Half Or Different Use

Good morning,

in my new collection (duyed just 1 week ago) I found these stamps (see below pictures). The first on the left (A46) should be a # 145b. I can't find references to the others three:

- A56 (6 cents on 5, with a color that also gives me hope)
- A49 (5 cents on 10)
- A51 (5 cents on 15).

Do of you have any information about their catalog numbers and face value?

Thanks in advance to everyone. Stefano (Italy)

Stefano - Hello, and welcome. These are numerical cancellations from when the stamps went through the postal system, not surcharges.

Hi Elettro69,
There are all from the "Large Bank Note Era". (My favorite of all US philately actually.)
So your first stamp, the 2c, not sure why you think that is a 145b... 145 is a 1 cent Ultramarine Franklin design. Let's look at what you do have.

2c Jefferson - There are two printings in vermilion (this color) they are the 178 printed by continental, and will be on wove paper, the other is the 183 printed by American and it will be on soft porous paper. The easy way to tell is hold this stamp up to light, and look through the paper. If there is no descernable pattern in the paper, it's wove, if you see a "waffle" pattern in the paper, it's soft porous. This is called a "luminosity test".

5c Garfield - Printed by American it's on soft porous paper too, so if you hold it and the 2c together up to light, you will be able to compare the paper. If the paper on the 2c matches the Garfield, then you know that your 2c is a 183. The Garfield was also printed in a rare Gray Brown, only 22 are known, all of them unused. So this is a 205.

10c Jefferson - This is a special printing by American banknote. This is the "Re-engraved" 209. The design is a lot darker and heavier than the other 10c Jeffersons of the era. Color and design tell me this is a 209.

15c Webster - This one is the very tricky one, and based on the image, I can't be certain, BUT... the balance of probability is that its also an American printing on soft porous paper. It has the darkest orange coloration of the possibility, and this looks pretty consistent. The back of the stamp image (thanks very much for that as well), indicates that both the 2c and the 10c are likely soft porous paper (the design from other side isn't really visible in any of them, as soft porous paper is a lot thicker paper type). So I would guess this one as a 189.

Do the luminosity test with this one as well. If the paper looks like it does in the 5c and 10c, then its on soft porous paper, and is the 189. Otherwise, a more detailed scan will be needed for me to identify it properly.

Stefano,

Sorry, forgot to include value (you said "face value" but that is the amount the stamp was originally worth, 2c, 5c, 10c, 15c. I believe what you want to know is their "catalog value".)

CV for these:
183 - $5
205 - $12
209 - $6
189 - $30

But... a word on "Catalog Value". Those values are for reasonably well centered examples, without other faults (creases, thins, tears, etc.)
I can see in the back images of your stamps, all are damaged, with a major fault. That would bring the value of these down to pennies really. You might get $5 for the 189, but the 4+mm tear at right diminishes it greatly to most collectors. The others are very commonly available, and with such damage wouldn't be attractive to most collectors. They are all off-center to one side or more. The 189 has the best centering, but it's still a bit on the high side.

Thanks you very much GeoffHa and ClassicPhilatelist, now I check the paper. I send a picture of others stamps