1c 1851 Plate 4 Stamps

Jaxom, what do you think of this stamp listed on eBay now. They list it as a Sc 21. I believe it is a 22, type IIIa, plate 11 or 12.

Wow, that 7L4 is amazing. If its sound, that is. If so, then the sale price was cheap.

Top row imperforate plate 4 stamps that look like that, and are sound, are top-shelf items.

caper - you are correct.

That is an A relief from Plate 11, and I don't believe for a second that there is a real break, or one large enough in the bottom line to qualify as a III. Its a IIIA. The apparent bottom-line (BL) break could simply be design scraped off intentionally, or accidentally - or neither, and simply be an optical illusion. Without seeing that stamp in person, I'd call it a IIIA, BL complete.

I agree that it is a type IIIa. The perforating may have caused the small break. Even so, I do not think that small of a break would qualify for a III.

Here is a full sheet of plate 4 left pane from the Ashbrook Photos, just missing the selvedge. The sheet image is approximately 1200dpi. This copy is about 150dpi (colorized).
It is hard to imagine what this sheet would be worth today.

I think this is a type II, Scott 20, but have a look please.




(apologies for posting as a separate topic - just got my signals crossed - I've mailed the admin to delete that.)

Yes, but from Plate 12 not 4.

OK, that confuses me - being completely novice in 1c Franklins, I had the impression all type IIs were plate 4. I see it now in Scott. Cool beans. Thanks.

Top row A relief plate 12. Ty II.

Thanks. Much appreciated. I've gone through the plate 12 L relief A images, and no match. So, plate 12 Right it would seem.

Just completed my quest this past summer to collect a Type II from every possible plate.... 1E, 1L, 2, 3, 4, 11 and 12.

Not that difficult-- I bought a horrible copy of 5L4, and was fortunate to purchase a 4R1L from Mr. Sinclair.

Where I was really fortunate was that Dudley noticed a plate mark on my Plate 11 that confirmed it as 10R11, so I've got copies from all 7 plates that are plated, which isn't as easy....I've never exhibited in our local show here in Nashville, but this one might just make a decent 1-framer!

Hi

I know nothing about plating or identifying plate positions on stamps. General question regarding perf errors on this type of stamp for the forum. I've read that perf errors during this early period were common. Is the stamp below Scott 24?

Yes, Scott #24 from the bottom row. Most perf issues that I have seen happened on the bottom rows of the sheet. They are certainly plentiful but encountered infrequently enough to make them interesting.

What you could probably say is rare, are double horizontal perfs.

E Relief Positions 83, 84, 85L4