Show Your US 1851-57 Imperforate Stamps

Hello everyone!

I know it's hard to identify color shades with pictures, but I still have some questions about that.

I recently exposed one of my 3c Washington to hydrogen peroxide for approximately 22 hours (i know it's a little too long) and I wonder if the color have been altered because I exposed it for too much time. The color is now extremely pinkish. Is that the original color or it have been altered? If it haven't been altered, could someone help me identifying it?

@Captain Stamp, I meant when I was trying to plate yours.

Oh, ok!

TY. Yes, for sure Mobile. They pop up from time to time and when I see them I try and grab them.

Here is a pair that hopefully one day I'll get around to plating.

Stalzer -- YEP -- that is another gorgeous pair of 1c blues with a "paint red" Mobile cds -- striking! I love seeing stuff like this -- almost makes me want to start diving into learning how to plate the 1c blues. I have a few of them -- and I also have the Nienken book and the 2 volume Ashbrook set -- but have yet to take a deep dive -- as for now, I have enough trouble trying to figure out the Scott # -- let alone the plate position. Again -- thanks for showing this -- it is a real beauty! Regards // ioagoa

Those are nice Mobile's. Cant have too many of them.

Hi TX --

You are so right -- you can never have too many of those Mobile "red paints". Thanks for showing it.

I don't have a single one of those in my entire 1851–1857 3c collection -- and I wonder why it is that we see those "red paint" cancellations on the 1c blues way more than the 3c reds?

The closest thing that I have by way of a striking red cancel is a cds from Cleveland, Ohio -- position 24L1E (see image below). A nice bold red CDS -- but no where near as striking as the Mobile "red paints".

Regards // ioagoa

Interesting question. I'll give it some thought/study over time. Often things like that have to do with a special rate or service the stamp typically does or does not pay. The 1c was big for drop and printed matter mail of course.

That is a one-in-a-million perfectly struck red Cleveland CDS, ioagoa. Thanks for showing it.

Captain Stamp,

I like the way the color was restored on your July 11 New York #11. Since it looks pinkish to you, I would bet that it is yellowish rose red, one of my favorite #11 colors.

Your stamp also is a "Gash on Shoulder" (C-relief) variety, and it has an interesting inverted 11 in the cancel.

Good day all, I have been working on some covers trying to plate them, sharing and also looking to confirm I'm correct.
beautiful cover US #9 Type IV strip of three left side margin plate position 21-23L1L Relief B. double struck CDS Black Pittsburgh Pa Feb 9 Addressed to Fas Erwing ESQ Washington County Pa
Guide dots are very helpful, using NEINKEN book.
21L1L EE SHIFT CLASS D

...and a nice misplaced relief! Thanks for the reply, Classic Coins!

I'll eventually ask you a question about color, because I know you're specialized in color, so I'll maybe need help identifying one.

US #9 TYPE IV strip of three on cover pen cancel, plated position 24 - 44R1L, (24R1L Class B EE) using NEINKEN book.

I have a few 3¢ stamps with partial CDSs - I would love help on figuring out what town they are from

1. 11A 96R2L - Brownish Carmine, Green Cancel - ??RFIELD


2. 11A 53L5L - Pinkish - ??SHEN??


3. 11 39R8 - Dull Yellow Brown - ??AUB??


4. 11A 94L3 - Grayish Claret - Boston maybe?


5. 11 10L4 - C Relief (Gash on Shoulder), Deep Claret - ??SVILLE, PA

Hi Philazilla --

Some of those partial CDS cancels may be tough to ID -- but if you are not already aware of it -- one place to start -- is Jim Forte's US Post Office search utility. Link to his website is here:

https://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp

He has a function called "string search" -- where you can input the partial name and the search will return all matches containing that particular "string" of letters. After that it is trial and error searching for images of matching towns and comparing the characteristics to your patient stamps. I usually try searching the standard auction listings (Siegel, Rumsey, etc., etc.) for named town cancels -- but unless you get lucky, it can be very time consuming.

Good luck and enjoy the hunt!

Regards // ioagoa