Scott #341 Need Your Help To Explain This Stamp

Look at the following stamp, need your help to explain this stamp.
It has horizontally ribbed back. Thanks.

First, in E-R, it look like a simple stain, either in the original paper (probable) or a foreign stuff that entered in contact with the stamp after printing. I cannot be sure of what it is.

Second, if you look closely, you can see that the disturbance begins in the Queen's hair and goes down through the "C" of Canada and beyond the design up to the perforations. Here, I am guessing foreign object on the printing press.

The stain in the paper will get the value down... The FREAK error might give it some value to freak collectors, but not much (I will not date to guess how much).

The search for the buried treasure is a hard and long one... :)

Thanks for your explaination, pepere_jack.

The mark in the bottom could also be caused by the paper/stamp being scraped. I have seem this on newer stamps as well on occasion. I don't think it is a printing error, but damage to the stamp surface.

Well, a closer scan would show if there is paper damage or not.

I couldn't see the obvious scratch, but that doesn't mean it is not a damage causes the error. Could someone double check with the following images? These images are the best images I couold get so far.

Back of the stamp.

The picture is a little fuzzy to be exactly sure if there is paper damage or not. It really looks like a printing problem, but cannot be sure for now. I am guessing that you will have to look closely with a good magnifying glass or find a USB microscope.

Anyway, even if there is no paper damage, it is still a freak and will probably get only a small premium, if sold to the right collector of course.

This is my opinion anyway.