Scotts #444 US stamps

#444 - 1914 - Perf. 10 Vertically - Flat Plate - Single line USPS wmk

See below for details

Basic Info

2¢ Carmine
Type I
Printing Method: FLAT PLATE
Subject: George Washington
Number issued: 80,500,000
Perforations: 10 vertically
Watermark: Single Line USPS wmk
Scott #: 444
Issued: April 25th, 1914

Value

As Pairs

Used
$18 - $25
No postmark with gum (MH)
$30 - $40
Full perfect gum, no postmark
no trace of stamp hinge mark (MNH)
$115 - $135

Add 40% if the pair has a line between the stamps (Line Pair)

As Singles

Used
$1 - $5
No postmark with gum (MH)
$11 - $20
Full perfect gum, no postmark
no trace of stamp hinge mark (MNH)
$30 - $40

Type I Characteristics

1) Only one shading line in the ribbon curl
2) The top line of toga and cord is weak
3) White dash under the ear
4) The shading lines stop in front of the ear and form line around lock of hair
5) Lock of hair behind ear is formed at the bottom by two lines of shading, the lower being shorter
6) Shading lines to the just to the left of the ear look to be solid

Earliest Known Use

The earliest known use of #444, May 19th 1914

The Watermark

The watermark consists of single lined USPS letters. A stamp may show only part of a letter or letters

The last gasp of the perf 10

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 cents. These are the stamps with the numbers one and two spelled out instead of numbers 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 to test 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, you have a flat plate stamp, as shown in the third image.

This test works with any value stamp.

Flat Plate?

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 cents. These are the stamps with the numbers one and two spelled out instead of numbers 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 to test 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, you have a flat plate stamp, as shown in the third image.

This test works with any value stamp.

The Design Inspiration

Using this photograph, the stamp designer Clair Aubrey Huston added the toga cord and button. The engravers of the stamp were M.W. Baldwin (who engaged almost all US stamps of this era. The lettering was engraved by Robert F. Ponicka and Edward M. Hall.