Follow these steps in the
identification of your five cent Taylor Bank Note:
Check the type of paper
it was printed on, if it was printed on the "hard white"
paper it is the Continental Bank Note printing, Scott 179. If it was
printed on the "soft porous" paper, it is the American
Bank Note printing, Scott 185. The 5¢ Taylor was not printed by the
National Bank Note Company.
Watch for re-perforation (to fake a more well-centered stamp), for re-gumming (a major problem with the Bank Notes), and even
for bleaching
of the cancellation (to remove the cancel). Unused copies carry a
substantial premium over the used stamp.
We include the "Special" printings in this identification
guide merely for completeness. Only 317 copies total of Scott
181 and 204 were sold, and they were never issued for postal
use. They were issued without gum. We occasionally see uncertified copies of
these stamps offered for sale at ridiculously low prices. You can
rest assured that the stamp being offered is not genuine. These
stamps are so rare, only about 28 copies are known, they rarely come up for sale, except in
the sale of a major U.S. Collection.
