Modern Die Cut And No-Die-Cut Press Sheets

apastuszak: The last imperf (thus far) was the Year of the Monkey on Feb. 5. No press sheets without die-cuts have been produced since then. Of course, the USPS could start these up again in a few months.

I would welcome the end of this era in postal history.

I hope that the situation is temporary, and I would welcome the return of no-die-cut press sheets.
I find them fascinating, unusual and very collectible.

I've never had an interest in them.

Speaking of postal history here is an interesting item a good friend of mine sent me as a gift. A no die cut Chinese Lunar New Year of the Horse (Scott 4846 var) single used to pay the first class rate and marked Return to Sender Postage Due. Evidently the stamp was not recognized as valid for postage. It is indeed tied by the bars cancel with a double marking on the backside May 16, 2016 and again June 28, 2016.

I think the modern no die cut press sheets, as polarizing as they have become, were interesting issues and maybe worthy of a nickname, such as Donahoe's Dillemmas. No die cut press sheets are a chapter that could have been taken out of James Farley's book, except they are already far more scarce than the Farley Follies.

WTH is Linns referencing with Front page article of Uncut Press Sheets for 2016/17?

Doug

Crouse27: Your no-die-cut year of the horse example reminds me of a tale told to me by a collector friend from North Carolina. Shortly after the Jamestown triangles (Scott 4136) were issued (in 2008 I think), he bought a sheet to use for postage. His first letter using the new stamps was returned by the USPS with a message to the effect that he should use U.S. rather than foreign postage.

Hard to believe this thread has been quiet for 3 years! I have been revisiting my collection of NDC individual panes and filling in gaps working with Several good dealers many of whom are on SCF.

Prices have steadily moved higher and many items are very scarce to unavailable despite modest Scott catalog values. I'm noting many sheets have been cut up for singles, pairs, blocks, and gutter positions (a resurrection of Farley style of collecting). I'm also noting sheets that are improperly trimmed unevenly with scissors, or with impinged or removed reverse side USPS edge inscriptions. I return several of these to dealers. For sheets to be properly cut as if done by USPS, one must observe the reverse edge inscriptions and preferably use a guillotine.

So quality panes could be even more scarce.

Considering Bugs Bunny Imperf sheets (Scott 3138) have come down from $120-140 10 years ago to $50-60 today (and issued at over 100,000 copies) it suggests most of the 2013-2016 NDC panes are still relative long term bargains. A difference though is the special-issue-only-available-from-SFS-:Bugs received a distinct Scott number assignment while the NDC's are insulted as minor number varieties at the moment. Makes no sense.

I'm looking for the NDC Columbia River Gorge press sheet or three panes if anyone knows whereabouts for an undamaged copy.

http://goscf.com/t/75857&whichpage=3#688329

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