Circulated Special Print Design A27 Scott#106?

anybody knows why the TAG variety (which is common indeed) only appears on specific 10c stamps, I think (beside the ungrilled ones of course) mostly the E grill, less the F grill? Or isn't this true?

A used #106 should look like these.

Wide margins, clear impression, blue-green shade, well-wiped plate, clean perf holes.

One of these is a #106, the other is a #68. Would anybody care to guess which is which?

I suspect that the righthand stamp is the 106, but it's the paper that would give it away.

Thank you for your guess and input, revcollector. Anyone else?

I do need to add that the right stamp is partially reperforated. The bottom 8 holes on the right side are improved.

I am pretty sure the left stamp is the #106.

Can't answer this one; I'd be cheating since I saw it in person last Saturday. Or was it a different one?

When I reveal which is which, I will discuss some of the subjective qualities of the reissue that are adequate in separating from the regular issue. However, there's an important objective quality that I'm somewhat eager to share, which is in common with every other reissue in this series that I have encountered.

Observing the paper through a strong light is very helpful, obviously that cannot be done from a scan.

Anything specifically you look for in the reissue paper?

It is usually very white and has a "glow" in strong light, and there are differences in the weave which can be seen in a direct comparison.

Hey Al. E. Gator, I saw them too, and can't remember which!
My guess is the left stamp, purely from the impression. Look at the difference in Washington's eyes...much sharper on the left.

That's why a lot of the fakes are made from proofs.

Tipzi, hoping you'll post the cover you showed us!!!

Looking forward to Tipzi's conclusion on the mystery stamps.

As revcollector said, it's the paper that gives it away. The paper grain orientation noted in the Pictorial series re-issues also applies to the 1861 series re-issue. This is a simple, objective way to differentiate special printings from the normal printing in most circumstances. (I have to qualify my statement because there is a regular issue #68 that is on a similar grain orientation, but the color has a lot of yellow and the impression is fuzzy.)

The NBNC re-issues are printed on paper with a grain oriented horizontally. Shrinkage, being across the grain, compresses the design vertically.




This is an image of the #106, upon which I have superimposed a sliver from the #68 on the far right so you can see the #106 is a bit shorter. Obviously, high-def scans are immensly helpful in seeing this tiny difference.




This is the #106 with a strip of the #68 laid across the top. Note the #106 is wider than the #68. The grain of the #68 paper runs vertically so shrinkage is horizontal, compressing the design width.

The subjective test I use for this specific denomination is the clarity of Washington's right-hand wig lock (our left) and the crosshatching in the vignette in the same area. When I see a clean crosshatching in this area it's a signal to me that it's probably a re-issue, which I can verify using the design size criteria.

Ray, your observation of Washington's beady eyes on the re-issue is spot on.

Thanks so much for everyone's comments, and please let me know if you have information or made observations that differ in any way from what I have posted. I don't want to mislead anyone, but I have come across several re-issues utilizing this knowledge, so it should help others in the hunt.