1883 Scott # 211 Or 211B

Hi..i wonder if this 1883 two cent scatt # 211 OR 211 B ? Thanks



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Probably 210 … not sure, but I don't think there are any known used 211B.

Others with more expertise that I will chime in, but it appears to be 210. 211 ( if my 2014 scott cat is still correct) is a 4c blue green. 210 is 2c red brown, 211b is the pale red brown special printing 2c with soft porous paper.

Scott 210. The fine detail diagonal crosshatching would be distinct at the bottom of the vignette to the left and right of Washington's bust. The special issue was printed with a steam powered press, unlike the regular issue.

Making color decisions from a scan is always dangerous, but based on your scan the basic shade of the stamp appears wrong. Below is a scan of a certified stamp from the PF's website (# 58621)

I will study more pics. Thanks for your replies.

Are there any definitive "tells" to decide 211B with any certainty?

Here is a series of images of a 210 possibly used 211B? Color looks right to me. Nice and sharp. Paper is definitely coarse woven and soft. Flops rather than snaps.

The reverses are shot planar flash, planar flash and backlit, just backlit.

The impression is much more crisp and defined on 211B. The top of the "TWO", the portrait outer oval line and the well shaped and separated pearls in the oval frame are good indicators.

Also note the crosshatching of the background in the lower third of the central vingnete, Present in the image rogdcam shows, absent in your image.

Great, those are actionable characteristics. Do you any of you know whether the paper is significantly different than normal run of this series and if so what are the characteristics to look for e.g., a really obvious weave pattern or no pattern at all?

I'll post one more that appears to have the characteristics outlined in previous posts. Just one of hundreds of 210s I have.

Not a particularly attractive stamp but ... Sharp, cross hatching in bottom third of vignette. Legends (Two et al) sharp. Outline of portrait oval seems smooth and sharp. Pearls (where you can see them) separated and as round as the 211B posted.

PF census shows 5 used submitted as 211b and all were determined to be used 210s.