopefully is a dent,it's just not good enough of a picture.I'll post pictures up when it comes,either way,bad news or good.

The fact that it is used is also a big red flag for me as well...




This is actually a fascinating theory to consider - not just for this stamp but many others. Is it realistic that only one pane of 100 inverted jennys were printed? That more copies of other rarities might still be hidden out there? And not just these early stamps - Cia inverts; JPaul Jones errors etc.

I'm sure there are. They're out there. But a really really small number!

The stamp collectors of the early 20th century were as aggressive - if not more aggressive - than we are today. True, ebay didn't exist; but the sheer number of collectors - as a % of population - and as a 'known' hobby/topic - in my mind - was much larger than it is today.

Have rarities been missed - that have not been discovered at some point in the last 100 years?? While I'd like to think so, in reality, I highly doubt it.

Wishing you all the best & lots of luck with this one! I'll be very curious to see a better picture once you get the card...

Hi,I agree that there has to be stuff out there,if someone finds Grampa's stamps off covers they look them up,but a postcard or cover I think is where the next big find will be,people out of the hobby think 20th century used stamps are worthless from talking to my friends anyway,someone will post Grampa's postcards somewhere sometime and something rare will be found.

Everyone has their own reasons for collecting and we should respect whatever those may be. But 'treasure hunting' seems to me to be a sure way to always be frustrated. I would never become an art collector thinking that one day I might stumble upon a previously unknown rarity. Instead, I would become an art collector because the art brings enjoyment in my live.
The reasoning for me is obvious, I can always count on enjoying my stamps. Finding a used #316 on a postcard would be like seeing a unicorn and BigFoot on the same day.

But if folks enjoy the 'hunt for treasure' and do not mind being disappointed a lot then so be it.
Don

I know what your saying,the hunting for these stamps is really fun for me,I have never found anything of value,probably never will,but if there was no chance of finding something then the hobby would be finished,the mystery of what might still be out there drives any collecting hobby,from walking into an old bard looking for antiques to scanning the internet for postcards.

Understood. I would add one additional observation. Often those who are making the better stamp 'finds' are those which have invested the greatest amounts of time and effort in their education. The more experience and knowledge you have the better the odds become in making a 'find'. Arm yourself with as much knowledge as you can to increase your chances.
Don

What does finding "something" mean? Something rare and valuable, or something worth studying irrespective of value/cost?