1c Green, Imperforate,
Electrolytic Plate No. 13376 (481 var). Mint N.H. right plate no. block
of fifteen, rich color and proof-like impression, slightly unevenly
distributed gum, usual extraneous lines of printer's ink characteristic of
this experimental issue, Extremely Fine, a scarce plate block, Scott Retail
as plate block of six (Image)
2c Deep Rose, Ty. Ia,
Imperforate, Schermack Ty. III Private Perforation (482A). Deep rich
color on bright white paper, centered to left as are virtually all recorded
examples, Schermack perforations completely intact at left showing small
part of adjoining stamp at left, cancel leaves most of design clearly
visibleEXTREMELY FINE. ONE OF ONLY 39 RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THIS MAJOR 20TH CENTURY RARITY. ESPECIALLY RARE AND DESIRABLE WITH SUCH ENORMOUS MARGINS AROUND DESIGN.
Scott 482A, like its more famous predecessor, Scott 314A, was issued imperforate by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and sold to the Schermack Company for use in its patented stamp-affixing machines. The Schermack "Sealer and Stamper" machine typically applied stamps one at a time, and, in most cases, the hyphen-hole perfs on one side would be cut off. Unlike Scott 314A, the release of imperforate sheets printed from the experimental Type Ia plates escaped the notice of contemporary collectors, and, therefore, this stamp has a very small survival rate.
Our updated census of Scott 482A published in the Zoellner catalogue and available at our website at: http://www.siegelauctions.com/enc/census/482a/482a.htm records three covers, one unused single, a used pair and 33 used singles for a total of 39 stamps. Most examples are either cut well into the design or have the Schermack perfs trimmed away on one side.
Schermack Type III stamps are often cut into the design by the oblong perforations or miscut with one side of the perforated margin missing. This problem for collectors, which meant very little to contemporary users of the stamps, resulted from two consecutive events. First, the sheets were perforated with the Schermack holes, creating an opportunity for misalignment between the stamps. Second, when the strip of stamps was fed through the Schermack affixing machine, the cutting blade did not always align with the space between stamps.
Census No. 482A-CAN-22. With 1986 P.F. certificate (Image)
5c Carmine, Imperforate, Error
(485). Single error in block of nine, two 2c stamps at top h.r., two 2c
stamps at bottom lightly hinged, other four 2c stamps and error stamp
Mint N.H., wide marginsEXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT IMPERFORATE ERROR IN A BLOCK OF NINE WITH THE ERROR STAMP MINT NEVER-HINGED.
During the course of production of the normal 2c plate No. 7942, three positions were noted to be defective. The plate was returned to the siderographer, who burnished out the three positions and mistakenly re-entered them using a transfer roll for the 5c stamp. The error passed unnoticed and the sheets were issued to the public Perf 10, Imperforate and Perf 11 (Scott 467, 485 and 505). The imperforate is by far the rarest of the three.
With 1981 A.P.S. certificate (Image)
2c Carmine, Ty. II, Coil
(491). Joint line pair, lightly hinged, deep rich color, choice
centeringEXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE OF THE 2-CENT ROTARY TYPE II JOINT LINE PAIR.
Unlike most other issues, the horizontal coil is actually scarcer than the vertical coil. It was in production for only a short period of time before being replaced by the Type III, Scott 492.
With 1975 and 2002 P.F. certificates (Image)