Scott 24?

i have a stamp that looks like scott 24, but the perfs aren't right. it's perf 14x15½, but the catalog says it's supposed to be perf 15½. any opinions?

G'Day mate this is my Scott # 24,you may see the comparison.



cheers

US stamps are not my specialty (if I have one) but your stamp 19thcenturyguy seems to be shorted top to bottom than nuggethill's. Re-perfed maybe to hide damage or something? The perfs seem to cut into the stamp farther on top and bottom. May be just me and my eyes (what's left of'em.

It sure looks as if this a reperfed stamp.The right side perforations are much too round and are also convexed.
Most (maybe all?) early US stamps were printed 4 panes to a sheet. The panes were separated from the sheet by cutting them apart. Each pane had a number of stamps with what is called a "natural straight edge" as a result of cutting them apart. Unscrupulous sellers would cut false perforations in an attempt to get a higher price. A stamp with one or two natural straight edges brings less money than one with four originally perforated sides. Interestingly, in most cases, a reperfed stamp sells for less than a natural straight edge stamp. A modern example of a natural straight edge is commonly found on booklet stamps.

thank you so much!