Scott 158 Plate Proof?

Another view of exhibit A with a black background.

That new picture is definitely more convincing that there are some remnants of perfs visible.

These illustrations of "Guide Arrows" for the various 3c Banknote issue were described and illustrated printed in, 'THE U.S. 3c GREEN 1870-1887", ©1913, H.L. Wiley, Second Edition, Mekeel's Weekly Stamp News, Portland, Maine, pp-18-19, and still valid today.



Enjoy!

Great new image Bob.
And confirms that the position of arrows from the original image where I could see the perf remnants are all accurate.
I was considering placing one at the leading corner, but wasn't sure if that was a perf remnant or just a damage in the paper, but now I can see, that would have been accurate as well.

Thank you for your picture. I appreciate it.
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thank you, Hal, very interesting. Is this also valid for other bank note stamp values, or are there other arrow overviews for the other values?

That new picture on the black background is great, but now I'm not sure what I'm looking at? Before, I would've definitely said trimmed perfs. But look at the spacing between the perf holes - it looks like a perf 6 stamp? Combine that with Sinclair's comment - about the upper right corner - and I am no longer convinced that those are actually trimmed perfs??

I've been watching this thread. 40 or 45 years ago, I found the stamp pictured here and have been trying to find what it was ever since. It's been buried in a box for decades, but this thread caused me to dig it out. Decades ago, when I lived in CT, I would show it to dealers at stamp shows, and they mostly said they thought it was a used proof or maybe a trimmed jumbo. Trimmed jumbo makes more sense. Never thought it looked like a proof - too 'pedestrian' in its appearance.

New scan at 2400 dpi. Really makes things obvious.

Mootermutt, on your stamp, are those two perf remnants bottom right adjacent to "S" of "Cents"? Thanks for sharing.

Burnside Bob

Burnside Bob,
I see what you are referring to as well, and I would agree... particularly where the are out on the "bulge" edge of that side, there are 2 clearly visible perf holes.
mdroth... no idea why you think this is "perf 6". There is 0 indication of such. I think you're missing the notion of some perfs are more visible than others.
Realize perf machines, the pins which make the perfs are not perfectly aligned. Visibly they seem to be, until you start magnifying, and looking at the VERY close points where they occur. So when the trimming occurs, there may appear to be bigger "gaps" between perfs than is actual, because some perf holes will be higher on a "straight line" than others (and some lower), which is why the one perf in the upper left is most obvious. It's in a higher part of the margin, but also that perf alignment is a little lower than the others, only noticeable when you do a parallel lines check, and/or when the trim along a line leaves more "hole" remaining than others.

Just to be clear to mootermutt987, there is 0 question in my mind this is a trimmed jumbo of a 184.