The Boston Tea Party stamps were NOT issued on dull/dry gum. I know of no list of dull gum issues. In fact, some definitives were issued with both dull & shiny gum. Moreover, I can recall at least one that was issued with 3 different gum types ... dull, shiny & low gloss (still shiny, just a lot less shiny than usual). And to really make things confusing, there was one stamp that was issued with both low gloss gum & shiny gum ... but, in point of fact, both were relatively low gloss, yet one was not quite as glossy as its sibling. Since I collect the different gum types, I always keep a Scott U.S. specialized catalogue at hand. Gum type is not deemed sufficiently different to warrant a separate catalogue number, but there are separate entries for the gum types under the same number ... frequently with different values. As I recall, some of the dull gum varieties are significantly rarer than the shiny ones, especially amongst the postage dues. Added: Just realized that the Scott catalogue can't help you either. It only mentions gum type if a stamp was issued with 2 or more different types. This is similar to my complaint about tagging in Scott. They only mention the tagging type when more than one type is involved. Not ideal ... but I suppose they're saving a wee amount of catalogue space by minimizing the info provided. If it isn't needed to discern between two different stamps, it ain't mentioned. Added: With a bit of practice and a good magnifier, you should be able to discern between a stamp with dull gum and one with no gum at all. There are striations in the dull gum that, if a stamp is held at an angle to a bright light, can be viewed under sufficient magnification. Used stamps, or unused stamps with gum removed, should show no such striations. Added: A good set of stamps with which to practice striation viewing are the Great Americans. Some of the varieties can actually be identified from the angle of the striations. E.g., Scott 2170 (3-cent Paul White) was issued both tagged (2170) and untagged (2170a). Both stamps have dull gum. There is a rarer variety, 2170b, which is the untagged version of 2170 (left untagged by mistake). Scott indicates that you need a plate number 2 or 3 attached to the untagged stamp for it to be 2170b. What is less well known is that you can also identify it via the gum striations on the back ... vertical for 2170b , diagonal for 2170a. |