#425 - 1913 - Perf 10 - Flat Plate - Single line USPS wmk
See below for details
Basic Info
2¢ Carmine rose, rose red, dark rose red, carmine, dark carmine.
TYPE I (all perf 10's are Type I)
Subject: George Washington
Number issued: 11,082,000,000
Printing Method: Flat Plate
Perforations: 10
Watermark: Single Line USPS
Scott #: 425
Issued: December, 1913
Value
Used
15¢
No postmark with gum (MH)
$1
Full perfect gum, no postmark
no trace of stamp hinge mark (MNH)
$1 - $5
#425d
#425d
Perf 12 x 10
Value used $1,900
Plate Blocks
An example of a plate block of #425, showing the plate number in the margin
The Watermark
The watermark consists of single lined USPS letters. A stamp may show only part of a letter or letters
A Full Pane
A pane of #425. There are 100 stamps to a pane and four panes to a sheet
The 'COIL' stamps
In 1914, when the Bureau of Engraving and Printing had the rotary plates working satisfactorily the excess stock of the sheets printed from the special " COIL STAMPS " plates were perforated vertically and sold as ordinary stamps in sheets of one hundred. Thus the "unobtainable" plate number blocks later became available in blocks of ten solving the lmprint "COIL STAMPS" and plate number. A never hinged block of ten has a value of approximately $350
A new perforation
The Department received numerous complaints that the sheets perforated twelve were too brittle, business houses using blocks of stamps on Parcel Post mail found the stamps fell apart at the slightest touch and thus causing a loss of time. The Bureau remedied this condition by changing the wheels to provide ten perforations to every 2cm.
This change in perforating wheels from old style twelve to the new type ten was done gradually, one machine being changed at a time. Through some error a small quantity of stamps was issued perforated with both old and new perforations. Some were perforated vertically twelve on the machines still set for the old style and perforated ten horizontally on the changed machines, while others had the vertical and horizontal perforating done just the reverse.
Earliest Known Use
The earliest known use of #425, November 3rd, 1914
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 cent. These are the stamps with the numbers one and two spelt out, instead of numbers being 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 you can see 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, as shown in the third image, you have a flat plate stamp.
This test works with any value stamp.
The flat plate press
How to identify a Type I
THE LEFT RIBBON'S DISTINGUISHING FEATURE
TYPE I, Ia and II
There is but a single shading line in the top fold of the ribbon at the left.
TYPE III
There are two shading lines in the top fold of the ribbon at the left.
THE RIGHT RIBBON'S DISTINGUISHING FEATURES
TYPE I, Ia and II
There is but a single shading line in the bottom fold of the ribbon at the right.
TYPE III
There are two shading lines in the bottom fold of the ribbon at the right
TYPE I and Ia
The first shading line after the first ribbon fold of the right ribbon often appears as a single, unbroken line. At times there maybe one or two indistinct breaks. The bottom third of the line often appears stronger
TYPE II and III
The first shading line after the first ribbon fold of the right ribbon usually appears as a series of three dashes
THE BUTTON'S DISTINGUISHING FEATURE
TYPE I
The outline of the toga button is thin and sometimes broken
TYPE Ia
The outline of the toga button is stronger than the other types
TYPE II and III
The outline of the toga button is complete and fairly strong
THE LOCK OF HAIR'S DISTINGUISHING FEATURE
TYPE I and Ia
The lock of hair on Washington's cheek will show only a faint, often broken, vertical line along its left edge. It will be slightly stronger on type Ia, but not as strong as type II and III
TYPE II
The lock of hair on Washington's cheek will show a distinct vertical line along its left edge, joining at least four of the horizontally engraved lines of the cheek
TYPE III
The lock of hair on Washington's cheek will show a distinct vertical line along its left edge, joining at least five of the horizontally engraved lines of the cheek
THE MOUTH'S DISTINGUISHING FEATURE
TYPE I
The dark line forming the mouth is almost straight or may even curve slightly upward at the corner of the mouth
TYPE Ia
The dark line forming the mouth is a strong straight line with a downward stroke at the corner of the mouth
TYPE II
The dark line forming the mouth is crooked
TYPE III
The dark line forming the right end of the mouth is crooked and it also dips down
THE EAR'S DISTINGUISHING FEATURE
TYPE I and Ia
Directly below the ear there are several shading lines which are clearly severed, resulting in the appearance of a thin, white, vertical line
TYPE II
Directly below the ear there are several shading lines which are severed, and the breaks are narrower than those of the type I stamp. Thus the impression is of a thinner and shorter white line, although certainly more pronounced than the type III design.
TYPE III
Directly below the ear the shading lines have been closed up to such a point, that the thin white line visible in type I, Ia and type II designs has all but dissapeared.
THE PONYTAIL'S DISTINGUISHING FEATURE
TYPE I and Ia
The two lines shading the hair at the top of the ponytail, directly behind the ear are of unequal length
TYPE II
The two lines shading the hair at the top of the ponytail, directly behind the ear are approximately the same length, the bottom one being very slightly shorter
TYPE III
The two lines shading the hair at the top of the ponytail, directly behind the ear are approximately the same length, the top one can be slightly longer
The 1913-15 Definitives Part 1
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