An Unexpected Visit From The Revenue Plate Variety Fairy

This was bizarre... but in a good way. I've cherrypicked plate varieties from APS circuits before, and also bought plate varieties from circuits when identified (and priced) as such.

The makeup of the APS revenue circuit I received Thursday was the same as what I usually see: 2-3 books of duck stamps or fishing stamps, a book of checks/RNs, a couple of books of RC, RD, RE, and M&M, and the remainder having some amount of 1st-3rd issue material in each of them.

I pulled a number of plate varieties from this circuit, but unusually enough, from 4 different books from 4 different sellers! I don't know what the odds were of those books coming together in the same circuit, but the gods of entropy smiled upon me.


R72c - $1 Manifest. Scott does not list any plate varieties for this stamp, but this example appears to have a nice diagonal plate scratch at bottom. I asked the usual platers I correspond with if any had a confirming example (otherwise it could just be an inking anomaly or plate debris), but no one in that circle has plated this stamp. It's not a cheap stamp, so that's not surprising.

If anyone has a confirming example, please contact me.






R66a - $1 Conveyance imperforate. Frame line doubled at right. I had an example of this plate variety on the perforated stamp, but not imperforate. The margins are close left to right, but the date, color, and impression are all correct.

What I never realized before was that in addition to the doubled frameline at right, there is also a stray vertical line running through the bottom right numeral. I pulled out my perforated example, and sure enough it was there, but much much more faint; easy to overlook.







R115 - 50 cents 2nd Issue. A horizontal pair with the left stamp having a double transfer at the base of the letters in the top scroll, plate position #57.

There are several plate positions of R115 with double transfers.







R123 - $2 2nd issue. Double transfer at the top, extending into the top margin, plate position #42. This stamp also has several different double transfers.







R116 - 60-cent 2nd Issue. Foreign entry of 70c at top. This foreign entry exists in varying strengths in 6 plate positions. This is position 51, the second most bold position. A fairly expensive variety, cataloguing $500 in Scott.






And lastly, one I was thrilled to find, one I'd been looking for, although I assumed I would find it on the 3rd issue first, not the 2nd issue.

R113 - 30c 2nd Issue. Double transfer in top stars. Karl Lachemacher has been working extensively on plating R113 and R140, and has identified 5 plate positions with doubling in varying strengths. This example is position #92, the second most bold shift, affecting all 6 stars.

Your $1 manifest also has a double transfer in the lower word DOLLAR at the bottom.

Nice get on the R116. Nicely centered.
I wish my APS circuits were as nice. Seems I'm always at the tail end of heavily remaindered books.

That is frequently the case for me as well. This amount of material that I pull from a single circuit is by far the exception rather than the rule.