Scott 154 Vs 165 Identification

Sinclair, you are right. I didn't check all the stamps for paper type yet. I kind of threw this together quickly. I just checked the one you pointed out and it is soft paper. I'll go through them for that filter for sure. As I mentioned, I'm pretty confident in the soft paper identification - so I wasn't focusing on that here. So I left that out - my oversight. Before finalizing I'll certainly check them all once more. If anyone is interested I'll repost when I get around to it with a second pass.

I agree entirely with back images. Would make it much easier to see if he's got that right.
I didn't consider the cancels. that's a good point. I guess I just looked through them.

rlsny,
For banknote issues the first thing ALWAYS to do is check the paper types!
You will immediately weed these out. (Thought I mentioned that before).

And if you post images, can you please post the back of the stamps as well?

Yes, I'm aware of that. When I threw this together I forgot some of these came from a pile that hadn't been sorted. Looks like there are half a dozen soft papers stamps in there. I'm sorting it out.

So here's some fun for you guys. Scanned three with backlight. I believe the first stamp is a wove paper, the next is a thin paper with a soft paper pattern (I thought this might be transitional), the next is a thick soft paper.

Nope. The one on the right, and bottom are both soft porous papers.
When looking at paper through back-lighting like this, it's best to use the back of the stamp, so the image doesn't obscure your view, also the visibility of the image through the paper with the back light, will tell you a lot about the thinness of the paper.

And the thickness too!

Thanks, that's what I figured. I'll keep a lookout for the intermediate type. I'm done playing with these for now. Thanks both for your insights.

tough issue for me but would like to discuss a "philatelic educational card" I found with a bunch of other philatelic stuff. No secret mark and similar paper make these issues tough to properly identify.

Colors fade over time so distinguishing by color alone is just very difficult. Some cases it is obvious but many it is just tough.

Now for card:

This card (number 120) has a copyright 1974 Voncorp?

Not sure who produced it

The card explains how to distinguish National versus Continental bank notes:

Under 30c value:

"Here again is color difference. National's printing is definite black, and the white spaces in the face and numerals appear white; while the Continental equivalent areas have a grey appearance. Comparing the proofs of these stamps, we find both have a position dot, opposite nose of vignette, in the clear oval surrounding the portrait. On the National printing, there is a position line which extends from that dot, left, to the edge of the stamp design. This line must have been removed for the Continental printing."





above samples from Siegel

Now in 1974 I was all of a year or so old.
I have never seen this "line" discussed as a way to distinguish National from Continental 30 c issue banknote

I have noticed that Scott 165 Continental does not have this line
However it seems more than half of 154s have it as well as some grilled 143s

Has this "line" been proven to be useless or just helpful and not definite?