US Scott #357 Identification Help.

Hi! I am wanting help verifying that the stamp in these pictures is possible #357 and also a blueish back. Thank you again for the help!

What makes you think that this stamp is Scott 357 and not a much more common stamp such as Scott 331? Also the paper does not appear to be bluish.

I don't know that's why I asked.

It does not look blueish, but to make sure scan it on an orange background


Peter

In my opinion it is not a Scott 357. As Peter mentions, scanning on an orange background will make a blue paper variety standout. NOTE: 'blue' is a misnomer, the paper actually appears grayish.
In the image below, the blue paper variety is on the left.


Don

I did not know to identify bluish paper place it on an orange back ground. This was most helpful. I have a large lot of Lincoln's that I need to go threw. Thank you for the tip in a way to identify this verity.

There is a very easy method for determining the type of the stamp. You should simply count the perforations of your stamp.

Reading this before the morning coffee, I cringe EVERY time I see advice to "count perforations". I believe strongly that all beginners should learn to properly use the basic tools of the hobby such as a perforation gauge before learning a few tricks that work in special cases, and in this case, does not come with enough instruction to achieve any meaningful result.

With the rant ended, any stamp of this design, perforated on all 4 sides can only be Scott 331, 357 or 374. All are perf 12, so determining the perforation rate by any means accomplishes nothing toward an identification. The paper is much too white to be 357, and the next step is watermarking to determine between 331 (double line USPS) and 374 (single line USPS)..

Counting perforations does nothing, ever. Perhaps you mean measuring?

"Ever" might be somewhat overstating things.

With perforations being measured as number of perforations per 2 cms, it is counting that matters. Perforation gauges are instruments that do the counting for you. And we had several threads discussing the inaccuracy of some gauges,

You, also, will find posts on Swiss stamps, where it is Zumstein that mentions the number of perforations as a way to distinguish between stamps.
With just over 2 cms being a pretty standard width for permanent stamps in the classic era, a 15 and 14 horizontal gauge becomes quite obvious by counting, even at 2.04 cms. width.

Technically perforations are gauged; with XX being the number of perforations in YY distance.

gauge (noun) - a standard of measure; an instrument to determine dimensions, distance, or capacity

Don

Not by much.