Is This An Error Copy Of US #1272? Or Just Badly Printed?

Hi all

I just came across an unused copy of US #1272 that I put aside many years ago. As you can see, the red ink looks like it ran! There is no red staining on the back or anything similar to, say, the bane of stamp soakers: red greeting card envelope staining.

Is this an ERROR, or just a badly printed stamp?



Here is a high-res scan of just the red area (click for larger):

Opinion:
I treat and mount these types firstly as an EFO (Errors Freaks and Oddities)
(items must be mint)
If they are backed up by known others, or one has multiple copies of the same
oddity, then they progress to "error"

Used stamps with oddities are treated with caution.

Are you calling me a FREAK???

It is mint, full gum, with a couple of tiny little marks on the gum. But definitely an unused stamp. What would I need to do to get the stamp "on the record" and see if others exist?

I believe Rod is correct. If it is an error a whole bunch of it would exist and probably have been found by now. I would call it an oddity or a freak.


Peter

Tough question Nells,
my personal route is to mount, label and forget it.
During your collecting, if happenstance occurs, you may see it questioned in your travels.

Other:
search ebay from time to time using the Sc#

Ask at your local Stamp Club.

Enquire as to US EFO catalogues if they exist?
You may be amazed at what some collectors catalogue.

Here's an Australian example:

Odd that multiple copies of the same problem on a stamp might be classified as an error. I have multiple copies of Simpsons stamps with the same problem on all (misprinted date), copies from 4 different post offices in two different states. But will Scott classify them as an error? Not on your life! "Repetitive printing freak" I think was the response they gave.

Alan B.

Watch out E.F.O.'s

http://www.nalbandstamp.com/hotchner.htm

http://www.stampparaphernalia.com/s...e_stamps.htm

Great links.
Thanks, Randy.

Alan - I understand your annoyance! Seems to me that a freak/oddity IS an error! I mean, stamps classified as an ERROR seem not to be strictly based on printing plate errors, but also printing company errors. So, if someone put the wrong year date on your Simpsons stamps, isn't that an ERROR? Someone made an ERROR.

These EFOs are befuddling...

OH, and found this link: http://www.efocc.org/

Errors are generally catalog and album listed; EFOs are not. Confusion arises because publishers are not always consistent with how they select these for inclusion. More confusion arises because hobbyists also are not consistent with how they use the terms. This is especially true when 'error' is applied as marketing fluff by sellers.

Ideally our hobby would standardize on the nomenclature we all use (including color names) but I assume that this will never happen. A group like APS would be the best to drive this (since they do not have any dogs in the fight other than helping the hobby.)
Don

Well, that depends on the collector, doesn't it...