Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
I've got another couple dozen of these to figure out, so any help with identification or clues to look for would - as always - be very much appreciated.
Thanks, Dave.
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The easy part is looking for the little triangles in the corners.
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These are simple compared to the Washington Franklins ..
#223 (1890-93 issue) does not have triangles in the corners
#255 (1994 issue) has triangles in the upper corners and is not watermarked.
#270 (1895 issue) has triangles in the upper corners and is watermarked.
As you are often just looking for a small piece of a watermark I always identify any stamp where the cancel is heavy enough to make it impossible to see a piece of a watermark if it is present as the cheaper variety (in this case the later issue).
Fortunately the stamp is blue in the 1897-1903 issue.
The 2 cent stamp is considerably more difficult and you have to look for triangle types and colors. To separate the watermarked 1895 issue from the later 1897-1903 issue you have to look for the Type IV characteristics shown in Scott. Once you are familiar with the different colors you can rough sort by color. The two cent reds used to bring about $15 a shoebox at shows in the 80's so many of us got a lot of practice.
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Triangles. Doh! Very obvious now.
And Anglophile's paper "flick test" and paper-benchmarks article answers my very next post which I can now delete.
Moderator: Slight change in topic if that's ok...
The tricky part now are the darn watermarks which I find very difficult to detect in U.S. stamps as they don't seem to ever be nicely centred in the stamp nor taking up a lot of the paper area. Also, very tedious to spray some fluid on them then place on a black surface. Does anyone fill a small container and just dip them? Seems more efficient but not sure if there is a danger there.
Again, many thanks, especially for the links (which I am bookmarking for future reference and sharing).
Dave.
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Start here and click on the stamp in question.
http://www.theswedishtiger.com/ID.html
P.S. Wait until you get to the Washington/Franklins.
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Thanks Sean. Another awesome site to bookmark.
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I've never heard of anyone spraying watermark fluid on stamps? I usually use Ronsonol lighter fluid in a stamp watermark tray. Any smallish very dark to black glass bowl or tray will work. If I'm doing just one stamp, I sometimes will put some fluid in between a black plastic stamp mount to see the wmk. This also works well for scanning watermarks. You have to be quick in reading some watermarks as the longer they stay wet the lighter the wmk becomes.
Be sure to read the information located at the tops of columns for sets you are working with. Doing this would have answered the questions you had about these.
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Thanks Mitch. You're obviously not reading my THE HOARD exploits very closely. I am a notorious dunce, scofflaw, and {...add your own descriptor...}. Thanks for the tips.
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"I am a notorious dunce, scofflaw, and {...add your own descriptor...}."
I am a notorious dunce, scofflaw, and {overall nice guy who is sharing his bounty with us board members! }.
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And the award for "Brown-Noser of the Year" 
goes to Mr. Tom Geiger who has earned a 10% discount on all items + shipping purchased in "The Hoard's US Divestiture Program". Good work Tommy Boy!
Dave ("Loves A Compliment") LeMaven.
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I also spray a fine mist of watermark fluid on my stamps. Not as much fluid gets wasted as when you pour or squirt it from the can, but lately have had trouble finding a spray bottle that will last more than a couple of months.
Mike
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I use this squeeze bottle for watermark fluid. When you are finished, you can suck the excess fluid back into the bottle.
If I am doing a lot of stamps at once, like Hungary Turils, I use the black plastic lid from a tub of Folgers coffee. It holds a lot of stamps at once.
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Dave,
A valuable resource is http://www.stampsmarter.com/1847_landing.html
Their Washington Franklin worksheet is a fantastic way to identify these difficult issues. It has been a great help to me.
There are many other great articles and help with other issues, watermarks, printing methods, grills, secret marks, etc.
-Les
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"And the award for "Brown-Noser of the Year" goes to Mr. Tom Geiger"
Hey, I call it as I see it!
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This is yet another confusing one (hopefully not just for me). Difference in colors and - even with the same color (and sometimes watermark - or lack thereof in this example) is a 5c chocolate #223 CV $4.75 or #255 CV $10.00? Surely there are some subtle differences (not explained in Scotts, at least that I can find) that allows you to tell the difference.
I've got another couple dozen of these to figure out, so any help with identification or clues to look for would - as always - be very much appreciated.
Thanks, Dave.
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Approvals
re: New Puzzle: Discerning 1888 vs 1893 Portrait Issues
The easy part is looking for the little triangles in the corners.
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10:11:44am
Auctions - Approvals
re: New Puzzle: Discerning 1888 vs 1893 Portrait Issues
These are simple compared to the Washington Franklins ..
#223 (1890-93 issue) does not have triangles in the corners
#255 (1994 issue) has triangles in the upper corners and is not watermarked.
#270 (1895 issue) has triangles in the upper corners and is watermarked.
As you are often just looking for a small piece of a watermark I always identify any stamp where the cancel is heavy enough to make it impossible to see a piece of a watermark if it is present as the cheaper variety (in this case the later issue).
Fortunately the stamp is blue in the 1897-1903 issue.
The 2 cent stamp is considerably more difficult and you have to look for triangle types and colors. To separate the watermarked 1895 issue from the later 1897-1903 issue you have to look for the Type IV characteristics shown in Scott. Once you are familiar with the different colors you can rough sort by color. The two cent reds used to bring about $15 a shoebox at shows in the 80's so many of us got a lot of practice.
Login to Like
this post
re: New Puzzle: Discerning 1888 vs 1893 Portrait Issues
Triangles. Doh! Very obvious now.
And Anglophile's paper "flick test" and paper-benchmarks article answers my very next post which I can now delete.
Moderator: Slight change in topic if that's ok...
The tricky part now are the darn watermarks which I find very difficult to detect in U.S. stamps as they don't seem to ever be nicely centred in the stamp nor taking up a lot of the paper area. Also, very tedious to spray some fluid on them then place on a black surface. Does anyone fill a small container and just dip them? Seems more efficient but not sure if there is a danger there.
Again, many thanks, especially for the links (which I am bookmarking for future reference and sharing).
Dave.
Login to Like
this post
re: New Puzzle: Discerning 1888 vs 1893 Portrait Issues
Start here and click on the stamp in question.
http://www.theswedishtiger.com/ID.html
P.S. Wait until you get to the Washington/Franklins.
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re: New Puzzle: Discerning 1888 vs 1893 Portrait Issues
Thanks Sean. Another awesome site to bookmark.
Login to Like
this post
re: New Puzzle: Discerning 1888 vs 1893 Portrait Issues
I've never heard of anyone spraying watermark fluid on stamps? I usually use Ronsonol lighter fluid in a stamp watermark tray. Any smallish very dark to black glass bowl or tray will work. If I'm doing just one stamp, I sometimes will put some fluid in between a black plastic stamp mount to see the wmk. This also works well for scanning watermarks. You have to be quick in reading some watermarks as the longer they stay wet the lighter the wmk becomes.
Be sure to read the information located at the tops of columns for sets you are working with. Doing this would have answered the questions you had about these.
Login to Like
this post
re: New Puzzle: Discerning 1888 vs 1893 Portrait Issues
Thanks Mitch. You're obviously not reading my THE HOARD exploits very closely. I am a notorious dunce, scofflaw, and {...add your own descriptor...}. Thanks for the tips.
Login to Like
this post
re: New Puzzle: Discerning 1888 vs 1893 Portrait Issues
"I am a notorious dunce, scofflaw, and {...add your own descriptor...}."
I am a notorious dunce, scofflaw, and {overall nice guy who is sharing his bounty with us board members! }.
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
re: New Puzzle: Discerning 1888 vs 1893 Portrait Issues
And the award for "Brown-Noser of the Year" goes to Mr. Tom Geiger who has earned a 10% discount on all items + shipping purchased in "The Hoard's US Divestiture Program". Good work Tommy Boy!
Dave ("Loves A Compliment") LeMaven.
Login to Like
this post
re: New Puzzle: Discerning 1888 vs 1893 Portrait Issues
I also spray a fine mist of watermark fluid on my stamps. Not as much fluid gets wasted as when you pour or squirt it from the can, but lately have had trouble finding a spray bottle that will last more than a couple of months.
Mike
Login to Like
this post
re: New Puzzle: Discerning 1888 vs 1893 Portrait Issues
I use this squeeze bottle for watermark fluid. When you are finished, you can suck the excess fluid back into the bottle.
If I am doing a lot of stamps at once, like Hungary Turils, I use the black plastic lid from a tub of Folgers coffee. It holds a lot of stamps at once.
Login to Like
this post
06:15:58pm
re: New Puzzle: Discerning 1888 vs 1893 Portrait Issues
Dave,
A valuable resource is http://www.stampsmarter.com/1847_landing.html
Their Washington Franklin worksheet is a fantastic way to identify these difficult issues. It has been a great help to me.
There are many other great articles and help with other issues, watermarks, printing methods, grills, secret marks, etc.
-Les
Login to Like
this post
re: New Puzzle: Discerning 1888 vs 1893 Portrait Issues
"And the award for "Brown-Noser of the Year" goes to Mr. Tom Geiger"
Hey, I call it as I see it!
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