Die Cut Missing Errors

We've all seen them, and I illustrate a se tenant block of four of the US 2016 Jack o' Lantern issues missing their horizontal die cuts. Since we're not dealing with pins here like with the classic types of perforations, could someone be so kind as to explain to me what went wrong in the process that resulted in the lack of die cuts?

It appears to be properly die cut and taken from two panes that were not properly sliced apart. The top stamps you picture are supposed tp be on the bottom and the bottom stamps you picture are supposed tp be on the top. My first guess was it was a situation where the slicing was off by one row, but in thy case I would expect either the top and/or the bottom row of die cut perf to be sliced thru, which clearly isn't the case. My second guess is it came from a press sheet (which would allow one to create something like this will full perfs at top and bottom, but this one isn't listed as being sold that way. So my final guesses are either created from printer's waste or the image is a fake.

Your last guess is out since I own the block in question and the image is a scan. That aside, I'm more interested in what can go wrong during this or any die-cutting process that causes the die cutting not to take and be omitted ie the mechanics of the failure.

Are those diagonal lines creases on the stamps (top right, bottom left)? Could be related to a machine jam/paper foldover as well. If the paper was creased in a way that altered the die cutter in a way where it didn't make contact w the stamp paper then it could happen.

Doubt it's printers waste, as this was probably bought legit and waste tends to go out the backdoor.

The diagonal lines look like they come from photo corners, used to mount the stamps.


Peter

They are indeed photo mounting corners.

Doc - My belief is that your stamps may have been put through a coil cutting machine by mistake. Problem is that the rolls are gigantic and it would be a really difficult mistake to get through QA/QC. Unless these were flat cut which seems unlikely. I searched high and low for how these particular stamps were die cut with no luck. Interesting question for sure.

Rodgcam I think I agree with you. I didnt realize they were issued as booklet. How this wasn't caught if it used the wrong machine, could imply waste... It might be worth a cert, because you could get a catalog listing if it goes in your favor.

doc - good to hear you confirm it is a real item.

As for "what can go wrong during this or any die-cutting process that causes the die cutting not to take and be omitted ie the mechanics of the failure" the die cutting is not missing - look at a normal booklet pane and see that where the die cutting on your is "missing" is where 2 panes are normally slit apart and there is naturally not die cutting there since it is supposed to be slit apart there.

That is actually a pretty neat error.

Intriguing eyeonwall. The booklet is two stamps tall and contains twenty. I get what you are saying as there is no top perf or bottom perf normally, but how would a booklet, have been cut across from two panes off by exactly a stamp? I would think there would then be leftover of the pane and production would have caught an odd count.

Not to pry, but do you know if the rest of the booklet was like this?

"how would a booklet, have been cut across from two panes off by exactly a stamp?"

It has happened a number of times, both on die cut booklets and on perfed booklets. I can only guess there is someting in the registration markings that causes the equipment to synch up one row off.

The bigger question is why are either the top and/or bottom rows of die cuts not sliced in half - to have full teeth on both the top and bottom means the pane yors came from was extra tall.

Thanks all for the input.
Good article, rog...thanks for sniffing it out and posting it !