Show Your US 1851-57 Imperforate Stamps

The most recent dates for the small black Boston PAID are - July 12, 1851 - January 23, 1852, per Mark Schwartz's write-up.

Years ago, Ashbrook and such, characterized this cancel on the 1c stamp as being a big deal. Over time, quite a few have been found. They are certainly not rare, but mildly-scarce might be a proper way of thinking about them. They are certainly nice enough items to get, and a nice stamp like your pair, with a nice strike is a very good cancel item.

The small Boston PAID in red/magenta on a 1c stamp is a world class cancel rarity. There are only about 3 or so known examples.

There were some nice 1c items in that section of the sale yesterday. I'm glad you picked this one up. Its a good piece.

Hey @Captain Stamp,

Your 3c with the black grid. It certainly does look a lot like position 80R2L. I checked all images on StampPlating and StampSmarter. The inking on your stamp is weak (but also a much different color), but it sure does look like a match. I think either @classic or @ioagoa said they plated this already.

Yes, Classic Coins said he plated it! Thanks for your research, NicholasC!

Here's another patient from me. Definitely Scott #11.

Features:
- Relief A
- No inner lines
- definitely not orange brown (so limited plates)
- a right column position that I guess could be in either pane

I had to search through about 32 stamps. I settled on 40L6.

Some key characteristics that led me to that position are the slight pinching in of the left frame line across from the nose, the slight bulge out of the left frame line starting at the middle of the top left rosette, and the leaning in of the right frame line starting around the top right triangle and continuing to the top.

I like the blue cancel.

I cannot tell the city though. It cannot be ST. PETERSBURG, FL because that wasn't founded yet, but PETERSBURG, VA did exist.

New patient.

Features:
- Relief A (even though I didn't use that for my search)
- Two inner lines

I suspected plate 1L because of the gouges at top of upper right diamond block and gouge in the upper part of the label to the right of the E. A key feature is the large gap between outside frame line and upper right rosette. Made it fairly easy to weed out the non-contenders.

I came up with position 13R1L making this a #11A.

Another nice blue CDS cancel. This time, from GETTYSBURG, PA.

Nice job plating that 13R1L with the Gettysburg PA cancel, Nick. I showed a closeup of the UR rosette area on 13R1L showing a trace of the original right frame line from the master die on page 208 of this topic. The reason the trace of the original right frame line shows is because the RFL was recut so far to the right as you noted.

https://goscf.com/t/72775&whichpage=208#809740

For this post I made the other day, is there an explanation for that rectangle of color at the bottom left? Looking under microscope, it seems to be the same color as the ink of the stamp.

https://goscf.com/t/72775&whichpage=235#825605

Thanks @Classic. I knew I had seen that large gap before.

I could use some input on this stamp...

Features:
- Relief B
- Two inner lines
- 1 line recut in upper left triangle

I have been assuming plate 1L because of strong frame lines and the recutting at top of URDB.

With those assumptions, I had 42 stamps to go through. I am leaning towards 86L1L for a few reasons. First, the features seem to match, as well as the thickness of the frame lines, spacing, etc. Second, it's helpful that I have a piece of the stamp to the left. The right outer and inner frame lines on the stamp to the left do seem to match 85L1L as well as the relative position of the stamps on the pane with respect to vertical position (alignment of top and bottom frame lines). Third, something not completely obvious is that the stamp to the left appears to have a guide dot under the LRDB shifted just left of center. It's nearly impossible to see in the scan because the inking on my stamp is very light. Under microscope, I can see bits of color.

Is there something obvious I am missing that would disqualify my suggestion?

Also, would a peroxide bath help clean up the stamp, and perhaps reveal some hidden color under all the gunk?

Hi Nick,

The Boston Paid marking was typically accompanied by the red Boston CDS elsewhere on the cover. The postal clerks weren't supposed to hit the stamps with the red hand stamp, but sometimes they did. This likely explains the red ink at bottom left.

28-30R1e, Ty II, small Boston PAID.
Early plate 1e color.

That's a beautifully printed #7 strip, txstamp! Thanks for showing it.

Just gorgeous! I really am going to look into starting a 1c imperforate collection.

While on the topic of Boston postmarks, here is an early use of a #11A canceled by a small-diameter Boston Paid on a December 24 1851 folded letter. The small-diameter version on a #11A is uncommon.

I agree. You only have about a 3 month window : 10/6/51 - 1/23/52;
noting EDU of 11A and last known use of the paid killer.

Students of the 1851-57 3-cent imperforate issue,

Here is a #11A from position 72L1L. Any thoughts on what is remarkable about it?