#526 - 1920 2ยข no watermark, offset - p11 - TYPE IV
See below for details
Basic Info
2¢ Rose carmine, carmine, bright carmine, deep bright carmine, deep carmine, dark carmine.
TYPE IV (see below)
Subject: George Washington
Printing Method: Offset
Perforations: 11
Watermark: unwatermarked
Scott #: 526
Issued: March 6th, 1920
Value
Used
$1 - $3
No postmark with gum (MH)
$7 - $16
Full perfect gum, no postmark
no trace of stamp hinge mark (MNH)
$25 - $35
Plate Numbers
#526 was issued with the following plate #'s
Number only
10818-37, 39-45, 52-64, 66, 71-74, 76, 78-88, 90, 92-99
10900-02, 04-10, 12-19, 21-23, 27-29, 31- 35
An instance where the plate number was adjusted by hand to show the correct plate number. A rare example.
Submitted by Steve Olsen
Forgeries
A contemporary forgery of #526
A change to Offset
The poor quality of the ink that could be obtained at the time wore out the plates quickly. By switching to offset printing the plates lasted longer. The use of offset press would stay in place until the quality of available ink improved, which was expected to happen once world trade had gone back to normality after the disruption of WWI.
A full pane
A full pane of 100 of #526, there are 4 panes to a sheet of 400.. These were also printed in plates of 800 and 1600
Earliest documented use
Hammelman mailed about 50 covers with #526 on March 15th, 1920 and this has been recognised as the first day of issue by numerous certificates. An example of such a cover is shown above top. Scotts states that the first day of issue is March 6th, 1920 according to official records. Also above is #526 on a cover dated March 13th, 1920, two days before the claimed 15th March first day of issue
Plate flaws
The 1918-20 Definitives
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