Comparative Philately -- 4d Line-Engraved issue of 1862-1863

khj
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Comparative Philately -- 4d Line-Engraved issue of 1862-1863 Apr 19, 2019 2:46:55 GMT Ryan, Beryllium Guy, and 4 more like this

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Post by khj on Apr 19, 2019 2:46:55 GMT

This stamp was printed with plate #3 and plate #4. Corresponding to Scott #34-34c and SG #79-82. The plate numbers are not on the stamps, but the plates can be distinguished by two features present on plate #4, shown below:

Plate #4 has colorless diagonal hairlines in all four tablets of the check letters. Plate #3 does not have the hairlines. These are circled in blue.
Plate #4 has the Roman numeral II at both ends of the bottom bar. Plate #3 has the Roman numeral I. These are circled in green.

On used stamps, it is strongly recommended that both tests are used whenever possible, rather than just using the common hairline test. Hairlines can be obscured by cancels, color masked... On used stamps, it's not uncommon to find 1-3 hairlines missing/obscured. Causing a plate #4 stamp to be mis-IDed as plate #3. But most importantly, scratches/scuffs can easily be mistaken for hairlines, causing a plate #3 stamp to be mis-IDed as a plate #4 stamp!

Last Edit: Apr 19, 2019 2:52:13 GMT by khj

khj
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Comparative Philately -- 4d Line-Engraved issue of 1862-1863 Apr 19, 2019 2:50:53 GMT Beryllium Guy, Bombadil, and 2 more like this

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Post by khj on Apr 19, 2019 2:50:53 GMT

Here is an example of a plate #4 stamp that appears to have hairlines in the NW, SW, and SE corners (see blue circles). However, the clear Roman I at right (green circle) and absence of hairline in NE corner show that it is plate #3. Those apparent hairlines are all scratches/scuffs.

khj
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Posts: 1,449

Comparative Philately -- 4d Line-Engraved issue of 1862-1863 Apr 19, 2019 2:59:52 GMT Beryllium Guy, Bombadil, and 2 more like this

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Post by khj on Apr 19, 2019 2:59:52 GMT

And finally, an example of plate #4 that might have been mistaken for a plate #3.

There are clearly hairlines in the NW and SW corners. Circled in blue, but if we had simply only looked at NE corner, we might have missed the faint incomplete hairline close to the cancel. In the SE corner, the hairline appears to be completely absent -- but note the plate damage (see also the rough right side of the check letter box).

Looking at the Roman numerals, there is clearly a Roman numeral II at both ends of the color bar (circled in green). Hence, plate #4.

On used stamps, I recommend using both tests to back up each other and avoid those quick ID errors. Yeah, scratches can add an extra "I" and make the Roman numeral I look like a Roman numeral II.