#546 - 1921 2¢ Rotary Press, no watermark, perf 11, 19½-20 x 22mm
See below for details
Basic Info
2¢ Carmine rose, deep carmine rose
TYPE III
Subject: George Washington
Printing Method: Rotary Press (see below)
Perforations: 11 (19½-20mm x 22mm)
Watermark: None
Scott #: 546
Issued: May 5th, 1921
Value
Used
$20 - $35
No postmark with gum (MH)
$20 - $50
Full perfect gum, no postmark
no trace of stamp hinge mark (MNH)
$60 - $120
Plate Numbers
#546 was issued with the following plate #'s
Number followed by S30
10651-71
10750
11726-27, 30-32, 34
12483-86
12513-19
12918-19, 20, 22, 29
13508-12
Number only
13647-48, 51-52, 57-58, 77-78, 92-94
13718-19
Star and number
13807-15, 41-43, 74-75, 94-95
13938-39, 59-60, 70-71
14031-41
Identifying this stamp
This stamp was one of the experimental issues. The rotary press coil sheets of 170 stamps as featured in #538 were perforated vertically 11, they were fed into a flat plate perforating machine, which was also set at 11 perfs. The stamp is perforation 11 on all sides. A very important maker of this stamp is its size. The stamp design measures 19½ to 20mm x 22 mm. The measurement has to be exact, down to the ¼mm (for the dedicated I recommend the accurate Phil-a-meter gauge as a measuring tool).
If the stamp has offset color (red flecks of ink) on the back it is a flat plate printing and is #499.
First Day Cover
First day cover, May 5th, 1921
#546a
Perf 10 on the left side
Value = $15,500
How to identify a Type III
THE LEFT RIBBON'S DISTINGUISHING FEATURE
TYPE I, Ia and II
There is but a single shading line in the top fold of the ribbon at the left.
TYPE III
There are two shading lines in the top fold of the ribbon at the left.
THE RIGHT RIBBON'S DISTINGUISHING FEATURES
TYPE I, Ia and II
There is but a single shading line in the bottom fold of the ribbon at the right.
TYPE III
There are two shading lines in the bottom fold of the ribbon at the right
TYPE I and Ia
The first shading line after the first ribbon fold of the right ribbon often appears as a single, unbroken line. At times there maybe one or two indistinct breaks. The bottom third of the line often appears stronger
TYPE II and III
The first shading line after the first ribbon fold of the right ribbon usually appears as a series of three dashes
THE BUTTON'S DISTINGUISHING FEATURE
TYPE I
The outline of the toga button is thin and sometimes broken
TYPE Ia
The outline of the toga button is stronger than the other types
TYPE II and III
The outline of the toga button is complete and fairly strong
THE LOCK OF HAIR'S DISTINGUISHING FEATURE
TYPE I and Ia
The lock of hair on Washington's cheek will show only a faint, often broken, vertical line along its left edge. It will be slightly stronger on type Ia, but not as strong as type II and III
TYPE II
The lock of hair on Washington's cheek will show a distinct vertical line along its left edge, joining at least four of the horizontally engraved lines of the cheek
TYPE III
The lock of hair on Washington's cheek will show a distinct vertical line along its left edge, joining at least five of the horizontally engraved lines of the cheek
THE MOUTH'S DISTINGUISHING FEATURE
TYPE I
The dark line forming the mouth is almost straight or may even curve slightly upward at the corner of the mouth
TYPE Ia
The dark line forming the mouth is a strong straight line with a downward stroke at the corner of the mouth
TYPE II
The dark line forming the mouth is crooked
TYPE III
The dark line forming the right end of the mouth is crooked and it also dips down
THE EAR'S DISTINGUISHING FEATURE
TYPE I and Ia
Directly below the ear there are several shading lines which are clearly severed, resulting in the appearance of a thin, white, vertical line
TYPE II
Directly below the ear there are several shading lines which are severed, and the breaks are narrower than those of the type I stamp. Thus the impression is of a thinner and shorter white line, although certainly more pronounced than the type III design.
TYPE III
Directly below the ear the shading lines have been closed up to such a point, that the thin white line visible in type I, Ia and type II designs has all but dissapeared.
THE PONYTAIL'S DISTINGUISHING FEATURE
TYPE I and Ia
The two lines shading the hair at the top of the ponytail, directly behind the ear are of unequal length
TYPE II
The two lines shading the hair at the top of the ponytail, directly behind the ear are approximately the same length, the bottom one being very slightly shorter
TYPE III
The two lines shading the hair at the top of the ponytail, directly behind the ear are approximately the same length, the top one can be slightly longer
Flat Plate or Rotary Press?
As the curved plates of the Rotary press made the stamps slightly larger it is relatively easy to discern which stamp is flat plate and which is a rotary press stamp. First select any perf Washington Franklin stamp or the first issue Washington Franklin 1 cent or 2 cent. These are the stamps with the numbers one and two spelt out, instead of numbers being displayed. I chose the latter alternative as shown in the first image above.
Then cut out squares at each corner. As shown in the second image above. Placing the stamp you wish to test under your cut out stamp you can see if the frame lines match. If, as in the last image shown above the frame lines are outside the top stamp in either the top, bottom or sides then you have a rotary stamp. If the lines are in the same place, as shown in the third image, you have a flat plate stamp.
This test works with any value stamp.
The image above is a perfect example of the reverse of a flat plate stamp. The flecks of carmine ink on the reverse can be found on flat plate and are very rare on rotary press stamps. The cause of the flecks of carmine ink is that during the flat plate process the sheets were placed on top of each other before the ink had a chance to dry properly.
1919-20 Isues
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