"What Do You Think Of This 'D' In 'United'? #114"

"What do you think of this 'D' in 'UNITED'? #114"

It looks like a tiny piece of paper stuck on top of your stamp. Did you try lightly scraping it off?

No, it's not a piece of paper, it's ink.

Or lack of ink. Something adhered to the sheet when it was printed and then fell off? Nothing to get excited about, though.

It seems unusual to me, that's why I posted it. It's definitely not post-print damage; it's part of the printing process.

Foreign matter dropped on the plate after it was inked prior to the next impression. The foreign matter blocked the covered engraved plate line from transferring ink on to the stamp paper. Such foreign matter often gets a full or partial halo of ink around the edge of the foreign matter which then transfers to the stamp paper during impression. Likely the next plate wipe would remove the flake of foreign matter.

This is a very interesting EFO for an EFO specialist, however, it carries little extra value beyond the basic used stamp value.perhaps an additional five or so dollars at most.

Thank you for the detailed explanation. We amateurs and beginners have to start with the assumption that we might have a valuable stamp; otherwise, this forum wouldn't make sense, and many valuable stamps would probably end up in the trash. I'm sorry that this one isn't valuable... #128514; In any case, thank you... let's move on.

Valuable and very collectible and interesting are NOT the same. Some 114 collectors would see and avoid this stamp as flawed. Specialist collectors of 114 who collect the EFO varies of the stamp, includes all the grill varieties listed in Scott, except a single normal grill as well as other production issues, will find this stamp a wonderful addition. EFO collectors will like this stamp for what it is as an EFO as well as being that type of EFO on an early US Stamp. Now while I estimated the value of the item, if in fact two or more of the specialist collectors want the item in the same auction, the price will rise much. How much cannot be predicted. Now if I collected that issue with the thoroughness of other issues, I would pay $50 for it but except to pay much, much less. Unlike constant varieties such as a plate flaw, you are unlikely to ever find another one of this item affecting the "D" and it may be a long time before you ever find another 114 with a foreign matter induced flaw.

Check out the EFO Collector's Club website for much more FREE information.

Price (value) is always a balance between supply and demand (interest). Here you have a low supply, one but little general interest. Another stamp, 85A has an available public supply of one with so much more demand (interest) it sold for millions of dollars earlier this year. By the way, as a single stamp, it is the most expensive US EFO, being a double grill example. Of course, if the grill was a normal single grill impression, the price for the stamp would not change much, if any.

OP wrote:


Well, that is one thought. But almost always, our advise is to assume that you have a non-valuable stamp, and then tell us why you believe otherwise. In this case, the imperfection is so small that I personally doubt that you would find an interested buyer for more than just a curiosity. Anyway, please keep posting ... after you have eliminated a normal, non-valuable stamp. Good luck.

Thank you for the very friendly and detailed explanations. This would be the conclusion for this stamp. You can check it out; I have posted a new photo for #220 color.We