Show Your US 1851-57 Imperforate Stamps

Thanks!

WOW -- this thread just hit 200 pages !!! That must be an SCF record -- or close to it. Kudos to Gary "Classic Coins" for starting this thread!

Wow! Thanks, ioagoa!

And thanks to all the contributors for your interesting posts that made this milestone possible!

Thanks Harper for the plating and detail on the first stamp.

Is there anyway to search just this thread for specific posts using keywords?

Look up towards the top of the page and find then click on the "Search" button. The get creative in narrowing down your search in the Google Box. You may be able to do the same with the SCF search but you could get more returns to wade through.


DOES ANYONE READING THIS THREAD STILL NEED A HARD COPY (e.g. Book) OF:

Simpson's U.S. Postal Markings 1851-61 Revised and Enlarged 2nd Ed.?

If so check here: https://goscf.com/t/86326 .

You cover media postage and perhaps a voluntary donation and soon you will have a new hard back analog copy of the information.

parcelpostguy, anytime I've used the Search function it brings me to the entire thread. Let's say I search for, Scratch on Washingtons Neck, it will show the entire thread where the post can be found not the specific post.

In a thread that's 200 posts deep it's a lot of scrolling. I'm not complaining if that's how it's built to work. My concern is I might be doing it wrong because.., well I'm not too bright.

Hahaha, I found it, the search that you mentioned being the Google Box!! Indeed I hadn't noticed that obvious search box before.
That is more inline with what I was looking for.
Once again coming face to face with my not too brightness!!

I figured out what Sinclair was referring to when he said I had a Experimental OB , It was in this post: https://goscf.com/t/72775&whichpage=192#794552

I had put it aside to go into the PF. Sort of forgot about it. The good news - I still have it and it is still going to the PF. The bad news, the stamp from 1L above isn't quite the same color.

Anyway, I remembered this because I'm finally getting ready to send a few things in. Fingers crossed I'll get my XOB example.

It is stamps like this that make me think that I am in the wrong hobby.

It is graded XF-S95 and ha sa light enough cancel - but, I can't even tell if it is an A or B relief.

The guide dot makes me think B, but the impingement at the bottom of the oval is barely there. And neither is the notch of the normal A relief. I don't see a gash on the shoulder, so probably not a C relief either.

Once those major identifiers are blurred out, I am kind of stuck. I should go to the breaks and line strengths at the top, bottom & right side of the oval - but I just can not tell.

iogaoa will know, but I cannot spend my life depending on him every time there is a difficult stamp to plate.

What am I missing?
Should I turn to the DeVere charts and go at it from that angle?

Any help is surely appreciated.

Hey Stan --

Regarding your G-95 stamp -- I have plated it -- and can reveal the position if you want me to -- or -- I can provide some pointers -- and you can plate it -- and I can confirm your plating. Comments / hints as follows:

-- Color and impression do not look OB -- so stamp is a #11 -- which narrows down the plates to 4, 6, 7, and 8.

-- Stamp definitely has a GD tucked into the inside LR corner where the RFL and BFL intersect -- but lacks the typical B relief features -- (i.e., break at top of oval and "B hump" at bottom). When I see stamps like this, I immediately think B-9 (i.e., 9th row B relief) -- which has a lot of A relief influence (all as explained in the USPCS Sesqui book).

-- Regarding narrowing down plate possibilities -- LFL a bit strong for plate 4 -- and BFL a bit weak for plate 8 -- which does not instantly rule out either of those plates -- but points to plates 6/7 as the most likely candidates.

-- The GD and the inward bow of the RFL (which is very distinctive) were my primary search features.

Big hint here -- your stamp is a 9th row B relief from plates 6/7.

Regards // ioagoa

Looks like 86R7, but I am on my phone. I'll be back on a desktop computer tomorrow to look again.

I'll need to get out my Sesquicentenial book and read through it again.

Thanks for the guidance.

It is greatly appreciated.

Hi Stan --

That's it -- 86R7 -- nice stamp !!

Regards // ioagoa

Posting a nice example of 95L4 showing the very narrow spacing between positions 95 and 96 which Chase describes as the closest spacing of any plate.

Regards,
Harper1249

Harper -- That is one of the nicest examples of 95L4 that I have seen -- thank you for showing it. Regards // ioagoa