Is This Stamp 11 Or 11A - Certs Are Not Consistent

I was going through my older stamps to see which had relatively recent certificates to determine whether I should bring any to the APS show for PF to expertise. I came across two certificates for the stamp below - one from PF from 1992 identifying it as an 11 and one from PSE from 2008 saying it's an 11A. I thought the main (only?) difference was the existence of an inner line, which I cannot detect, given my poor eyesight. Can anyone with more knowledge and better eye sight opine on which it is? This is the best resolution I can do with my scanner. Thank you for your help.

Both certificates are correct. Between 1992 and 2008 the Scott catalog listings for 10 and 11 were split/redefined as major numbers of 10, 10A, 11, and 11A.

It's a #11A now. #11A didn't exist as a separate listing in 1992, but was a listed variety of #11 in Scott Specialized. The separate number was added sometime in the mid-2000s. So both are correct. If the submitter doesn't ask for ID of a variety or a plating position confirmation, that does not necessarily get put on a cert.

Thanks for the additional information. Again, perhaps displaying my ignorance or lack of eyesight, I thought the Type II (11A) was the one with the inner line, but I can't see it, at least one as clearly depicted in the Scott catalog. So be it, based on the PSE cert and your comments, I will book it as an 11A, unless anyone else has an observation.


Thank you again.

You are correct. The A types have the inner line. I've added some arrows where the line is clear on the photo you uploaded.

Thank you again to all - appreciate the quick responses.

I didn't see recut inner lines either. Many, if not most, type I stamps show traces of the inner line from the reliefs on the transfer roll, especially near the upper right rosette. This stamp can't be from plate 1L, 3 or even 2L: all of them have clearly recut inner lines. That leaves just plate 5L if it is type II. The stamp doesn't look like a typical plate 4 or plate 8 stamp. I thought it might be a type I stamp from plate 6 or 7.

I recalled that most bottom row stamps from plate 5L are A reliefs and this stamp is a B relief. So I checked Chase and found that only two bottom row stamps from 5L are B reliefs: 94L and 94R. And 94L has a big crack in it. So all I needed to do was eliminate 94R and I would know that PSE made another mistake! So I looked, and looked, and darned if 94R doesn't look like a pretty good match.

To be diligent somebody should check bottom row stamps from 4, 6, 7 & 8, but it looks to me like they got this one right.