Washington 2c Vertical Coil, Which Scott # And Type?

Hello all Stamp Masters,

I got here a Washington 2 cent vertical coil stamp.
Which Type does it look to be?
And which Scott number?
Im having a hard time finding the details that define the different types.

More info
http://stampsmarter.com/1847usa/was...d32perf.html
http://www.stampsmarter.com/1847usa...pesMain.html

Don

Going by the provided Links I lean toward this being a Type IV?
Is that right?

LordInVader, it is not a Type IV. Types IV thru VII are all in reference to offset press printed stamps. The stamp you picture is engraved, it is from a coil roll, it is perf 10 across top and bottom so it is referred to as vertical coil with horizontal perforations. No two cent coils of this design were printed by the offset method.

If you go back to the top link provided by 51studebaker and once there click on "Types of the Flat Plate And Rotary 2¢ Stamps" at the bottom. The most important feature to initially identify the stamp is in blocks "1" and "5".

Based on your picture provided it appears to be Type I. It can be either a flat plate press printed stamp, Scott No. 442, or it can be a rotary press printed stamp, Scott No. 449. Most likely it is Scott No. 442, the flat plate version. If the DESIGN measures, from top to bottom, 22mm, then it is the flat plate version. If the DESIGN measures 22½mm - 23mm from top to bottom then it is the rotary version and a much more valuable stamp.

An accurate millimeter gauge must be used and used properly.

It appears from your picture of the stamp that it is on a cover or possibly a post card. If so leave it on the cover or post card. If the post mark date is legible it could/might/maybe aid in the identification of the stamp.

How about a scan of the entire item the stamp is affixed?

Dave

Stamp is a type II vertical rotary press coil Scott 487. The lower right and left ribbons and the lock of hair behind Washington's ear are key. The lower hair is almost the same length as the one above. If type I, the lower hair would be much shorter. Type III has two lines in the ribbon on each side. Other characteristics can be found in Stamp Smarter including the clear dotted lines in the ribbons characteristic of type II. Potential fraud alert. Make sure that the second line in the ribbon was not scraped off. Also, notwithstanding some posts above, the best way to identify a rotary press stamp is to compare with flat plate stamp from the same series. A rotary press stamp will be taller (in this case) or wider if a horizontal coil or coil waste. Using a metal ruler to measure stamps is a waste of time because it will not be accurate enough.

LordInVader, I apologize for steering you wrong on your stamp. cfrphoto is correct. I failed to carry the identification process out the one extra step that I should have. cfrphoto did. Sorry.

Dave