Jefferson Postcard

Good day all.

I'm a new kid on the block and not sure where to post a question about a postcard (not a pictorial one).

I'm starting to help evaluate and elderly gentleman's collection, and starting with the easy things, I thought - post cards and First Day covers. I mean, how hard can it be to identify those with a scott's and all the photos, right?

Well, this Jefferson postcard has the bust and denomination in the lower left and the outlined text to the right of it ... or ... is it the bust and denomination in the top right and upsice down as well as the outlines text upside down?

Any input would really be helpful and, if this is the wrong forum, please let me know. Thank you.

LOL, these inverts amaze everybody the first time.

Some postal cards were printed in large sheets (32?) for the convenience of printers. With a little planning, a big sheet can be cut up into a number of inverts, or sideways, or wrong end, or other errors easily accomplished with a paper cutter. Zero value, sorry. But eye-catching.

Thank you Doug.

I was afraid that after only 2 days of prep and starting to go through things that I was getting in over my head - well, not to say that it may not prove to be the case in the long run, but I'm glad there are folks around that have the knowledge and are willing to take the time to share it. The first photo I posted (now I know I should post only one at a time) was of how I first saw the card - with the bust in the top right corner and upside down. I kept looking at it thinking 'what's wrong with this picture'.

Thank you again for the info!

Nothing extraordinary. These cards were available in UNCUT printer sheets of 40 (4x10) for easy use by printing companies running letterpress printing presses. Of course, the same sheets were available from the Philatelic window. I have uncut sheets of the 2c Franklin UX38 (4x10), 3c Statue of Liberty UX46 (4x10, 4c Lincoln UX48 (4x10) and 5c Lincoln UX55 (4x10).

As with the Farley Follies, collectors created their own varieties of mis-cut postal cards (like yours) which is why you never (for the most part) see mis-cuts listed in Scott or the UPSS United States Postal Card Catalog.

Hello Hal,

Thank you for the explanation. It makes sense and makes me feel not so much like the novice I am simply because I didn't find reference to them.

When the lady and I decided it was time to start evaluating, 'we' decided that I should start off easy. So, the post cards and first day covers. A good thing, too. I was inspecting a partial sheet of "Herkimer at Oriskany" 13 cent stamps and see that the holes are running between the legend and the US Bicentennial 13 Cents line. Looks like I'll be trying to get up to speed faster than I thought. I had seen the frist day of that one and just about 15 minutes ago ran across the partial sheet. Hehehe, came back here to take a break.

Anywho, thanks for the history!

Actually, all definitive US postal cards were available to the public in sheets. Fake miscut postal cards was so endemic that a major postal card dealer and the editor of Postal Card Specialist placed an advert in his own magazine offering to make any possible miscut imaginable.

These bogus cards are revealed in the philatelic press over and over but no one seems to remember, especially the sellers of these (not) major (not)EFOs.

Typical market value for these curios is 99c to $1.99, slightly higher if a dealer glassine is included. Tatham Stamp and Coin, among other approval operations, sold these fake miscuts in their approval selections, complete with nicely printed glassine.

Hi Jobi01,

This gets interestinger and interestinger as folks offer these bits of history. Thank you. There always were those who would take advantage of an opportunity. I have to admit, I am one of those who thought, "Hey! This is 'something'" when it first sank in that it was different. Had I tought about it and been more aware of how the postcards were offered .... but that comes with learning and finding places like this to help one learn. Everybody has to start somewhere. Thanks you, again.