Cannot Check Tagging On These, But Does It Matter?

These might have tagging according to the catalog, but it does not seem to be necessary value wise. What does it mean if the catalog has a dash where a value would be?

2196 large block tagging used value is 1.00
2196a tagging omitted used value is --- just a dash
2196b solid tagging used value is --- just as dash

It would be nice to be able to identify them another way without a Shortwave UV lamp. I do not have one.

A dash just means the price is unknown/undetermined -- it does not necessarily mean it's worth a lot. Otherwise a blank means it (probably) doesn't exist in that state (mint or used).

Realistically, if tagging means so little to you that you won't buy a shortwave lamp, then why bother?

You have a typo in one of your numbers ... 2186b should read 2196b. Since an unused copy of 2196b only catalogues for $11 (slightly more than 2196), it is not scarce. The dash for a used copy indicates that, while the stamp is known to exist in this condition, it is either uncommon or, more likely perhaps, underreported.

Thanks I fixed the typo. That makes sense that it is undetermined or unreported. There are many variations of the lower value stamps. It is not necessary to have all the values especially when it is likely very close to a value already listed.

ggreve,
you should get one (UV light)....you will like it. I have my father's Raytech IS-4 UV lamp and recently my neighbor gave me her brand new battery portable L-80 UV lamp (US$24.95)For US stamps you might need a short-wave lamp so get one that does both, long wave such as my L-80 and short-wave such as a dual light model such as the L-81 (Lighthouse)- There are plenty of articles on the subject on this Forum.

Yeah, I will probably get one. I already have a long-wave UV, but it practically useless for my collection that is almost all US stamps.

A LW UV lamp is actually indispensable a person wants to collect US stamp varieties. It can be used to detect differences in paper as well as the ink used to print the images in various case.

One check for paper varieties is to detect at a first level is the paper a hi-brite type or not. I am using the term hi-brite rather generally to describe those papers that have a bluish type glow under LW. When you look at many of the first tagged US stamps and many that came after you can find both hi-brite and non hi-brite versions. Many modern versions also are printed on both such as some in the transportation series.

A LW UV lamp can also detect the use of ink that is luminescent versus ink that is not. Some the modern varieties were printed with both types. A modern example is 3612 Toleware stamp where the original does have luminescent ink but the reprints do.

There are various interests in stamp collecting and identifying - just a thought (one more again !)

The various interest is what makes this such a great hobby. For stamp shows I have both the L-80 LW UV and a dual mode L-81 dual mode. The dual mode L-81 uses a UV LED and in my own experience I find the L-80 works better for LW stuff. So I end taking both. The one issue I have had with the L-81 is that the switch is pretty cheaply made and it didn't last long. I ended up modifying the L-81 to add a real slide switch.