My US Special Delivery Collection - Complete With Varieties

BUMPING this much older thread. I just wanted to point out that there are more of the Scott E8, Missing top frameline out there for you to find. Here is a recent purchase:

I don't have my stamp collection with me, so I went on ebay to see what E8 look like with the top-line. The first one I looked at didn't have a Top Line either.

So those of you were looking for a mint copy without the top line there's one up on ebay right now.

Great job! Perhaps you might consider uploading images directly to SCF? The watermark makes some of the stamps and your notes hard to read.

Is the absence of the top line due to under inking? Have an interesting version of it. Seems to be partially missing.

To paraphrase, this is described as a relief break on the transfer (roll) in several stages from a partial-line to completely missing in the late production of E8. Also seen on E10. See Loran French's "Encyclopedia of Plate Varieties on U.S. Bureau-Printed Postage Stamps".

I note 2 of my 16 examples readily handy here have the top line absent.

I like the partial line better to the fully-absent line.

Although the original poster has not logged-on in over 2 years, I chuckle a bit when someone claims "complete". I know he claimed complete for shades, but there always seems to be some significant item missed among the other production varieties. Where is the printing on booklet paper for E13?