Scott Uo5 3 Cent Official Stamp Cut Corner Mine Measures 10mm Not 9 1/4

I noticed on my stamp to the right there is an second impression but no inking of the outer oval. It runs the whole right side. Also take a look at the top of the number three the inside of the curl angles in dramatically on mine compared the the example shown.

I also noticed a second albino impression the whole right side of the stamping. Plus on my stamp, the inner curl of the top of the "3" is completely different than the example for UO5. mine angles back sharply unlike the UO5 where it comes straight down then curls back. Also the circles around the "U" and "S" touch the inner border.

I'd suggest sending a scan to Dan Undersander with UPSS and have them take a look at it. The two scans provided do show dramatic differences, so perhaps it's time to get the UPSS involved so they can alter their listings in the catalogue and clear this up. Just a thought.

Thanks for the info. How do I email him through this forum?

I sent Dan a screenshot of John's post, recommending we consider, for the next edition of the catalog, making the descriptions of these two dies more robust.

Dan's address, http://www.upss.org/code/contacts.php, if you still would like to communicate with him.

To add the discussion. Here are the 2 cent dies:



For all three denominations, the United Postal Stationery Society catalog focuses on the central numeral. It is "small, finely executed numeral" or "tall, heavy numeral", then goes on to provide the height of the numeral. Scott gives only the height measurement. Both provide catalogs illustrations, but I suspect most collectors do not look beyond he text to seek other differences, trusting the catalog to point out the major identifying differences. Collectors reach for their ruler. And I suspect that past catalog describers have tried to make differentiation of the 3 pairs of dies consistent across the series rather than dealing with each pair individually.

The challenge for a collector with just one example, perhaps heavily canceled, is to quickly and accurately determine which type he has - without measuring fractions of a millimeter. The design differences of the 3 cent make it easy, as has been discussed.

The 2 cent images above have the same squat vs tall lettering to "Official Stamp" - a feature all three die pairs have and one I find easy to judge against a catalog illustration without a ruler. The tail of the 2 is clearly thin vs tapered. And the period after the word "stamp" is under the loop of the P vs not.

I have only one 6 cent die, but know it is the first die due to the squatness of the "Official Stamp" lettering.



Agreed, the catalog description would be more helpful with a different first-focus on the die differences requiring a ruler.

Here are both 6-cent dies:



In addition to the previously mentioned attributes, you might also compare the E's in "OFFICE DEPT". The first is quite open, while the second is closed in.

Hi Again, I would agree that mine is type UO5 due to the characteristics it has; the size of the "3" and the shape of the designs below the design, and the letter "E" in dept. All I was trying to be clear on was the design differences of the inside bend at the top of the three and the circle around the "U" and "S". Are they common? Because I wouldn't expect them to come from the same die as UO5. I could assume that the difference of the circles around the you and S are created from the printing process causing the circle to look like they touch, and not from a die change. But the shape at the top of the 3 is completely different and I don't see how the printing process could of created that. Thoughts?

One more clear difference; the "S" in Stamp is different compared to UO5. The bottom curl is not the same shape. Mine angle to the left point, where the UO5 design curls up to a flat top.

could some of these differences be from the printing being done on a albino double print that is just to the right of this image?