Scotts #344 US stamps

#344 - 1908 2¢ Double line USPS watermark, Imperf

2¢ carmine, light carmine or deep carmine

Subject: George Washington
Printing Method: Flat Plate
Perforations: Imperforate
Watermark: double line USPS (see below)
Scott #: 344
Quantity Issued: 25,905,000
Issued: December 10th, 1908

Value

Used
$2 - $3
No postmark with gum (MH)
$2 - $3
Full perfect gum, no postmark
no trace of stamp hinge mark (MNH)
$4 - $9

Plate Numbers

#344 had the following plate #'s

Imprint and number
4812-13, 15-18, 20-21, 29-31, 33, 48-49, 56, 59, 62, 64-66, 68, 72-73, 76, 78-79, 83-84, 87, 93, 96
4905

Imprint, star and number
5021-33, 36, 68, 75, 92
5114-17, 19, 23, 33, 34-35, 41, 50-51, 55-57, 68-68, 78, 81, 83, 88-89
5258-60, 84, 85, 86, 95-99
5305-06, 08-09, 11-t2, 14-21, 23, 26, 66, 68, 77, 81

What are these letters?

The strip of letters, frequently seen in the selvage are the initials of the siderographer or plate finisher, for reasons of quality control. Typically, the first, middle, and last initial was used, each followed by a period or dash. This can only be seen on flat plate or offset press printings, not on rotary press printings. Siderographers initials are on the upper left margin and plate finishers on the lower right margin of a sheet of 400 stamps.

The initials were punched into the plate one letter at a time, accounting for the initials not being in a straight line.

Paste up pairs

The makers of private coils pasted fifteen of these sheets together, end to end or side to side. These were then perforated, cut into strips and rolled into coils of 3,000. A paste up, occurred every twenty stamps, each strip being divided by the guide line running in the same direction as the perforations. The primary reason for issuing imperforate stamps in sheets being for the use of makers of private perforations, Above is shown an example of where two stamps have been pasted together.

The purpose of imperf

These imperf. stamps were issued primarily for use in making private coils for vending machines. They were printed from the same type of plates as were used for the perforated stamps of this issue, although not all the plates noted for perforated varieties were used.

The imperf. stamps (unless in coils) were issued in full sheets containing 400 subjects, divided into four panes of 100 each by horizontal and vertical guide lines. These guide lines terminated in arrows at the margins. In the perforated varieties the guide-Iines appear as straight edges at top or bottom and right or left. On the imperforate sheets they permit additional position varieties. The main purpose of this issue being for the manufacture of private coils, below are listed the private perforations used on this stamp.

Earliest documented use

Earliest documented date of use, December 7th, 1908

The Attleboro Perforation

A valuable example of an unused #344 . It has the Attleboro perforation, a private perforation that is scarcely found. What makes this all the more remarkable is that this pair is still intact, despite the easily separated nature of the stamps. This pair sold for $67,850 at Siegel auctions in 2022.

Double line letters watermark

The Design Inspiration

Bust of George Washington
by Jean-Antoine Houdon
1785
The source of the design

Schermack Punch Controls

The Schermack Company used a control pin pattern of nine pins. Pins were removed to identify the company that their stamp was sold to. This 'punch control' was a security device to deter stamp theft.

A partial list of these is shown below