Tagging Shift On US 1622

I recently acquired a sheet of US 1622 - Star Flag over Independence Hall, and noticed an oddity when I looked at the tagging. The tagging is block tagging, but has shifted almost a half stamp width to the side. I'd scan a copy in, but don't know how to do it with my HP copier AND get the tagging to show.

Has anyone else noticed this shift? - Thanks

Tagging shifts like that are very common. You can check the tagging survey on StampSmarter to see if yours is listed


Peter

Peter,

Thank you for the reference. They do have some examples of minor shifts up and down, but nothing as dramatic as the shifts on my stamps. I'll have to see how I can scan a copy while under blacklight.

Alan

Hi Alan

Right now as you saw I only have minor shifts shown for this issue. I expected major shifts to exist I just don't have any at this time to show. As mentioned by Peter block shifts can be common, though dramatic ones can be a bit more uncommon. I used my iPhone to take the picture on the stampsmarter site. I use one hand to hold the SW UV light and the other hand to snap the picture. Trick is to not try and hold the camera to close to the stamp. People do this trying to fill the screen with the stamp image. The cameras on the phones don't focus close in. It is better to pull back and get a sharper image and then crop. Some of my early pictures are a bit soft for this reason but I am slowing replacing them

Mark S

I had a bunch of 1622's I hadn't soaked or cataloged yet. I did a quick check and did a grab shot. The one on the right sounds similar to what you describe. The one on the left is a more dramatic vertical shift than what is posted online. I expect shifts can be found where the block tag is shifted half way up as well as potentially half way up/down and left/right such that it forms an untagged cross though the center. These are all considered freaks. The specked tagging on the left one adds to its freakish nature.