US Revenue 1917 Documentary Type (Dots) Identification

I've been moving stamps into my newly printed albums from stock books, old albums, glassines, etc. and as I go I have been pulling the best examples out and double checking identification on some issues and setting aside any color variations etc...

I did read the thread here titled "Documentary 1917 Identification" which was informative.

I have 312 of this documentary stamps series (image R22 in Scott's, specifically looking at R228-R239, R251-R256, R260-R281). While identifying the perf, watermarks and type (dots) I have found 9 that have a dot in the period on one side of "cents" but not the other. Some on just the right and some on just the left.

Also, they are all the micro dot none of the large dots have this. I thought this might just be a case worn plate issues where the micro dot was just being worn off but that doesn't seem to hold up when examining the rest of the design.

No matter how close I magnify.

SO is this common / have you also seen this? Since ~3% of the ones I have exhibit this, I'm thinking it must be. Scott's specifically mentions both having or not having the dot.

Hi jc, could it be a lay-out dot?


Peter

These dots are known marks; Per Scott's cat:

[Two types of design R22 are known.
Type I — With dot in centers of periods before and after "CENTS."
Type II without such dots.
First printings were done by commercial companies, later printings by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.]

I'm just wondering if just one side having a dot (as opposed to both) is also common.

There should be three types. I offered a course in the APS Summer Seminar in June 2021. The recording of the course should be available on the APS website (www.stamps.org) under their educational offerings, named C3a. The history of the Series of 1917 is as follows. First printings were done by Huebner-Bleistein of Buffalo, NY (no dots in circles). After a Congressional hearing, the printing was done by Bureau of Engraving & Printing with added dots (bold on 1¢ and microdots on other cents denominations). Both of these are traditional offset printing from lithographic plates. We might call these dots secret marks (think the secret marks of the U.S. bank note issues of the late nineteenth century). In 1924 the Bureau of Engraving & Printing introduced high etch plates for use on the offset presses. An excellent description of how to identify these so-called letterset prints can be found in the US Specialist in 1991 by the late George Brett. See Bolume 62, numbers 5 and 7, which are available online at the US Stamp Society website. It is on thee letterset printings that we frequently find these missing dots. Hopefully these will eventually be listed in the scott US Specialized Catalogue. More later when I get a chance to provide some scans that will assist in identifying the offset lithographic printings from the letterset printings.

The essay dies for this series did not have dots in the circles.

The reason I point this out is that is not always the case. There are two varieties of the 4 cent Parcel Post Stamp, one with a dot in the tail of the right "4" which is listed in French's plate variety encyclopedia but not in Scott, YET THE APPROVED DIE DESIGN was as such. The dot exists on the die and thus the die proofs, but was removed from some, but not all transfer rolls (used to make the printing plates). French does not list all the plate numbers for which the dot can be found. His listed plates all went to press after 1-1-1913. There is at least one more, I believe more but did not concern myself with recording any others for the reason following. I was and stopped looking for one particular example when I found a plate number that I needed to prove the dot existed on a plate which went to press prior to 1-1-1913. This was to show such stamps were available for use on 1-1-1913 first day of Parcel Post Service mailings.

Die essays used for the R228 et seq (Q12a-E1-Q12g-E1):



Die essays continued for the R228 et seq (Q12h-E1):


Approved Model (Currently, 2021, and oddly, not listed in Scott as an essay):

[EDIT: I forgot to mention this image is cut down from the actual full size of the model so I could meets posting size requirements]


While the photos are all from Siegel's Power Search, Sale 1094, lots 274 & 275, plus (middle illustration) lot 387 of sale 837. I own but have not photographed the 20 cent die essay. As shown, no dots on any value.

The types I and II are known used to pay the WWI parcel tax 11-2-1917 through 12-31-1921; wonderful usages to find, especially in combination with parcel post stamps (Good luck finding a "dot" Q4 with a type II documentary). The third type was not produced until 1924 as noted by revenuermd above and will not be found as a war tax use.

Revenuermd & Parcelpostguy: Thank you for the information! This is helpful. I will check out the APS website as suggested. I have added the letter press stamps on their own temporary stock page in my album and included a variants page for left dot only and right dot only. I look forward to learning more when you get the chance. I'll eventually document this and add custom pages for them.

I also found the thread here titled "Documentary 1917 Identification" to be illuminating. When I found that, I was looking for information on effects I was seeing referred to as "Squash Effect Doubling" or "wash" from too much press pressure applied on the letter press printings.

I have been meaning to attach the link to the thread mentioned several times above ( "Documentary 1917 Identification"): https://goscf.com/t/55760&whichpage=1#487641