Very Subtle Stock Transfer Overprint Varieties

The Scott Specialized catalog lists a number of varieties in the early Stock Transfer stamp section.

One of them is RD3d, with the overprint lines 10 mm. apart.

As the "normal" version is with the lines 8.5 mm. apart, the difference between the two is challenging to detect.

RD3:



RD3d:



Scott also lists RD4a, with the overprint lines 7 mm. apart on the 5 cent denomination.

Here's that same variety on the 2 cent denomination, which is currently unlisted in Scott:



Jim

These stamps were printed in different locations. This can be seen because of the white circles on either side of the word "cents". Some have a dot in the middle and some do not. I believe there is a thread on the board by Ron Lesher discussing this.

Yes, but the various overprints (Future Delivery, Stock Transfer, Narcotic, Silver Tax, etc.) were all applied by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.

Jim

I am not sure if they were all done in the same location. Plus they were being done by the billions; I doubt if they kept info on how many overprint plates were used. Or how often a position had to be replaced, or any other info about them. It would take someone interested in spending a couple of decades measuring millions of examples to even begin to get a genuine idea of the relative scarcity of all the varieties.

It's the government, they kept track of almost everything.

Jim







Source:

Annual Report of the Director of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing For the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1919, Government Printing Office, 1919, pages 16, 19, 39.

That's just for one year, 1919. So it seems safe to assume that over 7 billion stamps were issued, and possibly more. Those stamps were used until 1939; in 1940 the overprint changed and then the reds came out. As far as the government was concerned all the overprints were identical, so this info changes nothing of my statement. There is no way to know how many variables exist without spending decades measuring and cataloging them.

In my opinion, the monotonous and time-consuming work that you are describing directly translates into a higher value than the regular version of the stamp, almost irregardless of whether the variety is common or not.

What that work that someone did to identify a variety is equal to in dollars and cents is up to the buyer to determine, I would think.

Personally, I paid $75 for the 10 mm. apart variety a long time ago, just so I wouldn't have to measure a lot of stamps.

I haven't seen another copy of this variety since then, so I consider what I paid a bargain.

Jim

How many have you looked for? It might be a bargain, and it might be that measuring a few thousand will produce a bunch. Since no one is doing it there is no way to know. Truthfully, I suspect few collectors would really care, which is why few if any are doing any measuring.

Far more than I care to admit here, as that number would publicly clarify my sanity level (or lack thereof).



Jim

The underlying four cent stamps are both letterpress printed. That is, they were printed in 1924 or later. I am much more intrigued with the bold dot in the left circle on the underlying stamp. I have never seen such a bold dot except on the one cent denomination.

Same could be said for the plate varieties that you and I hunt for, or any flyspecking, for that matter. It's all a waste of time until it isn't.

Double transfers have a long history of interest, plus literature as well. As do scratches and other varieties. Not the case here.

Bart,

The spacing of the overprints does have a precedent in the Kansas and Nebraska overprints, although that is the spacing of the overprints on a vertical pair. And we know that the size of the overprint is of great interest in differentiating the provisional narcotic of the Wyeth firm from a later cancel on the Bureau provisionals. So I think that there is ample evidence of potential interest here, even though previous students have not paid any degree of interest to study spacing varieties.

There are spacing variations on other 1920's era issues as well, such as the 2 cent Hawaii and Molly Pitcher issues. But postage issues have always had a greater number of collectors which has produced greater interest.

Guess I'll hold off on showing the "stock" shifted left etc. varieties now.



Jim

I have a pair where the stamps were removed too soon, so the overprint is all smeared. Found it in a large lot decades ago.