Scott #7, 8 Or 9? Help Please.

I know this issue can be very difficult to identify and I have been comparing this with a number of 1 cent Ben Franklins and can't come up with anything probable for an ID. What about the bit of red color? Stains? Cancel?
If anyone can help me on this one, I'd appreciate it.

Marty

Assuming it is 7, 8, or 9 (I didn't check the other possibilities):

-- definitely NOT #8
-- looks like #7
-- cannot rule out #9 with single recut at bottom (scan not sharp enough), but I don't think there is any recut

I do not know about the "red". No obviously cancel and the stamp doesn't look faded/toned, so it is likely just staining.

Definitely a nice looking stamp!

k

Hi Marty.....


I agree with Kim, this is a #7 judging by weakness the outside curved lines.......but even with the left side cut in it's a very presentable copy. With such a small bit of red it's difficult to be sure what it is.

Thanks, guys! I'll get a larger clearer detail scan of the bottom in 2-3 days. I'm packing for a trip at the moment.

Marty

k and nr,

Here is the enlarged bottom detail. Does this help

Any other detail you'd like to see




Thanks again,
Marty

Marty....

It's a #7......on #9 the curved lines are re-cut and are thicker, darker under the "C" of cents, the top center part of the curve is noticably stronger. And generally (but not always) the outer ornaments are weaker on #9's.


This is a certified #7.


One of my #9's.

Thank you

Now I know where to put it. I appreciate your, and Kim's, wonderful help and expertise.

Marty

I decided to add an enlargement of the "red" on the stamp, just in case anyone would venture to propose a possible cause, stain or other. The back of the stamp is very clean with no apparent red bleeding through the paper fibers.

Nice pics, Tom!

Thanks for the enlarged pics, Marty!

Yes, I agree with Tom, definitely a #7. I just wanted to make sure there wasn't a partial recut at the bottom.

k

Hi Marty......


Sorry, but there is just not enough of the red showing to even guess what it might be.

Your pictures are quite decent, what camera are you using and is it also able to produce the enlargements, or are you using another system ?

Tom, I'm using a Canon scanner: CanoScan LiDE 25 I believe I scanned the bottom detail at resolution 1200 and the top left detail is 1600. Mine is several years old so newer ones must be even better. I use Ubuntu Linux OS with xsane drivers. I can scan up to 2400 and the detail is incredible at that resolution. I'm sure the Canon driver for Windows or Mac can do similar detail. I've never tried using my camera.

BTW, I'll echo Kim, your pics are nice. Are they on full covers or on pieces?

Marty

That scanner produces much better images than many others I've seen.

You have good eyes Marty......these are both on cover.

And, I always use my camera (Nikon 4300) .......my scanner does ok to show some larger things but for stamp & cover details it's horrible.

Beautiful covers! Absolutely beautiful

Here is another Ben I have that I scanned at 2400 so you can see the detail I can get from my scanner (7 or 9?). The scanner was relatively inexpensive ($50.00 in Guatemala and less in US). Another nice thing about it is that it has no power supply; it gets all its power through the USB cable to my computer so it is also economical to run.

Marty....

This looks like a #7 too........please show the whole stamp.

One of the reasons to have scan for the entire stamp is because #9 has many varieties, including one in which the top has been recut but not the bottom.

OK, here it is.