Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Scott 25 & 10a
and second question... How do I tell if a stamp is used if there is no cancelation on the stamp itself. This stamp was in a group...large group I purchased and it is totally free of gum... but no gum is one of the variants listed in scott.... so... how do I tell?
Thanks in advance,
Blair
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Hi Blair;
Altho their condition is not great those have nice light cancels, thanks for showing them.
I love to look a scans of classic US 19 century stamps. I know next to nothing about the
classics of this era, but fear not for there are many knowledgeable folk on here that can
help you with these.
Just Sortin'....
TuskenRaider
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Thanks TuskenRaider!
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The top left stamp has been reperfed.
The "no gum" listing is not really a variety, but on the stamps with higher premium, Scott will list unused stamps which have completely lost their gum (e.g., stuck to album and was soaked off).
Unfortunately, there are plenty of stamps that are sold as unused no gum, but in reality are used stamps with the cancel washed off.
Without knowing the history of a stamp that is being sold as "unused no gum", you are always taking a risk that you are buying an altered used stamp.
As a general rule, if there is any sign of a faint cancel (including pen cancel), you pretty much assume it is actually a used stamp. That also applies to smudges, dark spots...
Doing digital image processing is often helpful in revealing washed off cancels. If you can't do that on your computer, you can always try websites such as RetroReveal.
In general, I usually try to avoid directly buying "no gum" stamps, because in time you will eventually acquire some inadvertently in lots/collections that you buy.
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Thank you
The #25 and #10a were bought individually and were fairly inexpensive. One of the things that bothered me about the #25 is there is no bleed through from that glob of ink on the top of the cancel and the perfs looked off as I stated but if it was reperfed that would explain the perfs.
As a long time collector of pre-20th century documents I know how watery iron gall ink could be and how easily it soaked through most paper, the fact that it didn't on that stamp worries me.
The 158 came in a lot of 72 2 and 3 cent 19th century Washingtons and were sold as fancy cancels. It was one of two that show no cancel at all in the group. I'm calling it used in my inventory. I asked simply for my own education and future reference. Thank you for the information.
Blair
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Good questions Blair. Thanks for sharing the stamps.
Regards ... Tim.
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Thanks Tim!
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The stamp you are calling 10a is a #11. This is one of the most misidentified U.S. stamps.
#10 were the first printings of the type and in a deep Orange Brown. The color of your stamp isn't even very close to 10, in fact the perforated stamp is closer to the color of 10. The details such as the hair and toga button are well defined. As the plates wore the details became less and less clear. #11 comes in many many shades and some are mistaken for the Orange Brwon used on #10. I would say at least 8 out of 10 stamps I see identified as #10 are in fact #11.
As far as detecting cancels it can be difficult. Many early stamps have had the cancels removed. It is good to scan at 600 dpi and then look for traces of cancels. Also black lights are used for this purpose.
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Thanks... it was sold as a #10 so that's a bit disappointing...
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Although the detail will not be good, here is a scan of the types.
The first stamp is a #10 the rest of the imperfs are #11
The perfed stamps are 25-26. Note the different shades
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I contacted the seller from whom I purchased the #11 and #25. I noted the misidentification and the fact that the reperf was not noted in the auction. The seller issued me a full refund and told me to keep the stamps. Impressive. He was VERY apologetic.
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Bravo, Blair! Good sellers SHOULD always aim to please their customers. :-)
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yes but sadly it's a surprise when they do most of the time... Thanks again everyone!
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The beard, eyebrow, and hat is awesome in row 4, number 4.
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I bought a couple of early Washingtons - Not real high value - but now am questioning the authenticity of one of them. The perfs look funny... did I just learn a $3.00 lesson?
Scott 25 & 10a
and second question... How do I tell if a stamp is used if there is no cancelation on the stamp itself. This stamp was in a group...large group I purchased and it is totally free of gum... but no gum is one of the variants listed in scott.... so... how do I tell?
Thanks in advance,
Blair
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this post
re: A couple of Newbie Questions
Hi Blair;
Altho their condition is not great those have nice light cancels, thanks for showing them.
I love to look a scans of classic US 19 century stamps. I know next to nothing about the
classics of this era, but fear not for there are many knowledgeable folk on here that can
help you with these.
Just Sortin'....
TuskenRaider
Login to Like
this post
re: A couple of Newbie Questions
The top left stamp has been reperfed.
The "no gum" listing is not really a variety, but on the stamps with higher premium, Scott will list unused stamps which have completely lost their gum (e.g., stuck to album and was soaked off).
Unfortunately, there are plenty of stamps that are sold as unused no gum, but in reality are used stamps with the cancel washed off.
Without knowing the history of a stamp that is being sold as "unused no gum", you are always taking a risk that you are buying an altered used stamp.
As a general rule, if there is any sign of a faint cancel (including pen cancel), you pretty much assume it is actually a used stamp. That also applies to smudges, dark spots...
Doing digital image processing is often helpful in revealing washed off cancels. If you can't do that on your computer, you can always try websites such as RetroReveal.
In general, I usually try to avoid directly buying "no gum" stamps, because in time you will eventually acquire some inadvertently in lots/collections that you buy.
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this post
re: A couple of Newbie Questions
Thank you
The #25 and #10a were bought individually and were fairly inexpensive. One of the things that bothered me about the #25 is there is no bleed through from that glob of ink on the top of the cancel and the perfs looked off as I stated but if it was reperfed that would explain the perfs.
As a long time collector of pre-20th century documents I know how watery iron gall ink could be and how easily it soaked through most paper, the fact that it didn't on that stamp worries me.
The 158 came in a lot of 72 2 and 3 cent 19th century Washingtons and were sold as fancy cancels. It was one of two that show no cancel at all in the group. I'm calling it used in my inventory. I asked simply for my own education and future reference. Thank you for the information.
Blair
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re: A couple of Newbie Questions
Good questions Blair. Thanks for sharing the stamps.
Regards ... Tim.
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this post
re: A couple of Newbie Questions
The stamp you are calling 10a is a #11. This is one of the most misidentified U.S. stamps.
#10 were the first printings of the type and in a deep Orange Brown. The color of your stamp isn't even very close to 10, in fact the perforated stamp is closer to the color of 10. The details such as the hair and toga button are well defined. As the plates wore the details became less and less clear. #11 comes in many many shades and some are mistaken for the Orange Brwon used on #10. I would say at least 8 out of 10 stamps I see identified as #10 are in fact #11.
As far as detecting cancels it can be difficult. Many early stamps have had the cancels removed. It is good to scan at 600 dpi and then look for traces of cancels. Also black lights are used for this purpose.
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this post
re: A couple of Newbie Questions
Thanks... it was sold as a #10 so that's a bit disappointing...
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this post
re: A couple of Newbie Questions
Although the detail will not be good, here is a scan of the types.
The first stamp is a #10 the rest of the imperfs are #11
The perfed stamps are 25-26. Note the different shades
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re: A couple of Newbie Questions
I contacted the seller from whom I purchased the #11 and #25. I noted the misidentification and the fact that the reperf was not noted in the auction. The seller issued me a full refund and told me to keep the stamps. Impressive. He was VERY apologetic.
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re: A couple of Newbie Questions
Bravo, Blair! Good sellers SHOULD always aim to please their customers. :-)
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re: A couple of Newbie Questions
yes but sadly it's a surprise when they do most of the time... Thanks again everyone!
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re: A couple of Newbie Questions
The beard, eyebrow, and hat is awesome in row 4, number 4.
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