Does This Scotts 292 Look Suspicious?

I am sending 1 photo taken from the internet. The stamp just doesn't feel dark enough. I know that editing light and contrast just takes a few seconds these days. Does this look natural?

The pic is horrible so hard to comment on much except that given the size of the margins you can bet on some perforations having been added.

There is some kind of remnant up the right margin. Nevertheless I have bought the thing because it was sold alongside many other classics that had a nice appearance. When it gets here I can get a good look at the back.

You show a low-quality image likely shot with a phone. The shooter was someone not able to or not trying to get an accurate image. Wouldn't that set off alarm bells, unless maybe the thought was that one was dealing with a rank amateur and one could get a good stamp cheaply that way?

I assume you have at least one or more other Trans-Mississippi values. Does the paper not look too bright and bluish white? It's clearly overlit. Doing that on purpose would hide toning/aging. Also, wouldn't very bright lighting turn the black into gray to some extent?

The remnant at right is clearly a hinge remnant. It also looks reperfed.

I'm not going to guess anymore until it gets here. If it's a dud I am not out as much as you might think. This was offered up at a coin auction. Most bidders probably didn't have much interest or money left to get too carried away.

Image looks like it was taken in low light, by a phone with flash, thus the lack of "blackness" and bluish white hue. You might do well on it.

It's November 18 and I have my copy of 292 and his one buck cousin 241. They are both MH with gum I would have to say. I haven't looked at them super closely but they seem okay to me.



Paper inclusion, not a thin.........................

You always have an option of getting the #292 copy expertised. Hopefully you know the coin auction house well enough that they'll allow it.

I made these scans, the auction house is out of the picture now.

Looks like a potential thin area in the center of the 292, but if you paid a bargain price I'd say you made out OK--they both look nice. I see no prima facie evidence of perforation or margin skullduggery.

I would try holding a strong light behind the 292 stamp. If you do, please let know what you see.
Don

It's not a thin in the middle, it's extra paper like it had an old style thick hinge. When held to the light, it's darker in the middle, and you can see that it's paper. These pictures are from a phone and make things look more dramatic than they are. I don't know why someome would put a hinge way to one side. There aren't any tears. I didn't rob anyone to get these, I paid $330 for both against other bidders. The pictures look better if you sit back 5 feet from your computer.

My guess for the hinge to one side is that originally your stamp was part of either a pair or a block that were mounted and subsequently broken up. It does not appear to be sealing a tear.

Just a thought. The 292 may clean up nicely if you were to lose the hinges which would of course mean losing the gum in the process. People will have a fit for my saying that but IMHO (very humble) opinion it would be much more presentable without multiple heavy hinges. If the gum is cracked it weighs even more towards soaking the thing. The question is "will the hinges come off even then?".

I don't think I'll try to soak it right now. Makes me too nervous thinking about it.