Scott 70 Vs 78 - What Say Ye?

Ok, so I like the concept of teaching to fish rather than giving a fish. A recent post concerning a stamp has my mind questioning a couple of stamps in my collection - I have 30 of these all in very similar condition. My collection is pretty stuffed with old stamps. Family lore is that my dad (who would be 88 and loved collecting stamps as a boy), as an adult while on holiday in Europe he bought a dealers 5 US stock books. He never got around to doing anything with them before he died. I inherited them and decide to not make the same mistake. I bought two Mystic albums and I'm having lots of fun filling them up (Second one 1935 and on is done, complete with all new, perfect, mint stamps - Yes, I have more money than sense but I hate blanks). Now focusing on the first album. I've ID'ed all the easy ones but now I'm really having trouble with the harder ones. But I'm determined to do the work and the research before I just say "Ok, Huh is this?"



Sorry but my scan is terrible - not showing color well but both have a definite purple(y) shade. But I would say that the stamp on the left is a #78 (definitely more of a darker lilac or violet than the stamp on the right, which is much paler.

Neither stamp has a grill. Perfs ok but not perfect. Backs clean, no issues. Right stamp does have a top left corner stain but stain does not show on back.

Thoughts??? I checked Stampsmarter and Swedish Tiger and neither was much help.

P.S. The thing that's cool is my Dad's collection had two full, mint, NBH, sets of Colombians, the Trans-Mississippi and all the Airmail stamps (all loose in stock books!!). It was never organized! Each page I'd turn, I'd think, I think I have that stamp and I'd look and look till I found it. I got hooked!! And yes my favorite stamp in my collection is the #292 Cattle in Storm. I have two that are pretty perfect!! I thought about getting certs on them but them think, why? I'm a buyer, not a seller!!

Ok, I'll post because I know whats coming.......

Before you post again, get a better scanner!!!!

How do you get good scans? I have an HP Printer/Scanner/Fax Pro 8715

There has to be a better way!!

You should be able to adjust the settings on the scanner to get sharper resolution.

Also scanning the stamps individually and cropping the scans tight to the sides of the stamp so they are posted on top of each other will help. I had a 3 in 1 HP scanner and I hated it. I tossed it in the trash and bought a Canon Lide 220 and couldn't be happier. Delivered to door via Amazon for $85.

Much better!

guessing lilac or maybe red lilac (70) and gray (78). The gray looks reperfed on the right