New 1 Cent 1857, Not Plate 5, Explanation In Later Post. My Bad!

But this one isn't Type Va. I've got 38 positions from Plate 5 now, and only my 2nd Type V-- these stamps are a real challenge to find.
Bought this one on ebay, and received it in the mail today, NH, and it looks like it's the real gum. First Plate 5 stamp I've owned that had any part of an imprint. It's 41L5, Type V:



Ray

Wow, and congratulations. That is a beautiful stamp.

Peter

That would be 31L5.
I'll defer to the plate 5 experts on the board for verification of plating, however, that is amazing. Plate 5 imprints are really rare items. This is an amazing find. Congratulations!

Right....31, not 41. Knew it was "D", but just messed the number up.
Thanks!

Hi, perhaps I'm see something that is not there, but on the head and shoulders it appears something, removed cancel?

Again, maybe I'm just seeing something that not's there.

Could we see the reverse scan?

Have you used the water mark process yet?

Stampmaster

Ray, check your email.

Well, it seems that I've done it again. The good thing about making mistakes is that sometimes you learn from them.

Here is the deal--
All of the markings in US POS are matches 100% spot on for 31L5.
But at E-F, it looks more like 31L7. Also more of a match in Orn-R for 31L7, but the markings are there at the top left in S-T-U at higher res-- I have the original at 4800 and can see it for the 31L5. And there's a match at the top of the "D" longer scratch on the left with the 31L5.

So how does that work, when it has matches for both?

Winston sent me the message earlier to check my email, and then we talked on the phone. On this one, since it's a match really for 31L5 and 31L7, the best way was to look at the imprint itself. The "T" in Toppan points directly at the top of the middle tip of the Ornament H for 31L7, and the "T" points at the bottom of the middle tip in Orn H for 31L5. The "T" on my stamp points at the top of the middle tip.

The stamp has the impression of a really nice, clear Plate 5 stamp. Not a lot of mottling that I'd expect for Plate 7, and none of the "D" Relief markings in the top of Franklin's head (recently written about in The Chronicle), so I thought Plate 5, for sure.

It's 31L7, it's mint, and I think MNH, but it's, alas, not 31L5.

Now, I want to thank Winston for not calling me out in public-- there has been some of that lately in a few of these threads, and he has been called out, himself. He's a classy guy-- I've said that several times before, and although he can be blunt, he's always trying to help, and I've appreciated his help, and look forward to the day when I can buy him an adult beverage.

So, wrong again, but I learned a lot here about looking at the imprint when you have a #1L something on a 1c Franklin.

Thanks again Winston.....Ray

PS: To Stampmaster, you're looking at some mottling, which is present on a majority of Plate 7 stamps, and also on several other plates. Not a cancellation. This one is definitely unused, and I don't care enough to send it in to see if it's NH...just wanted the position. Thanks!

Winston is a great guy. I love him.