And This Is Why We Always Examine Things Closely.

Admittedly, this stamp is likely not a big deal to anyone but the most ardent of plate variety collectors, but when I saw it at an MSDA show last year I just had to buy it.

It appears to be a garden variety example of Scott #R115a, the invert of the 2nd issue 50-cent documentary. Centering is kinda "meh" although it's nice in that it's not punch canceled or punch-and-filled like so many frequently are.

I initially glossed over it, as I already have several examples, including one on document, but figured I would do my due diligence in the hopes that it might be what I was looking for... and it was!

It happens to be one of the 3 plate positions that exhibit the Scott-listed double transfer in FIFTY at the top! I have an example of the DT as a regular stamp, the sewing machine perf, and now the invert. The only remaining target would be the imperf, but those are incredibly rare even as the non-DT stamp.

Wow. That is really, really tough to see.

I have been looking for one for many years; I knew that they exist but have not found any.

There is a larger DT then this one on the 50 cent second issue.

I don't see it.

Left side of F I F T Y and along the bottom of all letters.

with Steve!

I see it!....I see it! Wow, this is so cool. Love the inverted portrait as well.

What a great stamp!

As for it being a double transfer... My comparison photo shows yours at top, and an image from the Seigel site of a similar stamp (but no double transfer). It's surpising to me that only FIFTY would have been re-transferred and none of the surrounding lines of the design. I'm thinking that FIFTY may have undergone some degree of manual re-engraving as opposed to a second pass of the transfer roll. To only re-transfer the arced form of the FIFTY's lettering without also affecting the lines to the left and right seems kind of improbable. Or maybe I'm missing something?

Do you have a link to the Siegel lot in question? It doesn't like a double transfer to me. *MAYBE* the left side of the second F, but if so, that's the most miniscule DT I've ever seen on R115. Not one of the known positions.

It's possible. As I wrote earlier, there is a larger DT which shows as a shift to the right, especially noticeable in the F, but which affects all the letters but nothing else.

FYI, the plate variety guide on my site is woefully out of date. Karl Lachemacher (R.I.P.) had identified 3 different plate positions of R115 with double transfers, positions 23, 32, and 57.

To clarify... The Siegel image is for an invert but without any discernible double transfer. And that was my baseline for comparison. So I'm suggesting that the stamp was partially re-engraved.

The only way a siderographer could "walk between the raindrops" and re-enter only FIFTY without affecting surrounding lines would be to have a transfer roll of just "FIFTY".