Unknown #483 Plate Number ?

This block appears to have plate number 8163. Odd, because the only Scott number that has been assigned to plate number 8163 is SC #501 3 cent Type 1 Perf 11.

The stamps do appear to be Type 1 but are obviously imperf; making it a SC #483.

I thought perhaps one or more of the plate numbers is incomplete (i.e. a 3 is really an 8), but I cannot match any of the known #483 plate numbers.

Anyone have any ideas on this block?
Don

That 3 is not an 8, a close examination shows the design differences between them. Since this plate number was not used for imperf stamps, this appears to be an imperf error. I suggest putting it in to the PF as one and getting a cert for it.

There is precedent for such errors, there is an imperf of 610 with plate 14870. Since that number was never used to create imperfs, it is an error.

Think I agree with revcollector ... this looks like a Scott 501 imperf error. When these stamps were issued, plate numbers were unique to the stamp, making an imperf error the only logical explanation.

Likely that this is an imperf error. I would submit it to the PF.

Bob

As an alternative theory ... building on Melvin Getain's article in the June 2014 U.S. Specialist "Plate Numbers Found on Private Perforation Issues: Numbers, Numbers, Numbers - Where Have You Been?", in which many new plate numbers are reported as found hidden under paste-ups of vending and affixing machine coils, and building on Kim Johnson's regular Specialist column reporting newly discovered plate numbers. Thus it seems alternatively probable that most all of the imperforate run from plate 8163 went into vending coil production and no examples of the plate number have yet been found - except for this one which escaped coiling (or normal perforating). Still quite rare and worthy of a certificate, but probably not an imperforate error.

My guess: similar to John. It is obviously plate 8163. As far as I know - the bureau did not provide explicit, accurate data on what plates were released as imperfs. New numbers turn up occasionally on imperfs that had previously been known on perforated stamps. It does not mean these are imperf errors. The premium for these can be rather slight as there are not many collectors of this stuff.

Did you mean Scott 501 rather then 510? 510 is the ten cent perf 11. Plate 8163 was used for Scott 501.

Yes, 501, not 510. Fixed, sorry.
Don

My understanding of the process was as stamps were printed they were all stored imperforate. From there, imperforate sheets were supplied both to the Bureau's perforator and to the Post Offices that stocked imperforate sheets for Schermack and Mailometer. Any plate number known on a perforated stamp could possibly be found on an imperforate stamp. Of course the majority of those would have been coiled and slit for the private vending company. As mentioned earlier those plate numbers would be hidden under a paste up tab.

By the time 483/501 were being issued the number of sheets Schermack/Mailometer were using were in great decline as machines were slowly being converted to use Government coils. I would assume that excess imperforate sheets in those post offices (especially St. Louis) were made available to collectors, dealers and the public.

Long winded as that was, any plate number known on a perforated variety can be found on the corresponding imperforate variety.