What Is This Thing?

I think that is a test stamp, for testing vending machines.

You will find lots of info here searching under "dummy stamp" as they have quite a following. There are newsletters for both British and U.S. collectors.

Joe, it is exactly what it says, a test coil stamp. The stamp above was produced by the BEP and meant to test manufacturing procedures. They appear up for sale on E-Bay quite a bit. I believe the above example is Scott # TD133.

Peter

Pete,

Is that in the specialized catalog?

Well Pete.

searched the number you gave me, led to another site and found this to be a Dummy stamp # TD107 with 9 3/4/perf.

Thanks for the help

Thanks wert for the info.

Yes. But your example is not a #TD133. As suggested in another post it could be a #TD107 (if the design is 19.5mm wide -- and varieties are known with shiny, dull and pebble surfaced gum, as well as tagged and untagged varieties).

Personally, I think you may have a #TD112 (if dull gum and the design is 19mm wide).

In any event, both the #TD107 and #TD112 are valued the same at 50-cents (per my 2013 Scott Specialized Catalog). The #TD107 varieties (gum and tagging varieties) may be valued a bit more.

You may want to check out this sold ebay listing as it identifies a number of the test stamp varieties mentioned (assuming the seller got it right, of course):

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Collection-...047675.l2557

Thanks wt

My stamp is 19.5mm wide

So that confirms it is Scott #TD107. Now you have to determine if it is one of the gum and/or tagging varieties.

I have a full roll of these... 500 or 1000 I forget...

rolls of one of the varieties of TD107 are quite common (don't ask me which tagging and gum variety)

My understanding is that these stamps were test stamps for new postal employees (?)

Chimo

Bujutsu

A dummy stamp is a stamp-like label which is not valid for postal use. Dummy stamps are a form of cinderella stamp and the two principal types are test or training stamps, used to test postal equipment[1] or train postal workers, and printer's sample stamps created to promote or demonstrate the printing capabilities of a stamp printer.