Scotts #482A US stamps

#482A - 1920 2¢ no watermark, imperforate - type 1a

2¢ deep rose
Type 1a (see below)

Subject: George Washington
Printing Method: Flat Plate
Perforations: Imperforate
Watermark: unwatermarked
Scott #: 482A
Earliest known date of use: February, 1920

Value

Used
$20,000
No postmark with gum (MH)
No recorded sales
Full perfect gum, no postmark
no trace of stamp hinge mark (MNH)
No recorded sales

Counterfeits

A pair of #482 with Schermack type III perforations added to appear as if it was a pair of #482A. This forgery is all too common. The clue here is that the perforations are very cleanly cut, almost all Schermack type III perforations have a little unevenness of rough edges here and there.

This perforation is mostly found on less valuable stamps

The perforation seen on this stamp is a Shermack type III perforation. The Shermack company perforated imperforate stamps in this manner to facilitate their use on stamp machines. #428A is the rarest example of this perforation. It is highly likely that if you have a stamp on this perforation it is on another stamp. To identify which stamp please click this link.

Private perforations

The imperforate 2¢ type Ia was printed specifically to fill an order by the Schermack Company, who then applied their distinctive oblong perforations to the entire supply. The companies that purchased this stamp fed them through their Schermack stamp affixing machines. The cutting blades in this machine did not always align with the stamps resulting in some stamps having either no perforations or perforations on one side only.

Schermack's Mailing (or stamp affixing) Machine

Because the Bureau of Engraving gave no advance notice regarding this special printing, collectors were not aware of it until much later. Consequently, virtually none went into the hands of contemporary collectors and only 39 examples are estimated to have survived. Of these, one is mint, the rest are used. The used consist of one pair, three covers