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Rest in Peace
United States
1189 Posts |
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I have a single of Scott 1293, which I've had for many years, never having seen another like it. The color is more a rose or carmine rose than the issued magenta rose. It is mint, NH. Not being able to find another like it, I thought perhaps it was some kind of color changling. Here's the original stamp I've had for years:  Today, while sorting through a large plate block collection, I found a second example identifical in color. This is mint NH. Now I'm wondering if this is a color error. Here's the second find, along with a normal plate block, also Mint, NH.   There is no listing in Scott for this color or anything in the footnotes about a color variant, but this looks strikingly like one. Anyone know anything about this that would help explain it? Both stamps were in glassine envelopes, the plate with four other plate blocks of normal coloring in the same glassine. |
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Pillar Of The Community
United States
7239 Posts |
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The paper looks brighter. If you would post a scan with your variety overlapping the normal stamp, that would give more accurate information.
Also, have you used your UV light on the stamp to see if the paper or tagging looks different? |
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Pillar Of The Community
United States
8956 Posts |
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Stampman2002, Back hen these were printed quite a few in this series were found with changed colors. I am not familiar with this particular stamp, but you might be able to ind some info on this in "The Plate Number". Steve Esrati, the editor of TPN also did some work on this series and found several varieties which he listed in TPN, especially in the last few issues. You can find all back numbers of TPN here: http://pnc3.org , go to reference and just look for "The Plate Number. Peter |
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| Edited by Petert4522 - 01/27/2018 4:39 pm |
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Valued Member
United States
74 Posts |
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I have collected the Prominent Americans series by plate, ZIP and Mail Early blocks and singles for 50 years. There are LOTS of shades and color variations to compliment the tagging and gum varieties. |
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Rest in Peace
United States
1189 Posts |
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My apologies, it is tagged, Scott 1293a, in both the single and the rose plate block. The paper and gum on the plate blocks in the combination scan below are the same, both white paper and shiny gum. There is no discernable difference between the two, but the paper of the 1293a plate block does glow slightly whiter. I cannot tell if that is the paper or if it is the tagant which is causing this slight difference. Here's an overlapped image, as requested. The bottom plate block is 1293, the normal magenta rose and untagged; the top plate block is rose and tagged.  |
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Rest in Peace
United States
1189 Posts |
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Peter, thanks for the link. Unfortunately, when I tried downloading any of the .pdf files, it stated it was unable to download. I'll try back in a couple of days as I know it's not my computer; I use .pdf all the time. |
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Bedrock Of The Community
United States
10587 Posts |
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Given the amount of missing color from the electric eye lines, I suspect that this stamp came in contact with some outside element that affected the color. |
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Rest in Peace
United States
1189 Posts |
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Revcollector, that was my initial thoughts, as well, but this plate block came from a collection which had three other plate blocks with it, none of which had this color. Also, the gum and paper are completely normal, without any hints of discoloration or disturbance. This is why I'm questioning the idea of the color.
An alternate theory I have is that this may have been the end run of the printing and the color combined with the rose to create the magenta (black?) may have run out, leaving only the rose color and creating the brighter color. If that were the case, it would also result in the lessening of the electric eye lines due to the reduction in ink. The color is something you and I might find strikingly different, but may have been within the acceptable range to the BEP.
The color is, as you can see, very consistent across the stamps and the plate number. |
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| Edited by Stampman2002 - 01/27/2018 5:20 pm |
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Bedrock Of The Community
United States
10587 Posts |
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The paper is not "completely normal", it is whiter then the other block, something else that hints at a chemical or sunlight change. The color being consistent proves little, it only means that the entire block was affected equally. Except those EE lines. |
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Pillar Of The Community
United States
910 Posts |
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My experience is that with just about any of the definitive series you can find color variations. I have fun collecting them when they are extreme. |
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Bedrock Of The Community
United States
10587 Posts |
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Pillar Of The Community
United States
8956 Posts |
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Stampman, you make a very interesting statement about the BEP.
I do not collect that series - I collect the Transportation coil issues that appeared at approximately the same time as your prominent Americans. I own some strips of Scott 1899, some printed almost black-green and some sort of medium dark green. The BEP investigated and decided that somehow the olive green ink had been contaminated. Paul Frey of the BEP called it an inconsistency in the ink used.
I can not get away from the idea that quality control at the BEP was less than stellar.
Peter |
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Pillar Of The Community
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4079 Posts |
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Quote:
An alternate theory I have is that this may have been the end run of the printing and the color combined with the rose to create the magenta (black?) may have run out, leaving only the rose color and creating the brighter color. They were not mixing two inks to produce the magenta color. |
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Valued Member
United States
126 Posts |
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I've seen color variations in many stamps. When extreme, I mount them side by side. Scott doesn't seem to provide different numbers for these, no matter how extreme. |
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Valued Member
United States
257 Posts |
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Rest in Peace
United States
1189 Posts |
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mstocky2, thank you for the link. I will go with his description as "Bright magenta" for now. I also emailed John Hotchner and sent him copies of the same images I used in this thread. His response was: Quote:
Hi Greg. There is a fairly wide range of colors on this issue for several reasons that I've discussed in some depth in articles on the 20c Marshall. Briefly, the issue was printed and reprinted over a long period of time, in this case 12 years, before the 50c was replaced, with changes in paper, gum types, tagging types, ink components due to requirements of EPA and/or OSHA, and also resulting from variances in ink application. Unless Scott sees evidence that the color differences are both significant, and result from different ink formulations or the wrong ink being used, they will not list those differences. They are still collectible, and may even command a premium. But they are not classifiable as errors. Looking at my own group of about 40 plate blocks, I have darker examples to examples that are close to your lighter type. My conclusion is that the Bureau was aware of the differences and felt them to be within tolerable levels. Thought I'd share his insights with everyone. |
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Replies: 16 / Views: 2,478 |
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Posted 01/27/2018 4:09 pm
