Help With ID Of US 1902 Series Cancelled Stamp

I am trying to ID a cancelled 1902 SeriesWashington stamp on a 1907 letter. I have searched the internet for information but cannot determine the Stamp #. I believe it is type one based on internet information but do not know how to tell if it is #319, 320, 321, 322, . . .There are many on the internet that have these numbers but they all look the same to me. I saw a tutorial on type I and type II on this design but this one looks like a white, squiggly line by the leaf occurred after being cancelled.

I am helping someone who inherited new stamps and sheets, postcards, 1st day issue envelopes, old envelopes that are not in albums and are in translucent paper envelopes in cardboard boxes. Some are envelopes that appear to have been bought since the names & addresses are not familiar to the stamp owner.

We are both ignorant and are trying to learn enough to ID, organize and preserve at least one of each stamp, sheet, envelope. Most are easy enough to find on internet that are in the 1960s to 2000 from US and are in good condition.

Many thanks for any assistance that can be given. Meanwhile, We will be trying to learn how to properly count perforations!

A type I Scott #319 in very poor shape.

See:
http://dubinweb.com/USpostagestamps/twocents.html
You really need to get to the reference section of the local public library and look at a Scott catalog there. It doesn't have to be the newest. It will show the same characteristics shown in the site given above.

You are correct. This is #319 (type I) in the basic shade of carmine if what I see is correct. This is very faulty and you might consider saving something better than this. Note that there can be a premium for some kinds of covers and cancellations aside from just the stamp. #320 is imperf all around, which can be faked. #321 and #322 are imperf on two parallel sides and are also frequently faked.

For perfs on US stamps, you need a US specialist perf gauge, somewhat pricey. The standard cheap perf gauge is based on millimeters instead of inches, works for foreign stamps but can fool you with US stamps. You can also measure US stamps comparing with US cheap stamps where the perf gauge is known/only comes one way.

A lot of information.

http://www.stampsmarter.com/feature...eatures.html

Thanks Redwoodrandy, Hy-brasil, and JLLebert. Extremely grateful for the information and will put to good use.

I'm not worried that shape is bad; just trying learn the names & get them out of the boxes. I have so many more to go. Most are from the 1980s and 1990s'

Thank you all very much!



(The plastic box in pic is filled with cigar boxes of stamps)

Now that looks like a lot of fun to go through.....................