US Scott #1252B Blue Missing Error Is Missing & I Need One

This could be posted in many forums here, but I am trusting this is a best fit.

This is a 1252b:


This blue missing error is missing the blue as a result of a perforation shift. 1252a, is a blue missing error due to blue ink starvation during printing. While perforation shifts have caused a few color missing errors, very very few different stamp designs show a missing color with a perforation shift.

The illustrated item was purchased in December 2025 and has been lost in the US Mail even with USPS tracking. The USPS missing mail item report is now 8 days old. Per tracking it, the package made it as far as the office of delivery and stalled.

I still need one for a competitive multi-frame exhibit about 1252. Do you have one or know where one for sale can be found?

And just for fun here is the full tracking history up until today.

I am somewhat optimistic and hopeful that your stamp will get delivered eventually.

Because of the long vacation and rest that your package took in Detroit in December, I would guess there is probably something going on with the IMB (Intelligent Mail Barcode) printed on the envelope. As you know, the sorting and distribution centers are mostly automated now and they depend on the barcodes for routing instructions, so when those get smeared and unreadable the machines set them aside for manual processing. A similar delivery delay happened to me once and when it finally arrived I saw that the barcode was printed twice and partially unreadable. Yours eventually moved from Detroit to Chicago but then got stuck again. Hopefully it is stuck in the "manual processing" pile in Chicago and your search request will be able to locate it.

Unfortunately I don't have a 1252b, my only EFO on that stamp is a change-of-design misperf.

It's infuriating, isn't it? If it's any consolation, Royal Mail over here are just as bad. Here's a recent doorstep conversation.

"Hello!"
"Hello! I have a special delivery for you."
"Oh, good."
"I just need to scan it."
I smile and say nothing.
"It doesn't seem to want to scan."
I smile and say nothing.
"It was working earlier."
I smile and say nothing.
"If it doesn't scan I can't deliver it, you see."
"Could you take a photograph as proof of delivery?"
Long pause, punctuated by beeps from the scanner.
"No, it needs a signature, you see."
"Can you skip the barcode and take the signature?
"I'm doing the signature now."
Long pause and more beeps.
"It still won't scan."
And then he handed it to me and walked off.

This conversation makes my postman look like an idiot of Cliff Clavin proportions, but he's not an idiot. It's the inadequate training he's received and the reliance on technology that he's been taught to depend on that's idiotic.

For what it's worth, I just got a letter from Brighton, MI canceled Nov. 13. No other marks on front and back. Granted it is to Swtzerland but it reminded me of the "good old times" when the December Linn's print issues would arrive somewhere between February and late April...

Thanks for the optimism.

ZebraMan, this is what your CoD stamp perf shift looks like at the bottom row.

I am surprised this stamp is considered a missing blue ink variety instead of a shifted perf variety. I imagine that extraneous blue ink droplets could easily be found on the stamp with high magnification.

The blue missing ERROR (EFO term of art), was caused by a perforation shift which caused the blue to be missing. No blue ink splatters will be found, if so then it is not blue missing, 1252b.

1252a is another no blue error, in this case a blue ink omitted error due to ink starvation (blue station) on the press. again no trace of blue can exist ot it is not a blue missing error. Below is such an error as well as a full pane showing progressive in starvation. None are blue omitted errors on the pane.








Edited to add, first the back is shown above to show no chemical soaking to remove blue.

Secondly, a philatelic item is judged (defined) by outcome not by process or processes which created the outcome. The 5 cent errors of color were caused by a plate variety, specifically a 2 cent printing plate which had the constant plate variety of a miss entered 5 cent design on the plate, some thing not intended to show. Likewise Scott 85A is an error stamp due to having a doubled grill and thus being the most expensive US EFO. But to say, "Oh, 85A is an error" causes a lot of folks to pucker yet the only reason the stamp is special is the grill, not the paper nor printing.

Still waiting for delivery.