Scotts #447 US stamps

#447 - 1914 - Perf 10 Vertically - Flat Plate - Single line USPS wmk

See below for details

Basic Info

5¢ Blue

Printing Method: FLAT PLATE
Subject: George Washington
Number issued: 1,208,187,883
Perforations: 10 vertically
Watermark: Single Line USPS wmk
Scott #: 447
Issued: July 30th, 1914

Value

As Pairs

Used
$55 - $70
No postmark with gum (MH)
$40 - $50
Full perfect gum, no postmark
no trace of stamp hinge mark (MNH)
$100 - $200

As Singles

Used
$5 - $7
No postmark with gum (MH)
$11 - $30
Full perfect gum, no postmark
no trace of stamp hinge mark (MNH)
$35 - $45

The last gasp of the perf 10

The 10 perforation stamps proved to be difficult to tear apart and were unpopular with public and postal officials. This led the public to assume the Bureau was using inferior quality paper. In 1915 the NY Sun called it a shoddy stamp. The Bureau was reluctant to go back to the 12 perf as they proved brittle, and sheets would split on handling. So they compromised and laid plans to issue future stamps in perf 11.

The Watermark

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

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.