Dull Gum Or No Gum

I just bought a couple of MNH U.S. stamps, 1304C and 2112. No big bucks here but not great experience either. Both stamps appear to have no gum - as in no gloss at all. The backs of both stamps feel smooth. The Scott catalog doesn't specifically state that either is dull gum. Heck, I'm not real sure what dull gum looks like anyway. Can you help?

The Scott Specialized doesn't specify dull gum for these issues so I'd be inclined to conclude that your stamps are no gum rather than dull gum.

This image may not help you but it shows the backs of two pairs of Scott 1305c that were obtained from the USPS -- shiny gum on the left and dull gum on the right.

The 1304C is the top scan and the 2112 is the bottom. Notice how the 1304C has a mottled appearance in addition to an ink transfer. And the 2112 has lines or ridges?





Thanks for your help. I may just try using them as postage to learn for sure.

PaulC, the bottom one is printed on what the Plate Number Coil Study Group calls type I paper. I don't know if you collect any other coils, but in 1995 a catalog was issued, "the 1995 Plate Number Coil Catalog". The book was compiled by the now defunct PNC Study Group and edited by Richerd J. Nazar.
In the introduction to the book Richard talks about the different paper- and gum types used on the plate number coils ( PNC's ) from 1981 on.
Your 2112 is printed on type I paper.I quote Mr. Nazar:

"Paper Type I was supplied by a paper merchant, Paper Corp. of the United States ( PCUS ). It bought iuncoated and ungummed paper stock from a mill and had the dull gum applied by a converter, Nashua Corp. in Merrimack, N.H.
Paper Type I has the following characteristics: The gum is dull and typically has diagonal ridges that run at about a 45 degree angle.

Peter

Thank you Peter. So much to learn.